Malcolm Pein on…Caruana’s King’s Indian

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Malcolm Pein continues his coverage of the Tata Steel Masters in today’s Daily Telegraph chess column, with an examination of Caruana’s King’s Indian Defense.

Malcolm Pein on…Caruana’s King’s Indian

Fabiano Caruana threw out the King’s Indian rule book and scored a remarkable victory at the Tata Steel Masters. The American former world title challenger joined Anish Giri and 17-year-old prodigy Alireza Firouzja in the lead on 6/9 with four to play. Magnus Carlsen defeated Nils Grandelius to just about stay in the hunt on 5/9.

Caruana’s 7…Bg4 was a novelty at the top level. 8.d5 followed by 9.Nf3-d2 must be the critical test, as an exchange of light bishops would be advantageous for White.

R. Wojtaszek – F. Caruana
King’s Indian

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.e4 0–0 6.Be2 e5 7.0–0 Bg4 8.Be3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 exd4 10.Bxd4 Nc6 11.Be3 Re8 12.Qd2 Nd7 13.Rad1 Bxc3!! (Caruana does the unthinkable and gives us his dark bishop) 14.Qxc3 Qf6! 15.Qc1 (15.Qxf6 Nxf6 wins the e4 pawn) 15…Nc5 16.Qb1 Qe6 (White must give up the c4 or e4 pawn)

Caruana’s King’s Indian

17.Rfe1 Qxc4 18.b3 Qc3 19.Bd2 Qf6 20.Bc1 h5!? (Or 20…Ne5 21.Be2 g5) 21.Bb2 Ne5 22.Be2 h4 23.Qc1 g5 (Caruana secures his knight on e5 and eliminates any counterplay on the a1-h8 diagonal) 24.Bb5?! Re7 25.Re3 Qg6 26.Be2 Rae8 27.Qc2 Ne6 28.f3 Nf4 29.Bf1 c6 (29…g4!?) 30.Qf2 Re6 31.Rc3?! d5! 32.g3 hxg3 33.hxg3

Caruana Attacking with the King’s Indian

33…dxe4! (33…g4! and if 34.gxf4 Nxf3+ 35.Rxf3 gxf3+ 36.Kh2 Qh5+ 37.Bh3 Rg6 38.Rg1 Rxe4 was also very strong) 34.gxf4 gxf4+ 35.Qg2 (35.Kh1 Qh7+ 36.Kg1 exf3 37.Rxf3 Nxf3+ 38.Qxf3 Qc2! 39.Bd4 Rg6+ 40.Kh1 Rh6+ 41.Kg1 Qh2#) 35…exf3!! 36.Qxg6+ Rxg6+ 37.Kh1 (37.Kf2 is today’s puzzle) 37…f2 38.Bh3 Nc4! 39.Rxc4 Re1+ 0–1

Black to Play and Win

Black to play and win

Highlight the space below this line to reveal the answer.

1…Rg3! and Ng4+ wins.

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