Who Will Win?

Carlsen, Karjakin and the Crown!

" Nowadays it would be reasonable to have an annual world championship." ~ B. Spassky 

The 12 game match for the World Chess Championship will take place this November in New York City. Interestingly, both participants were born in the year 1990 and achieved special place in chess history. Carlsen reaching the highest FIDE rated player of all time (2882, May 2014) holds to date and Karjakin being the youngest player to gain grandmaster title at 12 (August, 2002) still stands.

Here's a preview of classical chess clash between the two contestants...

Magnus Carlsen - Sergey Karjakin

Tata Steel, Wijk aan Zee 2012

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 b6 3.Nc3 Bb7 4.d4 e6 5.a3 d5 6.Bg5 Be7 7.e3 0–0 8.Rc1 h6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Bd3 c5 12.0–0 Na6 13.Ne5 cxd4 14.exd4 Bxe5 15.dxe5 Nc5 16.Re1 Re8 17.f4 d4 18.Ne4 (D)

After White's 18th move

18...Bxe4! 19.Bxe4 d3 20.Rc4 Rc8 21.Bf5 Qd5 22.Rc3 Rcd8 23.Qd2 Qd4+ 24.Kh1 a5 25.Rb1 a4 26.Rd1 Rd5 27.h4 g6 28.Bxd3 Red8 29.Qe1 Qxf4 30.e6 Nxe6 31.Bc2 b5 32.Rxd5 Rxd5 33.Re3 Nd4 34.Bd3 Kg7 35.Kg1 Qf6 36.Kh2 Rh5 37.Rh3 Ne6 38.Rf3 Rxh4+ 39.Kg1 Qd4+ 40.Qf2 Qxf2+ 41.Kxf2 b4 42.Re3 Rd4 43.Bb5 Kf6 44.Rf3+ Ke7 45.Rd3 bxa3 46.bxa3 Rf4+ 47.Ke3 f5 48.Rd7+ Kf6 49.Rd6 Re4+ 50.Kf2 Kg5 51.Be8 Nf4 52.Bb5 Re5 53.Bc4 Nh5 54.Ra6 Nf6 55.Rxa4 Ng4+ 56.Kf1 Kh4 57.Be2 Kg3 58.Bxg4 fxg4 59.Rb4 h5 60.a4 Kh2 0–1

Sergey Karjakin - Magnus Carlsen

Norway Chess, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.a4 Bf8 14.Bd3 c6 15.Qc2 Rc8 16.axb5 axb5 17.b4 Qc7 18.Bb2 Ra8 19.Rad1 Nb6 20.c4 bxc4 21.Nxc4 Nxc4 22.Bxc4 h6 23.dxe5 dxe5 24.Bc3 Ba6 25.Bb3 c5 26.Qb2 c4 27.Ba4 Re6 28.Nxe5 Bb7 29.Bc2 Rae8 30.f4 Bd6 31.Kh2 Nh5 32.g3 f6 33.Ng6 Nxf4 34.Rxd6 Nxg6 35.Rxe6 Rxe6 36.Bd4 f5 37.e5 (D)

After White's 37th move

37...Nxe5! 38.Bxe5 Qc6 39.Rg1 Qd5 40.Bxf5 Rxe5 41.Bg4 h5 42.Bd1 c3 43.Qf2 Rf5 44.Qe3 Qf7 45.g4 Re5 46.Qd4 Qc7 0–1

Chess Jewels: Part Four

Chess Sense
" Every diagram is a lesson."  - A. Soltis 

According to GM Soltis, the most basic way to improve is to stop at every diagram you came across. Concentrate in understanding the position, think critically and make a choice to find the best move.

I agree partly, but it's not fully accurate. All chess knowledge is not equal. At any rate, the chess positions presented below will definitely help you enhance two critical skills of "making a threat" and "recognizing an opponent's threat" as well.  

Find the best move!

(Each diagram is to be solved beginning with white's turn, then with black's turn.)

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

(Solutions - Apr/2016)