How will Carlsen handle this game? He over pushed and was in big trouble. For the first time in the match, he was visibly upset after the game. He will have black this game as well as in game 7. He needs to make sure not to fall behind in the match.

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Karjakin – Carlsen (game 6)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Ruy Lopez again!

4…Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. h3 Bb7 9. d3 They are following game 4.

9…d5 This is the deviation from game 4 where Carlsen played 9…d6

10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxe5 Nd4 Here Karjakin beat Onischuk with 12. Bd2, and drew Bacrot with 12. Nd2

12. Nc3 Nb4 13. Bf4 The more popular line is 13. Ne4. Kasimdzhanov beat Bacrot in 2007 with 13. Bf4

13…Nxb3 14. axb3 c5 This is a new move according to my database.

15. Ne4 I see no game with this position in my database. It may transpose into another game later on.

15…f6 16. Nf3 Black can play 16…f5. It seems clear that Carlsen has enough compensation for the pawn. Once again, he is dictating the game.

16…f5 Carlsen is playing fast. This means that we are in his home prep. Once again, he’s dictating the game. White’s most logical continuation is 17. Neg5 Bxg5 White has to take with 18. Nxg5 because if 18. Bxg5 then black is much better after 18…Bxf3.

17. Neg5 Bxg5 18. Nxg5 h6 White now has to go 19. Ne6. If 19. Nf3 then 19…Bxf3 and white has to have double pawn. After 19. Ne6 Qd5 20. f3 Rfe8 21. Re5 Qd6 22. Re2 Qd7 23. Nc7 Rxe2 24. Qxe2 Rc8 = I have a feeling that this game may be short because with correct play, many ways for forced repetition of moves or ending with bishop opposite color drawn endgame.

19. Ne6 as predicted. This is the only logical move. 19…Qd5 is forced to get out of the fork while threatening checkmate.

19…Qd5 20. f3 Rfe8 21. Re5 Qd6 Just as what I predicted. Still believe that this will be a short game.

22. c3 If 22… Rxe6 23. Rxe6 Qxe6 24. cxb4 Qf6 = Bishop opposite color endgame. I believe Carlsen had most of this prepared at home. This game is headed to another draw. If we want to stop long home prep & cut down on “computer generated” draws, Fischer Random is the answer. Bobby & I came to this conclusion in 1993!

22…Rxe6 23. Rxe6 Qxe6 24. cxb4 cxb4 = Heading toward another draw, 6th in a row!

25. Rc1 Rc8 26. Rxc8+ Qxc8 They need to get to move 30 before a draw can be official. There is no chance for decisive results today.

27. Qe1 After a draw today, the match will become best of 6 games.

27..Qd7 28. Kh2 a5 29. Qe3 One more move before a draw can be offered 🙂

29…Bd5 30. Qb6 Bxb3 31. Qxa5 Qxd3 32. Qxb4 Be6 Completely dead drawn position! And they did agree to a draw!

In my opinion, we should change some rules for World Championships:

1) No day off on weekends

2) Fischer Random

3) Shorter time control 🙂

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