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Opera Euro Rapid 2021 (Day 7)

Magnus Carlsen and Wesley So to meet in the final of the Opera Euro Masters

Magnus Carlsen struggled past MVL after an Armageddon tie-break. Photo ©

Magnus Carlsen struggled past MVL after an Armageddon tie-break. Photo © | https://chess24.com

Magnus Carlsen had to win an Armageddon tie-break to get past Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in his Opera Euro Semifinals. Carlsen had won the first set so MVL needed to strike back. After two draws MVL won the after Carlsen yet again made a simple tactical blunder, he cut the final retreat square from his bishop and after MVL attacked it with a pawn it was lost. In the fourth game of the set Carlsen needed to win, instead in an equal position he again blundered simply with 23.Nd4 overlooking 23...Qe4 which caused his position to collapse. Carlsen has at least shown his fighting ability because in the first blitz game he scored a very smooth victory. In the second game Carlsen could have finished things quick after MVL's 13.b5? 13...Bxc3 won a lot of material, instead 13...axb5 happened and the game continued, Carlsen did achieve an equal position according to the computer after 26...dxc3 but it was a really horrible position to defend and MVL went on to win. In the final Armageddon game Carlsen got a very nice position out of the opening, MVL's position was the one that was hard to play and after 19.Qb3 Carlsen was practically winning and was soon objectively so too - the game ended on move 40. Carlsen's frailties in calculation are a problem but he has still progressed to the final. In interview afterwards Carlsen seemed up beat and did not think the mistakes were as self inflicted as against Dubov. I really can't agree with that but other parts of his game - opening preparation, technical conversion and blitz play seem to be working well.

Wesley So completed a comprehensive victory over Teimour Radjabov by winning games three and four. So has looked the most impressive player by far in this tournament. The Carlsen vs So final is a repeat of the Skilling Open that So won and which seemed to mark the start of Carlsen's confidence crisis. Can he take the chance to end the crisis by beating So? We'll soon see.

Final Magnus Carlsen vs Wesley So starts 4pm UK time on Saturday 13th Feb. There is also a 3rd-4th placed playoff between MVL and Radjabov.

Meltwater Champions Chess Tour: Opera Euro Rapid. Two official commentary streams for Day 2 of the Semifinals

Opera Euro Rapid KO 2021 chess24.com INT Sat 6th Feb 2021 - Sun 14th Feb 2021
Leading Round 2 (of 3) Standings:
RkName123Pts
Final
1Carlsen, Magnus
1So, Wesley
Semifinals
1Carlsen, Magnus1012
2Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime0101
1So, Wesley112
2Radjabov, Teimour000
Quarterfinals
1Carlsen, Magnus1012
2Dubov, Daniil0101
1Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime112
2Aronian, Levon000
1So, Wesley112
2Duda, Jan-Krzysztof000
1Radjabov, Teimour0.50.512
2Giri, Anish0.50.501
8 players

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Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime vs Carlsen, Magnus

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 Na5 9. Bc2 d5 10. d4 dxe4 11. Nxe5 Bb7 12. Nd2 c5 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Bxe4 Bxe4 15. Rxe4 Qd5 16. Qe1 Rfe8 17. Nf3 Kf8 18. Bf4 Bf6 19. Rxe8+ Rxe8 20. Qb1 Kg8 21. dxc5 Nc4 22. Qc2 Qxc5 23. Rd1 h6 24. b3 Na5 25. Rc1 Nc6 26. Be3 Qa3 27. Rd1 Rc8 28. h3 Qe7 29. c4 Nb4 30. Qf5 Qe6 31. Qxe6 fxe6 32. cxb5 axb5 33. Nd4 Bxd4 34. Rxd4 Nxa2 35. Rd7 Nc1 36. b4 Rc4 37. Bc5 Nb3 38. Be7 Nd4 39. Rb7 Nc6 40. Bd6 Nxb4 41. Be5 g5 42. Bg7 h5 43. Bh6 g4 44. hxg4 hxg4 45. Rxb5 Nd5 46. Rb7 Rc7 47. Rxc7 Nxc7 48. Kh2 Kf7 49. Kg3 Kg6 50. Bf4 Nd5 51. Kxg4 Nf6+ 52. Kf3 Kf5 53. Bg3 e5 54. Bh4 e4+ 55. Ke2 Ng4 56. Bd8 Ne5 57. Bc7 Ng4 58. Bb6 Ne5 59. Be3 Ng4 60. Kf1 Nh2+ 61. Kg1 Ng4 62. g3 Ne5 63. Kg2 Ng4 64. Kh3 Ne5 65. Kh4 Ng4 66. Kh3 Ne5 67. Kh4 1/2-1/2

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