TWIC is 31. First issue 17th September 1994.
2nd London Chess Classic FIDE Open 2010 (7)
Magnus Carlsen wins the London Chess Classic
IM Malcolm Pein - Friday 17th December 2010
Magnus Carlsen vs Nigel Short. | http://www.theweekinchess.com
Magnus Carlsen took clear first place in the London Chess Classic after defeating Nigel Short in the final round.
Magnus Carlsen has won the London Chess Classic for the second time after a smooth victory over Nigel Short in the seventh and last round brought his score to 13/21, consisting of four wins, one draw and two losses. The 20 year old Norwegian took home the first prize of €50,000 plus four win bonuses. of about €1,500 each.
The tournament employed the three points for a win system and I believe my decision to persevere with this was vindicated. I cannot recall another tournament where there was a potential winner on every board on the final day.
Round seven results
Anand draw Kramnik (9); Nakamura - Adams (7)
Howell draw McShane (10); Carlsen 1-0 Short (2)
Final scores: 1 Carlsen 12; 2-3 Anand & McShane 11; 4-5 Nakamura & Kramnik 10; 6 Adams 8; 7 Howell 4; 8 Short 2;
Because Carlsen had four games with the black pieces, which was the first tie break, he was guaranteed first place if he won the final game as Vishy Anand and Luke McShane received four whites. Short made a serious error in the opening that left him with a miserable position after Carlsen's clever twelth move, which retreated a well placed bishop towards a dominating post on f3. The bishop never actually moved there in a classic exposition of that Nimzowitchian maxim: 'The threat is stronger than the execution'.
M Carlsen - N Short
French Defence
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Be7
('I was surprised by this, usually they play 5...Ngf6 I had to stop myself playing Nf6+!')
6.Bc4 Ngf6 7.Nxf6+ Nxf6 8.0-0 0-0 9.Ne5 c5 10.dxc5 Qxd1?
(10...Qc7 11.Qe2 Bxc5 is a normal position in this line)
11.Rxd1 Bxc5 12.Be2
(Too obvious to deserve an exclamation mark.The bishop prepares to go to f3 and paralyse the queenside.)
Nigel Short
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Magnus Carlsen
Position after 12.Be2
12...Ne4
(12...b6 13.Bf3 Rb8 14.Nc6 Rb7 15.b4 Be7 16.Bf4 and only the awful 16...Ne8 avoids immediate material loss)
13.Nd3 Be7 14.Be3 h6?!
(14...b6! 15.Ne5 or 15.a4 would restrict White's advantage)
15.a4 a5?!
(But if 15...Rd8 16.a5 a6 17.Bb6)
16.g3 Rd8 17.Ne5 Nf6 18.Nc4 Rxd1+
(18...Nd5 19.Nb6 Nxb6 20.Bxb6 Rd7 21.Bb5 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 with a dominating position)
19.Rxd1 Nd5 20.Nb6
(Effectively winning the game despite level material)
20...Nxe3 21.fxe3 Rb8 22.Kf2 e5
(Losing a pawn but what else?)
23.Rd5 Be6 24.Rxa5 Rd8 25.Bd3 Bf6
(25...e4 26.Bxe4 Rd2+ 27.Kf3 g5 28.Bf5)
26.e4 Rd4 27.Rb5 g6 28.a5 Kg7 29.Ke2 Bg4+ 30.Kf2 Be6 31.Kf3 h5 32.Nd5
(b7 falls)
32...Bd8 33.b4 Bc8 34.Ke2 Bg4+ 35.Ke1 f5
(35...Bc8 36.a6 bxa6 37.Rb8)
36.Rxb7+ Kh6 37.Ne3 Bf3 38.a6 fxe4 39.Be2 Bg5 40.a7 1-0
Nigel Short
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Magnus Carlsen
Final position after 40.a7
