Magnus Carlsen

Magnus Øen Carlsen (November 30th 1990 -) is a international Large-Master of failures Norwegian. He drew the attention in the world of the failures after his victory with the tournament C of the Chess tournament Corus in January 2004 at the 13 years age.

At October 1st 2007, it has a Elo: 2714, which puts it n°1 Norwegian and n°17 world.

He is the 5th youngest player of all times to have obtained the title of international large-Master, only preceded by Judit Polgár, Sergey Karjakin, Peter Lékó and Parimarjan Negi. In 2006, it is qualified for the Tournoi of the candidates 2007 in whom it is eliminated in 1/8e from finale by Levon Aronian at the time of the parts of decides between.

Biography

Carlsen lives with Lommedalen, Bærum, close to Oslo. He played its first tournament at the eight years age, and was pulled by the GMI Simen Agdestein. In 2003, Carlsen finishes 3rd with the championship of Europe of less than 14 years.

The result which really drew the attention to him was its victory with the tournament C of Wijk aan Zee with 10,5/13, losing only one part (against best classified group Dusko Pavasovic), gaining its first standard of Large-Master, and carrying out a Elo performance of 2702. In particular, its victory in the penultimate round against Sipke Ernst in which Carlsen sacrificed material for subduing in 29 blows is remarkable. This part gained the Price of the Public of the best part of the round, including all the parts played in the tournaments has and B, whereas the first 23 blows had already been played in the part Almagro Llanas-Gustafsson, Madrid 2003 (which had finished by null).

The victory of Carlsen in the group C qualified it for the group B in 2005, and made write in Lubomir Kavalek in the Washington Post which it was the “Mozart failures”. According to an interview with its Agdestein mentor, itself GM at 18 years, Carlsen is better than him at the same age. Carlsen is famous to have an excellent memory and to use a broad repertory of openings.

Carlsen obtained its second standard of GMI to open of Aeroflot of Moscow in February 2004. With 6th the open international one of Dubai, in April 2004, Carlsen obtained its 3rd standard of GMI, sufficient to obtain the title of GMI, after 4 victories and 4 null. He became thus second younger GMI in activity after the Ukrainian Sergey Karjakin who obtained the title at the 12 years age and 7 months in 2002.

Carlsen was youngest taking part of the Championnat of world FIDE 2004 but was beaten with the first turn by Levon Aronian. In July 2005, it finishes second with the championship of Norway behind Berge Østenstad.

In the end of the year 2005, Carlsen took part in the world cup FIDE with Khanty-Mansiysk in Russia. In this tournament with direct elimination, with the first turn, it demolishes 44e world player, the Georgia N Zurab Azmaiparachvili, by gaining 2-0 into semi-rapid, after having made 1-1 in the long parts. Then, it beat the Inhabitant of Tajik Farrukh Ammonatov and the Bulgare Ivan Cheparinov, to qualify itself in 16 better tournament. To note that all these players were classified better than Carlsen. It was only beaten 1,5-2,5 by Evgeny Bareev, preventing it from finishing in the first eight places. It gained then against Joel Lautier 1,5-0,5 and Vladimir Malakhov 3,5-2,5, thus ensuring to him a place in the ten first, which qualifies it with next the Tournoi of the candidates.

It is the best result ever obtained by a Norwegian player in a championship of the world of failures. That also made of Carlsen the youngest Official candidate of the history to a championship of the world (in front of Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov).

In 2006, it beats 2 times Alexander Morozevich with the tournament of Bienne.

In 2007, it is invited in two super-tournaments. With the Chess tournament Corus of Wijk aan Zee, it finishes with a little reluisante 13th place on 14, without any victory with its credit. On the other hand, it carries out very a good performance with the Tournoi of Morelia-Linares, where it finishes third on 8, with a victory against Morozevich, 2 victories against Vasily Ivanchuk and 1 victory against Veselin Topalov. Of return to Bienne, it gains the tournament of the Large-Masters by beating Alexander Onischuk (2650 Elo) with decide between.

Parts of reference

The following part is the Carlsen-Ernst part, of the tournament C of Wijk aan Zee in 2004. It is given with the proper annotations of Carlsen.

1. e4 c6

One surprising first blow! I had prepared for Ruy Lopez.

2. d4 d5 3. Cc3 dxe4 4. Cxe4 Ff5 5. Cg3 Fg6 6. h4 h6 7. Cf3 Cd7 8. h5 Fh7 9. Fd3 Fxd3 10. Dxd3 e6 11.

Ff4 Cgf6 12. O-O-O Fe7 13. Ce4 Da5 13… Cxe4 possible, is followed from 14. Dxe4 Cf6 15. Dd3 Dd5 (15… Da5 16. Tb1 0-0) 16. Rb1!? (16. c4 is more common) 16… Ch5 17. Fc1 followed by Ce5 gives good compensations for the pawn.

14. Rb1 O-O 15. Cxf6+ Cxf6
Not 15… Fxf6 16.g4!

16. Ce5
Polgar played 16.g4 in this position against Anand in 2003 in Wijk ann Zee. I thought Ernst familiar of this position, and thus chose a calmer line.

16… Tad8 17. De2
It was the last theoretical blow which I knew. However, I had already used 45 minutes to decide which line to play.

17… c5!? (See diagram)

17… Db6 18.c3 (18.Td3 was recommended by certain commentators, but it seems possible with the Blacks to take the pawn, for example 18… Txd4 19. Fe3 Te4!) 18… c5 was finally the best choice for the Blacks.

18. Cg6! fxg6?

The alternative 18… Tfe8 19.Cxe7+ Txe7 20.dxc5 was preferable, but the Blacks are nevertheless in difficulty.

19. Dxe6+ Rh8 20. hxg6!

The Blacks are now without defense.

20. … Cg8

The best test. 20… Td7 or 20… Tde8 are both refuted by 21. Txh6+ gxh6 22. Fxh6 Tg8 23. Df7 cxd4 24. Fg5! (In the line after 20… Tde8, the answer 22… Db6 is not enough because of 23. g7+ Rh7 24. gxf8=D Fxf8 25. Df7+ Rxh6 26. f4! with attack of chechmate.)

21. Fxh6 gxh6 22. Txh6+!

The point of the combination.

22… Cxh6 23. Dxe7 Cf7

Only blow.

24. gxf7

24. Df6+? was interesting, but after 24… Rg8 25. Th 1 Ch 6 26. De7 Cf7 27. Df6, the White have only the null one.

24… Rg7

After 24… Db6 25. De5+ Rh7 26. Th1+ Rg6 27. Th5, the blacks lose the lady with 27… Df6 28. Th6+ to avoid the chechmate, but the final is without hope.

25. Td3?!

25. De5+! Rxf7 26. Td3 forced the Blacks to play 26… De1+ to avoid the chechmate.

25… Td6

Loses immediately, but 25… Db6 26. Tg3+ Dxg6 27. Txg6+ Rxg6 28. d5 gave also an easy profit to the White.

26. Tg3+ Tg6 27. De5+ Rxf7 28. Df5+

27… Rh7 28. Dh5+ Th6 29. Df5+ Rh8 30. De5+ led to the chechmate.

28… Tf6

At the same time 28… Re7 and 28… Re8 lose on 29. Te3+.

29. Dd7# 1-0

References

Agdestein, S. (2004). Wonderboy. (How Magnus Carlsen became the youngest grandmaster ever) . Interchess. ISBN 9056911317.

External bonds

Article on the tournament Corus 2004, including the notes on Carlsen-Ernst, Lubomir Kavalek, Washington Post , January 25th 2004
'' Mega Magnus in Wijk aan Zee '', ChessBase , January 27th 2004.
'' World' S youngest grandmaster '', Aftenposten , April 26th 2004.
'' Magnificent Magnus, the world' S youngest grandmaster '', ChessBase , April 30th 2004. A long interview.
Carlsen-Kasparov, Chess.FM . Video commented on.
Press conference of Carlsen. Video of World cup FIDE 2005.
Carlsen-Ernst, Chess.FM . Video commented on: the part is given above.

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