The roster of players in the Corus tournament that just concluded in Wijk aan Zee closely resembled that of the 2007 world-championship competition in Mexico, but it also included two additional stars who did not take part in that event, Veselin Topalov and Vassily Ivanchuk. But the winner at Corus was neither one of those giants, nor was it current world champion Viswanathan Anand. Rather, first place was shared by Levon Aronian and Magnus Carlsen. In his game against Pavel Eljanov, Carlsen demonstrated skill at positional play that places him on the level of two of the greatest world champions of all time, Jose Raul Capablanca and Vasily Smyslov. Carlsen is all of 17 years old. How strong will he become as he matures? No one can tell. But by all indications, he stands an excellent chance of gaining the world championship title himself within the next decade.

CARLSEN VS. ELJANOV

(White) (Black)

Gruenfeld Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 Ne4 6. Bh4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 dxc4 8. Qa4+ Qd7 9. Qxc4 b6 10.e3 Ba6 11. Qb3 Bxf1 12. Kxf1 0-0 13. Ke2 c5

In the 2007 Corus tournament in Georgiev-Eljanov, black obtained a bad position after 13…Nc6 14. Rhd1

Na5 15. Qb4 Rfe8 16. Rac1 Rac8

17.c4 Qg4 18.h3! Now Eljanov plays a more straightforward move. 14. dxc5 Na6 15. Rhd1 Qb7

(See diagram)

Probably better is 15…Qc7!? which yielded black a good position after 16. cxb6 axb6 17.a4 Nc5 18. Qb4

Ra5! in Lautier-Ivanchuk 1991. 16.c6!? Qxc6 17. Bxe7 Rfe8 18. Ba3 Qxc3 19. Qxc3 Bxc3 20. Rac1 Bb4!? 21. Bb2

Black’s task would be easier after 21. Bxb4 Nxb4 22.a3 Na6 23.g4!?

Re4 24.g5 Nc5. 21… Bf8 22. Nd4 Nc5!?

White has a slight advantage after

22…f5 23. Nb5 Re7 24. Bf6 Rf7

25. Be5. 23.g4! Re4?!

An unfortunate plan; the black rooks lose mobility on the e -file.

Better was 23…a6! 24. Nb3 Rac8

and the position is almost equal. 24. Kf3 Rae8 25.h3 f6?!

And here better was 25…a6! 26. Ba3 Kf7 27. Rc2! Na6 28. Bxf8 Kxf8 29. Rc6 Kg7 30. Nb5 R4e7 31. Rdd6!?

Very promising was 31. Nd6!? Rf8

32. Nc8 Rb7 33. Rd4 Nc5 34.h4

with strong pressure on black’s position. 31… Nc5

Preferable was 31…Nb8!? 32. Rc7

a6 33. Rxe7+ Rxe7 34. Rxb6 axb5

35. Rxb8 Ra7 36. Rxb5 Rxa2 and

black has serious chances of obtaining a draw. 32. Nc7

Of course, not 32. Rxf6? Nd7 with both white rooks under attack. 32… Rf8 33.h4!? The endgame after 33. Rxc5!? bxc5 34. Ne6+ Rxe6 35. Rxe6 Rc8! 36. Re7+ Kh6 37. Ke2 was very good for white. Carlsen hopes to obtain even more. 33… Rff7 The pawn endgame after 33… f5 34.g5 Rff7 35. Nd5 Rd7 36. Nf6 Rxd6 37. Rxd6 Ne4 38. Nxe4 fxe4+ 39. Kxe4 Rxf2 40. Rd7+ Rf7 41. Rxf7+ Kxf7 42. Kd5 is winning for white. 34. Nd5 Rd7 35. Rxd7 Nxd7 36. Kg3 Nc5 37.f3 h6?! A better move, but not one that would solve all problems is 37… Nd3!? 38. Rd6 Ne5 39.f4 Nc4 40. Rc6 Na5 41. Re6! Nb7. 38. Nf4! g5 More chances would come from 38…Rd7!? 39.g5?! (stronger 39.h5! g5 40. Ne2 and the knight goes to f5.) 39…hxg5 40. hxg5 fxg5 41. Rxg6+ Kf7 42. Rxg5 Rd2 and black has obtained counterplay. 39. Nh5+ Kg6 40.f4! gxf4+ 41. exf4 Kh7 42.f5 Kg8 43. Kf3! Nd7 44. Ke4 Kf8 45. Rc8+ Ke7 46. Kd5 b5 Bad for black is 46…Ne5 47.g5. 47. Rh8 Nb6+ 48. Kc6 Nc4 49. Ra8 Ne5+ 50. Kc5 Nd7+ Of no use was 50…Nxg4 51. Rxa7+ Ke8 52. Ng7+ Kf8 53. Ne6+ Ke8 54. Ra8+ Kd7 55. Rd8+ Ke7 56. Rb8 Ne3 57. Nd8! 51. Kxb5 Kd6 52. Rxa7 Rf8 53. Kb4 Nc5 54. Kc4 1-0