"All chess masters have on occasion played a magnificent game and then lost it by a stupid mistake, perhaps in time pressure and it may perhaps seem unjust that all their beautiful ideas get no other recognition than a zero on the tournament table."
🔸 Bent Larsen
@UnityChess
🔸 Bent Larsen
@UnityChess
US grandmaster Pal Benko, pictured at the Hoogovens tournament in Wijk aan Zee, January 1969.
@UnityChess
@UnityChess
32...Nb4? Black intends to hold his b7 pawn. However, this mistake releases White's queen.
[32...Qa4! △Q×a5 would be correct. 33.Rxb7 Qxa5! △Q×a5 34.Nd5! △Q×a5 34...Qe1+ 35.Qxe1 Nxe1=]
33.Qe4!± Qd4 34.Qxd4! Carlsen increases his advantage by trading the queens.
34...cxd4 35.Rxb4 dxe3 36.fxe3 Rd1+ 37.Kf2 Ra1 38.Rb5 Ra2+ 39.Kf3 g6 40.c5 Kg7 41.Ke4! Magnus plays the endgame with precise play and great technique.
41...Rxg2 42.Rxb7 g5 43.c6 g4 44.c7 Rc2 45.Kd3 Rc1 46.Kd2 Rc6 47.a6 gxh3 48.a7 h2 49.Rb1 1–0
[32...Qa4! △Q×a5 would be correct. 33.Rxb7 Qxa5! △Q×a5 34.Nd5! △Q×a5 34...Qe1+ 35.Qxe1 Nxe1=]
33.Qe4!± Qd4 34.Qxd4! Carlsen increases his advantage by trading the queens.
34...cxd4 35.Rxb4 dxe3 36.fxe3 Rd1+ 37.Kf2 Ra1 38.Rb5 Ra2+ 39.Kf3 g6 40.c5 Kg7 41.Ke4! Magnus plays the endgame with precise play and great technique.
41...Rxg2 42.Rxb7 g5 43.c6 g4 44.c7 Rc2 45.Kd3 Rc1 46.Kd2 Rc6 47.a6 gxh3 48.a7 h2 49.Rb1 1–0
42.Rg1? [White missed a golden opportunity to win the game. In the double-edged position, every move is critical.]
[42.d6!! This passed-pawn is a lethal weapon! 42...Qd3 (42...Re2 43.d7 Bxh2 44.Qxe2 Be5+ 45.Rh2 Qxh2+ 46.Qxh2++–) 43.Rxf5! Rg4 (43...gxf5 44.Qe6+ Kg7 45.Qxf5 Qxf1+ (45...Bxd6? 46.Qf7+ Kh8 47.Rg1 Rg4 48.Qf6+ Kg8 49.Rxg4++–) ) 44.R5f3 Qe4 45.Qf8+ Kh5 46.Qg8 Bxd6 (46...h6 47.d7+–) 47.Qxh7+ Kg5 48.Qd7 Bc5 49.Qd8+ Kh5 50.Qh8+ Kg5 51.Qc3 Bd4 52.Qd3 Qc6 53.Qd2+ Kh5 54.h3 Rh4 (54...Rg3 55.Qxd4 Rxf3 56.Qg4+ Kh6 57.Rxf3+–) 55.Qg2 g5 56.Rg3 Qxg2+ 57.Kxg2 Re4 58.Rd3 b5 59.Rf7 Re2+ 60.Kf1+–; 42.Rg2? Re2 43.Qg5+ Kg7 44.Qe7+ Kg8 45.Qe8+ Kg7 46.Qe7+=]
42...Qe3 43.Rfg2 Qf3 44.Qg5+ Kg7 45.Qe7+ Kh6 46.Qg5+ Kg7 47.Qe7+ ½–½
[42.d6!! This passed-pawn is a lethal weapon! 42...Qd3 (42...Re2 43.d7 Bxh2 44.Qxe2 Be5+ 45.Rh2 Qxh2+ 46.Qxh2++–) 43.Rxf5! Rg4 (43...gxf5 44.Qe6+ Kg7 45.Qxf5 Qxf1+ (45...Bxd6? 46.Qf7+ Kh8 47.Rg1 Rg4 48.Qf6+ Kg8 49.Rxg4++–) ) 44.R5f3 Qe4 45.Qf8+ Kh5 46.Qg8 Bxd6 (46...h6 47.d7+–) 47.Qxh7+ Kg5 48.Qd7 Bc5 49.Qd8+ Kh5 50.Qh8+ Kg5 51.Qc3 Bd4 52.Qd3 Qc6 53.Qd2+ Kh5 54.h3 Rh4 (54...Rg3 55.Qxd4 Rxf3 56.Qg4+ Kh6 57.Rxf3+–) 55.Qg2 g5 56.Rg3 Qxg2+ 57.Kxg2 Re4 58.Rd3 b5 59.Rf7 Re2+ 60.Kf1+–; 42.Rg2? Re2 43.Qg5+ Kg7 44.Qe7+ Kg8 45.Qe8+ Kg7 46.Qe7+=]
42...Qe3 43.Rfg2 Qf3 44.Qg5+ Kg7 45.Qe7+ Kh6 46.Qg5+ Kg7 47.Qe7+ ½–½