"There are some aspects of work you need to keep working on and no matter what environment you are in. Continuous learning is very important. It's what I call 'competitive tension', which is about having a competition around."

🔸 Vishy Anand

@UnityChess

With the risk of repeating myself: take comfort in the fact that Magnus Carlsen's technique was not always perfect.
-olimpiuurcan

@UnityChess

The winner of the GRENKE Chess Classic 2019, with 7,5/9: World Champion Magnus Carlsen! Congratulations.🏆

Magnus Carlsen on Winning the GRENKE Chess Classic 2019

🔸Tournament of Peace 2018
🔸Round 8
⚪️Cheparinov,I (2711)
⚫️Palac,M (2548)
🔸1-0

34.b4! [A race! White intends to push his a-pawn as soon as possible.]

34...h4 [34...Ne6 35.Bc4! e3 36.Kc2 Nf3 37.b5 h4 38.gxh4 gxh4 39.a6!+– △a7]

35.gxh4 g4 36.bxc5! [The white knight can return on time to stop the Black's g-pawn.]

36...g3 37.Nd4™ [△Ne2]

[37.a6? g2 38.a7 g1Q+ 39.Ka2 Qxc5 40.a8Q+ Kg7=]

37...g2 38.Ne2+–

⚫️#203 (Strategy-Black to Move)
🔸Kryakvin,D (2588)
🔸Ponkratov,P (2630)
🔸ch-RUS Rapid GP Final 2018

21...b5! [Black tries to exploit his queenside pawn majority and create a weakness on the opponent's camp there.]

[21...Qf6!? 22.Rfe1 Rae8 23.Bf2 Kf7 24.Rxe8 Rxe8 25.Re1 Rxe1+ 26.Qxe1=; 21...b6!? 22.Ne2 bxa5 23.Ng3 Qd7 24.Qxa5 Rae8 25.Nxf5 Qxf5 26.Bf2 Qxf4 27.Bxc5 Qe5 28.Bf2 Qxb2 29.Ra2„]

22.axb6 [If White didn't capture en passant, Black would obtain a huge space advantage on the queenside.]

22...Qxb6 23.Rf2?! [23.Nd1 Qb4 24.Qf2 Rae8 25.Bd2 Qd4 26.Re1 Bd3!=/+]

23...Rfe8 24.Re1 Rab8 25.Rfe2 Qxb2 26.Qxb2 Rxb2 27.Rxb2 Bxc3 28.Rbe2 Bxe1 29.Rxe1 a5-/+

0–1

⚪️#203 (Endgame-White to Move)
🔸Sarana,A (2618)
🔸Demidov,M (2520)
🔸ch-RUS Rapid GP Final 201