12.Nb5! [A strong intermediate move by Aleksandrov to exploit the awkward position of Black's bishop on a5.]

[12.Nce2 dxc4 13.Bxc4 b5 14.Bxb5 dxe3 15.Qxd8 Rfxd8 16.Bxe3 Nc7 17.Bc4 Bd5 18.Rbc1 Bxc4 19.Rxc4 Ncd5 20.Bf2 Bb6 21.Bxb6 axb6³; 12.exd4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 Rc8 14.Qd3 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Nb8 16.Bd2 Bd5 17.Bxd5 Qxd5³]

12...dxc4 13.Bxc4 Rc8 14.Qe2±

1–0

⚫️#236 (Endgame-Black to Move)
🔸Adly,A (2626)
🔸Al Qudaimi,B (2430)
🔸Emirates ch-Arab 2018

41...Kg8? [41...Nc6! 42.f4 Kg8 43.Rh6 Nd4 44.Bg4 Kg7 45.Kg2 Ra2+ 46.Kg3 Ra3+ 47.Kf2 Rb3 48.Rh1 Nb5 49.Bh5 Nd6 50.Kg2 Rb2+ 51.Kf3 Ne4 52.Ra1 Rh2 53.Bg4 Kg6µ; 41...Re7!? 42.f4 Nf5 43.Be2 Rb7 44.Bd3 Nd4 45.g6 Rb3 46.Rxf7+ Kg8 47.Bf1 Rg3+ 48.Kf2 Rxg6 49.Rd7 Rg4 50.Bg2 Rxf4+ 51.Ke3 Rh4 52.Bxd5 Nf5+ 53.Ke2 exd5 54.Rxd5=]

42.g6 Ra1+ 43.Kg2 fxg6 44.Bxg6 Ne2 45.Kf3 Nd4+ 46.Kf4 Rg1 47.Bd3=

½–½

🔸ch-RUS Rapid GP Final 2018
🔸Round 3
⚪️Sarana,A (2618)
⚫️Chigaev,M (2606)
🔸1-0

27...Kh8?? [Black did not find the best defence. He should have played:]

[¹27...Qxe4! 28.Qc3+ Kg6™ 29.Rf6+ Kh7 30.Rd6 Qb1+™ △Be6 31.Kh2 Be6™ 32.Nf6+ Kg6 33.Nd5²]

28.Qc3+! Kh7 29.Nf6+! [White's well-coordinated pieces launch a devastating attack against the opponent's king.]

29...Kg6 30.e5! [△Qc2]

30...Rh8 31.Qd3+ Kg7 32.Nh5+ Kg8 33.Rf6!‚ [The f6–outpost is like a paradise for White's pieces!]

[33.Qd8+!? Kh7 34.Qc7‚ Rf8 35.Rf6 Qd5 36.Qc2+ Kg8 37.Rg6++–]

33...Qxe5 [33...Qe8 34.Rd6! Be6 35.Nf6++–]

34.Qd8+! Kh7 35.Rxf7+ Kg6 36.Rf6+ Kh7 37.Qd3++–

⚪️#237 (Strategy-White to Move)
🔸Gasanov,E (2502)
🔸Mgeladze,T (2395)
🔸Baku Open 2018

Unity Chess Strategy Multiple Choice 237
public poll

A) Ndb5 – 3
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 75%
@fantastic45, Nikhil, Kasyap

B) Qd2 – 1
👍👍 25%
@A_Wild_Richard

C) b3
▫️ 0%

👥 4 people voted so far.

⚫️#237 (Endgame-Black to Move)
🔸Issa,R (2378)
🔸Bellahcene,B (2516)
🔸Emirates ch-Arab 2018

Unity Chess Endgame Multiple Choice 237
public poll

B) Nc3 – 6
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 86%
@fantastic45, Nikhil, اوین, @A_Somewhat_Cool_Guy, ThebestBoss@_Kasyap, Arianna

C) Nc5 – 1
👍 14%
Majid

A) Ra8
▫️ 0%

👥 7 people voted so far.

He didn’t even need 9 rounds...Congratulations, MC!

Carlsen has now won 7 straight tournaments:
🏆 Norway Chess
🏆 Lindores Abbey
🏆 Abidjan GCT
🏆 Grenke Chess Classic
🏆 Shamkir Chess
🏆 Wijk aan Zee
🏆 World Blitz Ch.

Final round!