Carlsen – Aronian Game 5 Live Report ! (Carlsen Win)

photo from chessbase

Aronian take the lead in game 4 by defeating Carlsen with white. In game 5 Carlsen will have the white piece and the position after 17 move look very promising to white (Carlsen). Aronian 16...Ba6 looks very attractive by attacking white queen at e2 after b4 and later exchange in c3 but I think it is rather slow compare to white kingside attack trough e5-Qe4-Ng5-h6 .

[Event "Candidate 2007"]
[Date "2007.06.01"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "Aronian"]
[Black "Carlsen"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E12"]
[WhiteElo "1964"]
[BlackElo "2051"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 (a continuation which leaves Black with a wide choice of possibilities 4...Ba6, 4...c5, 4...d5 or 4...Bb7) 4...Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 (white has a mobile centre, 6...exd5 is more solid) 7. Qc2 (in contrast with 7.e3, white intend to play e4 in one go and at c2 the queen is not worse compare at d1) Be7 8. e4
Nxc3 9. bxc3 O-O 10. Bd3 c5 11. O-O Qc7 12. Qe2 Nd7 13. Bb2 c4 14. Bc2 b5 15.
Bc1 a5 16.Rb1 Ba6?! [16...b4 17.axb4 axb4 18.cxb4+=] 17.e5±

17....b4 [17...Rfb8 18.Ng5 h6 19.Ne4±]18.axb4 axb4 19.Bg5 ( the comentator in Internet Chess Club(ICC) suggest wild sacrifiecs such as [19.Rxb4 Bxb4 20.Bxh7+ Kxh7 (20...Kh8 21.cxb4) 21.Ng5+ Kg8 22.Qh5 Rfe8 23.Qxf7+ Kh8 24.Re1] 19...Nb6 20.Qe4 g6 21.Qh4 Ra7 22.Bf6 Bxf6 23 exf6 Nd5 24.Be4 [24.cxb4?! Qf4=] 24...Qf4 25.Bxd5 Qxh4 26.Nxh4 exd5 27.Rxb4 White knight has more prospect then black bishop. The black bishop is hampered by his own pawn h7-g6-f7 and c4-d5 which are all in the white square. 27...Bc8 28.Rb6 Ra3 29.Rc1 Be6 30.Nf3 White knight headed for the strong outpost on e5 30...Rfa8 31.h4 h6 32.Ne5 Ra1 33.Rxa1 Rxa1+ 34.Kh2 Ra3 35.Rb8+ Kh7 36.f4 Rxc3 37.h5 gxh5 38.Rf8 Ra3 [38...Re3!? 39.f5 Bxf5 40.Rxf7+ Kg8±] 39.f5+- Bxf5 40.Rxf7+ Kg8 41.Rg7+ Kf8 42.Rb7 Ra8 [42...Rb3 43.Ra7 Rb8+-] 43.Kg3 Rd8 44.Kf4 Be4 [44...Bc2 is not the saving move 45.Rf7+ Kg8 46.Rg7+ Kf8 47.Nd7+ Rxd7 48.Rxd7+-; 44...Bc2+- what else?] 45.g3 [45.Nf7 might be the shorter path 45...Re8 46.Nxh6 Re6+-] 45...c3 [45...Bd3+- praying for a miracle] 46.Rf7+ Kg8 47.Rg7+ Kf8 48.Nd7+ Rxd7 49.Rxd7 [49.Rxd7 c2 50.Rc7+-] 1–0

Now the game are tight with one game left. Aronian has the advantage of playing the white piece in the final game but surely Magnus will go all out. I think both player show the most interesting games and fighting spirit for the first round in Elista Candidate 2007!