DAVID R. SANDS: Magnus Carlsen, chess champ, comes up short in second straight event

It may not qualify as a slump yet, but Magnus has been just a bit less magnificent in recent days.

World champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway threatened to leave his top rivals in the dust after successfully defending his title last November against Viswanathan Anand and taking first in three elite events to open 2015 with the Tata Steel Tournament in the Netherlands, the 3rd Grenke Chess Classic in Baden-Baden, Germany, and the Shamkir Tournament in Azerbaijan in April — the last a dominating 5-0-4 result that was one of Carlsen’s best tournament performances ever.

But the champ slipped badly at June’s Norway Chess Tournament, losing three games and finishing in a tie for seventh, and his performance at the just-concluded Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis earlier this month has to rate as another disappointment. His 5-4 result was good for a four-way tie for second, a full point behind tournament winner Levon Aronian of Armenia, and the young Norwegian spoiled a couple of promising positions that he normally converts to victories.

Carlsen got off to a bad start in St. Louis in the very first round, falling to former world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria (there were no off days in this tournament, with the lowest-rated player above 2730) with White. Carlsen failed to react well to an opening novelty in this Rossolimo Sicilian, and his speculative piece sacrifice never gave him real counterplay against Topalov’s precise defense.

The gambit idea 7. c4 g5!? is a very modern one — it looks ugly, but if White doesn’t take the pawn, he makes a positional concession, and if he does grab the pawn, Black gets some promising open lines. Carlsen’s 8. Nxg5 Ne5 9. Be2 bxc4 10. Na3?! (better was 10 Nf3!, and if 10Nd3, White has 11. Bxd3 cxd3 12. e5! dxe5 13. Nxe5 Bb7? 14. Qa4+ Nd7 15. Nxf7! — suggested by U.S. GM Alejandro Ramirez on Chessbase.com — Kxf7 16. Qb3+, picking off the bishop on b7) Rg8 11. Nxc4?! sacrifices a knight for two pawns, but White can’t find the strongest follow-up in the critical next few moves.

After 11Nxc4 12. d4 (Bxc4 Rxg5) Nb6 13. Bh5 Nxh5 14. Qxh5 Rg7 15. Nxh7 Qd7!? (worth a look also was 15Rxh7), White’s best hope may have been 16. Nxf8 Qh3 (Kxf8?? Qh8+ 17. Rg8 Bh6+ wins on the spot) 18. Qxh3 Bxh3 19. g3, and GM Robert Hess noted the wild drawing line 19Nc4 20. Bh6 Rg8 21. Rec1 Ne5 22. Rxc5 Nf3+ 23. Kh1 Rh8 24. Bg7 Rg8 25. Bh6, with a repetition.

Instead, Black seizes the high ground after 17. e5?! (see diagram) Qc6! 18. f3 Qg6! 19. Nf6+ Kd8! (Carlsen was hoping for 19exf6?! 20. exf6+ Be6 21. fxg7, though even here Black has all the winning chances) 20. Qxg6 Rxg6 21. Ne4 Bb7, and Topalov survived the onslaught and is ready to convert his material advantage.

Black grabs another pawn with 32. Nf2 Bxe5!, as 33. Rxe5 Bxf3 is deadly. The two Black bishops keep White’s kingside pawns from advancing, and in the final position, Black has reached the first time control with all his weaknesses covered and his extra piece ready to go into action; White resigned.

Carlsen-Topalov, 3rd Sinquefield Cup, St. Louis, August 2015

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. O-O Nf6 5. Re1 a6 6. Bd3 b5 7. c4 g5 8. Nxg5 Ne5 9. Be2 bxc4 10. Na3 Rg8 11. Nxc4 Nxc4 12. d4 Nb6 13. Bh5 Nxh5 14. Qxh5 Rg7 15. Nxh7 Qd7 16. dxc5 dxc5 17. e5 Qc6 18. f3 Qg6 19. Nf6+ Kd8 20. Qxg6 Rxg6 21. Ne4 Bb7 22. h4 Rc8 23. h5 Rg8 24. Bd2 Nc4 25. Bc3 Bh6 26. Rad1+ Ke8 27. Rd3 Bf4 28. Nf2 Bc6 29. Nh3 Bg3 30. Re2 Bb5 31. Rd1 Bc6 32. Nf2 Bxe5 33. Ng4 Bxc3 34. bxc3 Kf8 35. Kf2 Rh8 36. Ne5 Nxe5 37. Rxe5 Be8 38. g4 f6 39. Re6 Bb5 40. Rde1 Rc7 White resigns.

• David R. Sands can be reached at 202/636-3178 or by email at dsands@washingtontimes.com.