Magnus Carlsen's Positional Wizardry vs MVL

Featured is a fantastic positional rapid chess game between Magnus Carlsen and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (MVL) from the 2024 Champions Chess Tour Final. After a modest beginning with Nf3 and e3, Carlsen fianchettoed his queen bishop. The early focus is on the queenside where Carlsen obtains control over the c-file. Once all of Carlsen's pieces are optimized, the attention turns to the kingside where his h-pawn, specifically on h5, creates serious problems for MVL. Would Carlsen play hxg6 or h6? With Carlsen keeping his h-pawn's options open, MVL was in a way left guessing what will be played. MVL makes a concession in trading his dark-squared bishop for a knight in anticipation of a possible sacrifice on g6. When a sacrifice on g6 was no longer feasible, it became clear the h-pawn should establish itself on h6, robbing MVL of his flight square. Carlsen's middlegame clearance with e4 paved the way for a beautiful queen transfer to the kingside, only later returning to the queenside after a rook exchange. Overall this was an excellent positional demonstration by Carlsen, who had to make use of the whole board to earn his victory.
#MagnusCarlsen

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PGN
1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. b3 g6 4. Bb2 Bg7 5. c4 c6 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O Bg4 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Bxf3 Re8 10. d4 e6 11. Nc3 a5 12. Qc2 Na6 13. Rfd1 Qe7 14. a3 Rab8 15. Rac1 b5 16. Ne2 Nd7 17. cxd5 cxd5 18. Nf4 b4 19. a4 Nb6 20. Qe2 Qa7 21. Nd3 Nd7 22. Rc6 Rec8 23. Rdc1 Rxc6 24. Rxc6 Qb7 25. Qc2 Rd8 26. Qc1 Ndb8 27. Rc2 Nd7 28. Be2 Bf8 29. Ne5 Ndb8 30. h4 Bd6 31. h5 Nc7 32. e4 Bxe5 33. dxe5 Ne8 34. Qg5 Rc8 35. Rxc8 Qxc8 36. exd5 exd5 37. Bb5 Nc6 38. h6 Qe6 39. Qc1 Na7 40. Qc5 Nc8 41. g3 g5 42. Qe3 f6 43. Qd4 Nc7 44. exf6 Nxb5 45. f7+ Kxf7 46. Qg7+ Ke8 47. Qh8+ Kd7 48. Qxh7+ Ne7 49. axb5 Qe2 50. Bf6 a4 51. Qxe7+