Carlsen is well-known for varying his openings, but his games in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database reveal distinct patterns.
White
Open 1.e4, intending to play a mainline Spanish: 1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 Be7 7.Bb3, and if 7...0-0 avoid the Marshall Attack by playing 8.a4, meeting 8...b4 with 9.d3 d6 10.Nbd2 and meeting 8...Bb7 with 9.d3 d6 followed by either 10.Nbd2 or 10.Bd2.
Against 7...d6 play 8.c3 0-0 9.h3, meeting 9...Na5 with 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2, meeting 9...Nb8 with 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 followed by either 15.a4 or 15.b3, meeting 9...Bb7 with 10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.d5, and meeting 9...Re8 with 10.d4 Bb7 11.Nbd2, which is a transposition to the line with 9...Bb7.
Against the Open Variation: 5...Nxe4 play 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2, meeting 9...Nc5 with 10.c3, continuing against 10...d4 with 11.Bxe6 Nxe6 12.cxd4 Ncxd4 13.a4 and continuing against 10...Be7 with 11.Bc2, meeting 9...Be7 with 10.c3 0-0 followed by either 11.Bc2 or 11.Qe2, and meeting 9...Bc5 with the somewhat unusual 10.c3!? 0-0 11.Bc2.
Against 5...b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 play 7.c3 d6 8.d3!? If 6...Bb7 play 7.d3.
Against 5...Bc5 play 6.c3, meeting 6...0-0 with 7.d3!? and meeting 6...b5 with 7.Bb3 Nxe4 (7...d6 transposes to 5...Bc5 6.Bb3 Bc5) 8.Qe2!? d5 9.d3.
Against the Steinitz Deferred: 4...d6 play 5.c3 Bd7 (no games with 5...f5) 6.d4.
Against the Berlin: 3...Nf6 play 4.d3, meeting 4...Bc5 with 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.h3!? and meeting 4...d6 with 5.0-0, continuing against 5...Be7 with 6.c3 0-0 7.Re1 and continuing against 5...g6 with 6.d4 exd4 (no games with 6...Bd7) 7.e5 dxe5 8.Nxe5.
Against the Schliemann: 3...f5 play 4.d3 fxe4 (no games with 4...Nf6) 5.dxe4 Nf6 6.0-0, meeting 6...Bc5 with 7.Bxc6, 7.Qe2!? or 7.Qd3 and meeting 6...d6 with 7.Nc3!?
Against the Petrov: 2...Nf6 play 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3, meeting 6....Bd6 with 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4, meeting 6...Nc6 with 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0 10.Nc3 and meeting 6...Be7 with 7.0-0 0-0 (7...Nc6 is a transposition to 6...Nc6) 8.c4 Nf6 (no games with 8...c6) 9.Nc3.
Against the Philidor: 2...d6 play 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.g3!?
Against the Sicilian: 1...c5 play 2.Nf3, 3.d4 and (after 3...cxd4) 4.Nxd4.
Against the Najdorf: 2...d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 play 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3!?, continuing against 7...Be7 with 8.Bc4 0-0 9.0-0 Be6 10.Bb3 and continuing against 7...Qc7 with 8.a4. If 6...Ng4 play 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.Qd2!? If 6...e6 play 7.f3 b5 8.Qd2, meeting 8...Nbd7 with 9.g4 and meeting 8...b4 with 9.Na4.
Against the Dragon: 5...d6 play 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3, meeting 7....0-0 with 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.0-0-0, continuing against 9...d5 with 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bd4, continuing against 9...Bd7 with 10.g4 Rc8 (or 10...Qa5 11.Kb1 Rfc8 12.h4) 11.h4 and continuing against 9...Nxd4 with 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.g4!? Qa5 12.Kb1 Rfc8 13.a3. Meet 7...Nc6 with 8.Qd2 Bd7 (8...0-0 transposes to 7...0-0) 9.0-0-0, when 9...0-0 (the only move Carlsen has faced in Mega20) again transposes to 7...0-0. Meet 7...Nbd7 with 8.Qd2 h5 (the only move against Carlsen in Mega20) 9.Bc4.
Against 5...Nc6 play 6.Bg5, meeting 6...e6 with 7.Qd2, continuing against 7...a6 with 8.0-0-0 Bd7 f4 or 8...h6 9.Nxc6!? bxc6 10.Bf4 d5 11.Qe3 and continuing against 7...Be7 with 8.0-0-0 0-0 9.f4 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Qa5 11.Bc4 Bd7 12.Kb1!? or 8...Nxd4 9.Qxd4 a6 10.f4 b5 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Be2!? Meet 6...Bd7 with 7.Qd2 or 7.Be2 (just one game of Carlsen's with each move in Mega20). Meet 6...g6 with 7.Bxf6 exf6 8.Bc4 Bg7 9.Ndb5 0-0 10.Qxd6 f5 11.0-0-0. Meet 6...e5 with 7.Bxf6 gxf6 8.Nf5.
Against the Scheveningen: 5...e6 play 6.g4!? h6 (only move played against Carlsen in Mega20) 7.Bg2!? Nc6 8.h3.
Against 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 play 5.Nc3, meeting 5...Qc7 with 6.Be3, continuing against 6...a6 with 7.Bd3 Nf6 8.0-0 and continuing against 6...Nf6 with 7.Bd3, when Carlsen has only faced the transpositional 7...a6. Meet 5...a6 with 6.Be3, continuing against 6...Nf6 with 7.Bd3, when Carlsen has only faced the transpositional 7...Qc7, and continuing against 6...Nge7 with 7.Nb3 Ng6 8.Be2!? Meet 5...d6 with 6.Be3 Nf6 7.f4!? Be7 8.Qf3. Meet 5...Nf6 with 6.Ndb5, continuing against 6...Bb4 with 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 d5 9.Bd3!? and continuing against 6...Bc5 (no games with 6...d6) with 7.Bf4!?
Against 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 play 5.Nc3 with likely transpositions. Meet the independent 5...b5 with 6.Bd3 Qb6 (no games with 6...Bb7) 7.Nf3!?
Against 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 play 5.Nc3, again with likely transpositions. Meet the independent 5...Qb6 with 6.Nb3 Bb4 7.Bd3.
Against 2...Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 play 5.Nc3, meeting 5...d6 with 6.Bg5, which is a transposition to lines already covered. Meet 5...e5 with 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5, continuing against 10...f5 with 11.Bd3 Be6 12.0-0 and continuing against 10...Bg7 with 11.Bd3 Ne7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 11.0-0.
Against 2...Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 play 5.Nb5, meeting 5...d6 with 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 b5 8.Nd5, continuing against 8...Nge7 with 9.c4 and continuing against 8...Nf6 with 9.Nxf6+!? Qxf6 10.c4.
Against 2...Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 play 5.c4, meeting 5...Bg7 with 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Be2 d6 (Black's last two moves are often transposed) 9.0-0 Bd7 10.Qd2 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 (Carlsen also reaches the same position via the move-order 9...Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Bd7 11.Qd2) Bc6 12.f3, continuing against 12...a5 with 13.b3 Nd7 14.Be3 (also reached vis 12...Nd7 13.Be3 a5 14.b3) Nc5 15.Rab1 Qb6 16.Rfc1. Meet 5...Nf6 with 6.Nc3 Nxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.f3!? Bg7 9.Be3 0-0 10.Qd2.
Against 2...g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Bg7 (4...Nc6 transposes to lines already covered) Carlsen has almost equally played 5.Nc3 and the repertoire-friendly 5.c4. He has also reached the position after 5.Nc3 via 2...g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4, the games continuing 5...Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4, after which meet 7...0-0 with 8.Bb3 a5 9.0-0 a4 10.Nxa4 Nxe4 11.Nb5. If 8...Qa5 play 9.0-0 d6 10.h3 Bd7 11.Re1 and if 8...e6 (the only other move Carlsen has faced in Mega20) play 9.f4!? d6 10.Qf3. Meet 7...Qa5 with 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bb3 (a transposition to the line with 7...0-0 and 8...Qa5).
Against 2...Nf6 play 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nc3, meeting 4...Nxc3 (the only move Carlsen's faced) with 5.dxc3 Nc6 6.Bf4.
Against 2...a6 play 3.c3, meeting 3...d5 with 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 and meeting 3...e6 with 4.d4 d5 5.e5.
Against the French: 1...e6 2.d4 d5 play 3.Nc3, meeting the Classical: 3...Nf6 with 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3, continuing against 7...a6 with 8.Qd2 b5 9.a3!?, continuing against 7...Be7 with 8.Qd2 0-0 9.g3!?, continuing against 7...cxd4 with 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 and continuing against 7...Rb8 (the only other move played against Carlsen in Mega20) with 8.a3!? and if 8...c4 (the only move faced by Carlsen) then 9.g4.
Meet the Winawer: 3...Bb4 with 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ (no Carlsen games with 5...Ba4) 6.bxc3, meeting 6...Ne7 with 7.Qg4, continuing against 7...Nf5 with 8.Bd3 h5 9.Qf4, continuing against 7...Qc7 with 8.Bd3!? cxd4 9.Ne2 dxc3 10.Qxg7 Rg8 11.Qxh7 and continuing against 7...0-0 with 8.Bd3 Nbc6 (no other moves played against Carlsen in Mega20) 9.Qh5 Ng6 10.Nf3 Qc7 11.Be3 c4 12.Bxg6 fxg6 13.Qg4. Meet 6...Qa5 (the only move apart from 6...Ne7 faced by Carlsen in Mega20) with 7.Bd2 Qa4 8.Qg4. Against 4...b6 play 5.a3 Bf8 6.Nf3.
Meet the Rubinstein: 3...dxe4 with 4.Nxe4 Nd7 (only move faced by Carlsen in Mega20) 5.Nf3, continuing against 5...Ngf6 with 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Nxf6+ Nxf6 (no games with 7...Bxf6) 8.Bd3 and continuing against 5...Be7 with 6.Bc4!? Ngf6 7.Nxf6+ Nxf6 (no games with 7...Bxf6) 8.0-0 0-0 9.Ne5!?
Against the Caro-Kann: 1...c6 2.d4 d5 play 3.e5, meeting 3...Bf5 with 4.Be3!? e6 5.Nd2 and meeting 3...c5 with 4.Nf3!? Nc6 5.c4.
Against the Pirc: 1...d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 Carlsen has varied, playing 4.f4, 4.Nf3 and 4.Be3 twice each and playing 4.Bg5 once. Perhaps the easiest repertoire fit is 4.Nf3 as Carlsen has also reached this position via various Modern move-orders, eg 2...g6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3. After 4...Bg7 play 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0, meeting 6...Bg4 with 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qc1!?, meeting 6...c6 with 7.h3 Nbd7 8.e5, meeting 6...Nc6 with 7.Be3!? and meeting 6...a6 with 7.h3!?
Against the Alekhine: 1...Nf6 play 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3, meeting 4...Bg4 with 5.Be2, meeting 4...dxe5 with 5.Nxe5 c6 6.Be2 and meeting 4...g6 with 5.c4!? Nb6 6.exd6 cxd6 7.Be2 Bg7 8.0-0.
Against the Scandinavian: 1...d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 play 3.Nc3, meeting 3...Qd6 with 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 g6 (the only 3...Qd6 line faced by Carlsen) 6.Nb5, meeting 3...Qa5 with 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2 and meeting 3...Qd8 with 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 c6 8.Qd3!? Against 2...Nf6 play 3.d4 or 3.Nf3.
Black v 1.e4
Play 1...e5 aiming to meet the mainline Spanish: 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 with 9...Nb8 10.d4 (the only move played against Carlsen in Mega20) Nbd7, continuing against 11.Nbd2 with 11...Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8, meeting 13.a4 with 13...Bf8 14.Bd3 c6 and meeting 13.Nf1 with 13...Bf8 14.Ng3 g6. If 11.c4 play 11...c6 12.Nc3 b4 13.Na4 c5 14.d5 Re8.
Against 9.d4 play 9...Bg4, meeting 10.Be3 with 10...exd4 11.cxd4 Na5 12.Bc2 c5 and meeting 10.d5 with 10...Na5 11.Bc2 c6 12.h3 Bc8.
Against the Anti-Marshall: 8.a4 play 8...b4!?, against 8.h3 play 8...Bb7 9.d3 d6 and against 8.d4 play 8...d6 9.c3 Bg4.
Against 5.Qe2 play 5...Be7 6.c3 d6!? 7.0-0 0-0.
Against the Exchange Variation: 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0 (the only move faced by Carlsen in Mega20) play 5...Bd6 6.d4 exd4 7.Qxd4 f6 and against 6.d3 play 6...Ne7!?
Against the Italian Game: 3.Bc4 play 3...Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 a6, meeting 6.0-0 with 6...d6, continuing against 7.a4, 7.Re1, 7.Bb3, 7.h3 and 7.Nbd2 with 7...Ba7, meeting 6.Bb3 with 6...0-0!? 7.0-0 Ba7 and meeting 6.Nbd2 with 6...Ba7. Against 5.d4 play 5...exd4 6.e5 (the only move played against Carlsen in Mega20) d5, meeting 7.Bb5 with 7...Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb6 and meeting 7.Be2 with 7....Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb6.
If 4.0-0 or 4.d3 play 4...Nf6 with likely transpositions, and if 4.Nc3 play 4...Nf6 5.d3 d6.
Against the Evans Gambit: 4.b4 play 4...Bb6 5.a4 a6.
Against the Scotch: 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 play 4...Bc5, meeting 5.Nxc6 and 5.Be3 with 5...Qf6 and meeting 5.Nb3 with 5...Bb6, and against the Scotch Gambit: 4.Bc4 play 4...Nf6.
Against the Scotch Four Knights: 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 play 5...Bb4 and against the Spanish Four Knights: 4.Bb5 play 4...Bb4.
Against the Ponziani: 3.c3 play 3...Nf6, against the Vienna: 2.Nc3 play 2...Nc6, against the Bishop's Opening: 2.Bc4 play 2...Nf6 and against the King's Gambit: 2.f4 play 2...exf4 3.Nf3 (only move faced by Carlsen in Mega20) g5.
Black against 1.d4 and Others
Against 1.d4 aim for a Nimzo-Indian: 1...Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4, meeting 4.Qc2 with 4...d5, meeting 4.e3 with 4...0-0, meeting 4.Nf3 with 4...d5, meeting 4.f3 with 4...d5, meeting 4.Bg5 with 4...b6 and meeting 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 with 5...Nc6.
Against 3.Nf3 transpose to a Queen's Gambit Declined with 3...d5, meeting 4.Nc3 with 4...Bb4 (Carlsen has played 4...Be7 with equal frequency but scored much better with 4...Bb4, which fits in with the Nimzo-Indian repertoire), meeting the Catalan: 4.g3 with 4...Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 and meeting 4.Bg5 with 4...Be7 5.Nc3 (the only move faced by Carlsen in Mega20) h6, continuing against 6.Bh4 with 6...0-0 7.e3 b6 and continuing against 6.Bxf6 with 6...Bxf6. If then 7.e3 play 7...0-0 8.Rc1 c6, if 7.Qc2 play 7...dxc4 8.e3 c5 and if 7.cxd5 play 7....exd5 8.b4 (the only move Carlsen has faced) 0-0 8.e3 c6.
Against 3.g3 play 3...d5 with likely transpositions.
Against the London: 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 play 3...c5, against the New London: 2.Bf4 play 2...e6 3.e3 b6 and against the Colle: 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 play 3...e6, meeting 4.c4 with 4...a6!?, meeting 4.b3 with 4...b6 and meeting 4.Bd3 with 4...Bd6.
Against the Trompwosky: 2.Bg5 play2...d5, meeting 3.Bxf6 with 3...exf6 and meeting 3.e3 with 3...c5.
Against the Veresov: 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 and the Jobava-Prié: 3.Bf4 play 3...g6.
Against the English: 1.c4 play 1...Nf6, meeting 2.Nc3 with 2...e5 3.Nf3 Nc6, continuing against 4.g3 with 4...d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nb6, continuing against 4.e3 and 4.e4 with 4...Bb4 and continuing against 4.d3 with 4...d5. Meet 3.g3 (no other moves have been faced by Carlsen in Mega20) with 3...Bb4 4.Bg2 0-0. Against 2.g3 (no games with 2.Nf3) play 2...e6 3.Bg2 d5 or 2...c6 3.Bg2 d5.
Against 1.Nf3 play 1....Nf6, looking for transpositions. Meet the independent 2.g3 with 2...g6 3.Bg2 Bg7, continuing against 4.0-0 0-0 5.d4 and 4.c4 0-0 5.0-0 with 5...d6 but continuing against 4.c4 0-0 5.Nc3 with 5...c5. Meet 2.b3 with 2...c5 3.Bb2 Nc6.
Against 1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 play 2...g6.
Here Carlsen destroys a strong grandmaster's 'drawish' Berlin.
Carlsen (2837) - Sergey Karjakin (2760)
World Blitz Championship (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) 2017
Spanish Berlin
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6
Carlsen has played six other moves here, including the somewhat bizarre 5.Ba4, but the text, which was played as long ago as 1870, is fashionable among the elite.
5...dxc6 6.Nc3
Carlsen's only outing with this move in Mega20, where he has scored a win and a loss with 6.Qe2, a win and two draws with 6.Nbd2 and four wins with 6.h3.
6...0-0 7.Be3 Bd6
My main analysis engines Stockfish11 and Komodo11.01 prefer 7...Bxe3!? but strong players have shied away from half-opening the f file for White.
8.Bg5 Re8 9.h3 c5!?
Weakening d5 will cost Black the bishop-pair.
10.Nd5 Be7 11.Nxe7+ Qxe7 12.0-0 h6 13.Be3 Nd7
The engines' 13...c4!? may be an improvement.
14.Nd2 Nb8?!
Carlsen is clearly aiming for a kingside attack, and it may be Karjakan thought his knight had time to redevelop via c6 to d4 or e5, but 14....Nf8 was more prudent.
15.f4 exf4 16.Rxf4 Nc6 17.Qh5
White develops with tempo thanks to threatening the c5 pawn.
17...b6 18.Raf1 Rf8 19.Nf3
Even stronger is 19.R4f3, threatening Bxh6 and Rg3+.
19...Be6 20.Rh4 f6 21.Qg6 Qf7?!
Defence is especially hard at blitz. The engines suggest 21...Bf7 22.Qg3 Kh7 with a small edge for White, according to Stockfish11, although Komodo11.01 rates the position as level.
22.Qg3
Karjakan may have underestimated this retreat. Despite having all his kingside pawns on dark squares, Black is weak on the dark squares thanks to White having the only dark-square bishop.
22...Nb4?
The engines give 22...h5 but much prefer White.
23.Bxh6 Nxc2
There is no defence.
24.Ne5 fxe5
Tantamount to resigning, which Karjakin might well have done at a slower time control.
25.Rxf7 Rxf7 26.Qg6 Bxa2 27.Bg5 Rff8 28.Rh7 Rf7 29.Bf6 1-0
Against the Petrov: 2...Nf6 play 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3, meeting 6....Bd6 with 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4, meeting 6...Nc6 with 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0 10.Nc3 and meeting 6...Be7 with 7.0-0 0-0 (7...Nc6 is a transposition to 6...Nc6) 8.c4 Nf6 (no games with 8...c6) 9.Nc3.
Against the Philidor: 2...d6 play 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.g3!?
Against the Sicilian: 1...c5 play 2.Nf3, 3.d4 and (after 3...cxd4) 4.Nxd4.
Against the Najdorf: 2...d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 play 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3!?, continuing against 7...Be7 with 8.Bc4 0-0 9.0-0 Be6 10.Bb3 and continuing against 7...Qc7 with 8.a4. If 6...Ng4 play 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.Qd2!? If 6...e6 play 7.f3 b5 8.Qd2, meeting 8...Nbd7 with 9.g4 and meeting 8...b4 with 9.Na4.
Against the Dragon: 5...d6 play 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3, meeting 7....0-0 with 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.0-0-0, continuing against 9...d5 with 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bd4, continuing against 9...Bd7 with 10.g4 Rc8 (or 10...Qa5 11.Kb1 Rfc8 12.h4) 11.h4 and continuing against 9...Nxd4 with 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.g4!? Qa5 12.Kb1 Rfc8 13.a3. Meet 7...Nc6 with 8.Qd2 Bd7 (8...0-0 transposes to 7...0-0) 9.0-0-0, when 9...0-0 (the only move Carlsen has faced in Mega20) again transposes to 7...0-0. Meet 7...Nbd7 with 8.Qd2 h5 (the only move against Carlsen in Mega20) 9.Bc4.
Against 5...Nc6 play 6.Bg5, meeting 6...e6 with 7.Qd2, continuing against 7...a6 with 8.0-0-0 Bd7 f4 or 8...h6 9.Nxc6!? bxc6 10.Bf4 d5 11.Qe3 and continuing against 7...Be7 with 8.0-0-0 0-0 9.f4 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Qa5 11.Bc4 Bd7 12.Kb1!? or 8...Nxd4 9.Qxd4 a6 10.f4 b5 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Be2!? Meet 6...Bd7 with 7.Qd2 or 7.Be2 (just one game of Carlsen's with each move in Mega20). Meet 6...g6 with 7.Bxf6 exf6 8.Bc4 Bg7 9.Ndb5 0-0 10.Qxd6 f5 11.0-0-0. Meet 6...e5 with 7.Bxf6 gxf6 8.Nf5.
Against the Scheveningen: 5...e6 play 6.g4!? h6 (only move played against Carlsen in Mega20) 7.Bg2!? Nc6 8.h3.
Against 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 play 5.Nc3, meeting 5...Qc7 with 6.Be3, continuing against 6...a6 with 7.Bd3 Nf6 8.0-0 and continuing against 6...Nf6 with 7.Bd3, when Carlsen has only faced the transpositional 7...a6. Meet 5...a6 with 6.Be3, continuing against 6...Nf6 with 7.Bd3, when Carlsen has only faced the transpositional 7...Qc7, and continuing against 6...Nge7 with 7.Nb3 Ng6 8.Be2!? Meet 5...d6 with 6.Be3 Nf6 7.f4!? Be7 8.Qf3. Meet 5...Nf6 with 6.Ndb5, continuing against 6...Bb4 with 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 d5 9.Bd3!? and continuing against 6...Bc5 (no games with 6...d6) with 7.Bf4!?
Against 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 play 5.Nc3 with likely transpositions. Meet the independent 5...b5 with 6.Bd3 Qb6 (no games with 6...Bb7) 7.Nf3!?
Against 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 play 5.Nc3, again with likely transpositions. Meet the independent 5...Qb6 with 6.Nb3 Bb4 7.Bd3.
Against 2...Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 play 5.Nc3, meeting 5...d6 with 6.Bg5, which is a transposition to lines already covered. Meet 5...e5 with 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5, continuing against 10...f5 with 11.Bd3 Be6 12.0-0 and continuing against 10...Bg7 with 11.Bd3 Ne7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 11.0-0.
Against 2...Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 play 5.Nb5, meeting 5...d6 with 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 b5 8.Nd5, continuing against 8...Nge7 with 9.c4 and continuing against 8...Nf6 with 9.Nxf6+!? Qxf6 10.c4.
Against 2...Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 play 5.c4, meeting 5...Bg7 with 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Be2 d6 (Black's last two moves are often transposed) 9.0-0 Bd7 10.Qd2 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 (Carlsen also reaches the same position via the move-order 9...Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Bd7 11.Qd2) Bc6 12.f3, continuing against 12...a5 with 13.b3 Nd7 14.Be3 (also reached vis 12...Nd7 13.Be3 a5 14.b3) Nc5 15.Rab1 Qb6 16.Rfc1. Meet 5...Nf6 with 6.Nc3 Nxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.f3!? Bg7 9.Be3 0-0 10.Qd2.
Against 2...g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Bg7 (4...Nc6 transposes to lines already covered) Carlsen has almost equally played 5.Nc3 and the repertoire-friendly 5.c4. He has also reached the position after 5.Nc3 via 2...g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4, the games continuing 5...Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4, after which meet 7...0-0 with 8.Bb3 a5 9.0-0 a4 10.Nxa4 Nxe4 11.Nb5. If 8...Qa5 play 9.0-0 d6 10.h3 Bd7 11.Re1 and if 8...e6 (the only other move Carlsen has faced in Mega20) play 9.f4!? d6 10.Qf3. Meet 7...Qa5 with 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bb3 (a transposition to the line with 7...0-0 and 8...Qa5).
Against 2...Nf6 play 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nc3, meeting 4...Nxc3 (the only move Carlsen's faced) with 5.dxc3 Nc6 6.Bf4.
Against 2...a6 play 3.c3, meeting 3...d5 with 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 and meeting 3...e6 with 4.d4 d5 5.e5.
Against the French: 1...e6 2.d4 d5 play 3.Nc3, meeting the Classical: 3...Nf6 with 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3, continuing against 7...a6 with 8.Qd2 b5 9.a3!?, continuing against 7...Be7 with 8.Qd2 0-0 9.g3!?, continuing against 7...cxd4 with 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 and continuing against 7...Rb8 (the only other move played against Carlsen in Mega20) with 8.a3!? and if 8...c4 (the only move faced by Carlsen) then 9.g4.
Meet the Winawer: 3...Bb4 with 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ (no Carlsen games with 5...Ba4) 6.bxc3, meeting 6...Ne7 with 7.Qg4, continuing against 7...Nf5 with 8.Bd3 h5 9.Qf4, continuing against 7...Qc7 with 8.Bd3!? cxd4 9.Ne2 dxc3 10.Qxg7 Rg8 11.Qxh7 and continuing against 7...0-0 with 8.Bd3 Nbc6 (no other moves played against Carlsen in Mega20) 9.Qh5 Ng6 10.Nf3 Qc7 11.Be3 c4 12.Bxg6 fxg6 13.Qg4. Meet 6...Qa5 (the only move apart from 6...Ne7 faced by Carlsen in Mega20) with 7.Bd2 Qa4 8.Qg4. Against 4...b6 play 5.a3 Bf8 6.Nf3.
Meet the Rubinstein: 3...dxe4 with 4.Nxe4 Nd7 (only move faced by Carlsen in Mega20) 5.Nf3, continuing against 5...Ngf6 with 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Nxf6+ Nxf6 (no games with 7...Bxf6) 8.Bd3 and continuing against 5...Be7 with 6.Bc4!? Ngf6 7.Nxf6+ Nxf6 (no games with 7...Bxf6) 8.0-0 0-0 9.Ne5!?
Against the Caro-Kann: 1...c6 2.d4 d5 play 3.e5, meeting 3...Bf5 with 4.Be3!? e6 5.Nd2 and meeting 3...c5 with 4.Nf3!? Nc6 5.c4.
Against the Pirc: 1...d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 Carlsen has varied, playing 4.f4, 4.Nf3 and 4.Be3 twice each and playing 4.Bg5 once. Perhaps the easiest repertoire fit is 4.Nf3 as Carlsen has also reached this position via various Modern move-orders, eg 2...g6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3. After 4...Bg7 play 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0, meeting 6...Bg4 with 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qc1!?, meeting 6...c6 with 7.h3 Nbd7 8.e5, meeting 6...Nc6 with 7.Be3!? and meeting 6...a6 with 7.h3!?
Against the Alekhine: 1...Nf6 play 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3, meeting 4...Bg4 with 5.Be2, meeting 4...dxe5 with 5.Nxe5 c6 6.Be2 and meeting 4...g6 with 5.c4!? Nb6 6.exd6 cxd6 7.Be2 Bg7 8.0-0.
Against the Scandinavian: 1...d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 play 3.Nc3, meeting 3...Qd6 with 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 g6 (the only 3...Qd6 line faced by Carlsen) 6.Nb5, meeting 3...Qa5 with 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2 and meeting 3...Qd8 with 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 c6 8.Qd3!? Against 2...Nf6 play 3.d4 or 3.Nf3.
Black v 1.e4
Play 1...e5 aiming to meet the mainline Spanish: 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 with 9...Nb8 10.d4 (the only move played against Carlsen in Mega20) Nbd7, continuing against 11.Nbd2 with 11...Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8, meeting 13.a4 with 13...Bf8 14.Bd3 c6 and meeting 13.Nf1 with 13...Bf8 14.Ng3 g6. If 11.c4 play 11...c6 12.Nc3 b4 13.Na4 c5 14.d5 Re8.
Against 9.d4 play 9...Bg4, meeting 10.Be3 with 10...exd4 11.cxd4 Na5 12.Bc2 c5 and meeting 10.d5 with 10...Na5 11.Bc2 c6 12.h3 Bc8.
Against the Anti-Marshall: 8.a4 play 8...b4!?, against 8.h3 play 8...Bb7 9.d3 d6 and against 8.d4 play 8...d6 9.c3 Bg4.
Against 5.Qe2 play 5...Be7 6.c3 d6!? 7.0-0 0-0.
Against the Exchange Variation: 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0 (the only move faced by Carlsen in Mega20) play 5...Bd6 6.d4 exd4 7.Qxd4 f6 and against 6.d3 play 6...Ne7!?
Against the Italian Game: 3.Bc4 play 3...Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 a6, meeting 6.0-0 with 6...d6, continuing against 7.a4, 7.Re1, 7.Bb3, 7.h3 and 7.Nbd2 with 7...Ba7, meeting 6.Bb3 with 6...0-0!? 7.0-0 Ba7 and meeting 6.Nbd2 with 6...Ba7. Against 5.d4 play 5...exd4 6.e5 (the only move played against Carlsen in Mega20) d5, meeting 7.Bb5 with 7...Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb6 and meeting 7.Be2 with 7....Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb6.
If 4.0-0 or 4.d3 play 4...Nf6 with likely transpositions, and if 4.Nc3 play 4...Nf6 5.d3 d6.
Against the Evans Gambit: 4.b4 play 4...Bb6 5.a4 a6.
Against the Scotch: 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 play 4...Bc5, meeting 5.Nxc6 and 5.Be3 with 5...Qf6 and meeting 5.Nb3 with 5...Bb6, and against the Scotch Gambit: 4.Bc4 play 4...Nf6.
Against the Scotch Four Knights: 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 play 5...Bb4 and against the Spanish Four Knights: 4.Bb5 play 4...Bb4.
Against the Ponziani: 3.c3 play 3...Nf6, against the Vienna: 2.Nc3 play 2...Nc6, against the Bishop's Opening: 2.Bc4 play 2...Nf6 and against the King's Gambit: 2.f4 play 2...exf4 3.Nf3 (only move faced by Carlsen in Mega20) g5.
Black against 1.d4 and Others
Against 1.d4 aim for a Nimzo-Indian: 1...Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4, meeting 4.Qc2 with 4...d5, meeting 4.e3 with 4...0-0, meeting 4.Nf3 with 4...d5, meeting 4.f3 with 4...d5, meeting 4.Bg5 with 4...b6 and meeting 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 with 5...Nc6.
Against 3.Nf3 transpose to a Queen's Gambit Declined with 3...d5, meeting 4.Nc3 with 4...Bb4 (Carlsen has played 4...Be7 with equal frequency but scored much better with 4...Bb4, which fits in with the Nimzo-Indian repertoire), meeting the Catalan: 4.g3 with 4...Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 and meeting 4.Bg5 with 4...Be7 5.Nc3 (the only move faced by Carlsen in Mega20) h6, continuing against 6.Bh4 with 6...0-0 7.e3 b6 and continuing against 6.Bxf6 with 6...Bxf6. If then 7.e3 play 7...0-0 8.Rc1 c6, if 7.Qc2 play 7...dxc4 8.e3 c5 and if 7.cxd5 play 7....exd5 8.b4 (the only move Carlsen has faced) 0-0 8.e3 c6.
Against 3.g3 play 3...d5 with likely transpositions.
Against the London: 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 play 3...c5, against the New London: 2.Bf4 play 2...e6 3.e3 b6 and against the Colle: 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 play 3...e6, meeting 4.c4 with 4...a6!?, meeting 4.b3 with 4...b6 and meeting 4.Bd3 with 4...Bd6.
Against the Trompwosky: 2.Bg5 play2...d5, meeting 3.Bxf6 with 3...exf6 and meeting 3.e3 with 3...c5.
Against the Veresov: 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 and the Jobava-Prié: 3.Bf4 play 3...g6.
Against the English: 1.c4 play 1...Nf6, meeting 2.Nc3 with 2...e5 3.Nf3 Nc6, continuing against 4.g3 with 4...d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nb6, continuing against 4.e3 and 4.e4 with 4...Bb4 and continuing against 4.d3 with 4...d5. Meet 3.g3 (no other moves have been faced by Carlsen in Mega20) with 3...Bb4 4.Bg2 0-0. Against 2.g3 (no games with 2.Nf3) play 2...e6 3.Bg2 d5 or 2...c6 3.Bg2 d5.
Against 1.Nf3 play 1....Nf6, looking for transpositions. Meet the independent 2.g3 with 2...g6 3.Bg2 Bg7, continuing against 4.0-0 0-0 5.d4 and 4.c4 0-0 5.0-0 with 5...d6 but continuing against 4.c4 0-0 5.Nc3 with 5...c5. Meet 2.b3 with 2...c5 3.Bb2 Nc6.
Against 1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 play 2...g6.
Here Carlsen destroys a strong grandmaster's 'drawish' Berlin.
Carlsen (2837) - Sergey Karjakin (2760)
World Blitz Championship (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) 2017
Spanish Berlin
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6
Carlsen has played six other moves here, including the somewhat bizarre 5.Ba4, but the text, which was played as long ago as 1870, is fashionable among the elite.
5...dxc6 6.Nc3
Carlsen's only outing with this move in Mega20, where he has scored a win and a loss with 6.Qe2, a win and two draws with 6.Nbd2 and four wins with 6.h3.
6...0-0 7.Be3 Bd6
My main analysis engines Stockfish11 and Komodo11.01 prefer 7...Bxe3!? but strong players have shied away from half-opening the f file for White.
8.Bg5 Re8 9.h3 c5!?
Weakening d5 will cost Black the bishop-pair.
10.Nd5 Be7 11.Nxe7+ Qxe7 12.0-0 h6 13.Be3 Nd7
The engines' 13...c4!? may be an improvement.
14.Nd2 Nb8?!
Carlsen is clearly aiming for a kingside attack, and it may be Karjakan thought his knight had time to redevelop via c6 to d4 or e5, but 14....Nf8 was more prudent.
15.f4 exf4 16.Rxf4 Nc6 17.Qh5
White develops with tempo thanks to threatening the c5 pawn.
17...b6 18.Raf1 Rf8 19.Nf3
Even stronger is 19.R4f3, threatening Bxh6 and Rg3+.
19...Be6 20.Rh4 f6 21.Qg6 Qf7?!
Defence is especially hard at blitz. The engines suggest 21...Bf7 22.Qg3 Kh7 with a small edge for White, according to Stockfish11, although Komodo11.01 rates the position as level.
22.Qg3
 |
| Position after 22.Qg3 |
22...Nb4?
The engines give 22...h5 but much prefer White.
23.Bxh6 Nxc2
There is no defence.
24.Ne5 fxe5
Tantamount to resigning, which Karjakin might well have done at a slower time control.
25.Rxf7 Rxf7 26.Qg6 Bxa2 27.Bg5 Rff8 28.Rh7 Rf7 29.Bf6 1-0
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