It is not just 'run-of-the-mill' pundits who make this claim.
Even some of the world's greatest players acknowledge this ability of the current world champion.
For example, Anatoly Karpov said of Carlsen in a 2016 interview: "He can convert a minimal advantage into a real one."
But crediting players with such an ability is nothing new, as the following example from 500 Master Games Of Chess by Savielly Tartakower and Julius du Mont shows.
Notes in italics are algebraicised from the book.
Rudolf Charousek - Emil Schallopp
German Chess Federation Congress (Köln) 1898
Bishop's Opening
In the following elegant game White engineers a win out of practically 'nothing'. His exploitation of an increasing pressure on the open f file is an object lesson in logic.
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3
An ultra-solid continuation.
3...Bc5
Black also resorts to the quietest reply.
Calling 3...Bc5 "the quietest reply" seems rather unfair, especially when 3...d6 and 3...h6 are available.
4.Nc3 d6 5.Be3
Lifeless would be 5.Na4 Bb6 6.Nxb6 axb6, and Black has some compensation for the elimination of his controlling bishop (a [semi-]open a file, a compact mass of pawns on the queenside [and] a general simplification of the contest).
5...Bxe3
Presenting his adversary with an as yet invisible asset in the [semi-]open f file. An easier continuation is 5...Bb6, or even 5...Nc6 as after 6.Bxc5 dxc5 Black's pressure on the d file would compensate him for his doubled c pawns.
6.fxe3 c6 7.Qe2 0-0 8.Nf3 b5 9.Bb3 a5 10.a4
Very readily White blocks up the queenside, so as to devote the more energy to the opposite wing, where the [semi-]open f file furnishes him with an ideal base of action.
10...b4 11.Nb1
More useful than 11.Nd1.
Stockfish15 agrees with this verdict but Komodo13.02 marginally prefers the d1 retreat. If then, as in the game, 11...Nbd7, Komodo13.02's idea, at least at first, is 12.Nf2 (it later prefers 12.0-0), eg 12...d5 13.0-0 Re8 14.Nd2, although both engines reckon 14...Nc5 gives Black the upper hand.
11...Nbd7 12.Nbd2 Nc5 13.0-0 Nxb3 14.Nxb3 Ba6 15.Qe1
Evading the threat 15...Nxe4.
15...Ne8 16.Qg3 g6 17.Rf2 Ng7 18.Raf1 f5?
Restless play, which only precipitates events to his detriment. Better is 18...Qe7.
The engines agree the text is a mistake but 18...Qe7? is worse as it allows 19.Nxa5. It seems unlikely 18...Qe7 ("18...Q-K2" in the book) is a typo as 18...Qc7? is no better, thanks to the reply 19.Ng5. The engines reckon 18...f6 is equal.
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| How should White proceed? |
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19.Nh4?
19.Nh4?
This parries the threat of 19...fxe4 and attacks the f5 pawn a fourth time, whereas it is effectively defended but twice (on account of a potential pin on the g file).
But the correct way to parry Black's threat to capture on e4 is 19.Nfd2, according to the engines, after which they reckon White has a slight edge.
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19...f4?!
Almost certainly better is the engines' 19...Nh5 20.Qh3, and now 20...f4, when 21.g3?! and 21.g4? seem to be successfully countered by 21...Bc8, so White should probably play 21.exf4, but then 21...Nxf4 gives Black at least equality.
20.exf4 exf4?
Black had to play 20...Nh5, when the engines reckon 21.Qg5 Nxf4 22.Qxd8 gives White a slightly better version of best play in the previous note.
21.Rxf4
Winning the pawn fairly and squarely, as the fork ...g5 is not applicable now or on the next move.
21...Rxf4 22.Qxf4 Qc7
For if 22...g5 [then] 23.Qf7+ Kh8 24.Nf5 etc.
23.Nc5
An elegant manoeuvre. But not 23.Nxa5 on account of 23...Nh5 24.Qg5 Bxd3 etc.
As the engines point out, 25.cxd3 wins for White, eg 25...Rxa5 26.Nf5! Kh8 27.b3 Qb8 28.Qh6 Ra8 29.Nd4, after which White is up a protected passed pawn and has the safer king and better-coordinated pieces.
23...Nh5 24.Nxa6 Qb6+ 25.Qf2 Qxf2+ 26.Kxf2! Rxa6 27.Ke3
It is hard to imagine that this position should lead to an easy and rapid win.
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| How would you assess the position? |
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White is a pawn up and has the more-active king and rook. The engines agree White is winning, and while "an easy and rapid win" may not be expected, Tartakower/du Mont's last comment seems more connected with their first comment on this game rather than on the position the game has reached.
27...Kg7 28.Nf3 Nf6
Or 28...h6 29.Nd4 etc.
29.Ng5 h6?!
Almost certainly better is the engines' 29...Ra8.
30.Ne6+ Kf7 31.Nc5
A 'deflecting sacrifice'. In a twinkling Black's game collapses.
31...dxc5
Or 31...Ra7 (parries 32.Nd7) 32.e5 dxc5 (32...dxe5 33.Ne4, winning the knight) 33.Rxf6+ followed by 37.Rxc6 and wins.
32.e5 Ke6 33.Rxf6+ Kxe5 34.Rxg6 1-0
A very strangely annotated game by Tartakower and du Mont. Naturally it is easy to appear wise with the help of powerful engines, but one wonders how many of Carlsen's 'wins out of nothing' would stand up to rigorous analysis.
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