He was to duplicate that feat in August 2019, but currently stands at 2830, although that is 27 points more than second-placed Fabio Caruana and 68 more than world champion Liren Ding.
Here is the key game from the last round of the the Gashimov Memorial in April 2014 that helped propel Carlsen to the top.
Notes in italics are by grandmaster Michał Krasenkow in ChessBase.
Magnus Carlsen (2881) - Fabiano Caruana (2783)
Gashimov Memorial (Shamkir, Azerbaijan)
Queen's Pawn Game
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 c5!?
For what it is worth, Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 do not like this
5.c3!? d5!?
It was not a good decision for Fabiano Caruana to sac the c5-pawn, taking into consideration that Magnus Carlsen is especially strong in this kind of position.
6.dxc5!?
Castling is much more popular in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database.
6...0-0 7.0-0 a5
This attempt to encircle the c5 pawn proves fruitless. 7...Qc7!? 8.b4 e5 deserves attention.
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| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
8.Be3!?
8.Be3!?
This seems to have been a novelty - in a position in which 10 other moves are known.
8...Nc6
8...Ng4 9.Qd2 and Black cannot recapture the pawn anyway.
Nevertheless the engines continue 9...Nxe3, claiming that the bishop-pair and an extra pawn on the centre two files give Black enough compensation, which is why they prefer 9.Bd4.
9.Na3 a4
Seven years later a 1341 in this position played 9...e5!?, which Stockfish16 reckons is an improvement.
10.Qc1 e5
Black's pawn-centre doesn't fully compensate for his missing pawn.
11.Rd1 Qe7 12.Nb5 Be6 13.Ng5
13.Nd6 was less clear in view of 13...b6.
13...Bg4 14.Nd6! h6
14...Bxe2 15.Rxd5! Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Nd8 17.Qc2 Bg4 18.Qe4 with the upper hand.
15.Nf3 Kh7
An unnecessary loss of tempo. Better is 15...b6!, a typical undermining, although White keeps the better prospects after 16.Ne1! (16.Bxh6? bxc5) e4! (16...Bxe2 17.Rxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxd5 bxc5 19.Bxc5 Ra5 20.Qe3) 17.f3 exf3 18.exf3 Be6 19.Nd3.
The engines agree with much of this analysis, but reckon 19.Nd3 leaves Black with at least a slight edge. They prefer 19.Nc2!?, when Komodo14.1 gives White a slight edge, but Stockfish16 gives a slight edge to Black. I guess this shows how far engine analysis has come in a decade.
16.h3 Be6 17.b4
This move unexpectedly gives Black good counterplay. Better is 17.Ne1.
The engines fluctuate between the two moves.
17...axb3 18.axb3 Rxa1 19.Qxa1 Ne4 20.Nd2 f5?
The engines reckon this is where Black goes wrong, recommending either 20...d4 or Krasenkow's suggestion of 20...Nd6.
21.N2xe4 dxe4
21...fxe4 22.Qb1, intending c4, eg 22...h5 23.c4 d4 24.Bc1.
22.Qb1 f4 23.Bd2 e3
This is now harmless.
24.Be1
Safely protecting White's king while his other pieces are very active. Black has no compensation for the pawn whatsoever.
24...Bf5 25.Qc1 h5 26.fxe3 fxg4 27.Bxg3 Qg5 28.e4 Qxg3 29.Rd3 Qh4 30.exf5 gxf5 31.e4
White seizes the light squares.
31...fxe4
31...f4 32.Nf5; 31...Bh6 32.Qd1.
32.Bxe4+ Kh8 33.Qe3 f4 34.Bg2 Qe7 35.Qe2 Qh4 36.b4
 |
| The rest is clear. Black has no real counterplay anymore, and the advance of White's queenside pawns decides the game. |
*****
*****
*****
*****
36...e4!?
Giving up a second pawn to let the black knight add to the threats around White's king. Or, to put it another way, Black is reduced to looking for a swindle.
37.Nxe4 Ne5 38.Rd5!? Kg8
So the knight can move without White being able to capture on h5 with check.
39.b5 Rf5 40.c6 bxc6 41.bxc6 Qe7 42.Nd6 Rg5 43.Nb5 Qe6 44.Rd8+ Kh7 45.Qe4+ Rg6
Black's king is proving the more vulnerable.
46.c7 Qa6 47.c8=Q Qa1+
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| White to play and win |
*****
*****
*****
*****
48.Kf2!
Not 48.Kh2? Nf3+! 49.Qxf3 (49.Bxf3 Qg1#) Be5+ and mates.
48...Qb2+ 49.Ke1 1-0
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