The story behind the game
Carlsen uses a pawn advance to challenge Black’s active rook and secure useful squares for his knight. The knight reaches e5, then helps the f-pawn advance toward Black’s king. Follow the support behind each pawn move: the final bind grows from coordinated pieces rather than a single immediate combination.
Take these ideas to your next game
- A pawn move can attack a rook and secure a square.
- Centralize a knight before advancing its supporting pawn.
- A passed pawn can restrict the opposing king.
- Keep the queen and rook connected behind the bind.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
f4 gains time against the rook and controls e5. The rook moves to g3 in the recorded continuation, so White still has to manage threats near the king. The pawn move also gives the knight a useful central destination later. Assess its attacking and positional roles together.
g3 is the strongest saved candidate; Qd3 and Rf3 also receive credit. Carlsen played Ne5, attacking the rook on g6 and occupying the central outpost. The saved comparison prefers preparing the position first, including support for f4. Study the outpost in the historical line while choosing one of the stronger supported moves for this exercise.
f5 gains space and creates further kingside threats. White’s knight has returned to e3 and can use g4 again. Black must consider pawn captures and the king’s available squares. Follow the pawn’s next advance to f6 alongside the pieces supporting it, rather than treating a passed pawn as sufficient on its own.
f6+ drives the king back and fixes the kingside structure. Black’s king goes to h8 and White takes the h6 pawn with the knight. The f6 pawn continues to restrict the king, but White still coordinates queen, rook and knight before the final threats. Compare Black’s defensive rook moves in the saved lines.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 23: Challenge the active rook
Which f-pawn advance attacks the rook on g5? In the game: f4. f4 gains time against the rook and controls e5. The rook moves to g3 in the recorded continuation, so White still has to manage threats near the king. The pawn move also gives the knight a useful central destination later. Assess its attacking and positional roles together.
Engine-supported alternatives
f4 Rg6 Kh2 h5 a4 Qg3+ Kh1 Rf6 a5 Bd8 Rf3 Qh4 · +0.62 · depth 19
Kh1 Qe4 · +0.07 · depth 19
Ng4 h5 f4 Rf5 Ne5 Rxf4 Kh1 Rxf1+ Rxf1 Bc7 Qf3 Qf6 · +0.00 · depth 18
Move 30: Support the pawn before the knight jump
Which pawn move supports the pawn on f4? In the game: Ne5. g3 is the strongest saved candidate; Qd3 and Rf3 also receive credit. Carlsen played Ne5, attacking the rook on g6 and occupying the central outpost. The saved comparison prefers preparing the position first, including support for f4. Study the outpost in the historical line while choosing one of the stronger supported moves for this exercise.
Engine-supported alternatives
Qd3 h5 · +0.76 · depth 18
g3 h5 · +0.91 · depth 17
Rf3 h5 Ne5 Rf6 Rc3 Qe8 Bc1 Nd7 a5 Rf8 Nf3 Nf6 · +0.71 · depth 17
Ne5 Rf6 · +0.36 · depth 22
Move 36: Advance the f-pawn
Which pawn advance challenges the pawn on e6? In the game: f5. f5 gains space and creates further kingside threats. White’s knight has returned to e3 and can use g4 again. Black must consider pawn captures and the king’s available squares. Follow the pawn’s next advance to f6 alongside the pieces supporting it, rather than treating a passed pawn as sufficient on its own.
Engine-supported alternatives
f5 Qd7 · +0.62 · depth 20
Ba3 gxf4 Bxd6 Qxd6 Ng2 fxg3+ Qxg3+ Qxg3+ Kxg3 Ng6 a5 Kf6 · -1.33 · depth 19
Rg1 gxf4 gxf4+ Ng6 Ng2 Bxf4+ Nxf4 Rxf4 Qg3 Qf6 Bc1 Rf2+ · -1.33 · depth 19
Move 40: Advance with check
Which pawn move checks the king on g7? In the game: f6+. f6+ drives the king back and fixes the kingside structure. Black’s king goes to h8 and White takes the h6 pawn with the knight. The f6 pawn continues to restrict the king, but White still coordinates queen, rook and knight before the final threats. Compare Black’s defensive rook moves in the saved lines.
Engine-supported alternatives
f6+ Kh8 Nxh6 Rh7 Ng4 Qc8 Ba3 Bxa3 Qxa3 Rc7 Rf2 Rc3 · +4.03 · depth 21
b6 Qxa4 f6+ Kh8 Nxh6 Rh7 Ra1 Qb4 Ba3 Qxb6 Rb1 Qd8 · +2.86 · depth 21
Ne5 Bxe5 dxe5 Kh8 f6 Qd8 Rf2 d4 Qxd4 Rd7 Qc3 Rd3 · +2.61 · depth 21
Every piece has a part to play.
Carlsen uses a pawn advance to challenge Black’s active rook and secure useful squares for his knight. The knight reaches e5, then helps the f-pawn advance toward Black’s king. Follow the support behind each pawn move: the final bind grows from coordinated pieces rather than a single immediate combination.
Look a little deeper
Play on the board or type your move. Strong engine-supported alternatives receive credit.
Future moves stay hidden until you continue.
Try a different path.
Select a key moment to explore legal continuations supported by saved Stockfish analysis.
Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 12–21. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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