The story behind the game
At the 2014 Olympiad, Carlsen’s Scandinavian Defence leads to a queenless position in which White has a strong-looking knight on d6. Black works against its pawn support, centralizes another knight and eventually creates an advancing d-pawn. Study the changes in support before judging the outpost or the final material count.
Take these ideas to your next game
- An outpost can be challenged by attacking its pawn support.
- Compare the structure after a bishop takes a central knight.
- An active king changes the value of pawn captures.
- A passed pawn can supply counterplay against an active rook.
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.
f6 challenges the support of White’s advanced knight. White can recapture after the pawn exchange and keep a pawn on e5, so the outpost does not disappear immediately. Black must follow with useful piece moves. Compare the open file and the revised pawn support instead of expecting one pawn advance to solve the whole position.
Nd5 offers a central exchange that changes Black’s pawn structure. In the game, the bishop takes the knight and Black recaptures with the c-pawn. That leaves another knight to work around the centre and gives Black a d-pawn. Reassess the resulting files and pawn targets after the exchange.
Nxe5 removes a central pawn while the king is active. The capture is part of an ending with rooks and knights, so checks and pawn races still matter. Compare the white rook’s activity with Black’s central king and remaining pawn structure. The useful question is what each piece can do after the pawn disappears.
d4 makes the central passer an active source of counterplay. White’s rook and knight have threats of their own. The recorded continuation includes checks, another pawn advance and a knight exchange before the king joins the ending. Calculate those transitions rather than declaring a passed pawn decisive merely because it is advanced.
Result: 0-1. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 27: Challenge the pawn supporting the knight
White’s e5-pawn supports the knight on d6. Which f-pawn advance attacks that pawn? In the game: f6. f6 challenges the support of White’s advanced knight. White can recapture after the pawn exchange and keep a pawn on e5, so the outpost does not disappear immediately. Black must follow with useful piece moves. Compare the open file and the revised pawn support instead of expecting one pawn advance to solve the whole position.
Engine-supported alternatives
f6 Kc2 fxe5 dxe5 g6 Be4 gxh5 gxh5 a5 Bg6 c5 Nb5+ · -0.10 · depth 20
Nc8 Nxc8 Rxc8 Rf4 Kd8 Rdf1 Ke7 Kd2 f6 exf6+ Rxf6 Rxf6 · +0.00 · depth 19
f5 gxf5 Nxf5 Nxf5 Rxf5 Rxf5 exf5 Kc2 f4 Rd3 a5 Kc3 · +0.00 · depth 19
Move 31: Centralize with a useful recapture available
Which move brings the e7-knight to a central square protected by the e6-pawn? In the game: Nd5. Nd5 offers a central exchange that changes Black’s pawn structure. In the game, the bishop takes the knight and Black recaptures with the c-pawn. That leaves another knight to work around the centre and gives Black a d-pawn. Reassess the resulting files and pawn targets after the exchange.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nd5 · -0.82 · depth 20
Rxf1 Rxf1 Nd5 Bxd5 cxd5 Kc3 Kc6 Kd4 Rh8 Ke3 Rb8 Kd3 · +0.00 · depth 19
Ra8 Kb3 Nd5 Nc4 Rad8 Ka4 Rf4 Bxd5 Rxf1 Rxf1 cxd5 Nd6 · +0.00 · depth 19
Move 38: Remove the remaining support
The knight has reached f3. Which pawn can it capture in the centre? In the game: Nxe5. Nxe5 removes a central pawn while the king is active. The capture is part of an ending with rooks and knights, so checks and pawn races still matter. Compare the white rook’s activity with Black’s central king and remaining pawn structure. The useful question is what each piece can do after the pawn disappears.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nxe5 Ra7 b6 Kc3 bxc5 Ra6+ Kd7 bxc5 Rf3+ Kd2 Rg3 Ra7+ · -1.80 · depth 20
Rf4 Ra4 d4 Ra8 Nxe5 Rc8+ Kd5 b5 Rf1 Nxb7 d3+ Kc3 · -1.10 · depth 20
d4 Nc4 Kd5 Nb6+ Ke4 Nc4 Rf4 Kb3 d3 Kc3 Kd5 Nb2 · -0.58 · depth 20
Move 46: Advance the passed pawn
Which advance by the d5-pawn creates a new threat while White’s rook is active on a7? In the game: d4. d4 makes the central passer an active source of counterplay. White’s rook and knight have threats of their own. The recorded continuation includes checks, another pawn advance and a knight exchange before the king joins the ending. Calculate those transitions rather than declaring a passed pawn decisive merely because it is advanced.
Engine-supported alternatives
Kb6 gxh6 gxh6 Ra3 Rf8 Nxh6 Rh8 Nf7 Rxh5 Ra8 Rf5 Nh6 · -2.83 · depth 20
d4 gxh6 gxh6 Nxh6 Rh8 Ng4 Rxh5 Rg7 Rf5 Rg8 Kd5 Kd2 · -2.69 · depth 20
Rg8 Ne5+ Kb6 Ra2 hxg5 Kc3 Rf8 Rb2+ Kc7 Kd4 Nd7 Rc2+ · -2.60 · depth 19
Every piece has a part to play.
At the 2014 Olympiad, Carlsen’s Scandinavian Defence leads to a queenless position in which White has a strong-looking knight on d6. Black works against its pawn support, centralizes another knight and eventually creates an advancing d-pawn. Study the changes in support before judging the outpost or the final material count.
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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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