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Levon Aronian vs Magnus Carlsen · 2013 · move 17.
Which queen capture removes the pawn on b4?
The opening round of the 2013 Candidates leads to a compact lesson in active defence. Carlsen challenges the centre, takes a queenside pawn and then exchanges into a balanced rook-and-knight ending. The drawn result is less important than the move order: each exchange changes which squares Black needs to control.
Before reaching for a move, identify the opponent’s immediate threat and the piece you most want to improve. Then compare checks, captures and quiet moves. The complete interactive lesson will let you test your answer without revealing the historical continuation first.
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