Jafntefli hjá Magnúsi og Nepo – staðan er 6½-3½

   [Event "FIDE World Chess Championship 2021"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "2021.12.08"]  [Round "10"]  [White "Carlsen, Magnus"]  [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "C42"]  [WhiteElo "2856"]  [BlackElo "2782"]  [Annotator "samsh"]  [PlyCount "81"]  [EventDate "2021.??.??"]   {Game 10 was only interesting in that it showed some of the players'  priorities and choices—the gameplay itself was an absolute snoozefest.  Magnus predictably went for 1.e4, which is certainly the best move to play in  a situation where a draw is a very welcome result.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 {  I was a little surprised to see the Petroff appear on the board. If Nepo wants  to get back in this match and try to make use of whatever (admittedly meager)  chances he has left to fight to become world champion, he will need to win at  least one game with the black pieces. The Petroff is a fine opening to play  for a win against an ambitious opponent, but if White wants to keep everything  as solid and boring as humanly possible, Black will never have a chance. Of  course, Magnus chose to exercise this option. I can only imagine two  rationales for Nepo's opening choice. One is that he has just given up and  wants the match to be over with. The other is that he needs to stop the  bleeding, gain some confidence back, score an easy draw with the black pieces,  and then look to aim for a real fight and play something more dynamic in his  remaining two black games once he is in better shape and play for a win from  move one with black against the GOAT. I actually think the second explantion  is more likely, and I certainly hope this is the case as well. It would keep  the match more interesting.} 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nd3 Nxe4 5. Qe2 Qe7 6. Nf4 Nf6 7. d4  Nc6 {I suppose this is a somewhat risky decision, as it would allow Bc1-e3,  which the computer rates as slightly better for White. But this would keep  queens on the board, potentially lead to opposite side castling, and not be  without risk for White. Magnus had no interest in such a proposal.} (7... Qxe2+  8. Bxe2 Nc6 {This would have prevented White's additional option.}) 8. c3 d5 9.  Nd2 Nd8 10. Nf3 Qxe2+ 11. Bxe2 {If there were no anti-draw rules, the players  may as well have agreed here. The position is totally dry, balanced, boring,  symmetrical, and neither side has any plan whatsoever to create any kind of  imbalance.} Bd6 12. O-O O-O 13. Bd3 Re8 14. Re1 Rxe1+ 15. Nxe1 Ne6 16. Nxe6  Bxe6 17. g3 g6 18. Ng2 Re8 19. f3 {Around here, the machine somehow gives  White a slight edge. This is obviously nonsense; it is still very symmetrical  with no weaknesses for either side. Anything other than a draw would be  shocking.} Nh5 20. Kf2 c6 21. g4 Ng7 22. Bf4 Bxf4 23. Nxf4 {Now, at least  White has managed to put some pawns on the dark squares and can claim he has  the better bishop. If he is allowed to advance h2-h4 next, I will concede he  is slightly better. This was the only moment throughout the entire game where  one of the players had to make a specific move to avoid being worse, when at  any other moment they could probably play any of five decent moves, but Nepo  found it easily.} g5 $1 {White is not allowed to push h2-h4.} 24. Ne2 f5 25. h3  Kf7 26. Rh1 h6 27. f4 {The kingside will be liquidated shortly.} fxg4 28. hxg4  Bxg4 29. Rxh6 Bf5 30. Bxf5 Nxf5 31. Rh7+ Ng7 32. fxg5 Kg6 33. Rh3 Kxg5 34. Rg3+  Kf6 35. Rf3+ Ke7 36. Nf4 Kd6 37. Ng6 Re6 38. Ne5 Ne8 39. Rf7 Rf6+ 40. Rxf6+  Nxf6 41. Ke3 {Who needs Ambien when you have games like these? Of course, the  result is very welcome for Magnus, who now needs merely a single point from  four games to keep his title. Given that he has not been particularly close to  losing yet, it is very hard to imagine he won't get it. Still, I will be  interested to see if Nepo plays a bit more sharply in his next black game...  assuming it happens. I could easily imagine the match ending tomorrow if Nepo  goes for broke with White and burns all the bridges. I think this is what he  should do, and if he loses, so be it. But it is clearly time to start playing  with a lot more risk.} 1/2-1/2