Carlsen vs Abdusattorov: Classical Test Begins
Carlsen cruised into the playoffs, tying for first place with Ian Nepomniachtchi on 8.5 out of 11 in the rapid stage. Calm, clinical and in full control, he looked completely at home in the unpredictable world of Freestyle Chess.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov made a powerful statement on Day 1, scoring an impressive 5 out of 6 and placing himself firmly among the leaders. That dominant start gave him a comfortable cushion heading into Day 2, where he added just 1.5 points from five games, but it was more than enough to secure a spot in the quarterfinals with room to spare.
Now, the tempo slows down. The quarterfinals will be played over two classical games, with a time control of 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. Opening theory is off the table: this is Freestyle Chess, after all. But deep calculation, long-term planning, the ability to adapt to unfamiliar setups, and resilience will be tested like never before.
Will Magnus assert his dominance in the classical format? Or can Nodirbek strike back and shake up the bracket?
Position for today is #841
Players had only a couple of minutes to discuss the position beforehand, but with the slower time control, they’ll have plenty of time to dive into the nuances right at the board.
The players will have to do some serious thinking right from the start: choosing what kind of pawn structure to aim for and how to develop their bishops, which are unusually placed on the central squares normally occupied by the king and queen.
After a 7-minute think on move one, Magnus finally pushes his central pawn forward: fighting for the center and sticking to the fundamental principles of chess, even in this unorthodox setup.
Now it’s Black’s turn to think. The first few moves are absolutely crucial in shaping how the pieces will be placed for the rest of the game. Every choice at this stage carries long-term weight.
Handing over the entire center to Magnus without contesting it would’ve been a risky mistake. And Nodirbek is fully aware of it.
Magnus continues to insist on taking control of the center, sooner or later, he plans to make it his
Nodirbek is just as combative! He grabs space on the flank, setting up a plan to challenge White’s center later with his bishop. Confident and proactive play from both sides.
Magnus sticks to his plan, occupying the center. Essentially saying: "Show me the money!"
He’s not backing down, inviting Nodirbek to prove that the flank play has real bite.
Nodirbek isn’t reacting to White’s central setup just yet, instead, he solves one of the key challenges of the starting position by bringing his cornered knight into play, placing it on a comfortable and active square.
Magnus also jumps with his knight from the corner, targeting one of Nodirbek’s pawns.
Nodirbek had several ways to deal with the attacked pawn, but as a player who clearly prefers piece activity over passive defense, he chooses to bring another knight into the game - keeping the tension and developing with purpose.
Magnus is quick to seize the moment - noticing the absence of any central pawns from Black, he prepares to push another pawn forward, aiming to dominate the center
White also had a strong opportunity to push the central pawn with tempo, attacking the opponent’s knight.
White also had a strong opportunity to push the central pawn with tempo, attacking the opponent’s knight.
Now White might be regretting not claiming that central square with a pawn, Nodirbek strikes with his own in the middle!
A sharp response, turning the tables and challenging Magnus right where it matters most.
Black’s pieces are harmoniously placed around their pawns, supporting them from all sides. Nodirbek has every reason to be pleased with how the opening is unfolding: solid, active, and under control.
Magnus goes for the most principled approach, he closes the center by advancing his pawn, creating a long, connected pawn chain.
Now it’s up to Nodirbek to show how he plans to break it down.
The most effective way to break a pawn chain is to target its base -a principle famously laid out by Aron Nimzowitsch in his classic book "My System".
And Nodirbek follows that timeless wisdom pushing his side pawn forward.
What a thriller of a game we’re witnessing! Both players are flooring the gas pedal, pushing ahead with their completely different plans, and neither one is backing off!
"If you say A, you have to say B", and Nodirbek does just that. He continues his space-grabbing plan by pushing his pawn and attacking the knight, staying fully committed to his strategy.
Retreating the knight would’ve been a poor choice for White, a significant loss of time in a position where every tempo counts.
Nodirbek solves the issue of the knight that was standing right in front of White’s advancing pawn wave.
Very deep idea by Nodirbek, delaying the capture of White’s pawn.
Taking it immediately with the rook would’ve given White a couple of free tempo moves to improve their position
While Nodirbek was taking his time recovering the pawn, Magnus uses the moment to finish developing his pieces, bringing harmony to his position and preparing for the next phase of the game.
Abdusattorov pushes his central pawn, fixing the pawn structure.
After an aggressive start from both sides, the game has transitioned into a closed middlegame. The position is locked, and we’ve entered the maneuvering phase.
Both kings are safely tucked behind solid pawn chains, now it’s all about piece placement, long-term plans, and waiting for the right moment to break through.
Magnus locks down Black’s dark-squared bishop, leaving it to stare helplessly into its own pawn wall.
The maneuvering game continues, neither side is rushing.
Black’s main challenge is to eventually open a path for the dark-squared bishop.
Nodirbek lines up a battery along the long diagonal, hinting at a pawn sacrifice to open up the position.
These are bread-and-butter moves for a positional genius like Magnus.
He cements the center with his bishop, ensuring that Nodirbek doesn't get his active play.
Black puts a stop to White’s potential pawn push - classic prophylaxis.
Now the harmony of pieces is clearly in Magnus’s favor , it’s hard to imagine better squares for White’s pieces than the ones he’s already chosen.
Nodirbek is looking for activity, he jumps his knight into the center
Magnus trades off the bishops and immediately places a new piece (his knigh) in the center, aiming to block Black’s position and tighten his grip even further.
Nodirbek has no intention of just sitting and waiting, he’s doing everything he can to generate some counterplay, even if the position gives him little to work with. Fighting spirit on full display.
“Not on my watch,” says Magnus, cutting off Black’s counterplay before it even takes shape.
Keeping position locked.
Nodirbek steps back with his bishop, avoiding the knight’s attack and giving his pieces a bit more breathing room.
Magnus brings his last piece into the game. His queen.
Nodirbek has spent nearly half of his remaining time, it’s incredibly difficult to find any meaningful active plan in this position.
But one thing’s clear - he has no intention of just sitting back and letting Magnus calmly reposition his pieces and launch an attack.
Black is desperately trying to activate his bishop, searching for any way to breathe life into the piece that’s been locked out of the game for so long.
Magnus trades his bishop for a knight and calmly sidesteps the check with his king.
White’s knight now completely dominates Black’s bishop, a textbook example of minor piece imbalance. It’s a strategically grim position for Black, only a miracle can save Nodirbek from here.
The only practical chance for Black is to give up a pawn, hoping to breathe some life into the bishop, but even behind enemy lines, it won’t have much to do.
A tough position where even sacrifices offer only slim hopes.
Magnus decides to take with his f pawn, planning to take open file later on.
Black’s king makes a one-move leap to the opposite corner, hoping that the open space might offer a glimmer of hope for survival.
Magnus isn’t in a hurry to capture Black’s central pawn, it acts like a protective umbrella for his king along the long diagonal, and there’s no rush.
He is clearly enjoying his position. Who wouldn't? :)
Magnus sticks to his strategy to avoid capturing black's central pawn. He gives zero counterplay for Nodirbek.
Almost all of Black’s pawns are weaknesses, and once the queens come off the board, they’re likely to collapse one by one.
Magnus has a big time advantage, giving him all the space he needs to choose the right plan.
Abdusattorov finally manages to trade off his bishop, but at a big price. He’s already down a pawn and is about to lose a second.
His only hope now is to invade white's camp with the queen and launch a desperate hunt for the king.
Magnus had several ways to capture, and with a comfortable time advantage, there’s no need to rush.
In moments like this, it’s best to pause and pick the cleanest, most precise continuation.
Abdusattorov brings his queen up, allowing his side pawn to fall with check, all in a bold attempt to reach White’s king.
A brilliant practical try, throwing everything into one last shot at counterplay!
Two pawns up for Magnus.
Now he needs to find a way to retreat his queen back with the checks in order to help his king and rook.
You can only admire Nodirbek’s ability to find resources even in the most hopeless-looking positions.
His resilience and creativity under pressure are simply world-class.
Beautiful defensive geometry by Abdusattorov, Magnus has to come up with a clever way to convert this game. His king is not safe at all.
Magnus slides his rook on defensive second rank, aiming to take central pawn with a check and exchange queens.
Abdusattorov holds to his last warrior in the middle of the board. If this pawn falls - game is over.
Pawns keep falling, but the game is far from over, as long as the white king remains exposed, danger of perpetual check is still very real.
Abdusattorov leaves his rook en prise, but capturing it would lead to a perpetual check.
A sneaky trap in a losing position, very tricky play from Nodirbek!
Magnus keeps trying to force a queen trade, but Abdusattorov knows it’s a losing deal, and he’s doing everything he can to run from that deadly exchange.
The queen is his last hope, and he’s using it to full effect.
This moves loses pawn number 4. But the game still goes on. Crazy scenes :)
Magnus pins black's rook, and the trade of rooks is invetivable.
The rooks are off the board, and now White’s king can finally breathe a little easier.
Magnus captures the central pawn and looks to shelter his king behind the pawns on the opposite flank.
White will use his extra pawns as a shield, protecting the king from checks and gradually pushing forward.
The last pawn is falling, and now it’s just a matter of technique, White holds all the cards, and with precise play, this should be a smooth conversion for Magnus.
What a battle we just witnessed!
An aggressive and tense opening phase quickly gave way to a strategic masterpiece by Magnus, who slowly outplayed Nodirbek through the middlegame, tightening the grip move by move. But it wasn’t smooth sailing to the end: Abdusattorov kept searching for creative resources, fighting tooth and nail in a difficult position and posing real problems even when clearly worse.
Both players must be exhausted after such a battle. The question now is: how much energy will they have left for tomorrow’s rematch, where Nodirbek will be in a must-win situation?
Tune in to the Take Take Take app at the same time tomorrow to find out :)