Carlsen wins Shamkir - Two bishops theory strengthened

After a slow star (by everyone) the second half of the Shamkir tournament saw a lot more action. After Topalov broke the run of draws, Carlsen kicked into gear, winning 3 games and finishing on 6/9. Ding Liren showed he now firmly belongs in the top echelon by finishing on 5.5, while Sergey Karjakin was the only other player to finish above 50%, with 5/9. At the other end, Topalov collapsed after his loss to Kramnik, and finished on 4 (-2 overall), only ahead of David Navara on 2.5. And while Anish Giri finished on 50%, he wasn't actually the 'Giri' of the tournament, as that honour went to Teimour Radjabov, who drew all his games.
Giri's only loss of the tournament was to Carlsen in round 8, in a game that further demonstrates that the bishop pair may well be worth a full porn pawn.


Giri,Anish (2777) - Carlsen,Magnus (2843) [A29]
Vugar Gashimov Mem 2018 Shamkir AZE (8.3), 27.04.2018

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nb6 7. O-O Be7 8. a3 a5 9. d3 O-O 10. Be3 Be6 11. Rc1 a4 12. Nd2 f5 13. Bxb6 cxb6 14. Nxa4 Bg5 15. Nc3 e4 16. Kh1 Qd7 17. Rb1 Rad8 18. Nc4 Qf7 19. b3 exd3 20. exd3 f4 21. Ne4 Be7 22. gxf4 Qxf4 23. a4 Nb4 24. Qe2 Qh6 25. Rbd1 Nd5 26. Rg1 Kh8 27. Bf1 Rf4 28. Ne5 Rdf8 29. f3 Rh4 30. d4 Nf4 31. Qd2 Bxb3 32. Rb1 Bxa4 33. Bb5 Bxb5 34. Rxb5 Qe6 35. Qb2 Bd8 36. Ng5 Qe8 37. Rb3 Bxg5 38. Rxg5 Ne6 39. Rg4 Rxg4 40. fxg4 Qd8 41. Rh3 Qd5+ 42. Kg1 Qe4 43. Qb4 Rf6 0-1