Carlsen Goes Kaboom In Qatar

If the opening rounds of the 2015 Qatar Masters Open resembled cat-and-mouse with lower-rated opposition, so too did the beginning of World Champion GM Magnus Carlsen's fifth-round game. He waited and waited for ...Be6, then pounced with Nf4 and went full-on tiger against Black's king.

(Photo right: Alla Oborina for Qatar Masters Open.)

Playing GM Li Chao for the first time, the Norwegian knew he would face a Grunfeld but didn't know the game would explode like it did. Both sides threatened various mates on opposite rook files, with Carlsen offering a pawn to expedite his attack, while Li Chao offered his whole queen!

Carlsen had it mostly worked out, even avoiding an aesthetic but faulty pitfall -- a mouthwatering underpromotion that actually would have mated himself! Instead he went for a more practical win, and with it he earned sole possession of first place as the tournament takes its only rest day tomorrow.

GM Magnus Carlsen's style is often described as "universal" and today we saw the more thermal part of that universe. (Photo: David Llada for Qatar Masters Open.)

"Today I felt like playing a sharp game," Carlsen said when he saw the "red flags" in Li Chao's position. "Once in a while I feel up to the challenge. It was a very strange struggle at first. We were both making waiting moves. When I had the chance I just went for it. I don't know if it was correct by any means."
Did he agree with GM Vladimir Kramnik's statement that it's easier to play against 2700s since their style is more expected?
"Maybe, but also playing through Li Chao's games before the round today, I realized that I don't understand the way that he plays at all."