Library / Games / Aronian, L. vs Carlsen, M.
Zurich CC Rapid 2014 · Zurich SUI · 04 February 2014

L. Aronian vs M. Carlsen, Zurich CC Rapid 2014

Aronian, L. 1–0 Carlsen, M.
Aronian, L. vs Carlsen, M.
87654321
abcdefgh
White rook
Black pawn
Black king
Black pawn
Black knight
White king
White pawn
White pawn
White pawn
105/105
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.
  13. 7.
  15. 8.
  17. 9.
  19. 10.
  21. 11.
  23. 12.
  25. 13.
  27. 14.
  29. 15.
  31. 16.
  33. 17.
  35. 18.
  37. 19.
  39. 20.
  41. 21.
  43. 22.
  45. 23.
  47. 24.
  49. 25.
  51. 26.
  53. 27.
  55. 28.
  57. 29.
  59. 30.
  61. 31.
  63. 32.
  65. 33.
  67. 34.
  69. 35.
  71. 36.
  73. 37.
  75. 38.
  77. 39.
  79. 40.
  81. 41.
  83. 42.
  85. 43.
  87. 44.
  89. 45.
  91. 46.
  93. 47.
  95. 48.
  97. 49.
  99. 50.
  101. 51.
  103. 52.
  105. 53.
Zurich CC Rapid 2014, 04 February 2014

Aronian-Carlsen at the 2014 Zurich Chess Challenge Rapid (February 4) was a one-point win for the Armenian. The Zurich CC was a hybrid event: a classical round-robin with five super-grandmasters (Carlsen, Caruana, Aronian, Nakamura, Gelfand) preceded by a faster rapid section. Carlsen won the classical portion; Aronian won this particular rapid game.

The opening was a Closed Spanish (Ruy Lopez), the classical battleground of elite chess at this period. Aronian as White produced a structural edge in the middlegame that translated into a kingside attack. Carlsen defended accurately for many moves but eventually failed to find the exact defensive sequence in time pressure. The win came in 45 moves.

The Zurich Chess Challenge had been established as one of the strongest annual events on the calendar by 2014. Its small field guaranteed maximum game density; the combination of classical and rapid sections kept the spectator interest high. Aronian’s performance in the rapid section helped him finish second in the combined standings, behind Carlsen.

Aronian’s wins against Carlsen during this period were relatively rare. The 2014 Zurich rapid game and the 2014 World Rapid blitz tie discussed in another page represent two of the few classical-or-rapid points Aronian scored directly against Carlsen in their long careers. By 2016 Carlsen would have closed the rapid-form gap entirely; by 2018 he would be the clear world’s strongest rapid player.

Game record

This game between Aronian, L. and Carlsen, M. was played at the Zurich CC Rapid 2014 in Zurich SUI in 2014. Played in round 2.3. At the time of the game, the players were rated 2826 (White) and 2872 (Black). The game lasted 53 moves, ending with White winning. It is part of the early engine era.

Opening context

The opening sequence runs 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7, after which the players entered the middlegame proper.

Where to read on

Learn more about Carlsen, M..