Again: Does Magnus Carlsen Read This Blog??

Yury V. Bukayev keeps his eyes open for Jerome Gambits and Jerome-ish games. Recently he emailed me

Earlier I have written here in my analytical publication 'Carlsen's Win & Handicap Gambits: The New Chess Opening Fashion' (December, 8, 2021): " I thank Mr. Carlsen for his very brave gambits on this World Championship. It maybe, he reads this blog sometimes ". And recently I have found else one argument for WCC top GM Magnus Carlsen's possible reading of this blog! Thus, I have found his Jerome-ish game of 2014 against top GM Fabiano Caruana - the game of two modern chess stars. Here it is: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1772638

Here is the game.

Magnus Carlsen - Fabiano Caruana

Sinquefield Cup, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 c6 4.Nf3 d5 5.Bb3 Bb4+ 6.c3 Bd6 

7.Bg5 dxe4 8.dxe4 h6 9.Bh4 Qe7 10.Nbd2 Nbd7 11.Bg3 Bc7 

12.O-O Nh5 13.h3 Nxg3 14.fxg3 Nc5 

15.Bxf7+ 

A surprise by the World Champion. Instead of allowing the exchange of his opponent's Knight for the Bishop, he sacrifices it.

15...Kxf7 

Capturing with the Queen is dangerous after the following move, anyhow.

16.Nxe5+ Kg8 17.Ng6 Qg5 18.Rf8+ Kh7 

19.Nxh8 

Stockfish 14.1 suggests, instead, winning only the exchange with  19.Rxh8+ Kxg6  but who am I to argue with the World Champion? 

19...Bg4 20.Qf1 Nd3 

Black has 3 pieces en prise. Typical Super Grandmaster play? 

21.Qxd3 Rxf8 22.hxg4 Qxg4 23.Nf3 Qxg3 24.e5+ Kxh8 

White's e-pawn is vulnerable, and his King is less safe. While Carlsen focuses on the first, Caruana focuses on the second.

25.e6 Bb6+ 26.Kh1 Qg4 27.Qd6 Rd8 28.Qe5 Rd5 29.Qb8+ Kh7 30.e7 Qh5+ 

31.Nh2 

A difficult decision. After 31.Qh2 Qe8 32.g4 Rd7 33.g5 Rxe7 34.gxh6 gxh6 Black would also be better.

However, Stockfish 14.1 notes that the text leads to checkmate in 22 moves. Neither player needs to see that far ahead to know that White is busted.

31...Rd1+ 32.Rxd1 Qxd1+ 33.Nf1 Qxf1+ 34.Kh2 Qg1+ 

White resigned