1. e2e4  1... e7e5  2. g1f3  2... b8c6  3. f1c4 After his sensational win against the world  champion in Wijk an Zee earlier this year, the young star of Russian chess put up a great fight against Carlsen once again. The two classical games  were drawn after a fierce battle, and after two more draws in the rapid,  Carlsen finally won a game. Esipenko needed to win on demand now to stay  in the match; therefore, the Berlin was out of the question. 3... f8c5  4. c2c3  4... g8f6  5. d2d3  5... d7d6  6. e1g1  6... h7h6  7. f1e1  7... e8g8  8. h2h3  8... c5b6 Other ways to play it  besides 8...a5 have also been tested by Carlsen: 9. b1d2  9... c6e7  10. a2a4 A relatively rare line recently tried by Svidler. 10... c7c6  11. d3d4  11... e7g6  12. c4f1  12... f8e8  13. d1c2  13... b6c7  14. b2b4 A novelty in the spirit of the Ruy Lopez. White expands on the queenside rather than trying to attack on the opposite wing. 14... c8e6 Here and on the next move, Black certainly had to consider  the central break d6-d5. 15. c1b2  15... a7a5 It seems that this only helps White. 16. b4b5 Now the b-file can be opened in White's favor, and the  potential weakness left on the a-file can work nicely for him. 16... c7b6  17. b2a3  17... d8c7  18. a1b1 The threat is to trade on c6 and capture a pawn on  d6. 18... c6b5  19. f1b5 Esipenko has achieved everything he wanted on the queenside.  The b-file is in his hands, and he will use it to infiltrate into the  opponent's camp and attack the pawn weaknesses on a5, b7, and d6. 19... e8c8  20. d4d5  20... e6d7  21. b5f1  21... a8b8 This only makes things worse for Black. 22. d2c4 Now the dark-squared bishops are being traded, and White gets his hands on the pivotal b6-point. 22... b6c5  23. a3c5  23... c7c5  24. b1b6 The  most direct approach. 24... f6e8  25. e1b1  25... c5c7  26. c2b3  26... c7d8  27. b3a3 Going for the more  valuable pawn on d6. 27... d8f6  28. c4d6  28... e8d6  29. b6d6  29... f6e7  30. b1b6  30... f7f6 A crafty move... 31. a3a1 ...which Esipenko did not counter  in the best possible way. 31... g6h8 Now the white rooks are in danger. 32. f1b5  32... d7b5  33. d6e6 An excellent intermediate move. 33... e7c5  34. b6b5  34... c5c4  35. a1e1  35... h8f7  36. b5a5  36... c4c3 In the heat of time trouble, Carlsen allows the same trick he avoided a couple of moves ago. 37. e1c3 And Esipenko  forgets about it as well! 37... c8c3  38. a5b5  38... c3c4  39. a4a5 Still, White has a winning advantage and  converts without any problems. 39... b8f8  40. f3h4  40... f7d8  41. e6e7  41... f8f7  42. e7e8  42... f7f8  43. e8f8  43... g8f8  44. f2f3  44... c4c7  45. h4f5  45... h6h5  46. b5b6  White is getting ready to attack the kingside as well. 46... f8e8  47. g2g4 Looking for a second weakness. 47... h5g4  48. h3g4  48... g7g6  49. f5h4  49... c7h7  50. h4g6  50... e8f7  51. b6d6  51... f7g6  52. d6d8  52... h7c7  53. g1f2  53... c7c5  54. d5d6  54... c5c2  55. f2g3 The neatest win. 55... c2d2  56. d6d7 Forcing the rook trade. 56... g6f7  57. d8h8  57... d2d7 