Carlsen is happy with the compensation for the pawn. He intends to gain more space in the center and gradually shift his pieces toward the enemy kingside.
1. d2d4  1... g8f6  2. g1f3  2... d7d5  3. c2c4  3... e7e6  4. g2g3 Carlsen keeps milking his amazing Catalan WCC preparation. 4... d5c4  5. f1g2  5... f8b4 Mamedyarov chooses a line that was tested by Topalov in both his WCC matches against Kramnik and Anand—and which was also often a choice of Carlsen himself. 6. c1d2  6... a7a5  7. e1g1  7... e8g8  8. e2e3 A very fresh line. 8... a8a6 Sensibly clearing the long diagonal, as the Catalan bishop is always a pain. Up to here, Mamedyarov was practically blitzing. 9. d1c2  9... b7b5  10. a2a4  10... c7c6  11. b1c3  11... a6b6 