About This Game
J Rowson and Magnus Carlsen met over the board in this full-length game at 38th Olympiad in 2008. It was played in round 10. The game dates from the modern computer-influenced era.
Play followed Slav Defense (D11) — a fight over the centre. Here the struggle often turns on the central pawns and minor-piece play.
Running to 48 moves, the game moved through a full middlegame into an endgame, showing how an advantage is carried between phases.
Magnus Carlsen is one of the grandmasters featured in the RamaChess archive, where you can browse their complete game collection, favourite openings and notable wins.
Games like this are useful at every level: opening principles for beginners, middlegame plans for club players, fine technique for experts.
After the contest, Magnus Carlsen won with the black pieces. Use the board above to replay every move, switch to the analyser for engine evaluation, or open Practice mode to test your own ideas.
Frequently asked questions
Who played this game?
This game was played between J Rowson (White) and Magnus Carlsen (Black), at 38th Olympiad in 2008.
What opening was played?
The game used Slav Defense (ECO code D11). A fight over the centre.
What was the result?
Magnus Carlsen won with the black pieces.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 48 moves (96 plies).
Can I replay this game move by move?
Yes. Use the interactive board on this page to step through every move, or open the analyser and Practice mode.
Where can I find more games like this?
Browse the full Slav Defense collection, Magnus Carlsen's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.