Magnus Carlsen vs Hikaru Nakamura, Airthings Masters Div 1 W 2023

Queen's Gambit Declined (D37) · 1-0 (Magnus Carlsen won) · 50 moves · Round 4.1 · 10 February 2023

♔
White
Magnus Carlsen
1 – 0
Black
Hikaru Nakamura
♚

About This Game

Game summary

  • WhiteMagnus Carlsen
  • BlackHikaru Nakamura
  • Result1-0 · Magnus Carlsen won
  • EventAirthings Masters Div 1 W 2023
  • Round4.1
  • Date10 February 2023
  • OpeningQueen's Gambit Declined (D37)
  • Length50 moves
  • Type of eventRapid

This is game 260 of 408 between Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura in the Rama Chess database (2005–2025). In all their games Carlsen leads 144–82 with 182 draws.

Previous game: Nakamura vs Carlsen, ½-½ (Airthings Masters Div 1 W, 2023).

Next game: Nakamura vs Carlsen, ½-½ (Airthings Masters Div 1 W, 2023).

The moves of Magnus Carlsen vs Hikaru Nakamura, Airthings Masters Div 1 W 2023

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 dxc4 5.e4 b5 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nxb5 Nb6 8.a3 Nc6 9.Be3 Qd7 10.Nc3 Bb7 11.Qc2 Na5 12.Rd1 Rb8 13.Be2 Be7 14.h4 Bc6 15.h5 Ba4 16.Nxa4 Qxa4 17.Rc1 Nb3 18.Rb1 Qa5+ 19.Kf1 c5 20.h6 g6 21.dxc5 Bxc5 22.Bxc5 Qxc5 23.Rh4 O-O 24.Bxc4 Rfc8 25.Bxb3 Qb5+ 26.Qe2 Qxb3 27.Rb4 Qa2 28.Rd1 a5 29.Rb5 a4 30.Qe4 Qc4+ 31.Qxc4 Nxc4 32.Rxb8 Rxb8 33.Rd4 Rc8 34.Rd7 Nxb2 35.Ng5 Rf8 36.Rd4 Rc8 37.Rf4 Rc1+ 38.Ke2 Rc2+ 39.Ke3 Rc3+ 40.Kd2 Rc7 41.Rb4 Nc4+ 42.Ke2 Rc8 43.Rxa4 Nxe5 44.Ra7 Ng4 45.Nxf7 Rb8 46.f3 Rb2+ 47.Kd3 Nf2+ 48.Kd4 Rd2+ 49.Ke3 Ra2 50.Ng5 Nd1+ 1-0

In this encounter Magnus Carlsen had the white pieces against Hikaru Nakamura at Airthings Masters Div 1 W in 2023. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.

From Queen's Gambit Declined (D37) the players entered a fight over the centre. Here the struggle often turns on the central pawns and minor-piece play.

Running to 50 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.

Working through a full game like this trains pattern recognition — the more you study, the faster you spot familiar ideas in your own play.

When the dust settled, Magnus Carlsen won with the white 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

What is the head-to-head record of Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura?

In the 408 games between them in our database (2005 to 2025) Carlsen leads 144–82 with 182 draws. This game is number 260 of 408.

Where and when was Magnus Carlsen vs Hikaru Nakamura played?

At the Airthings Masters Div 1 W, round 4.1, on 10 February 2023.

Who played this game?

This game was played between Magnus Carlsen (White) and Hikaru Nakamura (Black), at Airthings Masters Div 1 W in 2023.

What opening was played?

The game used Queen's Gambit Declined (ECO code D37). A fight over the centre.

What was the result?

Magnus Carlsen won with the white pieces.

How long was the game?

The game lasted 50 moves (100 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 Queen's Gambit Declined collection, Magnus Carlsen's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.

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