My festive season chess reading has focused on two books – one of which was nominated for the English Chess Federation’s Book of the Year and the other, the winner of this prestigious award. Both are a joy – but I’ll be reviewing the latter book, Willy Hendrik’s Move First, Think Later at a later date.

For now, I’d like to concentrate on Adrian Mikhalchishin and Oleg Stetsko’s fighting Chess with Magnus Carlsen.

The young Norwegian Magnus Carlsen is in the process of establishing himself as the great chess genius of our time. He’s not quite there yet – even though he’s now achieved the highest rating of all time – he’ll need to become World Champion before he cements his place in chess history.

He can take a big step towards this ultimate goal by winning the Candidates Tournament which will take place in London in March. Carlsen is only just 22 years old so his rise has, of necessity, been meteoric and Mikhalchisin and Stetsko’s book details his career tournament by tournament over the past ten years with 64 of his best games to date. It’s Carlsen’s great talent which shines through, though flaws in his play are evident in early games. Strangely these flaws are most apparent in the endgame where now he is now such an undisputed master. This highly recommended book came out before his latest tournament triumph at the London Chess classic in December. Visiting the event I was lucky enough to witness the following marvellous Carlsen game against the world’s best female player, the great Judit Polgar.

White: Magnus Carlsen

Black: Judit Polgar

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.a3 Bc5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.e4 0–0 9.Be2 b6 10.0–0 Bb7 11.Bf4 d6 12.Rc1 Rc8 13.Re1 Ne5 14.Nd2 Nfd7 15.Be3 Qc7 16.b4 Qb8 17.f4 Ng6 18.g3 Rfe8 19.Bf3 Qa8 20.Bf2 Ngf8 21.Qe2 Qb8 22.Red1 g6 23.e5! It’s a fairly standard Hedgehog type of position but Black’s knight on f8 is passively placed and Polgar’s last move weakened f6. Carlsen’s move – eulogised by English grandmaster John Nunn while commentating during the game – is brilliant and unexpected because it relieves Black of her weakness at d6, but highlights other shortcomings in her position.

23...Bc6 24.Bd4 Red8 25.Bxc6 Rxc6 26.Nf3 dxe5 27.fxe5 Rdc8 28.Ne4 Qc7 29.Nfd2 a6 30.Nf2! This knight is well placed but it’s heading for greener pastures on g4 and h6.

30...Bg5 31.Rf1! Carlsen’s position looks full of weaknesses – but he has seen deeper.

31...Bxd2 32.Qxd2 Nxe5 33.Bxe5! Qxe5 34.Ng4 Rd6 35.Nh6+ Kg7 36.Rxf7+ Kh8 37.Qf2 Qd4 38.c5! bxc5 39.Qxd4+ Rxd4 40.Rxc5 Rcd8 After the game Carlsen pointed out the trick 40...Rxc5 41.bxc5 Rc4 42.Rxf8+! Kg7 43.Rf4! Rc1+ 44.Rf1

41.Rcc7 The position is utterly dominating for White. 41...Rd1+ 42.Kg2 R1d2+ 43.Kh3 R2d5 44.Ng4 Rh5+ 45.Kg2 Rd2+ 46.Kf3 Rf5+ 47.Ke3 Rxf7 48.Rxf7 Rd8 49.Nf6 Rb8 50.Kf4 h6 51.Ke5 a5 52.bxa5 Ra8 53.a6 1–0