Carlsen at 13: The Beginning of a Legend • Carlsen vs Dolmatov • Open Aeroflot • Moscow, Russia (2004) • Reti Opening (A04)
Francisco Yepes Barrera
1 min read
Afraaz Hussain - https://unsplash.com/photos/a-black-and-white-photo-of-a-chess-board--pjAckEmUnc
In the bustling chess halls of Moscow during the elite Aeroflot Open 2004—a premier A-category tournament from February 17-27 limited to 2500+ players (with exceptions for prodigies), boasting top GMs like Vallejo, Motylev, and Kaidanov—13-year-old Norwegian wunderkind Magnus Carlsen (2484), specially invited despite his rating and already buzzing after Corus C triumph, stunned the field in Round 3 against veteran Russian GM Sergey Dolmatov (2591), a 1978 World Junior Champion known for solid play. This clash, dubbed “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes,” earned Carlsen his second GM norm amid hype from trainer Nikitin calling it “the game of a genius,” propelling the kid to 5.5/9 overall.
Carlsen sidestepped with the Réti Opening vs Dutch: 1.Nf3 f5 2.d3 d6 3.e4 e5 4.Nc3, blasting the center via exf5 Bxf5 d4 Nxd4 Nxd4 Qxd4. Dolmatov developed awkwardly—Nf6 Bc4 c6 Bg5—botching with Be7?? O-O-O Qd7?? Kd8??, inviting Carlsen’s thunderbolt Rhe1 Rxe7!. The teen piled on with Qf4 Bd7 Ne4 d5 Nxf6, cracking Black amid kingside chaos: h6 Bh4 g5 Qd4, forcing resignation as gxh4 Nxd5 loomed devastatingly.
