Levon Aronian and Magnus Carlsen is considered a classic candidate match. In the classical matches Levon Aronian grab 2 wins and 2 draws against Magnus Carlsen but Magnus Carlsen match that total. So in the rapids, Levon Aronian won game 1 and drew game 2 and 3 respectively but Magnus Carlsen won the last rapid and went on the blitz match and Levon Aronian scored 2 straight wins and moves on to the Semi-finals against Alexey Shirov.

Great games in the series:

--♔ <Game 5> ♔--

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 a3 Advocated by Petrosian and Kasparov. <4…Bb7 5 Nc3 d5 6 cxd5 Nxd5> Livelier than 6…exd5, but White can regain control of e4. <7 Qc2 Be7 8 e4 Nxc3 9 bxc3 0-0 10 Bd3 c5 11 0-0 Qc7 12 Qe2> A standard position, slightly in White's favor. <12…Nd7 13 Bb2 c4?!> In his quest for Queenside counterplay, Aronian takes the pressure off White's center. <14 Bc2 b5 15 Bc1 a5 16 Rb1 Ba6 17 e5> With a secure center, White must attack! His target is h7. <17…b4?!> Consistent. Much safer, though, is 17…Rfc8, clearing f8 for his Knight. <18 axb4 axb4 19 Bg5!> Not bad is 19 cxb4 Rfb8 20 b5!, as 20…Bxb5? loses to 21 Rxb5 Rxb5 22 Qe4. But Carlsen wants more than a shaky extra Queenside pawn. <19…Nb6> Forced. Not 19…Bxg5 20 Nxg5 h6 because 21 Qe4 f5 (or 21…g6 22 Nxe6!) 22 Nxe6 gains material. <20 Qe4 g6 21 Qh4> Inviting 21…Bxg5 22 Nxg5 h5, when both 23 cxb4 and 23 g4 are strong. <21…Ra7 22 Bf6!?> Another aggressive choice. White could gain a pawn by 22 Bxe7 Qxe7 23 Qxe7 Rxe7 24 Rxb4 Nd5 25 Ra4 Bb7 26 Ra3, but Black's grip on d5 complicates the winning process. <22…Bxf6> White crushes 22…Nd5? with 23 Ng5 h5 24 Qxh5! (seeing 24…gxh5 25 Bh7 mate) Nxf6 25 Qh6! Rb8 26 Bxg6. <23 exf6 Nd5 24 Be4> Threatening 25 Bxd5 exd5 26 Qh6. <24…Qf4 25 Bxd5 Qxh4 26 Nxh4 exd5 27 Rxb4 Bc8 28 Rb6!> Preserving the valuable pawn at f6 that will decide the game. <28…Ra3 29 Rc1 Be6 30 Nf3 Rfa8 31 h4 h6 32 Ne5 Ra1 33 Rxa1!> Instead of passive defense with 33 Rbb1, White abandons the Queenside and concocts an economical mating attack. <33…Rxa1+ 34 Kh2 Ra3 35 Rb8+ Kh7 36 f4!> Preparing 37 h5. Black cannot stop it by 36…h5, as 37 Nf3 (threatening 38 Ng5+ Kh6 39 Rh8 mate) forces 37…g5 38 hxg5 Rxc3 39 Nh4 Rd3 40 Re8! Rxd4 41 g6+ fxg6 42 Nf3!, with ideas of 43 Ng5+ and 43 Nxd4. <36…Rxc3 37 h5 gxh5> White's dream is 37…g5 38 f5 Bxf5 39 Nxf7 and 40 Rh8 mate. And 37…Rb3 loses quickly to 38 hxg6+ fxg6 39 Re8. <38 Rf8! Ra3 39 f5 Bxf5 40 Rxf7+ Kg8> Or 40…Kh8 41 Rg7, setting up 42 Nf7 mate. <41 Rg7+ Kf8 42 Rb7 Ra8 43 Kg3!> One more attacker! White foresees 43…c3 44 Kf4 c2 45 Kxf5 c1Q 46 Ng6+ Kg8 47 Rg7 mate or 46…Ke8 47 f7+. <43…Rd8 44 Kf4 Be4 45 g3 c3 46 Rf7+ Kg8> Similar is 46…Ke8 47 Rg7. <47 Rg7+ Kf8 48 Nd7+ Rxd7 49 Rxd7, 1-0.>