Analyzing Magnus Carlsen's Endgame Technique (Part II)

Greetings chess lovers, it's Ed again! Now we're on Chapter 2: The Young Supertstar Rises to the Top. 

As a reminder, I'm reading Hungarian IM Tibor Karolyi's ground-breaking work: Endgame Virtuoso Magnus Carlsen: His Extraordinary Skills Uncovered and Explained on the interactive Forward Chess platform. For further context on the book and Forward Chess, please see Part I.

Conclusions:

• Magnus successfully defeated a weaker opponent from a slightly better ending by slowly squeezing him, causing practical annoyances in the position, maintaining piece activity, and capitalizing on his opponents' blunder after tedious, passive defense.
• 23.Qf2 was strong because without controlling the paramount open file in the position (the f-file) white has lost any remaining advantage.
• 30.Rf5! Magnus ensconced his rook right into the heart of black's position, forever relegating black to passive defense. White prepares to penetrate the weakened light squares with his king, but 30.Kf3 immediately would have allowed unnecessary counter play by black with 30...f5 opening scope for his previously passive rook. 
• 32.Kg4! White executed his plan of invading along black's weakened kingside light squares. The h6 pawn became a serious target.
• Notice, that the beginning position (move 22) seemed quite drawish and black didn't have any clear problems. That's because Magnus carefully built up his position in the ending with precise moves, limited his opponent's active counter chances, and soon black was tired of the torture of shuffling his rook passively. Subsequently black became desperate and made an aimless pawn exchange, therefore giving Magnus an objectively decisive advantage he converted to victory.

I hope you enjoyed this effulgent masterpiece and found it as instructive as I did!