[Event "World-ch Nepomniachtchi-Ding Tiebreak "] [White "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"] [Black "Ding,Liren"] [Site ""] [Round ""] [Annotator "Hou,Yifan"] [Result "0-1"] [Date "2023.04.30"] [WhiteElo "2795"] [BlackElo "2788"] [PlyCount "136"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 Bd7 9. h3 O-O 10. Be3 Na5 11. Ba2 bxa4 12. Nc3 ({In the 2nd tie-break game, Nepo chose} 12. Bd2 c5 $1 ({The game continuation} 12... Nc6 13. Nc3 Rb8 14. Nxa4 {was slightly better for White.} )13. Nc3 Rb8 {With the a4 pawn on the board, black is fine.} )Rb8 13. Bb1 $5 {Though to the engine this is one of the best moves, due to the poor location of the White pieces and his uncoordinated army it is very tricky to try in rapid, especially in the final round.} Qe8 14. b3 c5 15. Nxa4 Nc6 16. Nc3 $6 ({The priority is to activiate the 'dead' bishop while preventing Black's Nd4. The downside is that this weakens the b3 square and restricts the knight on a4.} 16. c3 Be6 17. Bc2 h6 )a5 17. Nd2 Be6 18. Nc4 d5 $6 {A very logical decision, trying to create the kingside counterplay. However, it helps white boost the development of the bishop.} (18... Qd7 19. Ra2 (19. Nxa5 $2 Ra8 {loses material} )(19. f4 exf4 20. Bxf4 g6 $1 {preparing ... Nh5 to vacate the f6 square for the dark-squared bishop.} )Rfe8 $1 {Another waiting move, since in the position is very tricky for White to make any development.} (19... Bxh3 {is a bit too hasty. After} 20. gxh3 Qxh3 21. f3 Qg3+ 22. Kh1 {there is nothing more than a perpetual check.} )20. Nxa5 $2 Nxa5 21. Rxa5 Bxh3 $1 22. gxh3 Qxh3 23. f3 Qg3+ 24. Kh1 Nh5 25. Rf2 Bg5 {Without the c4 knight protecting the e3 bishop, it is too slow to stop the attack, via ...Re6-Rh6.} )19. exd5 Nxd5 20. Bd2 $2 { A critical decision. White misses the chance to re-activate the bishop.} (20. Nxd5 $1 Bxd5 21. c3 f5 22. f3 {A weird position, but completely holdable for white. Normally, it is not recommended to put most of the pawns on the 3rd rank, but due to the weaknesses on a5 and c5, plus the c4 outpost, the position is more or less balanced. The b1 bishop can finally protect both the b3 and d3 weakness.} )Nxc3 $2 {Wrong.When one gets space advantage, it's better to keep as many forces as possible to squeeze your opponent.} ({After} 20... Nf4 $1 {surprisingly enough, with most of the pieces on the board, it is hard to suggest any move for White. If} 21. Ne2 Nxh3+ $1 22. gxh3 Bxh3 23. Re1 f5 {with a deadly attack.} )21. Bxc3 Bxc4 22. bxc4 Bd8 {Not precise, but very reasonable in rapid chess, especially, in the last game of the tie-break.} (22... Bd6 {is more precise, as it will save a tempo compared to the game, and this tempo matters.} 23. Bd2 (23. Bxa5 e4 $1 24. Bc3 e3 25. Re1 Be5 $1 26. Bxe5 (26. Rxe3 $2 Bxc3 $19 )Qxe5 {is clearly better for Black.} )e4 $1 { The additional tempo allows this push before white's c3.} 24. c3 Qe5 25. g3 e3 $5 26. Bxe3 Qxc3 $15 )23. Bd2 Bc7 24. c3 {Now there is no immediate e4, however, the position still looks in favor of Black, and it's easier for him to make moves.} f5 25. Re1 (25. Bc2 $5 {Maybe it's the time to bring the bishop in the game.} e4 $5 (25... Rd8 $6 26. Bg5 Rd6 27. Be3 $16 )(25... Qg6 26. f4 exf4 27. Bxf4 Bxf4 28. Rxf4 $11 )26. dxe4 f4 {A typical sacrifice.} 27. Ba4 f3 28. Bg5 $1 {(with the idea of Qd5), White is fine.} )Rd8 (25... e4 26. dxe4 f4 27. e5 $1 {It's important to activate the bishop before the e4 pawn can be blocked.} Nxe5 28. Be4 $13 )26. Ra2 Qg6 27. Qe2 (27. Qf3 {Probably the best, but hard to choose over the board.} e4 (27... Qd6 28. Qd5+ $1 { This is the idea, preventing Black from working on the diagonal h2-b8.} Qxd5 29. cxd5 Rxd5 30. Rb2 $14 {With the pair of bishops and the open a2-g8 diagnol, White has at least enough compensation.} )28. dxe4 f4 $1 (28... Ne5 29. Qg3 $1 Qxg3 30. fxg3 Nxc4 31. Bf4 $14 {When the position is open, the bishop shows its strength.} )29. e5 Nxe5 30. Qe4 Qxe4 31. Rxe4 $11 )Qd6 28. g3 Rde8 29. Qf3 e4 $5 {An intuitive move, which may not need full calculation in rapid chess, though with long and accurate play White may refute it.} 30. dxe4 Ne5 31. Qg2 Nd3 (31... Nxc4 $2 32. Bf4 $16 )32. Bxd3 Qxd3 33. exf5 Rxe1+ 34. Bxe1 Qxc4 {The previous couple of moves were not hard to be considered, but how to judge this position is important: Black has a passed a-pawn, well-placed pieces; but his king is relatively weak. On the other hand, again the bishop on e1 is inactive.} 35. Ra1 $6 {Logical, but missing the best chance in the game so far!} (35. Rd2 $1 {Easy to understand, but hard to choose. The rook controls the open file, but it blocks e1 bishop, and does not keep an eye on the a-pawn. So where is the trap?} Rxf5 (35... a4 36. Rd7 Be5 37. Qc6 a3 38. Ra7 a2 39. Qe6+ $18 )36. Qc6 $1 Bxg3 (36... Re5 37. Qxc7 Rxe1+ 38. Kh2 { It's clearly better for White when the bishop is off the board.} )(36... Rf7 37. Rd4 $1 Qb3 38. Re4 {The powerful rook controls the e-file, but also stops the a pawn.} )37. Rd8+ Kf7 38. f4 $3 {The only winning move, which is nearly impossible to foresee before Rd2, and it's a trap!} Bxf4 (38... Qxf4 39. Rd7+ $18 )(38... Rxf4 39. Rd7+ Kg8 40. Bxg3 $16 )39. Qe8+ Kf6 40. Bh4+ Rg5+ (40... g5 41. Qh8+ Kg6 42. Rg8+ $18 )41. Bxg5+ Bxg5 42. Rd1 $1 $18 )Rxf5 36. Bd2 h6 37. Qc6 Rf7 38. Re1 Kh7 39. Be3 Be5 40. Qe8 ({Maybe it's time to simplify the position.} 40. Qxc5 Qxc5 41. Bxc5 Bxc3 $11 )Bxc3 $1 41. Rc1 Rf6 42. Qd7 ({In view of the danger, it would be better to repeat moves here.} 42. Bd2 Rf3 43. Be3 $11 )Qe2 $1 {The only move.} 43. Qd5 Bb4 44. Qe4+ Kg8 45. Qd5+ Kh7 46. Qe4+ {An historic moment! While most of the people are already expecting the next tiebreak mini-matches, Ding decides to fight for a win. Practically, it's a nice test, as both were under very few minutes, and Nepo probably already expected a draw. With such mindset, things may go wrong as what happened in the game.} Rg6 $5 47. Qf5 $6 {Now things have started to go wrong.} (47. h4 {was more precise:} a4 (47... h5 48. Rc2 Qd1+ 49. Kg2 Qd6 50. Qf5 {- Too many weaknesses for Black to protect.} )48. Qf5 Qg4 49. Qc2 { It is impossible for Black to keep both passed pawns on board whilte stopping the h5 threat.} )c4 $1 48. h4 $2 {Towards the wrong side.} (48. Qf4 { was the only way to prevent the Black queen from taking over the b1-h7 diagonal.} c3 (48... Bd6 49. Qxc4 Rxg3+ 50. fxg3 Qxe3+ 51. Kh1 Qf3+ 52. Kg1 Qxg3+ 53. Kf1 Qxh3+ 54. Ke2 $11 )49. Qf5 $1 {Although two tempi down, now White gets the full dominance over the diagonal.} a4 50. h4 Qg4 51. Qd3 $11 { with the idea of Bd4} )Qd3 $19 {Now it's a clear win for black.} 49. Qf3 Rf6 50. Qg4 c3 51. Rd1 Qg6 52. Qc8 Rc6 53. Qa8 Rd6 $2 {Making things complicated again.} (53... c2 54. Rf1 Rd6 $19 )54. Rxd6 Qxd6 55. Qe4+ Qg6 56. Qc4 {Suddenly White may be able to create a fortress.} Qb1+ (56... c2 57. h5 $1 $11 )57. Kh2 a4 58. Bd4 a3 59. Qc7 $2 {Missing the final chance of the match. Honestly speaking, under super high pressure, such move may occur with high probability. However, with a closer look one would understand, the key thing is to control the golden g6 square.} (59. h5 $1 Bf8 (59... a2 60. Qf7 $18 )60. Qf7 Qd3 61. Bxc3 $1 Qxc3 62. Qxf8 $11 {The Black queen cannot find a good place to prevent both the perpetual check and support the promotion of the a-pawn.} )(59. Bxg7 $1 {draws as well, but one needs to have a broad picture in mind to ensure the perpetual check.} Kxg7 60. Qc7+ Kf6 61. Qc6+ Ke5 62. Qe8+ Kd4 63. Qh8+ Kc4 64. Qg8+ $1 Kb5 65. Qe8+ $1 $11 )Qg6 60. Qc4 (60. Bxc3 Bxc3 61. Qxc3 a2 {With ...Qb1 coming next, queening is unstoppable.} )c2 $19 {Now it's hopeless for White.} 61. Be3 Bd6 62. Kg2 h5 63. Kf1 Be5 64. g4 hxg4 65. h5 Qf5 66. Qd5 g3 67. f4 a2 68. Qxa2 Bxf4 {A very well-fought game, lots of interesting content. Congrats to Ding for winning the title! Also congrats to Nepo showing greater technique in the match.} 0-1