[Event "10th Norway Chess 2022"] [Site "Stavanger"] [Date "2022.05.31"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Anand, Viswanathan"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B52"] [WhiteElo "2751"] [BlackElo "2750"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2022.05.30"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "NOR"] [Tiebreak "Number of wins+Number of black wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/7200:0"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:09]} d6 {[%emt 0: 00:03]} 3. Bb5+ {[%emt 0:00:11]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 4. Bxd7+ {[%emt 0:00:10]} Qxd7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 5. c4 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:47]} 6. Nc3 { [%emt 0:00:13]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} (6... g6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bg7 9. f3 $1 ( 9. O-O $6 O-O 10. f3 Rc8 11. b3 d5 $1 $11)) 7. d4 {[%emt 0:00:21]} cxd4 { [%emt 0:00:03]} 8. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 9. f3 {[%emt 0:00: 38]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 10. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:07]} 11. O-O {[%emt 0:00:13]} a6 {254} 12. Nb3 $5 {153} (12. a4 $5) (12. Qd3 $5 Ne5 13. Qe2 Rac8 14. b3 b5 15. Nd5 bxc4 (15... Nxd5 16. cxd5 $14) 16. Nb6 $18) 12... e6 { 735} (12... Ne5 13. Qe2 $14) 13. Qe2 {452} Qe7 {73} 14. Rfd1 {276} Rfd8 {201} 15. Rac1 {376} Rac8 {[%emt 0:00:34]} 16. Nd4 $6 {412} (16. Kh1) (16. Na4 $14) 16... Nd7 $6 {1187} (16... d5 $1 17. Nxc6 Rxc6 (17... bxc6 $5) 18. e5 Ne8 19. cxd5 exd5 20. f4 Nc7 $11) 17. b3 {202} b5 $6 {335} (17... Nxd4 18. Bxd4 Bxd4+ 19. Rxd4 Nf6 20. Qe3 $14) 18. cxb5 {509} Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 19. Bxd4 { [%emt 0:00:10]} Bxd4+ {[%emt 0:00:19]} 20. Rxd4 {118} axb5 {[%emt 0:00:27]} 21. Qd2 {428} Rb8 {660} (21... Nf6 22. Nxb5 Rxc1+ 23. Qxc1 e5 24. Rd2 d5 25. exd5 ( 25. Qa3) 25... Qb4 $44) 22. Rxd6 {291} b4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 23. Ne2 {184} Ne5 { 75} 24. Rd1 {422} Nc6 {151} 25. e5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:19]} Qa7+ {111} 26. Kh1 {340} Qf2 {587} 27. Rc1 {101} (27. f4) 27... Rxd6 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 28. exd6 {[%emt 0: 00:08]} Ne5 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 29. h3 $3 {66} (29. f4 Nd7 30. Rc7 Rd8 $11) (29. Rc2) (29. Qd1 Qe3) (29. Qe1 Qxe1+ 30. Rxe1 Nd3 $11) 29... Rb5 {534} (29... Nd7 30. Rc7 Rd8 31. Qg5) 30. f4 {803} Nd7 {[%emt 0:00:47]} 31. Qd4 $1 {69} Qxd4 { [%emt 0:00:18]} 32. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Rd5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 33. Nc6 {147} Rxd6 {[%emt 0:00:24]} 34. Nxb4 {[%emt 0:00:14]} e5 {138} 35. fxe5 {[%emt 0:00: 54]} Nxe5 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 36. Rc5 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Rd1+ {[%emt 0:00:25]} 37. Kh2 {[%emt 0:00:07]} f6 {70} 38. a4 {352} Rb1 {[%emt 0:00:54]} 39. Rc3 {68} Ra1 {80} 40. Rc7 {42 What an amazing game by Vishy Anand. So so accurate!} 1-0 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022.05.31"] [Round "1"] [White "Anand, Viswanathan"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B52"] [WhiteElo "2751"] [BlackElo "2750"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ {Anand is solving the problem of the Najdorf in the most effective way—by avoiding it.} Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 g6 9. f3 {The best way to build the Maroczy setup.} ({The other main move was faced by the former world champion, but as Black, in the following sharp encounter} 9. O-O Bg7 10. Nde2 Qe6 11. Nd5 Qxe4 12. Nc7+ Kd7 13. Nxa8 Qxc4 14. Nc3 Rxa8 15. Bg5 e6 16. Re1 Nd5 17. Nxd5 Qxd5 18. Qxd5 exd5 19. Rad1 h6 20. Bc1 d4 {and Black was eventually happier in Naiditsch,A (2716) -Anand,V (2780) Baden-Baden 2013}) 9... Bg7 10. Be3 O-O 11. O-O {Here we have a Hedgehog pawn structure, with a typical bind for White, but without the pair of light-squared bishops. On the surface, this seems to favor White, as the majority of his pawns are positioned on the opposite color of his remaining bishop. However, after} a6 {Vachier-Lagrave prepares a typical pawn spike on the queenside with b7-b5 and it becomes obvious that White is missing his light-squared bishop.} 12. Nb3 {Avoiding the trade.} ({Another way to prevent the break is:} 12. Qd3 {but Black did well recently in the following game.} Rfc8 13. b3 b5 14. cxb5 Ne5 15. Qd2 d5 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. exd5 axb5 18. Qe2 Qxd5 {Xiong,J (2687)-So,W (2772) Chess.com INT 2021}) ({Black's idea is well-illustrated by the line} 12. Qd2 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 b5 {when Black equalizes at once.}) 12... e6 $146 {Now the French GM is getting ready to strike in the center.} ({The predecessor was an email game that ended peacefully after:} 12... Rac8 13. Na4 Qe8 14. Nb6 Rd8 15. Qe2 Nd7 16. Na4 Nce5 17. Rac1 Nd3 18. Qxd3 Ne5 19. Qb1 Qxa4 20. Nd4 Rc8 21. b3 Qa5 22. Rf2 Nc6 23. Nxc6 Rxc6 24. Qd3 {1/2-1/2 (24) Wilhelmi,D (2473)-Tleptsok,R (2448) ICCF email 2013}) ({The immediate} 12... b5 13. cxb5 axb5 14. Nxb5 Qb7 15. Qe2 {does not promise Black enough compensation.}) 13. Qe2 Qe7 {More preparation is mandatory.} ({Not yet} 13... d5 14. Rad1) 14. Rfd1 Rfd8 15. Rac1 Rac8 {Both sides have brought their pieces into the game and Anand decided to bring his knight back to the center.} 16. Nd4 ({But there was also an argument for the generally useful move} 16. Kh1 $5) 16... Nd7 {Vachier-Lagrave spent a lot of time on this move, apparently carefully checking the consequences of the principled break.} ({And indeed} 16... d5 $1 {might have been the way to the equality, as after} 17. Nxc6 { which is the only way to try and control the situation in the center, Black can recapture either way.} Rxc6 ({Or also the more natural} 17... bxc6 18. e5 Nd7 19. f4 {when Black can again attack the center with} f6 ({Or even with} 19... g5 $5)) 18. e5 Ne8 19. cxd5 exd5 20. f4 {For a moment it seems as if it is very ugly for Black, but he can get his pieces out with} ({Nothing yields.} 20. Nxd5 Qxe5) 20... Nc7 21. g3 f6 {and slowly even the chances.}) 17. b3 b5 { And the Frenchman decided to go for his original break, even at the expense of a pawn!} ({The computer suggestion} 17... Nxd4 18. Bxd4 Bxd4+ 19. Rxd4 Qg5 20. Rcd1 {is hardly appealing to many human beings.}) 18. cxb5 Nxd4 19. Bxd4 Bxd4+ 20. Rxd4 axb5 21. Qd2 $1 {A neat reply! The pawn is not going anywhere, and Anand consolidates before picking it up.} ({Instead, the immediate capture} 21. Qxb5 {would have allowed Black too much play with} Rc5 22. Qe2 Qg5 $1 ({But not } 22... Rdc8 23. Qe3 $1) 23. Qe1 Ne5 {and this looks scary for White, to say the least.}) 21... Rb8 ({There is not enough for the pawn in case of} 21... Nf6 22. Nxb5 Rxc1+ 23. Qxc1) 22. Rxd6 b4 23. Ne2 $1 {Another accurate move by the former world champion! His pieces somehow manage to stick together all the time.} ({A more \"active\" retreat instead} 23. Na4 {would have allowed} Nb6 $1 24. Rcc6 Rxd6 25. Rxd6 Nxa4 26. bxa4 Qa7+ {with full equality.}) 23... Ne5 24. Rd1 {This seems to be the final consolidation.} Nc6 $1 {But Vachier-Lagrave has not yet said his final word. The threat of a capture on d6, followed by Rb8-d8, is hard to parry.} ({But there was an alternative way to try and defend. Surprisingly, the endgame after} 24... Rxd6 25. Qxd6 Qxd6 26. Rxd6 Rc8 27. Rd2 g5 $1 {looks quite difficult for White to convert. Although, as we know, a pawn is a pawn.}) 25. e5 $1 ({Correctly avoiding} 25. Rd7 $4 Rxd7 26. Qxd7 Rd8 $1 27. Qxe7 Rxd1+ {check! And wins.}) 25... Qa7+ 26. Kh1 Qf2 {Alas, this does not allow enough activity.} ({A more resilient try was} 26... Qa5 $1 27. Nd4 Nxd4 28. Qxd4 Rdc8 $1 {although here, too, White has all the winning chances with} 29. h4 $1) 27. Rc1 Rxd6 28. exd6 Ne5 29. h3 $1 {While in control, Anand uses the time to open air for his king.} ({Certainly not} 29. d7 $2 Nxd7) ({Less convincing is} 29. Rd1 Rc8 30. Ng1 Qxd2 31. Rxd2 Nd7 {and Black is still too active.}) 29... Rb5 {The last active chance, but it comes short due to a tactical detail.} 30. f4 Nd7 31. Qd4 $1 {That is it! The queens must be traded.} Qxd4 ({For} 31... Qxe2 {leads to a mate after} 32. Rc8+ Nf8 33. Rxf8+ Kxf8 34. Qh8#) 32. Nxd4 Rd5 33. Nc6 Rxd6 34. Nxb4 {This time White has both the material and the positional advantage. Anand quickly finishes the job.} e5 35. fxe5 Nxe5 36. Rc5 Rd1+ 37. Kh2 f6 38. a4 Rb1 39. Rc3 Ra1 40. Rc7 {PLAY CHESS, NO WAR!} ({Black resigned because of the line} 40. Rc7 Rb1 41. a5 Rxb3 42. Nc2 {and the a-passer is unstoppable.}) 1-0 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022.05.31"] [Round "2"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Wang, Hao"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E05"] [WhiteElo "2864"] [BlackElo "2744"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 {No weird moves or move orders in this game.} e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 {The Catalan was featured in Carlsen's opening preparation for the World Championship match last year and ever since, it has been an incredible weapon in his hands.} Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Na3 Bxa3 8. bxa3 Bd7 9. a4 Bc6 10. Ba3 Re8 11. Qc2 Nbd7 12. Rac1 Bd5 13. Rfe1 a5 ({Earlier this year, Nepomniachtchi tried} 13... Rc8 14. e4 Bc6 15. Nd2 c3 16. Nb1 Nb6 17. a5 Na4 18. Nxc3 Qxd4 {as seen in Carlsen,M (2865)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2773) chess24.com INT 2022, and now} 19. e5 $1 {would have been clearly better for White.}) 14. Red1 c6 15. Ne5 Bxg2 16. Kxg2 Nb6 17. e4 (17. Rb1 $5 {is also worth considering.}) 17... Nfd7 18. Nxc4 Nxc4 19. Qxc4 Nf6 20. f3 Qc7 21. Rb1 Rad8 22. Qb3 Rd7 23. Bc1 $6 ({A weird move; White seems to have an overwhelming positional advantage after} 23. Bc5 Qd8 24. Bb6 Qa8 25. Rb2 {when Black is totally tied up without counterplay.}) 23... c5 $2 ({An outright mistake. Black should have played} 23... h6 24. Be3 e5 {when White is only slightly better.}) 24. Bf4 Qc6 25. Rbc1 b6 26. dxc5 Rxd1 27. Rxd1 {White is much better and to boot, Wang Hao is running hopelessly low on time. Black needed to make it move 40 to start seeing increments hitting his clock, but that is a long way to go when you are playing over-the-board and cannot premove and on top of that, your opponent is the World Champion...} Qxc5 $2 ({It was better to play} 27... e5 28. Be3 bxc5 29. Qb5 Qe6 30. Rd2 {when White is much better.}) 28. Be3 Qc6 29. Qb5 $1 Qc3 30. Rd3 Qc2+ 31. Rd2 Qc3 32. Kf2 $2 Rb8 $1 {A nice defensive move.} 33. Qd3 Qc8 34. Bxb6 Qb7 35. Qd4 $2 h6 $4 ({A bad blunder. Black should have played} 35... e5 36. Qe3 h5 37. Bxa5 Qc6 {when it is not yet over albeit probably hopeless against Carlsen.}) 36. Bxa5 Qb1 37. Kg2 Qc1 38. Qc3 Qb1 39. Qc2 Qb7 40. Qc7 Qa8 41. Qxb8+ Qxb8 42. Rd8+ {and Black resigned.} 1-0 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022.05.31"] [Round "1"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Wang, Hao"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2864"] [BlackElo "2744"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "93"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nd7 {This knight development has become very popular over the last few years. The idea is to send it onward to b6 where it will help make c2-c4 more difficult to achieve for White.} 3. d4 Nb6 4. b3 Bf5 5. Nh4 $1 e6 6. Nxf5 exf5 7. Qd3 {This already looks pleasant for White.} g6 8. Bg2 Nf6 9. O-O Be7 10. c4 c6 11. Bh6 Bf8 12. Bg5 Be7 13. a4 $1 a5 14. Nc3 O-O 15. Bxf6 { White gives up his bishop pair to work on a juicy target: the d5-pawn.} Bxf6 16. cxd5 Nxd5 17. Nxd5 cxd5 18. e3 $6 ({Here Carlsen missed his best chance of the game; with} 18. Rac1 Rc8 19. e3 Qd7 20. Qb5 Qxb5 21. axb5 Rfd8 22. b6 { , White would have had a large advantage and serious winning chances.}) 18... Qd7 19. Qb5 Rfd8 20. Rfc1 Be7 21. Rc2 ({The computer suggests} 21. Qb6 $5 {but} Ra6 22. Qc7 Bb4 23. Qxd7 Rxd7 24. Rc8+ Kg7 25. Rac1 {is anything but obviously better for White.}) 21... Kg7 (21... Bb4 {was also possible.}) 22. Qb6 Qe6 23. Qb5 Qd7 $1 {After this move, Black has more or less fully neutralized White's pressure. Carlsen continues for a while but nothing ever materialized nor even got close.} 24. Qf1 Ra6 25. Bf3 Rb6 26. Qd3 Qe6 27. Kg2 h5 28. h4 Bb4 29. Kg1 Be7 30. Rb1 Bb4 31. Qf1 Rc6 32. Rxc6 bxc6 33. Rc1 Rd6 34. Kg2 Qe7 35. Qa6 c5 36. Qd3 cxd4 37. Qxd4+ Qf6 38. Rc7 Qxd4 39. exd4 Kf6 40. Rb7 Ke6 41. Rb5 Rd8 42. Kf1 Rd6 43. Ke2 Rd8 44. Rb7 Bc3 45. Kd3 Be1 46. Ke3 Bb4 47. Rb5 1/2-1/2 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022.05.31"] [Round "2"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Topalov, Veselin"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E11"] [WhiteElo "2761"] [BlackElo "2730"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Qc2 c6 9. Bf4 b6 10. Nbd2 Nh5 11. e3 Bb7 ({Their classical game continued} 11... Nxf4 12. exf4 Bb7 13. cxd5 cxd5 {with equal chances, Giri,A (2761) -Topalov,V (2730) Norway Chess 2022.}) 12. cxd5 exd5 ({A novelty. Previously, Black had tried} 12... cxd5 13. Bc7 Qe8 14. Rfc1 Nhf6 15. Bf1 Nb8 {as seen in Ding Liren (2801)-Anand,V (2757) Kolkata 2019, when} 16. a4 $1 {would have been clearly better for White.}) 13. h4 Rc8 ({In the only previous game with this position, Black opted for} 13... c5 14. Nb1 b5 15. Ng5 g6 16. Nc3 cxd4 17. Nxd5 Rc8 18. Qd1 Bxd5 19. Bxd5 Nxf4 20. exf4 Nb6 {and Black had equalized in Shpakovsky,A (2546)-Rallabandi,P (2488) ICCF email 2020.}) 14. Nb1 Nxf4 15. exf4 c5 16. Nc3 Nf6 17. Rad1 a6 ({Another option for Black was} 17... cxd4 18. Nxd4 Bb4 19. Ndb5 a6 20. Qb3 Bc5 {and Black is only slightly worse.}) 18. dxc5 Rxc5 ({Black could also consider capturing with the bishop, for instance,} 18... Bxc5 $5 19. Qb3 Qc7 20. Ne5 {with a small plus for White.}) ({By contrast, White is clearly better after the pawn recapture:} 18... bxc5 19. Ne5 c4 20. g4 {and Black is struggling with his center pawns.}) 19. Rfe1 Re8 $6 ( 19... b5 {looks like a better try.}) 20. Qb3 h6 21. Nd4 Bf8 $2 22. Rxe8 Nxe8 23. Nc2 (23. Na4 $5) 23... Nf6 24. Ne3 b5 25. Ncxd5 Nxd5 26. Bxd5 Qc7 $4 ({ Black should have tried} 26... Bxd5 27. Nxd5 Qc8 28. Kg2 {when White is clearly better but there is still a lot of work to be done.}) 27. Bxb7 $2 ({ White could have won another pawn with} 27. Bxf7+ $1 Qxf7 28. Qxf7+ Kxf7 29. Rd7+ Kg8 30. Rxb7 {and Black will not hold the endgame.}) 27... Qxb7 28. Nd5 Qc6 29. Qf3 Rc2 30. a3 (30. f5 {was better.}) 30... Bc5 31. b4 Bf8 ({Of course, not} 31... Bxf2+ $4 {on account of} 32. Qxf2 $1 Rxf2 33. Ne7+ {, leaving White a piece up.}) 32. Kg2 Qc4 $4 33. Ne3 1-0 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022.05.31"] [Round "1"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Topalov, Veselin"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E11"] [WhiteElo "2761"] [BlackElo "2730"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] {[%evp 0,63,19,31,14,-11,-14,-14,-4,-30,3,0,6,15,0,6,28,21,17,22,11,13,28,-21, -21,-12,-14,-29,-22,-34,-21,-23,-19,-20,-27,-40,-29,-21,-30,-37,-23,-13,29,19, 34,17,14,-14,57,0,0,-36,2,-2,0,-6,-7,-7,-8,-11,-7,-16,-7,-19,-6,-15]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Qc2 c6 9. Bf4 b6 10. Nbd2 Nh5 11. e3 Nxf4 ({In their armageddon game, Topalov instead opted for} 11... Bb7 12. cxd5 exd5 (12... cxd5 13. Bc7 Qe8 14. Rfc1 Nhf6 15. Bf1 Nb8 {was played in Ding Liren (2801)-Anand,V (2757) Kolkata 2019, where the Chinese player now could have tried} 16. a4 Nfd7 17. a5 {with a significant advantage.}) 13. h4 Rc8 {.}) 12. exf4 Bb7 13. cxd5 cxd5 14. Rfc1 Rc8 ({Or} 14... Bd6 15. Bf1 Nf6 16. Bd3 Qe7 17. Re1 Rac8 18. Qd1 Qd8 19. Qe2 Rc7 20. a3 {was played in Giri,A (2776)-Anand,V (2753) Zagreb 2021, and now} Qd7 {followed by ...Rfc8 should let Black equalize.}) 15. Qa4 ({A novelty, departing from an online game played by Giri a couple of years ago:} 15. Qd1 Rxc1 16. Rxc1 Qb8 17. Bf1 Rc8 18. Bb5 Rxc1 19. Qxc1 Qc8 20. Qxc8+ Bxc8 21. Kf1 Kf8 {and if anything, then Black has the marginally better chances here thanks to his bishop pair, Giri,A (2764)-Van Foreest,J (2682) chess24.com INT 2020.}) 15... a6 16. Qb3 (16. h4 $5 {also looks like an option but co-commentator Neiksans was not particularly worried on Black's behalf, claiming that Black's position was perfectly playable.}) 16... b5 17. Rxc8 Qxc8 18. a4 bxa4 19. Qxa4 Nb6 20. Qd1 Nc4 {Black already has a comfortable position.} 21. Rc1 Qb8 22. Nxc4 dxc4 23. Qe2 Bf6 24. Rxc4 {White has won a pawn but thanks to his bishop pair, Black can never be worse.} Bd5 25. Rc1 Bxf3 ({Black forces the draw. If he had been more ambitious, then} 25... Qb7 {could have been tried but that too leads to approximately equal chances.}) 26. Bxf3 Bxd4 27. Ra1 Qxb2 28. Qxb2 Bxb2 29. Rxa6 g6 30. Kg2 Kg7 31. Ra8 Rxa8 32. Bxa8 {and draw agreed.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022.05.31"] [Round "2"] [White "Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar"] [Black "Tari, Aryan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "2770"] [BlackElo "2654"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] {[%evp 0,71,19,31,14,-14,-11,4,33,-19,0,-1,-2,16,2,-15,14,10,38,31,68,63,96,87, 84,84,81,57,73,84,102,102,93,99,96,85,67,39,37,27,17,24,32,33,33,43,43,53,24, 34,34,33,50,24,78,90,115,104,113,104,113,116,90,101,134,149,182,155,347,359, 361,365,520,522]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 ({Their classical game went} 4. Nf3 O-O 5. Qc2 c5 6. dxc5 Na6 7. g3 Nxc5 8. Bg2 Nce4 9. O-O Bxc3 10. bxc3 Qc7 11. Nd4 d5 12. cxd5 exd5 13. Bf4 Qc5 14. Rfb1 b6 15. Rb5 Qxc3 16. Qxc3 Nxc3 17. Rb3 Nce4 18. a4 Bd7 19. a5 Rfc8 20. axb6 axb6 21. Rxa8 Rxa8 22. Rxb6 Ra1+ 23. Bf1 h6 24. Nc2 Ra2 25. Nb4 Ra1 26. Nc2 Ra2 27. Nb4 Ra1 28. Nc2 { ½-½ (28) Mamedyarov,S (2770)-Tari,A (2654) Chess.com 2022.}) 4... c5 5. dxc5 O-O 6. a3 {Now entirely departing from their previous game.} Bxc5 7. Bf4 $5 ({ A relatively rare move but a specialty by the late Hungarian Grandmaster Gyozo Forintos who played it regularly in the 1970s and 1980s. The main line is} 7. Nf3 {which has been played in thousands of games.}) 7... d5 8. e3 Nc6 9. Nf3 dxc4 $2 {Although previously played by Viktor Korchnoi, this move is an outright mistake that gives White a clear advantage. This is what can happen when a player, even a grandmaster, is forced to think for himself; mistakes happen.} (9... Qa5 {would have transposed into a mainline of the 5.Bf4 Queen's Gambit Declined, as played countless times in top games, including by Caruana and Nakamura.}) 10. Bxc4 Bd7 11. Rd1 Be7 12. O-O Rc8 13. Ba2 (13. e4 $5) 13... Nh5 $6 14. Bb1 g6 15. Bh6 Re8 16. Qd3 (16. e4 $5) 16... Nf6 17. Bg5 Qb6 18. e4 Red8 19. e5 Be8 20. Qe2 Nd5 21. Nxd5 Rxd5 22. Rxd5 exd5 23. Bxe7 Nxe7 24. Qd2 Kg7 25. Re1 h6 26. h4 Qe6 $4 (26... Bd7 $1 {was more solid.}) 27. h5 Rc4 28. hxg6 fxg6 29. Nd4 Qg4 30. Rd1 $6 ({It was better to play} 30. f4 Nc6 31. Ne2 Ne7 32. Bd3 {and White has a decisive advantage.}) 30... Nc6 31. Nf3 Bf7 $2 ({ Black should have tried} 31... Qf4 32. Qxd5 Rc1 33. g3 Qc4 34. Qxc4 Rxc4 35. Bd3 Ra4 {when White has an extra pawn but Black can still fight.}) 32. Ba2 Rf4 33. Bxd5 Nd4 34. Nxd4 Bxd5 35. f3 Qg5 36. Ne2 1-0 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022.05.31"] [Round "1"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Radjabov, Teimour"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C54"] [WhiteElo "2766"] [BlackElo "2753"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 a5 7. Re1 O-O 8. h3 h6 9. Nbd2 Be6 10. Bb5 Nd7 11. Nf1 d5 12. Be3 dxe4 13. dxe4 Qe7 ({In Bucharest, So played this position with the black pieces against Dominguez:} 13... Qf6 14. Qe2 Rfd8 15. Red1 Bf8 16. Ng3 a4 17. Nh2 Qg6 18. Ng4 Bd6 19. Bc4 Bxc4 20. Qxc4 Qe6 21. Qxe6 fxe6 {and White had a small plus in Dominguez Perez,L (2753)-So,W (2776) Bucharest 2022.}) 14. Qe2 Rfd8 15. Red1 a4 16. Qc2 a3 $6 ({It is not clear than getting the pawn to a3 does anything for Black other than leaving the pawn vulnerable. Two alternatives were} 16... Nb6) ({and} 16... Bxe3 17. Nxe3 Nb6 {, in both cases, White has no more than a tiny edge.}) 17. b4 Bd6 18. N1d2 Nb6 $6 ({A questionable positional decision;} 18... Nf8 {is more sensible. }) 19. Bxb6 cxb6 20. Bc4 Rdc8 21. Qd3 Nd8 22. Bxe6 Qxe6 23. Nf1 Bf8 24. Ne3 { White has a large advantage. Radjabov does his best to confuse matters.} f6 25. Nd5 Nf7 26. Nd2 Ra6 (26... Rc6 {looks like a better choice.}) 27. Rab1 (27. c4 $5) 27... b5 28. Qxb5 Nd6 29. Qd3 b5 30. Rbc1 Rac6 31. Rc2 f5 32. exf5 Nxf5 33. Nb3 Rc4 34. Na5 e4 $5 {Black has done well to complicate the situation. Unfortunately for Radjabov, So had his reply ready...} 35. Re2 $1 ({ Excellently played. This, far from obvious, strike is the only move to keep White's advantage, for instance,} 35. Qd2 e3 $1 36. Nxe3 Nxe3 37. fxe3 Re4) ({ and} 35. Qe2 Nd4 $1 {and Black is back in business.}) 35... Re8 36. Nxc4 exd3 37. Rxe6 Rxe6 38. Nxa3 {and Black resigned.} 1-0