[Event "FIDE World Championship 2021"] [Site "Dubai, United Arab Emirates"] [Date "2021.11.30"] [Round "2"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E06"] [WhiteElo "2855"] [BlackElo "2782"] [Annotator "GM Andrey Gutov"] [PlyCount "116"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] {[%evp 0,116,19,9,9,-10,-16,0,-3,-37,11,5,27,-22,7,-9,8,9,-9,-14,-14,-29,-22, -35,-36,-64,-56,-52,-70,-46,-25,-37,-37,-28,13,-36,-21,-36,-28,-109,-97,-93, -93,-89,-99,-99,-46,-95,-41,-87,-7,-181,-40,-41,-41,-43,-23,-31,-56,-63,-35, -35,-35,-30,-44,-45,-45,-27,-45,-24,-18,-21,0,0,12,25,65,36,48,96,115,107,110, 102,98,102,114,127,121,127,127,122,122,108,122,113,120,111,122,111,119,119,109, 68,68,64,73,95,85,83,51,43,49,38,85,38,38,38,79]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 {Carlsen opts for the solid and rich Catalan Open. While he has rarely employed this opening before, one of his second's, Daniil Dubov has used this opening with success. Dubov's creative style leads us to expect many interesting ideas in this opening.} Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 {The main line however commentators were unsure if this would play into Nepo's style.} 7. Qc2 b5 {This shut down all doubt as this opening would give Nepo many tactical and aggressive continuations; a playstyle he is very comfortable in.} 8. Ne5 c6 { However, Nepo thought for 10 minutes here and was probably trying to recall his preparation while simultaneously looking out for unfavorable (and favorable) transpositions.} 9. a4 Nd5 10. Nc3 $6 {Inaccuracy. axb5 was best.} ( 10. axb5 cxb5 11. Nc3 f6 12. Qe4 Nb6 13. Ng4 Bd7 14. Ne3 b4 15. Na4 f5 16. Qe5 Bf6) 10... f6 {A little bit aesthetically unpleasing but best.} 11. Nf3 Qd7 12. e4 Nb4 13. Qe2 Nd3 $6 {Inaccuracy. N8a6 was best.} (13... N8a6 14. d5 bxa4 15. dxc6 Qd3 16. Rxa4 Nxc6 17. Be3 Nab4 18. e5 Qxe2 19. Nxe2 a5 20. exf6) 14. e5 Bb7 15. exf6 Bxf6 16. Ne4 {Carlsen's preparation seemed to be successful.} Na6 17. Ne5 $6 {Inaccuracy. Nxf6+ was best. Practically speaking, this was a excellent choice and Black had to make some difficult moves.} (17. Nxf6+ gxf6) 17... Bxe5 18. dxe5 Nac5 {Carlsen spoke in an interview afterward and confessed he missed this in his calculations.} 19. Nd6 Nb3 20. Rb1 $6 { Inaccuracy. Be3 was best. The machine suggests that Be3 would've been a better way to sacrifice the exchange, however, it's difficult to understand the concrete reason why.} (20. Be3 Nxa1) 20... Nbxc1 21. Rbxc1 Nxc1 22. Rxc1 Rab8 23. Rd1 {Sacrificing the exchange always requires quick and active play.} Ba8 24. Be4 {Nepo revealed that he thought this move was very strong. The bishop placed on this active square threatens not only future moves such as Qh5, but also Bxh7.} c3 $6 {Inaccuracy. bxa4 was best. bxa4 is also considered best but it looked like c3 was stronger, damaging White's pawn structure and gaining tempi.} (24... bxa4 25. Bxh7+) 25. Qc2 g6 26. bxc3 {Qg7 would've highlighted white's structural issues, as a subsequent f4 would be weakening to white's king safety.} bxa4 $6 {Inaccuracy. Qg7 was best.} (26... Qg7 27. f4 g5 28. Qb3 gxf4 29. Qxe6+ Kh8 30. Qh3 c5 31. Bxa8 Rxa8 32. e6 fxg3 33. Qxg3) 27. Qxa4 Rfd8 28. Ra1 c5 29. Qc4 Bxe4 30. Nxe4 Kh8 31. Nd6 Rb6 32. Qxc5 {It seemed that only Carlsen had chances here.} Rdb8 33. Kg2 a6 34. Kh3 {Powerful! Avoids potential Qc6+ ideas trading off queens.} Rc6 35. Qd4 Kg8 36. c4 Qc7 37. Qg4 {Nepo must've let out an internal sigh of relief as this move let him bail out.} Rxd6 38. exd6 Qxd6 39. c5 Qxc5 40. Qxe6+ Kg7 41. Rxa6 Rf8 42. f4 Qf5+ 43. Qxf5 Rxf5 {Supergrandmasters can draw these endgames in their sleep.} 44. Ra7+ Kg8 45. Kg4 Rb5 46. Re7 Ra5 47. Re5 Ra7 48. h4 Kg7 49. h5 Kh6 50. Kh4 Ra1 51. g4 Rh1+ 52. Kg3 gxh5 53. Re6+ Kg7 54. g5 Rg1+ 55. Kf2 Ra1 56. Rh6 Ra4 57. Kf3 Ra3+ 58. Kf2 Ra4 {Draw was agreed.} 1/2-1/2