[Event "FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss"] [Site "Riga"] [Date "2021.10.26"] [Round "1"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Chigaev, Maksim"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B81"] [WhiteElo "2800"] [BlackElo "2639"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 {It is extremely hard to guess what will Caruana choose against the Najdorf, but this modest-looking move seems to suit his style well.} e6 ({A recent game of the American GM saw} 6... e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. g4 h6 9. Be3 Nbd7 10. a4 Nf8 11. Qf3 Ng6 12. O-O-O Bd7 13. a5 O-O 14. Kb1 {and White later won in Caruana,F (2822) -Saric,I (2655) Chess.com 2020}) 7. g4 h6 ({Grischuk preferred instead to avoid this move and opted for} 7... Be7 8. g5 Nfd7 9. Be3 b5 10. a3 Bb7 11. h4 Nc6 12. Nxc6 Bxc6 13. Qd4 O-O 14. O-O-O Nc5 15. f3 Rb8 16. Rg1 a5 {Duda,J (2757)-Grischuk,A (2777) Chess.com 2020}) 8. a3 $5 {A crafty little move, which still needs to prove it is useful later. But since Black's main idea is to attack the center and the queenside with b7-b5-b4 thrust, it certainly makes sense.} Be7 9. Be3 Nc6 10. Rg1 Nd7 $146 {A typical maneuver and a novelty.} ({In an email predecessor Black chose instead} 10... Qc7 11. Qe2 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 e5 13. Be3 Be6 14. O-O-O Rc8 15. Kb1 Qc6 16. Bg2 Nd7 {Zolochevsky,V (2365) -Ermolaev,A (2431) ICCF email 2011}) 11. Be2 g5 {\"Probably not really good for Black.\" (Caruana)} ({Instead} 11... Rb8 $5 {looks more natural, when Black intends to trade on d4 and then start pushing his b-pawn.}) 12. Qd2 Nce5 ({After} 12... Nxd4 {White would have likely reacted with} 13. Bxd4 Ne5 14. O-O-O {and then h3-h4 as in the game.}) 13. O-O-O b5 (13... Ng6 $5 {was an interesting attempt to slow down the opponent's kingside initiative.}) 14. h4 $1 {This is the reason why Caruana did not trust the g7-g5 push. White will be the one to capitalize on the opening of the h-file.} Bb7 ({Certainly not} 14... gxh4 $2 15. f4 Ng6 16. f5 {when Black's position collapses at once.}) 15. hxg5 hxg5 16. Rh1 Rg8 $1 {Chigaev knows that this rook is a most important defender. } 17. Rh5 {Very logical and straightforward play by White.} (17. Nb3 $5 { looked interesting as well, gaining some extra control in the center. Then the maneuver Nd7-b6-(c4) can be always met with Nb3-a5.}) 17... Rc8 18. Rdh1 Bf6 { The exchange sacrifice is in the air and White prevents it with...} ({Here} 18... Nb6 {was already interesting. Chigaev might have disliked} 19. Rh8 { but the black king feels surprising well in the center after} Kd7 20. Rxg8 Qxg8 21. b3) 19. f3 {...to which Chigaev keeps maneuvering} Qe7 ({This, however, misses a good moment for a central strike with} 19... Nb6 $1 20. b3 d5 $1 { Black solves all his problems , although the position gets extremely messy.}) 20. Kb1 {A useful move.} ({The machine likes} 20. Nb3 {but a human would not like to allow anything like} Rxc3 21. Qxc3 Nxf3 22. Qb4) 20... Nc4 ({Here} 20... Nb6 {does not seem as effective after} 21. b3 d5 22. f4 $1 gxf4 23. Bxf4 Ng6 24. e5 $1 Bg7 25. Bxb5+ $1 axb5 26. Ncxb5 {with large attack for White.}) 21. Bxc4 Rxc4 {\"When I played\"} 22. b3 {\"I pretty much decided on the sacrifice.\" (Caruana)} Rc8 23. Nd5 $1 {Caruana called it an extremely risky sacrifice. \"It's not even like I have a very direct attack. I have some initiative, which could last you know, for a move.\"} ({Caruana had a lot of other reasonable alternatives, like} 23. Rh6) ({Or} 23. Rh7) ({Or} 23. Nde2) 23... exd5 24. Nf5 Qe6 25. Bxg5 {For the piece White got open files and diagonals. And a 100-million-Pegasus.} Bc3 {A good move $1 It was however played after quite a significant amount of time spent on the clock. Chigaev was likely trying to put himself together.} ({Instead} 25... Bxg5 $2 {would have left Black without enough defenders and losing due to} 26. Rxg5 Rxg5 27. Qxg5) ({However, the other capture} 25... Rxg5 $5 {might have attracted Black. The dark-squared bishop is far more valuable than Rg8 as it covers more important squares and is good for both the defence and the counter-attack. The game is unclear after} 26. Rxg5 Ne5 27. Rg8+ Kd7 28. Rxc8 Kxc8) 26. Qh2 { Aiming at the other significant black weakness.} Ne5 {The best defence again.} ({Not} 26... Be5 27. f4) 27. Rh6 Rg6 {This time Chigaev errs, and this is all that it takes for any of the sides to lose instantly in this super-sharp position.} ({Strong was} 27... Ng6 $1 28. Nxd6+ Kd7 29. Nxb7 Kc6 {regaining the knight in an original way. White then has enough for the piece, but Black can also be happy with his improved king safety.}) 28. Rxg6 $1 {\"I think he missed this.\" (Caruana) White trades a key defender and then quickly infiltrates into the enemy camp.} ({Black apparently expected} 28. Ng7+ Rxg7 29. Rxe6+ fxe6 30. Bf6 {with a messy position.}) 28... Qxg6 29. Qf4 $1 { All the white pieces gain coordination and Caruana converts in style.} Nxf3 ({ Perhaps Chigaev should have tried} 29... f6 30. Nxd6+ Kd7 31. Bxf6 Rf8 { although here too, White is significantly better.}) (29... Kd7 30. Rh6 $1 { loses on the spot.}) 30. Qxf3 dxe4 ({Or} 30... Qxg5 31. Nxd6+ Kd7 32. Nxc8 { and White wins material.}) 31. Qe3 $1 {The decisive infiltration.} Bg7 32. Qa7 $1 Qxg5 33. Qxb7 Rd8 34. Rh7 1-0