[Event "Freestyle GOAT Challenge Rapid 2024"] [Site "Weissenhaus"] [Date "2024.02.10"] [Round "5.2"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Gukesh D"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2804"] [BlackElo "2725"] [Annotator "Mueller,Karsten"] [Variant "chess 960"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "rkrqnnbb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RKRQNNBB w CAca - 0 1"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "2024.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] 1. c4 c5 2. f4 g6 3. Qa4 $2 {The queen feels uncomfortable now.} ({One better move is} 3. g3) 3... f5 4. g3 d6 5. Rc2 $6 (5. Qb3 {was called for to limit the damage.}) 5... Nd7 (5... a5 $5) 6. O-O-O Nef6 $2 {The first step in the wrong direction.} (6... a5 {is better for Black.}) 7. d3 Qc7 $6 (7... a5 $11 {was again called for.}) 8. e4 fxe4 9. dxe4 Be6 10. Nf3 O-O $2 {Another step in the wrong direction.} (10... Nxe4 11. Re2 Ndf6 12. Rde1 Qb6 {with counterplay was called for.}) 11. Ng5 Bg4 12. Re1 h6 13. Nf3 a6 14. Qb3 Kh7 15. Ne3 Be6 16. Nd5 Qa5 $2 {The next step in the wrong direction. Now Black's queen feels uncomfortable on the queenside.} (16... Nxd5 17. cxd5 Bh3 {limits the damage.}) 17. Be3 b5 (17... Nxe4 {is met by} 18. Rce2 b5 19. Bd2 bxc4 20. Qxc4 Nxd2 21. Nxd2 Nb6 22. Qd3 Bf5 23. Rxe7+ Bg7 24. Qc3 Qxc3+ 25. bxc3 Nxd5 26. Bxd5 $16) 18. Bd2 Qd8 19. Qe3 $6 ({The direct} 19. f5 {and only after} gxf5 20. Qe3 {is even stronger.}) 19... Bg7 20. Nh4 bxc4 $2 {The next step in the wrong direction.} (20... Bf7 {is forced to limit the damage.}) 21. Nxf6+ Nxf6 $2 (21... exf6 {is forced but after} 22. Bc3 Re8 23. Qd2 {White has more than enough compensation for the pawn.}) 22. e5 $1 {The first ram opens the gates in the centre.} dxe5 23. Bxa8 Qxa8 24. Qxe5 Bf7 25. Bc3 Qc6 $6 (25... e6 {is more tenacious, but does not defend.}) 26. f5 $1 {The second ram opens the gates of Black's castle.} g5 (26... gxf5 27. Nxf5 Re8 28. Nxg7 Kxg7 29. Rf2 $18) 27. Ng6 Re8 28. Nxe7 Qb7 29. Rce2 Bh5 30. Rd2 Bh8 31. Rd6 Ng4 32. Qe4 {The easiest win as it minimises the counterplay.} (32. Qxc5 {wins as well.}) 32... Qxe4 33. Rxe4 Bxc3 34. bxc3 Nf2 35. Ree6 Bf7 36. Nd5 $5 {Caruana's mighty knight has the last word.} (36. Nd5 $5 Bxe6 37. Nf6+ Kh8 38. fxe6 Re7 39. Rd7 Rxe6 40. Rh7#) 1-0