[Event "Grand Chess Tour: Superbet Romania Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2024.07.05"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Giri, Anish"]
[Black "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E16"]
[WhiteElo "2745"]
[BlackElo "2796"]
[Annotator "rafael"]
[PlyCount "111"]
[EventDate "2024.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bb4+ {A very popular choice in this particular move order of the Catalan Opening. This check forces White to transpose the game to a Nimzo-Indian after 5.Nc3, place the bishop in a slightly worse position with 5.Bd2, or place the knight in an undesirable square after 5.Nd2.} 5. Nd2 (5. Bd2 {is played more often.}) 5... O-O 6. Ngf3 b6 7. O-O Bb7 8. b3 {A simple and logical move, preparing to develop the bishop.} (8. Ne5 {is the most popular.}) 8... Nbd7 9. Bb2 Qe7 10. a3 Bd6 11. Nh4 $5 {An interesting move that shows a small problem with putting the queen on e7. White wants to capture the pawn on d5 and then place the knight on f5.} g6 {Useful to protect the f5-square, although it weakens the kingside a little bit.} 12. b4 {A new move.} (12. cxd5 exd5 13. Nc4 {is interesting, but after} Ne4 14. Nxd6 cxd6 {The doubled pawns are not as bad as they look. The knight is strong on e4, and the position is balanced: Coklin-Broniek, ICCF email 2021.}) 12... c5 {This is forced, otherwise White just plays c4-c5.} 13. bxc5 bxc5 14. cxd5 exd5 {Black has to capture with the pawn and accept an isolated queen pawn, which is actually not bad in this position.} (14... Bxd5 $2 15. e4 {wins for White after a fork with e4-e5.}) (14... Nxd5 $2 {is also bad:} 15. e4) 15. dxc5 Nxc5 {Black has a good version of an isolated queen pawn position, with good piece development. The game is balanced.} (15... Bxc5 {also leads to equality after} 16. Nb3 Bb6) 16. Nb3 Nfe4 {16...Rab8 and 16...Ba6 are good alternatives.} (16... Rab8) (16... Ba6) 17. Na5 $5 {They say a knight on the rim is dim, but Giri, a player with superb positional understanding, places both of his knights on the side. He does it with clear intentions: the knight goes to a5 to capture the bishop, winning the bishop pair.} (17. Qd4 {looks tempting, but Black can reply} f6 {defending against the mate. White will try a similar idea later on.}) 17... Rab8 18. Qd4 {The good old queen and bishop battery, forcing Black to move the pawn to f6.} f6 19. Nxb7 Qxb7 20. Qd1 {A very difficult but necessary move. The queen feels uncomfortable on d4, with Be5 or Nb3 coming, so White just goes back, freeing the d4-square for the bishop. The capture on b2 is not so good for Black, although Caruana plays it anyway.} (20. Rab1 $2 Be5) 20... Qxb2 $6 {A drastic measure, sacrificing a pawn. This was not really necessary.} (20... Qb3 {is possible, offering a queen exchange.} 21. Bd4 f5 {with equal play.} (21... Qxd1 {is less accurate, when White achieves a small advantage in the endgame after} 22. Raxd1)) (20... Rfd8 {is my favorite, simply developing the rook and protecting the d-pawn. The game may continue} 21. Rb1 (21. Bd4 {allows the unpleasant} Nb3) 21... Qb3 22. Bd4 Qxd1 23. Rfxd1 Kf7 {with an objectively equal endgame, although maybe slightly more pleasant for White in a practical game.}) 21. Qxd5+ Kg7 22. Bxe4 Rbd8 (22... Qxe2 {looks very bad, but it's actually a good choice.} 23. Bxg6 $1 {Sacrificing the bishop before taking a piece of the same value. This device is known as a \"desperado.\"} Qe5 $1 (23... hxg6 $2 24. Qxd6 {is much better for White.}) 24. Qxd6 $1 Qxd6 25. Nf5+ Kxg6 26. Nxd6 Rfd8 27. Nc4 {Black has good drawing chances in the endgame but will have to endure prolonged suffering.}) 23. Ra2 Qe5 {Black should exchange queens.} (23... Qb6 24. Qc4 {I think White's advantage is bigger with the queens on the board, as Black's king is not very safe.}) 24. Qxe5 Bxe5 {White is a clear pawn up, but Black has fair drawing chances.} 25. Bg2 f5 26. Nf3 Bf6 27. Rc2 Ne4 28. Rfc1 Rf7 $6 {This allows Giri to execute a strong knight maneuver.} (28... Rb8 $1 {is better, with good drawing chances. If White tries the same plan with} 29. Ne1 {Black can try} Nc3 {and if} 30. Rxc3 Bxc3 31. Rxc3 Rfc8 $1 (31... Rb1 32. Kf1 Rd8 {is refuted by} 33. e4 $1 Rdd1 34. Re3) 32. Rxc8 Rxc8 {followed by the chase and capture of the a3-pawn, and Black is fine.}) 29. Ne1 $1 {A magnificent positional move, leading the knight to d3. The position is very difficult to defend now.} Re7 30. Nd3 Rdd7 $2 {The decisive mistake.} (30... Ng5 $1 {Followed by Ne6, is more stubborn.}) 31. Bxe4 $1 fxe4 (31... Rxe4 {loses the exchange after} 32. Nc5) 32. Nc5 Rd6 33. e3 {The endgame is technically winning because the e4-pawn is very weak, apart from White's extra pawn.} Rc6 34. a4 Kh6 (34... Rec7 $2 {loses after} 35. Ne6+) 35. Nb3 {The plan is to exchange one of the rooks and then attack the e4-pawn.} Rb6 36. Nd2 Rbe6 37. Rc6 $1 a5 38. Rxe6 Rxe6 39. Rc4 {The pawn is doomed.} Rb6 40. Nxe4 {The rest is easy for a player with such remarkable technique as Giri.} Be7 41. Rc7 Re6 42. Nd2 g5 43. Nb3 Bb4 44. Nd4 Re5 45. g4 $1 {Securing a dream square for the knight on f5.} Kg6 46. Kg2 Rd5 47. Kf3 Rd8 48. Rc6+ Kf7 49. Ne6 Rd5 50. Ke4 Rd2 51. Nxg5+ Ke7 52. f4 Ra2 53. Kd5 Rxa4 54. Rc7+ Ke8 55. Ke6 Kd8 56. Rc4 {There's no defense to 57.Nf7 followed by mate.} 1-0