[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "2021.12.04"] [Round "7"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C88"] [WhiteElo "2782"] [BlackElo "2855"] [Annotator "samsh"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2021.12.04"] {The seventh game of the match was one of the quietest yet, and Magnus certainly made his easiest draw so far with the black pieces.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4 Rb8 {Magnus repeats the same line from game five. It shows a lot of confidence on his part to keep playing the same black openings over and over again, even when he is often getting somewhat uncomfortable positions.} 9. axb5 axb5 10. h3 d6 11. d3 (11. c3 {This was Nepo's choice in game five, and he got a nice position. I'm a little surprised he was the first to deviate.}) 11... h6 12. Nc3 Re8 { This is a very typical Ruy Lopez regrouping.} 13. Nd5 Bf8 14. Nxf6+ Qxf6 15. c3 Ne7 16. Be3 Be6 {So far, both sides are following the first line of the machine pretty consistently. Stockfish offers White a small advantage, but Black is very solid, and all it takes is one slightly careless move for it to become totally equal.} 17. d4 $2 {This is a very natural idea, but a touch impatient, and just like that, Black is fine.} (17. Bc2 {I would suggest this as a possible improvement. Now, White is ready for d3-d4 next to take more central space without letting Black take on b3. As a result, Black is not able to trade pieces, and White will have no issue defending the e4-pawn. He looks a little better to me, though after} Ng6 18. d4 Ra8 {Black's position is still very solid.} (18... exd4 19. cxd4 c5 {This kind of thing is much less effective when the light-squared bishops remain on the board. After} 20. Ra7 { White looks a bit better. c5-c4 is a non-starter here, unlike the game.})) 17... exd4 $1 18. cxd4 Bxb3 19. Qxb3 Ng6 {Defending e4 turns out to be a bit annoying.} 20. Rec1 c5 $1 {Now, since the bishops are off the board, White can't just protect the e4 pawn and hope for some edge since c5-c4 is a real idea.} 21. e5 {This all but forces a draw, but White has nothing better. I think it shows some maturity on Nepo's part. Right after losing, it's hard to just admit you got nowhere with White and give your opponent an easy draw, and then play Black again the next day, but it's a lot better to do this than to get another bad position, which was the other option. His best hope is to hold with Black tomorrow and then hope to get more chances in his three remaining white games.} (21. Qc2 c4 $1 $15 {The same position where Black still has a bishop on e6 and White has a bishop on e2, for example, would be great for White thanks to some combination of d4-d5, Ra1-a7, Nf3-d4, b2-b3, etc. But without the bishops, d4-d5 does not gain time and Ng6-e5 in response sees Black quick to take over the initiative and pounce on the weakened d3-square.}) 21... Qf5 22. dxc5 {Maybe someone more creative than me could find something interesting to say about the rest of the game, but I certainly cannot.} dxc5 23. Bxc5 Bxc5 24. Rxc5 Nxe5 25. Nxe5 Rxe5 26. Rxe5 Qxe5 27. Qc3 Qxc3 28. bxc3 Rc8 29. Ra5 Rxc3 30. Rxb5 Rc1+ 31. Kh2 Rc3 32. h4 g6 33. g3 h5 34. Kg2 Kg7 35. Ra5 Kf6 36. Rb5 Kg7 37. Ra5 Kf6 38. Rb5 Kg7 39. Ra5 Kf6 40. Ra6+ Kg7 41. Ra7 { I'll be interested to see if Magnus can make any trouble for Nepo in the opening tomorrow. Yesterday's victory was certainly not due to superior preparation.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Dubai UAE"] [Site "Dubai UAE"] [Date "2021.12.04"] [Round "7"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C88"] [WhiteElo "2782"] [BlackElo "2855"] [Annotator "Crowther,Mark"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4 Rb8 9. axb5 ({Relevant:} 9. c3 d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. axb5 axb5 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. Rxe5 c6 14. d4 Bd6 15. Re1 Qh4 16. g3 Qh3 17. Re4 g5 18. Qf1 Qxf1+ 19. Kxf1 Bf5 20. Nd2 Bxe4 21. Nxe4 Be7 22. Bxg5 Bxg5 23. Nxg5 Ra8 24. Rd1 Nb6 25. Re1 Nc4 26. Bxc4 bxc4 27. Nf3 Rfb8 28. Ne5 Rxb2 29. Nxc4 Rc2 30. Re3 Ra1+ 31. Kg2 Rac1 32. Re8+ Kg7 33. Ne5 Rxc3 34. Re7 R3c2 35. Rxf7+ Kg8 36. Rc7 h5 37. Nd7 Rd1 38. Nf6+ Kf8 {Duda,J (2738)-Carlsen,M (2847) Krasnaya Polyana 2021 1/2-1/2 (65)}) 9... axb5 10. h3 d6 11. d3 $5 {Nepomniachtchi tries a different approach. This position has been seen quite a bit via a different move order but not at an elite level.} (11. c3 {was game 5.} b4 12. d3 bxc3 13. bxc3 d5 14. Nbd2 dxe4 15. dxe4 Bd6 16. Qc2 h6 17. Nf1 Ne7 18. Ng3 Ng6 19. Be3 Qe8 20. Red1 Be6 21. Ba4 Bd7 22. Nd2 Bxa4 23. Qxa4 Qxa4 24. Rxa4 Ra8 25. Rda1 Rxa4 26. Rxa4 Rb8 27. Ra6 Ne8 28. Kf1 Nf8 29. Nf5 Ne6 30. Nc4 Rd8 31. f3 f6 32. g4 Kf7 33. h4 Bf8 34. Ke2 Nd6 35. Ncxd6+ Bxd6 36. h5 Bf8 37. Ra5 Ke8 38. Rd5 Ra8 39. Rd1 Ra2+ 40. Rd2 Ra1 41. Rd1 Ra2+ 42. Rd2 Ra1 43. Rd1 {1/2-1/2 (43) Nepomniachtchi,I (2782) -Carlsen,M (2855) Dubai UAE 2021}) 11... h6 {Looks like the best reply.} (11... Be6 {has been played the most here but that stat is largely irrelevant to this situation.}) 12. Nc3 Re8 13. Nd5 Bf8 14. Nxf6+ $146 {A controversial decision - breaking the tension seems only to help black. Although the question as to whether this was preparation remains open it seems unlikely, especially as he consumed 13 minutes making the move. Perhaps Nepomniachtchi wanted to make sure he didn't lose a second game in a row. To add to the confusion Nepomniachtchi wondered to Carlsen after the game as to whether this wasn't much good.} ({Predecessor:} 14. c3 Be6 15. Nh2 Bxd5 16. exd5 Ne7 17. Qf3 Ng6 { 1-0 (62)}) (14. Bd2) (14. Be3 {leads to greater complications at least.} Nxd5 15. Bxd5 Nb4 16. Ba7 (16. Bb3 c5) 16... Nxd5 17. Bxb8 Nf4) 14... Qxf6 15. c3 Ne7 16. Be3 Be6 17. d4 exd4 18. cxd4 {Nepomniachtchi took 7 minutes over this move, with plenty of time on the clock he probably should have spent much longer as the game quickly simplifies to a draw now.} (18. Nxd4 {is the last chance to keep any tension.} Bxb3 19. Qxb3 b4 {was briefly discussed by the players after the game.} (19... c6 {is the computer suggestion.} 20. Ra6 c5) 20. c4 (20. cxb4 c5) 20... Qe5 {mentioned by the players. At least there is still some interest here.} 21. Qd3 (21. f3 g5 $11) 21... Ra8 22. Nb5 Rxa1 23. Rxa1 Rc8) 18... Bxb3 19. Qxb3 Ng6 20. Rec1 (20. Rac1 Rxe4 21. Rxc7 Re7 $11) ( 20. Qc2 c5) 20... c5 $11 21. e5 {Pretty much all the pieces will be traded off now.} (21. dxc5 dxc5 22. Bxc5 Nf4 $11) 21... Qf5 22. dxc5 dxc5 23. Bxc5 Bxc5 24. Rxc5 Nxe5 {With Nf3+ available there's no danger this pin will become dangerous.} 25. Nxe5 Rxe5 26. Rxe5 Qxe5 {The players can't agree a draw until move 40 but the game is really as good as over here.} 27. Qc3 Qxc3 28. bxc3 Rc8 29. Ra5 Rxc3 30. Rxb5 Rc1+ 31. Kh2 Rc3 32. h4 g6 33. g3 h5 34. Kg2 Kg7 35. Ra5 Kf6 36. Rb5 Kg7 37. Ra5 Kf6 38. Rb5 Kg7 39. Ra5 Kf6 40. Ra6+ Kg7 41. Ra7 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE World Championship 2021"] [Site "Dubai"] [Date "2021.12.04"] [Round "7"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C88"] [WhiteElo "2782"] [BlackElo "2855"] [Annotator "MF Sylvain Ravot"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2021.11.25"] [EventCountry "UAE"] [Source "ChessBase"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {Nepomniachtchi reste sur sa partie Espagnole, la 4e du match.} a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4 {Le Russe joue 8.a4 pour la 3e fois du match.} Rb8 {Et Carlsen rejoue Tb8, comme dans la 5e partie.} (8... Bb7 {(Nepomniachtchi-Carlsen 3e partie du match)}) 9. axb5 axb5 10. h3 d6 11. d3 {C'est le Russe qui dévie le premier en optant pour 11. d3 plutôt que son précédent 11.c3.} (11. c3 b4 12. d3 bxc3 13. bxc3 d5 { 1/2-1/2 (43) Nepomniachtchi,I (2782)-Carlsen,M (2855) Dubai 2021}) 11... h6 { Les Noirs restent sur le plan classique Te8 Ff8 et veulent empêcher Cg5 et Fg5.} 12. Nc3 {En ne jouant pas c3, les Blancs n'autorisent pas l'activation de la Tb8 par b4. Notons que la Ta1 est active. L'absence d'un pion blanc en c3 donne un peu d'air au Cc6 qui peut envisager Cd4/Cb4 si besoin.} Re8 13. Nd5 {Si Cxd5 Fxd5 les Blancs gagnent un temps sur le Cc6 et ont une position plus agréable.} Bf8 (13... Nxd5 14. Bxd5 {avec léger avantage blanc} Bb7 (14... Nb4 15. Bb3 c5 16. c3) 15. c3 Ra8 16. Rxa8 Qxa8 17. Nh2 Nd8 18. Bb3 Bc8 19. Ng4 Be6 20. Bxe6 Nxe6 21. Bxh6 gxh6 22. Nxh6+ Kh7 23. Nf5 Ng7 24. Qg4 Bf6 25. Re3 $17 Qa1+ $6 26. Kh2 Qc1 $11 {1/2-1/2 (77) Neiksans,A (2560)-Kujawski,A (2325) Warsaw 2013}) 14. Nxf6+ (14. c3 Be6 15. Nh2 Bxd5 16. exd5 Ne7 17. Qf3 Ng6 18. Be3 Nh4 19. Qe2 Qc8 20. Ng4 Nxg4 21. hxg4 g5 22. g3 {1-0 (62) Vachier Lagrave, M (2718)-Telecom Sud Paris Paris 2013}) 14... Qxf6 {Le placement de la Dame sur f6 comporte des inconvénients. Elle ne soutient plus la poussée d5 et ne protège plus c7 dans certaines variantes avec Ta7.} (14... gxf6 $4 15. Nh4 $18 ) 15. c3 {Les Blancs reviennent sur le plan classique d'Espagnole c3-d4.} (15. g4 {ne manquerait pas d'intérêt mais serait clairement à double tranchant et pourrait aussi s'exposer à un retour de bâton.}) 15... Ne7 ({Maintenant si } 15... b4 16. Ba4 $1 Bd7 17. d4 (17. cxb4 $5 Rxb4 18. Bd2 Rxb2 19. Bxc6 Bxc6 20. Qc1 Rb6 21. Be3) 17... bxc3 18. bxc3 $14 {menace d5. Léger avantage blanc. }) (15... Be6 16. Ra6 Ne7 {et par exemple} 17. Be3 (17. Ra7 c5) 17... Ra8 18. Qa1 $1 Rxa6 19. Qxa6 Bxh3 (19... Bxb3 $2 20. Qxb5) 20. Qxb5 c6 21. Qb7 $13) 16. Be3 Be6 (16... c5 {jouable}) ({mais pas} 16... Ng6 $2 17. Ba7 Rb7 18. Bd5 c6 $2 19. Bxc6) 17. d4 {Les Noirs sont un peu sous pression.} (17. Ra6 $5 {qui transpose dans la note du 15e coup} Ra8 18. Qa1) 17... exd4 $1 {Carlsen a correctement jugé qu'il pouvait tolérer temporairement le centre parfait blanc pour le disloquer peu après.} (17... Ng6 18. Bxe6 Qxe6 19. d5 Qd7 { serait mieux pour les Blancs avec l'avantage d'espace et bon Fou contre mauvais Fou.} 20. Qd3 f5 21. Ra7 $14) 18. cxd4 Bxb3 19. Qxb3 Ng6 {Attaque e4.} 20. Rec1 (20. Qc2 c5 $1 21. e5 {Les Noirs n'ont pas Df5 ici.} (21. d5 $2 Ra8 $15) (21. dxc5 dxc5 22. Bxc5 Rbc8 23. b4 Bxc5 24. bxc5 Nf4 $11 {égalise confortablement, les Noirs vont reprendre leur pion}) 21... dxe5 22. dxc5 e4 23. Nd4 {les Noirs peuvent tenir avec Ce5 ou b4 mais le pion passé blanc c5 leur procure quelques chances pratiques.}) 20... c5 21. e5 $5 (21. dxc5 dxc5 22. Bxc5 Rxe4 $11) 21... Qf5 $1 {Une très bonne case pour la Dame noire.} ( 21... dxe5 22. dxc5 {pion passé}) 22. dxc5 dxc5 23. Bxc5 Bxc5 (23... Nxe5 { convient aussi mais laisse} 24. Nd4) 24. Rxc5 Nxe5 {La menace Cxf3+ puis Dxc5 force les échanges de pièces.} 25. Nxe5 (25. Rxb5 $4 Rxb5 26. Qxb5 Nxf3+) 25... Rxe5 26. Rxe5 Qxe5 {La position est complètement égale et plate. La partie continue parce que les joueurs ne peuvent pas proposer nulle avant le 40e coup.} 27. Qc3 (27. Ra7 $2 Qe1+ 28. Kh2 Qxf2 $17) 27... Qxc3 28. bxc3 Rc8 29. Ra5 Rxc3 30. Rxb5 Rc1+ 31. Kh2 Rc3 32. h4 g6 33. g3 h5 34. Kg2 Kg7 35. Ra5 Kf6 36. Rb5 Kg7 37. Ra5 Kf6 38. Rb5 Kg7 39. Ra5 Kf6 40. Ra6+ Kg7 41. Ra7 { Après le combat de titans de la veille, une journée calme pour les deux joueurs. Carlsen n'est pas tombé dans l'euphorie de vouloir regagner tout de suite (de toute façon il ne pouvait pas avec cette position !) tandis que Nepomniachtchi n'est pas parti à l'abordage de manière inconsidérée. Carlsen mène 4-3.} 1/2-1/2