[Event "FIDE Candidates Tournament"]
[White "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Black "Alekseenko, Kirill"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "2.1"]
[Annotator "Stephen Gordon"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2020.03.18"]
[WhiteElo "2842"]
[BlackElo "2698"]
[PlyCount "67"]
{A really impressive game from the world number two. Choosing a
serve-volley approach with the f3 Nimzo, Caruana came very well prepared and
it was really all one-way traffic when Alekseenko started to err from around
move 15 onwards. Current games are suggesting that Black needs to have very
deep preparation against 4.f3 to avoid falling into tough spots.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 {The most uncomprimising variation against the
Nimzo-Indian. White threatens to achieve a big pawn centre straight away,
however Black has a number of different options in response.} d5 {Probably the
most solid of Black's main three options} (4... 0-0 {Is possible but is likely
considered slightly dubious at top level as very few elite players tend to go
for this.} 5. a3 (5. e4 d5 $5 )Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 {Leads to very double-edged
play. I think the current opinion is that this is quite risky for Black.} )(4... c5 5. d5 b5 6. e4 0-0 {is probably still considered the mainline. Both
sides really need to know what they are doing here. An advert for White
players is the following game played around this time last year:} 7. Nh3 bxc4 (7... d6 {is another line that requires serious consideration.} )8. Bxc4 exd5 9. Bxd5 Nxd5 10. Qxd5 Ba6 11. Bf4 Nc6 12. Kf2 Ba5 13. Rhd1 Nb4 14. Qd6 Re8 15. Kg1 c4 16. Bg3 Re6 17. Qxd7 Nd3 18. Qxd8+ Rxd8 19. Rab1 Ree8 20. Nf4 Nxb2 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. Nfd5 Nd3 23. Bc7 Bxc7 24. Nxc7 Bc8 25. Rb8 Ne5 26. N7b5 Nc6 27. Ra8 g5 28. Nd5 a6 29. Na3 c3 30. Nxc3 Be6 31. Rxd8+ Nxd8 32. Kf2 Nc6 33. Nc2 f5 34. a3 Kf7 35. Ke3 f4+ 36. Kd3 a5 37. Nd5 Bc8 38. Nc7 Ke7 39. Kc4 Kd6 40. Nb5+ Ke5 41. Kc5 Nd8 42. Ne1 Ne6+ 43. Kb6 a4 44. Nd3+ Kf6 45. e5+ Ke7 46. Nb4 Nf8 47. Nd4 Be6 48. Kc7 {1-0 (48) Anton Guijarro,D (2643)-Nguyen,T (2546) Prague 2019.} )5. a3 Be7 {This line has become topical recently. It was used most recently by
Vishy Anand to defeat the phenomal prodigy Alireza Firouja in Wijk earlier
this year. Black's idea is to accept a space disadvantage in the centre, in
return for dark-squared control.} 6. e4 dxe4 7. fxe4 c5 (7... e5 {is also
playable in this position, but practice has shown that after} 8. d5 Bc5 9. Nf3 {White has a good game. Just one thing to note here - after} Ng4 {White can
respond with} 10. Na4 {after which Black doesn't have a good follow-up.} )8. d5 exd5 9. exd5 0-0 10. Be2 $1 {A very important move order that White must use
to maximise chances in this variation. The differences can be seen when
looking into the options that Black has after the natural 10.Nf3.} (10. Nf3 Bd6 {In the position with the bishop on e2 rather than the knight on f3, 11.Nb5 is
a good option for White. Here it falls short.} 11. Be2 (11. Nb5 Bg4 $1 {
This is an issue for White - Black is gaining time on the e-file after} 12. Be2 Bxf3 13. Bxf3 (13. gxf3 {might actually be a better move, but White's position
is not at all attractive.} )Re8+ $1 14. Be2 Be5 )Bg4 12. 0-0 Nbd7 13. Nb5 Bb8 $11 )Re8 (10... Bd6 11. Nb5 $1 (11. Nf3 Bg4 {is giving Black
exactly what he is aiming for in this line.} 12. 0-0 Nbd7 {To me this looks
fine for Black.} )Re8 12. Nf3 Bg4 13. 0-0 {In this version White looks
to be slightly better due to it being awkward for Black to both keep the
dark-squared bishop on the h2-b8 diagonal and get the queenside developed.} )11. Nf3 Bg4 12. 0-0 Nbd7 13. d6 $5 {Very uncomprimising. This must have been
part of team Caruana's preparation. It looks strange at first sight to move
the supported passer forward at this stage, but Caruana is of course aware
that Black was one move off achieving an ideal coordination with ...Bd6.} (13. h3 Bxf3 14. Bxf3 Bd6 {is the sort of position Black is looking for in this
line. Although White has a supported passed pawn and the bishop pair, Black
has very nice central control, especially on the dark squares - and all of
Black's minor pieces are healthy. In the long-term there could be some
strategic risk in this for White. There are possible scenarios in which, if
the position simplifies, White's light-squared bishop can end up being a
prospectless piece. Of course that's some way off, but Black absolutely has a
clear game plan here and I think it's the reason why players are turning
attention to this line.} )Bf8 14. h3 Bh5 15. Nb5 Re6 $2 {Caruana's
comments in the press conference suggested that he was happy to see this move,
because he bishop belonged on f4 anyway. It's the first red flag raised by the
engines.} ({Both} 15... Rb8 {and} )(15... Qb6 {were mentioned by Caruana as
valid alternatives. Surely areas of investigations for players interested in
playing this line from either side.} )16. Bf4 a6 {This is Kirill's idea behind
...Re6 - he's making sure to be able to answer Nc7 by hitting the loose bishop
on f4.} 17. Nc7 Re4 18. Bh2 ({The engine suggests that White has a huge
advantage after} 18. Qd2 Rb8 19. Rad1 {Black is really struggling to do
anything about the thorn on d6.} )Rc8 19. g4 $5 {Fabi has been
steam-rolling so far. This must have been extremely difficult for Alekseenko
to face. By this stage he was already very low on time and he must have been
questioning whether Caruana was still in preparation.} Bxg4 ({Black is
ill-advised to try and keep the material balance. Taking a quick look at the
squares that are available to the rook on e4 indicates that it's very likely
some material is going to fall shorlty.} 19... Bg6 20. Bd3 Re3 21. Bxg6 hxg6 22. Qd2 Re4 23. Rad1 {is a sample line - White is fully coordinated and
Black's pieces can barely move.} )20. hxg4 Nxg4 21. Bd3 {Again Fabi continues
to force the pace, judging that the following simplification will be in
White's favour.} Nxh2 {There's really no other option for Black. In some way
it's a small victory that Black should now be able to round up the d6-pawn.} 22. Bxe4 Nxf1 23. Qxf1 Bxd6 {At a glance this may look ok for Black, but it
really isn't. White's piece activity is fantastic and the major pieces are
coming into play with a gain of time. Caruana felt that after 23...Bxd6 White
is probably winning.} (23... Nf6 {was suggested by Caruana as a better
alternative. The point being that now White isn't able to post the
light-squared bishop on d5.} 24. Re1 {is the move Fabi indicated he would play} (24. Bf5 Rb8 {would still objectively be better for White, but Black has a
much improved version of the game.} )Qxd6 (24... Bxd6 25. Nd5 )25. Nd5 Nxe4 26. Rxe4 Qg6+ {This from a distance could have put a lot of players off
playing 24.Re1, but Caruana sees deeper.} 27. Qg2 $1 {after which} Qxe4 {
is answered by} (27... Qxg2+ 28. Kxg2 $16 )28. Nf6+ )24. Nd5 g6 25. Qh3 Kg7 26. Kh1 Ne5 (26... f5 27. Bxf5 gxf5 28. Qxf5 {highlights the weakness of the Black
king, which is being caused by how dominant all of White's pieces are. The
black pieces just can't get over to the kingside to help.} )27. Nh4 $1 {
Keeping the knight on the board - it's another dangerous attacking unit.} (27. Nxe5 Bxe5 {Would have let Black back in it.} )h5 28. Rg1 Bf8 29. Nf4 {
The pawn cover for the black king is about to crumble.} Ng4 30. Nxh5+ gxh5 31. Bf5 Be7 32. Bxg4 hxg4 33. Qxg4+ Bg5 34. Qh5 $1 {Nice. Other moves end the game,
but Fabiano finds the quickest way. A great game by Caruana. Energetic opening
play and excellent judgement during the middlegame. Unfortunate for Alekseenko,
who it seems was a bit ambushed by Fabi's opening, never really getting into
the game. What can you do if your opponent just plays a phenomenal game?!} (34. Qh5 f6 {White forces mate after this. One sample line:} 35. Nf5+ Kf8 36. Qh8+ Kf7 37. Qh7+ $1 Kf8 38. Qg7+ Ke8 39. Re1+ )1-0