[Event "http://www.chessbomb.com"] [Site "http://www.chessbomb.com"] [Date "2022.04.02"] [Round "5"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Result "*"] [ECO "E32"] [WhiteElo "2778"] [BlackElo "2750"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. e4 d5 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bd3 c5 8. Nf3 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Nd7 10. Bf4 Qh4 11. g3 Qh5 12. O-O g5 13. cxd5 Bxc3 ({Another try for Black is} 13... gxf4 {which So faced in an online game:} 14. Bxe4 Nxe5 15. dxe6 Bxe6 16. Nce2 Ng4 17. Nf3 fxg3 18. hxg3 Rac8 19. Qa4 Bd6 20. Rac1 Rxc1 21. Rxc1 Ne5 22. Rc3 {and draw agreed, ½-½, So,W (2770)-Grischuk,A (2777) Lichess.org INT 2020.}) 14. bxc3 exd5 15. Be3 ({An earlier encounter between So and Nakamura in this line explored} 15. e6 {and now:} gxf4 16. exd7 Bxd7 17. Bxe4 dxe4 18. Qxe4 fxg3 19. fxg3 b6 ({or} 19... Rae8 20. Qxb7 Bh3 21. Qf3 Qg5 22. Qf4 Qd5 23. Rf2 Re4 24. Qh6 {with an unpleasant position for Black, Xiong, J (2709)-Nakamura,H (2736) Chess.com INT 2020.}) 20. Nf5 ({also} 20. Qe7 { has been tried} Bh3 21. Rf4 Rae8 22. Qh4 Qxh4 23. Rxh4 Bc8 24. Kf2 Re5 { and Black has the somewhat better chances on account of the weak light squares in White's position, Sarana,A (2654)-Nakamura,H (2736) Chess.com INT 2020}) 20... Rae8 21. Qd5 Bxf5 22. Rxf5 Qe2 23. Raf1 Qe3+ 24. R1f2 Qe1+ 25. Kg2 ({or} 25. Rf1 Qe3+ 26. R1f2 Qe1+ 27. Rf1 Qe3+ {½-½ So,W (2770)-Nakamura,H (2736) chess24.com INT 2020.}) 25... Qe4+ 26. Qxe4 ({or} 26. Kh3 Qxd5 27. Rxd5 Re7 28. Rg5+ Kh8 29. a4 Re3 30. Rgf5 Kg7 {and draw agreed, ½-½, So,W (2786)-Nakamura, H (2787) St. Louis 2018.}) 26... Rxe4 27. Rg5+ Kh8 28. Rgf5 Kg8 29. Rg5+ Kh8 30. Rgf5 Kg8 {with a draw by repetition, ½-½, So,W (2770)-Nakamura,H (2736) Lichess.org INT 2020.}) 15... Nxe5 16. f3 Nc5 ({Wesley had tried} 16... Nxd3 { on a few occasions as Black:} 17. Qxd3 Nd6 18. g4 Qg6 19. Qxg6+ hxg6 20. Bxg5 f6 21. Bf4 Nc4 22. Nb5 ({or} 22. h4 Bd7 23. Kf2 Kf7 24. Rh1 Rac8 25. Rac1 Nb2 26. Rc2 Nd3+ 27. Ke3 Ne5 28. Kf2 Nd3+ 29. Ke3 Ne5 30. Kf2 Nd3+ {with a draw by repetition, ½-½, Mamedyarov,S (2772)-So,W (2760) Bucharest 2019.}) 22... Bd7 23. Nc7 Rac8 24. Nxd5 Rc5 25. Rad1 Be6 26. Nb4 g5 27. Rfe1 Bxg4 28. fxg4 gxf4 29. Nd3 Ra5 30. Nxf4 Rxa2 {that the computer assesses as equal, but White's position seems easier to play, although, in the end, the game ended in a draw, Vachier Lagrave,M (2778)-So,W (2770) Lichess.org INT 2020.}) 17. Bf5 Ne6 18. Rae1 ({So has also tried} 18. g4 {but did not achieve an advantage:} Qh6 19. Rae1 Nxd4 20. Bxd4 Nc6 21. Bc5 Rd8 22. Be7 Nxe7 23. Rxe7 Bxf5 24. Qxf5 Qg6 25. Qxg6+ hxg6 {with equal chances in the endgame, So,W (2770)-Ding,L (2791) chess24.com INT 2020.}) 18... Nxd4 19. Bxd4 Nc6 20. f4 $5 ({The text move seems to be White's best chance for an advantage. White has tried other things in this position:} 20. Bc5 Bxf5 21. Qxf5 Rfe8 22. Rxe8+ Rxe8 23. Qd7 Re2 24. Qc8+ Kg7 25. Qf8+ Kg6 26. Qg8+ Kf6 27. Qh8+ Kg6 28. Qg8+ Kf6 29. Qh8+ Kg6 30. Qg8+ {with a draw by perpetual check, ½-½, Mamedyarov,S (2767)-Navara,D (2717) Batumi 2019.}) (20. Be3 Re8 21. g4 Bxf5 22. Qxf5 Qg6 23. Qxg5 Re5 24. Qxg6+ fxg6 {with perhaps a smudgeon of an edge for White, Dardha,D (2532) -Ganguly,S (2627) Wijk aan Zee 2022.}) 20... Nxd4 21. cxd4 gxf4 22. Rxf4 Bxf5 23. Rxf5 Qh6 $6 ({This queen move seems inaccurate. After} 23... Qg4 24. Rf4 Qd7 25. Re5 f6 26. Ref5 Rae8 {, Black should be doing fine despite White's active-looking pieces.}) 24. Qc7 Rac8 25. Qe5 f6 26. Qxd5+ Kh8 27. Qxb7 $6 ({ I believe this is a mistake. White seems able to obtain an annoying edge with} 27. Qe4 $1 Rc1 ({or} 27... Rcd8 28. d5 Qd2 29. Rh5 f5 30. Qe7 {with excellent chances for White.}) 28. Kg2 Rxe1 29. Qxe1 Qg7 30. Qe6 {and White has both pressure and the initiative, but in the post-game interview, neither player thought that this would prevent Black from holding a draw.}) ({Previously, White had tried} 27. Rf2 $5 Rc1 28. Qe6 Rd8 29. d5 Rxd5 30. Kg2 Rxe1 31. Qc8+ Kg7 32. Qxb7+ Kg6 33. Qxd5 Re7 {which looks unpleasant for Black, but is more or less equal, Xiong,J (2700)-So,W (2778) Saint Louis 2021.}) 27... Rc2 { Now, Black has solved his problems.} 28. Rf2 Rxf2 29. Kxf2 Qxh2+ 30. Qg2 Qh5 { ½-½} * [Event "http://www.Chess.com"] [Site "http://www.Chess.com"] [Date "2022.04.03"] [Round "6"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "So, Wesley"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2750"] [BlackElo "2778"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "28"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] {[%evp 0,28,31,10,45,25,50,17,27,-43,7,-16,26,-9,-36,-36,19,19,28,14,47,47,12, 33,40,33,40,40,40,28,20]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O (4. d3 Bc5 { has also been played in a bunch of games between Nakamura and So.}) 4... Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 {When I was out on my morning run and saw the first five moves from the game on my phone, I must admit, my first thought was: oh no, we are going to have a 14-move draw.} 6. dxe5 Nxb5 7. a4 Nbd4 8. Nxd4 d5 ({Or} 8... Nxd4 9. Qxd4 d5 10. exd6 Qxd6 {has also been used between Nakamura and So with both colors, against other opponents, and by countless top grandmasters.}) 9. exd6 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Qxd6 11. Qe4+ ({If White is ambitious, then} 11. Qe3+ {is an option, although} Be6 12. Nc3 Qc6 13. Nb5 Bc5 14. Qg3 O-O-O 15. Be3 a6 16. Bxc5 Qxc5 {with a clear advantage for Black in Abdusattorov,N (2627)-So,W (2770) Chess.com INT 2020, did not work too well for White. Stick the hand in the lion's mouth and you may get bitten.}) 11... Qe6 ({For those insisting on avoiding the repetition draw, an attempt for Black is} 11... Be7 12. Bf4 Qe6 13. Nc3 Qxe4 14. Nxe4 O-O {although it is doubtful that this would change the outcome of the game.}) 12. Qd4 Qd6 13. Qe4+ Qe6 14. Qd4 Qd6 {and predictably: a draw by repetition, as seen well more than 1,100 games in my database.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "http://www.Chess.com"] [Site "http://www.Chess.com"] [Date "2022.04.04"] [Round "17"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "So, Wesley"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C27"] [WhiteElo "2750"] [BlackElo "2778"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "112"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 c6 5. Qe2 ({A rare but not new move. Previously, Nakamura had played} 5. Bb3 d5 6. Qe2 O-O 7. Nf3 Re8 8. h3 a5 9. a3 Bb6 10. g4 Bd4 11. Bg5 Nbd7 12. exd5 Bxc3+ 13. bxc3 cxd5 14. O-O Qc7 {with somewhat better chances for Black in Nakamura,H (2736)-Ding,L (2799) Chess.com INT 2021.}) ({The main options for White are:} 5. Nf3 {,}) (5. Bg5 {,}) ({and} 5. f4 {.}) 5... O-O ({Another option is} 5... b5 6. Bb3 a5 7. a3 d6 8. f4 Bg4 9. Nf3 Nbd7 10. fxe5 dxe5 {with close to equal chances, Epishin,V (2558) -Meister,J (2413) Germany 2018.} ({but} 10... Nxe5 $1 {is better for Black.})) 6. Nf3 ({Or} 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 Re8 8. Nf3 d6 9. h3 Be6 10. Bxe6 Rxe6 {was about equal in Zvjaginsev,V (2659)-Kosteniuk,A (2516) Mainz 2005.}) 6... b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. O-O Nbd7 {As co-commentator IM David Pruess pointed out, the position on the board strongly resembles an Italian Game with the colors reversed but where White has used his bonus move on the not-particularly-useful Qe2.} 9. Bg5 $6 ({This bishop move does not seem best. It was probably a better choice to develop the bishop directly to e3 with} 9. Be3 {after which the chances are about even.}) 9... a5 10. a4 b4 11. Nd1 h6 12. Be3 ({Also} 12. Bh4 Re8 { gives Black a pleasant game.}) 12... Re8 13. c3 $6 ({These little c-pawn moves proved to be problematic for Nakamura today. Here, it was better to play the ultra-solid} 13. Nd2 d5 14. Bxc5 Nxc5 15. f3 Qd6 {when Black has a pleasant position, but White is still firmly in the game, even if with a rather passive position.}) 13... Ba6 $1 14. Qc2 bxc3 ({Or} 14... d5 $5 {with a good game for Black.}) 15. bxc3 Rb8 16. Re1 d5 ({Co-commentator Keti Tsatsalashvili liked} 16... Rxb3 $5 17. Qxb3 Bxd3 18. Nb2 Bxe4 {for Black and it is hard to argue the fact that Black has an overwhelming advantage.}) 17. Ba2 Bxe3 18. Nxe3 Nc5 19. Red1 dxe4 20. dxe4 Bd3 $1 21. Qc1 Qb6 22. Nd2 Qa7 $1 ({It can seem tempting to capture on e4, but as the commentators demonstrated in the broadcast, Black's advantage is considerably smaller than the game continuation after} 22... Nfxe4 23. Nxe4 Bxe4 24. Nc4 Qa7 25. Qe3 {and White can still fight despite his missing pawn because his pieces have come alive.}) 23. Ndc4 Nfxe4 24. f3 {An ugly move and truly not one that Nakamura would have wanted to play unless he had to.} Nf6 25. Nd6 Rf8 ({Also} 25... Re7 $5 { was good.}) 26. Kh1 Be2 $2 ({After} 26... Qc7 27. Nef5 Rbd8 {, Black would have had a near-decisive advantage.}) 27. Rd2 Ba6 $6 ({Or} 27... Bd3 28. Qg1 Rbd8 29. Ng4 Nxg4 30. Rxd3 e4 {with a clear advantage for Black.}) 28. Nef5 Nb3 $2 (28... Bd3 29. Qe1 Rbd8 30. Qxe5 Bxf5 31. Qxf5) 29. Bxb3 Rxb3 30. Qe1 $5 ({ White could also have played} 30. Nxg7 $1 {directly, for instance,} Kxg7 31. Nf5+ Kg8 32. Qe1 Kh7 33. Qxe5 Rg8 34. Qxf6 {and White should win.}) 30... Kh7 31. Nxg7 $1 ({Co-commentator Pruess felt that} 31. Qg3 $1 Rg8 32. Qxe5 { would have been horrible for Black, and he is absolutely right. White is winning.}) ({Also,} 31. Qxe5 Qb8 32. Rdd1 {was an option for White, albeit less flashy.}) 31... Kxg7 32. Qxe5 $4 ({Here, White misses his best chance of the game in} 32. Nf5+ Kg6 ({or} 32... Kh7 33. Rd6) 33. Qh4 ({also,} 33. Rd6 Qb8 34. g4 {and White is winning}) 33... Qb7 ({if} 33... Kxf5 {then} 34. Rd6 { decides}) 34. Qxh6+ Kxf5 35. Rad1 Rb1 36. g4+ Nxg4 ({or} 36... Ke6 37. Rd6+ Ke7 38. Qxf6+ Ke8 39. Rd8#) 37. Qh5+ Ke6 38. Qxg4+ Ke7 39. Qh4+ f6 40. Qh7+ Rf7 41. Qxb1 {and White is winning.}) 32... Qb8 $1 {The first of several amazing defensive moves by So to stay in the game.} 33. h4 ({Or} 33. Rg1 Rb1 34. h4 Rd8 35. Qe7 ({White can force a draw with} 35. Nf5+ Kg6 36. Ne7+ Kg7) 35... Rxg1+ 36. Kxg1 Nd5 37. Rxd5 cxd5 38. Qxf7+ Kh8 {and White has nothing better than a perpetual check.}) 33... Rb1+ 34. Rxb1 Qxb1+ 35. Kh2 Qg6 $1 ({Note that} 35... Bd3 $4 36. h5 $1 {is much better for White.}) 36. Nf5+ Kh7 37. Rd6 Rg8 $1 { Forcing White's pawn forward.} 38. g3 Re8 $1 {Now, Black can make this move because the white king is sufficiently vulnerable to allow Black enough counterplay to save the game.} 39. Qxf6 Re2+ 40. Kh3 Bc8 $1 41. g4 Bxf5 42. Qxf5 Qxf5 43. gxf5 c5 $1 {Again, precision by So. The endgame should now end in a draw without further ado.} 44. Ra6 Re3 45. Kg4 Rxc3 46. Rxa5 Rc4+ 47. Kg3 Rb4 48. h5 c4 49. Ra7 Kg7 50. Ra6 c3 51. f6+ Kh7 52. Rc6 Rxa4 53. Rc7 Kg8 54. Rc8+ Kh7 55. Rc7 Kg8 56. Rc8+ Kh7 {and draw agreed.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "http://www.Chess.com"] [Site "http://www.Chess.com"] [Date "2022.04.04"] [Round "18"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2778"] [BlackElo "2750"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "130"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 O-O 9. d4 Ne8 ({A line that Nakamura has played many times as Black. The combatants had previously tested} 9... Bf6 10. Re1 Re8 11. Rxe8+ Nxe8 12. d5 b6 13. Nd2 Bb7 14. Ne4 Be7 15. c3 Nd6 16. Ng3 Bg5 17. c4 Rc8 18. b3 Qf6 19. Bxg5 Qxg5 20. Qd4 Re8 21. Rd1 Nf5 22. Nxf5 Qxf5 23. Bd3 Qe5 {and although White seems to have an edge, a draw was here agreed upon,½-½, So,W (2765) -Nakamura,H (2746) Kolkata 2018.}) 10. d5 Bc5 11. Re1 d6 ({This is a move that has been played several times by Aronian as well as Carlsen, but not Nakamura. He had previously tried} 11... h6 12. Nc3 Nf6 13. h3 Re8 14. Rxe8+ Nxe8 15. Ne4 Bf8 16. Qf3 {which was better for White in Grandelius,N (2670)-Nakamura,H (2736) chess24.com INT 2021.}) 12. Nc3 Bf5 13. Bd3 Bxd3 14. Qxd3 Nf6 15. h3 ({ Or} 15. Na4 Re8 16. Bd2 Rxe1+ 17. Rxe1 Qd7 18. Nxc5 dxc5 19. c4 {with a small but clear advantage for White, Karjakin,S (2782)-Carlsen,M (2864) Moscow 2013.} ) 15... h6 16. Bd2 Qd7 17. Qf3 ({The first new move. Previously, White had tried} 17. Ne4 Nxe4 18. Rxe4 Rae8 19. Rae1 Rxe4 20. Qxe4 c6 21. c4 {with a tiny plus for White, Miron,L (2490)-Georgescu,T (2508) Mamaia 2019.}) 17... Bd4 18. Rad1 Rae8 19. Rxe8 Nxe8 (19... Rxe8 {was also an option, e.g.,} 20. Bxh6 Bxc3 21. bxc3 Qa4 22. Qg3 Nh5 23. Qg5 Re5 24. Qd8+ Re8 25. Qg5 {with a draw by repetition.}) 20. Qd3 Bb6 21. Re1 Nf6 22. Ne4 Qf5 23. g4 Qg6 {White has more space, but Black's pieces are well-placed and the position is solid.} 24. Bc3 Nd7 25. Ng3 Qxd3 26. cxd3 g6 {Black had to avoid the knight jumping to f5, but weakening the dark squares in this fashion is obviously not ideal either. White has a small but clear advantage.} 27. Kg2 Ne5 28. Rd1 Re8 $2 (28... Nd7 29. f4 Re8 {should be defendable for Black.}) 29. Ne4 Kf8 30. Nf6 Re7 $2 (30... Rd8 31. a4 {is also unpleasant for Black.}) 31. a4 $1 a5 $2 {Making things worse.} ({If Black wanted to play ...c7-c6, it should have been here, although } 31... c6 32. h4 cxd5 33. Nxd5 Re6 34. g5 {is clearly better for White.}) 32. h4 c6 $4 ({A bad blunder that loses material on the spot. Black should have opted for} 32... Nd7 33. Nxd7+ Rxd7 34. h5 {and White has a serious advantage in the endgame.}) 33. Bxe5 dxe5 ({Or} 33... Rxe5 34. Nd7+ {and White wins a piece.}) 34. d6 Re6 35. Nd7+ Kg7 36. Nxb6 Rxd6 37. Nc4 {The game is in essence over, but Nakamura had to play to see if something would happen from nerves or shortage of time. But So conducts the rest of the game with a steady hand.} Rd4 38. f3 Kf6 39. b3 b5 40. axb5 cxb5 41. Nxa5 h5 42. gxh5 gxh5 43. Kg3 Rd6 44. b4 Kf5 45. Nb3 Rg6+ 46. Kf2 Ra6 47. Na5 Rd6 48. Ke3 Rd4 49. Nc6 Rxh4 50. d4 exd4+ 51. Rxd4 Rh1 52. Rd5+ Kg6 53. Rxb5 h4 54. Ne5+ Kg7 55. Kf4 Rg1 56. Ng4 h3 57. Rg5+ Kf8 58. Rh5 Kg7 59. b5 Rb1 60. Rg5+ Kh7 61. Nf6+ Kh6 62. Ng4+ Kh7 63. Kg3 Rb3 64. Rf5 Kg6 65. Rf6+ Kg5 {and Black resigned at the same time.} 1-0