[Event "Paris Rapid & Blitz"] [Site "Paris"] [Date "2021.06.20"] [Round "9.3"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Radjabov, Teimour"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2792"] [BlackElo "2765"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "181"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "blitz"] {[%evp 0,181,19,42,8,17,25,16,16,18,64,-22,69,-12,-9,-22,-36,-36,-10,-20,-10, -36,-9,-22,13,12,5,-30,4,-39,-20,-6,34,47,62,68,67,32,32,32,61,61,61,54,57,1, 56,-23,39,81,97,94,139,105,83,71,123,116,129,58,87,3,25,19,19,19,37,-50,77,-36, 96,47,100,46,46,38,38,57,57,62,46,-139,-32,-32,68,99,114,-110,-125,-125,70,81, 92,155,368,160,203,153,155,135,146,128,135,135,135,105,206,206,206,165,165,186, 186,165,186,195,186,175,179,165,165,147,164,170,199,174,166,173,174,195,221, 212,266,291,295,299,346,351,339,246,252,264,264,264,292,305,305,305,316,279, 300,291,291,237,256,187,215,209,262,244,291,267,269,276,303,267,270,268,299, 289,305,251,255,322,322,337,333,325,405,405,413,423,444,443]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Ba4 {An interesting side line. Nepomniachtchi does not shy away from sacrificing a pawn, against anyone.} ({ Dozens of top-level games these days finish like this:} 6. dxe5 Nxb5 7. a4 Nbd4 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 d5 10. exd6 Qxd6 11. Qe4+ Qe6 12. Qd4 Qd6 13. Qe4+ Qe6 14. Qd4 Qd6 {e.g. Aronian,L (2781)-Radjabov,T (2765) Bucharest 2021}) 6... exd4 7. c3 Be7 8. cxd4 b5 9. Bb3 O-O 10. Nc3 Bb7 11. Re1 Bf6 $146 ({Black did OK after } 11... Na5 12. Bc2 f5 13. Qe2 b4 14. Qxe7 bxc3 15. bxc3 Be4 16. Qxd8 Rfxd8 { in Sulskis,S (2545)-Aleksandrov,A (2635) Dubai 2005}) 12. Bf4 Na5 13. Bc2 b4 14. Na4 {So far Black did well, however his next obvious move will be the main reason for his future problems.} g6 ({Stronger was} 14... Bxf3 $1 15. Qxf3 Nc6 {Hitting the central pawn. True, Black cannot win it for free after} 16. Rad1 Nxd4 {As} ({However, a normal development like} 16... Re8 $1 {would be just fine for Black.}) 17. Rxd4 $1 Bxd4 18. Qd3 Bxf2+ 19. Kxf2 Qh4+ 20. Bg3 Qh6 { seems good for White.}) 15. Ne5 {White's knights will dominate from here on.} Nb5 16. Nc5 d6 {Now a beautiful tempo fight starts.} ({Instead} 16... Bc8 { is ugly, and does not solve Black's problems in full after} 17. Ba4 a6 18. Bxb5 axb5 19. Qf3) 17. Nxb7 Nxb7 18. Nc6 Qd7 19. Nxb4 {White regains the pawn for a moment.} Nxd4 20. Nd5 {And then the knight lands to another brilliant position. } Bg7 {However, now after} ({After} 20... Qd8 21. Bh6 {the black rook is trapped} Re8 $4 22. Rxe8+ Qxe8 23. Nxf6+) 21. Re7 Qd8 22. Bg5 $1 { Nepomniachtchi builds a nasty ambush, which Radjabov cannot block at all.} Kh8 {Now look what Nepomniachtchi found:} ({Obviously wrong is} 22... f6 $2 23. Qxd4) ({Not as obviously is Black defeated in the line} 22... h6 23. Bxg6 $3 fxg6 ({There is also the brilliancy} 23... hxg5 24. Nf6+ $3 Bxf6 25. Qh5 fxg6 26. Qh7#) 24. Rxg7+ {This is the check.}) ({Finally} 22... Nxc2 23. Qxc2 Nc5 24. Bf6 {keeps White's attack strong.}) 23. Bxg6 $3 fxg6 {Now what? The rook is not taking on g7 with check.} ({Otherwise Black is mated:} 23... hxg6 24. Qg4 Nf5 25. Qh3+ Kg8 26. Nf6+ Bxf6 27. Bxf6 Ng7 28. Qh6) 24. h4 $3 {This! A silent move, which creates violent threats. This strength is what the world champion will be facing at the long-awaited match.} ({It was tempting to capture at once} 24. Rxg7 {with the idea} Qxg5 ({However, the disruptive idea} 24... Nf3+ $1 25. Qxf3 Rxf3 26. Bxd8 Kxg7 27. gxf3 Rxd8 {would have kept Black in the game.}) 25. Qxd4 Qe5 26. Qxe5 dxe5 27. Rxc7 {when White's better in the endgame.}) 24... Qxe7 $1 {The only idea. Everything else would lose without a chance.} ({For example} 24... h6 25. Rxg7 $1 hxg5 (25... Nf3+ 26. gxf3 { no longer helps.}) 26. Qxd4 c5 27. Qc3 Qa5 28. b4 $1 cxb4 29. Qb2 {and the discovered check will soon lead to mate.}) ({The queen retreat should not save Black either:} 24... Qc8 25. Rxg7 $1 Kxg7 26. Qxd4+ Kg8 ({Or mate} 26... Kf7 27. Qf6+ Kg8 28. Ne7#) 27. Ne7+) 25. Nxe7 Rae8 26. Be3 {A pity.} ({Another amazing idea would have wrapped up the game with} 26. h5 $3 Ne6 27. Qd5 $1 { The super-knight on e7 will lead the mating attack after} Nxg5 28. Qxg5 Bf6 29. Qh6 $1 Bxe7 30. hxg6) 26... c5 27. Nd5 Re5 {At last showing some activity. Radjabov significantly improved his chances.} 28. Nc3 (28. Nf4 $5 {might have been more accurate.}) 28... Nd8 29. Qd2 {Whereas Nepomniachtchi is moving into the wrong direction.} (29. Qa4 $1 {would have preserved a strong edge after} Re7 30. Qa6) 29... N8e6 30. Bh6 {After this trade Black's position becomes comfortable.} ({White would have been still better after} 30. Bg5 $5 Rb8 31. Rf1) 30... Bxh6 31. Qxh6 Rf4 $1 {Forcing a kingside weakening.} 32. g3 Rf7 33. Qc1 Ref5 ({Already here} 33... g5 $5 {made sense, opening the files for counterplay after} 34. hxg5 Rxg5) 34. f4 h6 35. Qd1 g5 {Radjabov is following his plan.} ({However the sudden sacrifice} 35... Nxf4 $1 36. gxf4 Rxf4 { deserved serious attention too. The naked white king does not leave him chances to play for a win. In fact he may need to demonstrate accuracy in the line} 37. Kg2 h5 38. Qe1 $1 Rg4+ 39. Kh3 Rf3+ 40. Kh2 Nf5 41. Qe8+ Kg7 42. Re1 $1 Rf2+ 43. Kh1 Ng3+ 44. Kg1 Ne4+ 45. Kh1 Ng3+ {with perpetual check.}) 36. hxg5 hxg5 37. Ne4 Rh7 ({Of course not} 37... gxf4 $2 38. Nxd6) 38. Nxd6 Rf6 39. f5 ({Allowing the black knights in is deadly for White:} 39. fxg5 $2 Nxg5 40. Kg2 Ngf3) 39... Rfh6 40. Kf2 {Nepomniachtchi keeps playing for a win, and slowly crosses the red line.} ({Objectively best was} 40. fxe6 $1 Rh1+ 41. Kf2 R7h2+ 42. Ke3 Rxd1 43. Rxd1 Nxe6 44. Rd2 {with a likely draw.}) 40... Rh2+ { Now Radjabov misses a great idea. True, the unthinkable coordination after} ( 40... Nc7 $3 {would be hard to find even in a classical time control. Then} 41. Qa4 Rh2+ 42. Ke3 Rd7 $3 {leads to problems for White in the line} 43. Qxd7 Nd5+ 44. Ke4 ({Or yet another brilliancy in the line} 44. Kd3 Nb4+ 45. Kc4 (45. Ke4 Re2#) 45... Rc2# {A very unusual mating picture.}) 44... Nf6+) 41. Ke3 Nc2+ 42. Ke4 Ned4 43. f6 {The red line...} (43. Rc1 {would have been a draw instead after} Re7+ 44. Kd3 Rd7 45. Rxc2 Nxc2 46. Ke4 Re7+ 47. Kd3 Rd7 48. Ke4) 43... Re2+ 44. Kd3 Nxa1 {Now Nepomniachtchi will get his advantage back.} ({The mating concept from above} 44... Nb4+ $1 {would have posed problems for White in the line} 45. Kc3 (45. Kc4 Rc2+) 45... Rc2+ 46. Qxc2 Nbxc2 {True, Black is not necessary winning and the line} 47. f7 Kg7 48. Rf1 Kf8 49. Ne4 Rxf7 50. Rxf7+ Kxf7 51. Nxg5+ Ke7 52. Ne4 {might again lead to a draw.}) 45. Qxa1 Re6 46. Ne4 Nf5 ({More resilient was} 46... Nf3 $1 47. Ke3 Nd2 $1 48. Kxd2 Rxe4 49. Qf1 Re8) 47. Qc1 ({Even better would have been} 47. Qf1 $1 Rd7+ (47... Rxe4 48. Qxf5) 48. Kc3) 47... Rd7+ 48. Kc3 ({Whereas now} 48. Kc2 $1 {is accurate. Then} Nd4+ ({As} 48... Nd6 49. Nxc5 Rc7 50. Qxg5 {wins for White.}) 49. Kb1 Re5 50. Nxc5 {should win for White.}) 48... Nd6 $1 {That's the difference.} 49. Qh1+ $1 {Best play by Nepomniachtchi once again.} ({In the line} 49. Nxc5 Ne4+ $1 { White can no longer capture} 50. Nxe4 Rc7+) 49... Kg8 50. Nxg5 Rxf6 51. Qd5+ Kf8 52. Qe5 {White is pushing for the win and with the clock close to seconds it is much more enjoyable to play with the queen. Especially when the knight assists it.} Ne8 ({A more stubborn defense is} 52... Rf5 $1 53. Qh8+ Ke7 54. Qh7+ Kd8 55. Ne6+ Kc8 {when the king escapes somehow.}) 53. Ne6+ Kf7 54. Nxc5 Re7 55. Qd5+ Kg7 56. Qg5+ Kf7 57. Qd5+ Kg7 58. b3 {With two extra pawns White is winning. He slowly consolidates.} Nd6 59. Kb4 (59. a4 $1) 59... Nf7 60. Ka3 Rd6 61. Qc4 Rg6 62. Qd4+ Kg8 63. Ne4 Ree6 64. g4 Kh7 65. Kb2 Rb6 66. Qd7 Kg7 67. Qxa7 Rge6 68. Ng5 Re2+ 69. Ka3 {Not the best square.} ({The king would have been safer on the other side:} 69. Kc3) 69... Rf6 70. Nxf7 {And this complicates matters.} ({White would have done much better with the knights on} 70. Qc7 Kg6 71. Qc4 Rff2 72. Ne6 (72. Nh3)) 70... Rxf7 71. Qd4+ Kg8 (71... Kh6 $1 {would have been better} 72. Qh8+ Kg6 73. Qg8+ Rg7 {with good drawing chances.}) 72. Qc4 Re5 73. b4 Kg7 74. Qd4 Rfe7 75. Kb3 Kg6 76. a3 {The pawns are moving again, and Nepomniachtchi finally grinds down his opponent.} Kg5 77. Ka4 Re4 (77... Re8 $5) 78. Qb6 R4e6 79. Qf2 Kxg4 80. b5 Re3 81. Qg1+ Kf4 82. Qh2+ Kf5 83. Qh5+ Kf4 84. Qc5 R7e5 85. Qf8+ Ke4 ({The last chance was} 85... Kg5 $5 {which keeps the rooks united and ready for the battle after} 86. Ka5 Re8) 86. Ka5 Rf3 87. Qb4+ Kf5 88. a4 {Now they are unstoppable.} Rfe3 89. Ka6 Re8 90. b6 R3e4 91. Qb5+ 1-0