[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Wang, Hao"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Round "5.4"] [Annotator "GM Elshan Moradiabadi"] [Result "1-0"] [Date "2020.03.22"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2762"] [PlyCount "85"] [TimeControl "60"] {A valuable win for 'Nepo'. In a game where both players showed deep understanding, Wang Hao blundered and Nepomniatchi didn't give him a second chance.} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} e5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 3. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:0:36]} d6 {[%emt 0:0:5]} 4. Nf3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Nxe4 {[%emt 0:0:7]} 5. d4 {[%emt 0:0:4]} d5 {[%emt 0:0:6]} 6. Bd3 {[%emt 0:0:11]} Bf5 $5 {[%emt 0:0:5] We know that Wang Hao owes his presence at the Candidates to the Petroff defense, to some extent. Hi win over Anand at the Chess.com Isle of Man Grand Swiss played a crucial role for him winning that event. However, the Chinese number two has never played this line before. He usually plays Bd6 at this point.} 7. 0-0 {[%emt 0:0:10]} Be7 {[%emt 0:0:2]} 8. Re1 {[%emt 0:0:16] } 0-0 {[%emt 0:0:11]} 9. Nbd2 {[%emt 0:0:0] Nepo goes for a solid choice.} (9. c4 Nc6 10. cxd5 Qxd5 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Rae8 14. Bf4 Bd6 15. c4 Qh5 {has been successfully employed by Chinese top GMs like Wei Yi and Li Chao.} 16. Bxd6 {The bishop dropping back is what the engines cry for, and probably will resurface in top GM-level games very soon.} cxd6 17. Qa3 Qa5 $1 18. Qxd6 Rxe1+ 19. Rxe1 Rd8 20. Re2 (20. Re3 h6 21. Qf4 Qxa2 22. d5 Na5 23. Re7 (23. Qc7 Qb1+ 24. Re1 Qb6 25. Re7 Qxc7 26. Rxc7 b5 27. cxb5 Rxd5 28. h3 Rxb5 29. Rxa7 Nc6 {1/2-1/2 (29) Anand,V (2767)-Wei,Y (2743) Wijk aan Zee 2018} )Rf8 24. Qc7 Qb1+ 25. Ne1 Qb4 26. Re4 Nb3 27. Qe7 Qxe7 28. Rxe7 Rc8 29. Rxb7 Na5 30. Rxa7 Nxc4 31. Ra1 Nb6 {1/2-1/2 (31) Naiditsch,A (2695)-Li,C (2691) China 2019} )Qa4 21. Qc7 Rf8 22. Rd2 Qxc4 23. h3 b5 24. d5 Nd4 25. d6 Qxc7 26. dxc7 Ne6 27. Nd4 Nxc7 28. Rc2 Nd5 29. Rc5 Nb4 30. a3 Nd3 31. Rxb5 g6 32. Ra5 Re8 33. f3 Re7 34. Nc6 Rc7 35. Nxa7 Rc1+ 36. Kh2 Rc2 37. Rg5 h6 38. Rg4 h5 39. Re4 f5 40. Re6 Nf4 41. Rb6 Rxg2+ 42. Kh1 Rg3 43. a4 Rxf3 44. Nb5 h4 45. a5 Rf1+ 46. Kh2 Rf2+ 47. Kh1 Rf1+ 48. Kh2 Rf2+ 49. Kg1 Nxh3+ 50. Kh1 g5 51. a6 g4 52. a7 Rf1+ 53. Kh2 Rf2+ 54. Kh1 Rf1+ 55. Kh2 Rf2+ { 1/2-1/2 (55) Nakamura,H (2761)-Wei,Y (2736) Abidjan 2019} )Nd6 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 10. Nf1 {[%emt 0:0:12]} Bxd3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 11. Qxd3 {[%emt 0:0:3] } c6 {[%emt 0:0:6]} 12. Bf4 {[%emt 0:0:11]} Na6 {[%emt 0:0:12] The players are following the game Anand-Yu Yangyi from 2019.} 13. h4 $5 $146 {[%emt 0:0:0] An interesting and sensible novelty. White gains some space on the kingside.} (13. Ne3 {This has been the main line and has been tried at the high level four times in the past year.} Nc7 14. Re2 Ne6 15. Bxd6 Bxd6 16. g3 Qd7 17. Rae1 Rae8 18. b3 Nc7 19. c4 Bb4 20. Ra1 f6 21. a3 Be7 22. Rae1 Bd8 23. Kg2 Re6 24. cxd5 cxd5 25. Rc1 Rc6 26. Rec2 Rxc2 27. Qxc2 Re8 28. Qc5 a6 29. a4 Re6 30. Qb4 { 1/2-1/2 (31) Anand,V (2767)-Yu,Y (2738) Stavanger 2019} )Nc7 {[%emt 0:0:0] Wag Hao might have been surprised, as he took over eleven minutes on this rather obvious move.} 14. Ng5 {[%emt 0:0:28]} Bxg5 {[%emt 0:0:0] A sensible, human way of equalizing.} (14... g6 $1 15. Nh2 Qd7 16. h5 Bxg5 17. Bxg5 Rae8 18. Re5 f5 $1 {and because of the timely Nf7 and Ne6, Black is in time to equalize.} )15. Bxg5 {[%emt 0:0:55]} f6 {[%emt 0:0:21]} 16. Bf4 {[%emt 0:0:20]} Qd7 {[%emt 0:0:10] } 17. Ng3 {[%emt 0:0:19]} Rae8 $6 {[%emt 0:9:37] This gives away the f5-square and some unnecessary activity to White.} (17... g6 $1 18. h5 Kf7 $1 {and Black secures the f5-square, and soon neutralizes the e-file. Though, moves like Kf7 aren't easy to play under the tournament's circumstances.} )18. Bxd6 {[%emt 0:0:27]} Qxd6 {[%emt 0:0:8]} 19. Nf5 {[%emt 0:0:3]} Qd7 {[%emt 0:0:6] } 20. Qh3 {[%emt 0:0:20]} Kh8 $6 {[%emt 0:6:5]} (20... Ne6 { It is hard to commit to a move like this. Kh8 is the natural move, but it is a bit slow.} 21. h5 g6 22. Nh4 gxh5 23. Re3 Qf7 24. Rae1 Ng7 {is equal but doesn't come to mind easily.} )21. h5 {[%emt 0:1:45]} Rxe1+ {[%emt 0:8:47]} 22. Rxe1 {[%emt 0:3:19]} Re8 {[%emt 0:1:26]} 23. Rxe8+ {[%emt 0:4:15]} Nxe8 {[%emt 0:0:51]} 24. g4 $6 {[%emt 0:15:5]} (24. a4 a5 25. Kf1 $14 {seems to exert more pressure on black. Somehow the h3-c8 diagonal x-ray works in White's favor.} )a6 {[%emt 0:2:17]} (24... Kg8 25. g5 Qf7 {would have equalized rather instantly.} 26. Qe3 Qxh5 27. Qe6+ Kf8 28. Qe7+ Kg8 29. gxf6 Qg4+ 30. Kf1 Qd1+ $11 )25. b3 {[%emt 0:13:41] This gives Black enough time to neutralize White's initiative.} (25. Kf1 Qe6 26. Qh2 {would have maintained some pressure.} )Qe6 {[%emt 0:16:47]} 26. Ne3 {[%emt 0:28:6]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:26:4] } 27. h6 {[%emt 0:0:11]} g6 {[%emt 0:0:3]} 28. c4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} dxc4 {[%emt 0:7:23]} 29. bxc4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:0:8]} (29... Nf7 {would have made White's queen tied to h6, although Kg8 is not a bad move either.} )30. Qh2 {[%emt 0:3:46]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:11:47]} 31. c5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Nb5 {[%emt 0:1:8]} 32. Qb8 {[%emt 0:0:7]} Qd7 $4 {[%emt 0:3:27] Time pressure takes its toll. Nxd4 or Qe7 both would have easily held.} (32... Qe7 33. Qh8 Ke6 34. Qg8+ (34. f4 Kd7 $1 {and the king is safe now.} 35. Qg7 Ke8 36. Qg8+ Kd7 )Qf7 35. Qb8 Qc7 $11 )(32... Nxd4 {This one requires delicate calculation.} 33. Qxb7+ Qe7 34. Qxa6 Qe4 35. Qb7+ Ke6 36. Qxh7 Ne2+ (36... Nf3+ {This works, but it is harder.} 37. Kf1 Nd4 38. Qg8+ Ke7 {and White cannot improve.} 39. Kg1 Nf3+ 40. Kh1 Nd4+ 41. Kh2 Nf3+ 42. Kg3 Ne5 43. Qg7+ Ke6 )(36... Qb1+ 37. Kh2 Ne2 38. Qg8+ Ke7 39. Qg7+ Ke6 {and White needs to repeat due to the mating threats.} )37. Kf1 Ng3+ $1 $11 38. fxg3 Qf3+ 39. Ke1 Qxe3+ )33. Qh8 {[%emt 0:6:5]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:0:21] [#]} 34. f4 $1 {[%emt 0:3:17] The 'resourceful' Nepo found the difference between Qe7 and Qd7. Now Black's king cannot find a shelter.} Nxd4 {[%emt 0:0:5]} (34... Qxd4 $4 35. Qe8# )(34... Qe7 35. f5+ $18 )(34... Qf7 35. f5+ Ke7 36. Qc8 $18 )35. Qg8+ {[%emt 0:0:0]} Qf7 {[%emt 0:0:34]} 36. Qc8+ {[%emt 0:5:31]} Qd7 {[%emt 0:0:6]} 37. Qg8+ {[%emt 0:1:45]} Qf7 {[%emt 0:0:3]} 38. Qd8 $1 {[%emt 0:1:8] Qd7 is forced now, where Black loses a piece to a deflection tactic.} Qd7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 39. f5+ {[%emt 0:0:12]} gxf5 {[%emt 0:0:5]} 40. gxf5+ {[%emt 0:0:3]} Nxf5 {[%emt 0:0:6]} 41. Qxd7+ {[%emt 0:52:20]} Kxd7 {[%emt 0:50:3]} 42. Nxf5 {[%emt 0:0:9]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 43. Ne3 {[%emt 0:0:47]} (43. Ne3 f5 44. Kf2 f4 45. Nc4 {and Black is too slow in face of White's agile knight. A rather heartbreaking loss for Wang Hao, who had several chances to make a draw in this game.} )1-0