[Event "Wch match 2024"] [Site "Singapore SIN"] [Date "2024.11.25"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Gukesh"] [Black "Ding Liren"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C11"] [WhiteElo "2783"] [BlackElo "2728"] [Annotator "knirk"] [PlyCount "84"] [GameId "2118384596160561"] [EventDate "2024.11.25"] {[%evp 0,84,19,38,43,18,28,25,72,47,7,20,18,-7,-6,-6,3,-2,27,8,15,-4,24,4,33,41,57,23,23,30,58,11,4,-1,27,7,4,-6,5,-16,-7,0,0,-12,74,-117,-130,-84,-82,-110,-109,-161,-108,-108,-102,-141,-155,-163,-153,-168,-155,-161,-119,-146,-150,-157,-157,-145,-153,-147,-147,-200,-195,-182,-219,-255,-253,-234,-264,-560,-628,-738,-719,-752,-781,-975,-1141]} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nce2 Nc6 7. c3 a5 {This rather unusual and interesting move cost Ding 27 minutes.} 8. Nf3 a4 9. Be3 Be7 10. g4 {An ambitious novelty. White prepares f4-f5.} Qa5 11. Bg2 a3 12. b3 cxd4 13. b4 {A small disadvantage of White's 10.g4 may be that after} (13. Nfxd4 {Black would have} Bh4+ {With an easy game after} 14. Bf2 Bxf2+ 15. Kxf2) 13... Qc7 14. Nexd4 Nb6 15. O-O Nc4 16. Bf2 Bd7 17. Qe2 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 Nb2 {A very nice place for the knight, which will help Black's queen to enter White's position via d3 later.} 19. Qe3 Rc8 20. Rac1 {This is an obvious way to protect c3, but it is not the best. Better was} (20. Be1 {when after} Qc4 {White would be able to prevent the intrusion of Black's queen with} 21. Rf3) 20... Qc4 21. f5 {The consistent continuation of White's plan, but had he thought about his own safety he might have played} (21. Rfe1 {when after} Qd3 22. Bf1 Qxe3 23. Bxe3 {Black's position would be only slightly more pleasant.}) 21... Qd3 22. Qe1 {Black was already better, but this is a nervous reaction.} ({After} 22. Qf4 g5 23. Qg3 (23. fxg6 Qxg6 {would be very good for Black}) 23... Qxg3 24. Bxg3 Bd8 {Black would have a pleasant ending.}) (22. g5 {would be a reasonable try for activity, but Black, with the better pawn position, would have nothing to fear.}) 22... Bg5 {An important move that disrupts White's position.} 23. Rc2 Rc4 24. h4 ({The threat was} 24. Z0 Rxd4 25. Bxd4 Qxc2) 24... Bf4 25. Qb1 Rxc3 26. Rxc3 Qxc3 27. fxe6 fxe6 {Being a pawn up with one more to come, Black had a considerable advantage, but with his last move he gives White a big chance.} ({Much better was} 27... Bxe6 {and if White would then prevent Black from castling, as he should have done in the game, after} 28. Ne2 Qxe5 29. Nxf4 Qxf4 30. Bc5 Qxg4 {White would have little compensation for the three lost pawns.}) 28. Ne2 Qxe5 29. Nxf4 Qxf4 30. Qc2 {In my opinion this bad move can only be understood if you presume that White had intended to play} (30. Bc5 {(obviously the only way to put up resistence)} Qxg4 31. Qc2 {which would lead to a position that is quite difficult to judge. Black would be three pawns up, but his king is in danger and his rook is imprisoned. It seems to me that Gukesh in a moment of absent-mindedness mixed up the move order.}) 30... Qc4 31. Qd2 O-O {Now there is no fun to be had for White. Black's king is safe and his material advantage will decide.} 32. Bd4 Nd3 33. Qe3 Rxf1+ 34. Bxf1 {For a moment it seems as if Black is still in danger, as his Nd3 will be lost.} e5 {But now everything is clear. Black is winning.} 35. Bxe5 Qxg4+ 36. Bg2 Bf5 37. Bg3 {Threatening mate in one by 38.Qe8.} Be4 38. Kh2 h6 39. Bh3 Qd1 40. Bd6 Qc2+ 41. Kg3 Qxa2 42. Be6+ Kh8 {Now White resigned.} ({With his last move Black could still have spoiled his game, as after} 42... Kh7 $2 43. Qxe4+ dxe4 44. Bxa2 {the chances would have been more or less equal.}) 0-1