[Event "WCh 2023"] [Site "Astana KAZ"] [Date "2023.04.12"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D36"] [WhiteElo "2795"] [BlackElo "2788"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2023.04.09"] {[%evp 0,60,20,28,30,4,-10,6,6,-24,0,0,0,9,11,3,32,28,43,3,18,13,20,21,29,22,39,37,39,18,44,15,5,-10,-17,-18,6,9,39,28,16,33,27,6,12,3,-1,-11,-14,-7,-5,-10,-12,-6,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 h6 {This was rare before this decade, but now it's arguably the main move.} 7. Bh4 Be7 8. Bd3 O-O 9. Qc2 (9. Nge2 {is more popular at the moment, and now Black generally flips a coin to decide what to put on e8.} Re8 (9... Ne8 10. Bg3 (10. Bxe7 Qxe7 {followed by ...Nd6 (aiming for ...Bf5, among other things) is fine for Black.}) 10... Nd6 11. Qc2 Re8 12. O-O Bf8 13. Rae1 a5 {followed by ...Na6 seems satisfactory for Black. Here are two of Carlsen's games, for those looking to explore a bit more deeply:} 14. Nd1 (14. Nf4 Na6 15. a3 Qf6 16. f3 b5 17. Bf2 Nc4 18. g3 Qd8 19. e4 b4 20. exd5 Rxe1 21. Rxe1 Nd6 22. Na4 cxd5 23. Nxd5 Rb8 24. Nc5 Nb5 25. Bxb5 Rxb5 26. Qc4 Rb8 27. a4 Nxc5 28. dxc5 Bb7 29. c6 Rc8 30. Bb6 Qd6 31. Bc7 Qc5+ 32. Qxc5 Bxc5+ 33. Kg2 Bxc6 34. Rc1 Bxd5 35. Rxc5 Bb3 36. Bb6 Rxc5 37. Bxc5 Bxa4 38. Bb6 Bc6 39. Bxa5 b3 {½-½ Maghsoodloo,P (2721)-Carlsen,M (2856) EU-Cup 37th Mayrhofen 2022 (7.1)}) 14... Na6 15. a3 Bd7 16. f3 Rc8 17. Nec3 c5 18. Qf2 Bc6 19. Bf4 b5 20. Ne2 Nc4 21. Qg3 h5 22. Qh3 g6 23. g4 Bd7 24. Qg2 h4 25. g5 Bg7 26. Kh1 Nd2 27. Rg1 c4 28. Bc2 b4 29. e4 c3 30. bxc3 b3 31. Bd3 Nxf3 32. Bxa6 Nxe1 33. Rxe1 Rxe4 34. Bxc8 Qxc8 35. Nf2 Re8 36. Nd3 Bf5 37. Nb2 Be4 {0-1 Salem,A (2677)-Carlsen,M (2859) MrDodgy Online Inv Finals 3rd Chess.com INT blitz 2022 (1.2)}) 10. O-O Nbd7 {Here 11.Qc2 transposes to 9.Qc2 lines - as in the game itself, which is where most of the action has taken place. Two important alternatives are 11.a4 and 11.f3, and we can find both Carlsen and Ding himself on the black side of those lines.} 11. a4 (11. f3 b5 12. Bf2 a5 13. Ng3 Ba6 14. Kh1 b4 15. Nce2 Bxd3 16. Qxd3 c5 17. dxc5 Nxc5 18. Qd2 Ne6 19. Nf5 Rf8 20. Rac1 Re8 21. Rc6 Bf8 22. Rfc1 Qd7 23. Nfd4 Rec8 24. Rxc8 Rxc8 25. Rxc8 Qxc8 26. g4 g6 27. Kg2 Bg7 28. h3 Nxd4 29. Nxd4 Nd7 30. Ne2 Qc6 31. Nf4 Nb6 32. b3 Qc3 33. Qxc3 bxc3 34. Be1 c2 35. Bd2 Nd7 36. Kf2 Nc5 37. Ke2 Bb2 38. Nxd5 c1=Q 39. Bxc1 Bxc1 40. Ne7+ Kf8 41. Nc6 Nb7 42. Kd3 Ke8 43. f4 Kd7 44. Ne5+ Ke6 45. Nc6 Kd5 46. Ne7+ Kc5 47. Ng8 h5 48. Nh6 Nd6 49. Ng8 hxg4 50. hxg4 Kb4 51. Nf6 Ka3 52. Nd5 Kxa2 53. Kc2 Bb2 54. Nb6 Ba3 55. Nd7 Bb4 56. Ne5 Ka3 57. Nd3 Nb5 58. Ne5 Nd6 59. Nd3 Nb7 60. Ne5 Nc5 61. Nxf7 Nxb3 62. Ne5 a4 63. Nxg6 Bc5 64. Ne5 Kb4 65. Nd3+ Kc4 66. Nxc5 Nxc5 67. Kb2 Kb4 68. g5 a3+ 69. Ka2 Ne4 70. g6 Nf6 71. g7 Kc5 72. e4 Ng8 73. Kxa3 Kd4 74. e5 Kd5 75. Kb4 Ke6 76. Kc5 Ne7 77. Kb6 Kf7 78. Kc7 Kxg7 79. Kd7 Kf7 80. f5 Nxf5 81. e6+ Kf6 82. e7 Nxe7 {½-½ Grischuk,A (2745)-Ding,L (2811) Speed Chess Chess.com INT blitz 2022 (1.38)}) 11... Nh5 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. a5 Ndf6 (13... Nf8 14. Nc1 Nf6 15. Nb3 Rb8 16. Qc2 b6 17. axb6 axb6 18. Nd2 c5 19. Nf3 c4 20. Bf5 b5 21. Ne5 Bxf5 22. Qxf5 b4 23. Ne2 Ra8 24. Nf4 Ne6 25. Nh5 Ne4 26. Ng3 Nd6 27. Qf3 Qb7 28. Nf5 Ng5 29. Qf4 Nxf5 30. Qxf5 Ne4 31. h3 b3 32. Kh2 c3 33. bxc3 Rxa1 34. Rxa1 Nxc3 35. Ra3 Rf8 36. Nd3 b2 37. Nxb2 Qxb2 38. Ra6 Qb7 39. Ra1 Ne4 40. g3 g6 41. Qf4 Qb2 42. Rf1 Rc8 {0-1 Praggnanandhaa,R (2642)-Ding,L (2806) Chessable Masters KO chess24.com INT rapid 2022 (3.11)}) 14. Qc2 g6 15. Na4 Ng7 16. a6 b5 17. Nc5 Bf5 18. Nf4 Rac8 19. Rac1 h5 20. Rfe1 Qd6 21. Nb7 Qb8 22. h3 Ne4 23. f3 Ng3 24. Qf2 h4 25. Bxf5 N7xf5 26. Nd3 f6 27. Nb4 Re6 28. Nc5 Rd6 29. Rcd1 Qb6 30. Nbd3 Re8 31. Rc1 Kg7 32. b4 Re7 33. Rc3 Rd8 34. Nf4 Rde8 35. Qc2 Qb8 36. Ncd3 g5 {0-1 Salem,A (2677)-Carlsen,M (2859) MrDodgy Online Inv Finals 3rd Chess.com INT blitz 2022 (1.4)}) 9... Re8 10. Nge2 Nbd7 11. O-O ({The immediate} 11. f3 {is a sensible alternative, avoiding the swap of dark-squared bishops (11...Nh5 is met by 12.Bf2). Black used to play 11...c5 here (see the discussion below) but now} b5 {is considered correct. It looks ugly, but White will neither win the c-pawn nor acquire c5 as an outpost for his pieces.}) 11... a5 ({The immediate} 11... Nh5 {has been popular.} 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 {, and now White generally plays 13.Rae1 (preparing a gradual central build with f3 and e4) or 13.Rab1 (aiming for the minority attack with b4-b5), with the former looking more popular at the moment.}) 12. a3 ({White has generally played more directly with} 12. f3 {, looking for a speedy e4.}) 12... Nh5 {Only played once before, by Ding himself.} (12... b5) 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Rae1 Nf8 15. Nc1 ({There are other reasonable options, like} 15. h3) ({and} 15. Na4) 15... Nf6 16. f3 Ne6 17. N1e2 $146 {Not really an improvement on Giri's play in the earlier game, but a playable option.} (17. Qf2 c5 (17... b5 $11) 18. Bb5 Rd8 19. dxc5 Qxc5 20. Nb3 Qb6 21. Rd1 Bd7 22. Bxd7 Rxd7 23. Nd4 Re8 24. Ncb5 Rde7 25. Rfe1 g6 26. Nxe6 Rxe6 27. Nd4 R6e7 28. Qd2 Nd7 29. Re2 Ne5 30. b3 Nc6 31. Qc3 h5 32. Kf2 Re5 33. Nxc6 bxc6 34. b4 axb4 35. axb4 R5e6 36. Qd4 Rb8 37. Qxb6 Rxb6 38. Rd4 Re8 39. e4 Reb8 40. exd5 cxd5 {½-½ Giri,A (2761)-Ding,L (2806) Chessable Masters Prelim chess24.com INT rapid 2022 (6)}) 17... c5 $1 {Ding follows his recipe from the Giri game. It looks a little ugly, not only isolating/artificially isolating his d-pawn, but also (thanks to ...a5) creating a hole on b5. The reality is that it's fine, and this is often the case once White plays f3, as that weakens the a7-g1 diagonal in general and e3 in particular. Once White's d-pawn is gone, or at least under fire, achieving e4 is generally useless (if it's possible at all).} (17... b5 $1 $11) 18. Bb5 (18. Nf4 {is an interesting idea.} Rd8 $1 (18... cxd4 19. exd4 Qd8 20. Nxe6 Bxe6 21. Qf2 Bd7 22. Re5 Bc6 23. Rfe1 {isn't nothing, but it's less than you might think.}) (18... Nxf4 $6 19. exf4 $14 Qf8 (19... Qxe1 $2 20. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 21. Kf2 $18 {followed by 22.dxc5 is very bad for Black, as his rooks have nothing to do.}) 20. dxc5 Rxe1 21. Rxe1 Qxc5+ 22. Qf2 $14 {Despite the doubled pawns, White enjoys a geniune plus here. His kingside majority is mobile, and Black's d-pawn will be a target.}) 19. Nxe6 Bxe6 20. dxc5 Qxc5 21. Nb5 Qb6 22. Nd4 {isn't anything real for White, though it is better than what he gets in the game.}) 18... Rd8 $11 19. dxc5 Qxc5 20. Qd2 Bd7 ({The position seems ripe for} 20... d4 {, but after} 21. exd4 Nxd4 22. Nxd4 Rxd4 23. Qf2 {Black must do something about the loose queen, e.g. play 23...Qd6. If he tries to develop, say, with} Be6 $4 {, then he loses after} 24. Rd1 Rad8 25. Ne2 $18) 21. Bxd7 $6 (21. Bd3 b5 (21... d4 $11) 22. b4 $1 {Otherwise Black might be a teensy bit better.} axb4 23. axb4 Qxb4 24. Rb1 Qc5 25. Bxb5 Bxb5 26. Rxb5 Qc4 27. Rd1 d4 28. exd4 Rac8 29. Qd3 Nxd4 $11) (21. Nd4 $142 {doesn't give White the advantage, but lets him continue indefinitely with a safe position that, at least for humans, is slightly more comfortable.} Rac8 $11) 21... Nxd7 $1 {A very good move, and it's possible that Nepo missed or at least underestimated it.} 22. Nd4 (22. Nxd5 $4 {is impossible, because after} Nb6 $19 {the necessary 23.e4 is illegal.}) (22. Qxd5 $6 Qxe3+ 23. Kh1 Ndc5 $15) 22... Nb6 $1 {The knight will be eternal, and eternally annoying for White, once it reaches c4.} 23. Rd1 (23. b3 $2 Qxa3) (23. Rc1 $142 {was better; as we'll see, White's knight will be shaky once Black's knight reaches c4, as there will be ...Nxa3 tricks.}) 23... Nc4 24. Qf2 Rac8 (24... Nxa3 {is possible, but White has an equalizer (and only one):} 25. e4 $1 Nxd4 (25... dxe4 $4 26. Nxe6 Qxf2+ 27. Kxf2 fxe6 28. bxa3 $18) (25... Nc4 26. Nxd5 $11) 26. Rxd4 Nb5 27. Rxd5 Qxf2+ 28. Kxf2 $8 Nxc3 29. Rxd8+ Rxd8 30. bxc3 b5 31. Rb1 Rb8 32. Ra1 Ra8 (32... a4 33. c4 $11) 33. Rb1 Rb8 $11) 25. Na4 $1 Qe7 26. Rfe1 Qf6 (26... Nxd4 27. Rxd4 b5 28. Nc3 Qc5 29. b4 $1 Qc6 30. Red1 $1 Nxe3 $1 31. Qxe3 Qxc3 (31... Re8 32. Qd2 Qxc3 33. Rxd5 $11) 32. Qxc3 Rxc3 33. Rxd5 Rxd5 34. Rxd5 a4 35. Rxb5 Rxa3 $11) 27. Nb5 $1 {Hoping to play Nac3.} (27. Nxe6 $2 fxe6 {leaves White in trouble, and without a particularly good response to the coming ...b5. Note that} 28. Nc3 {doesn't help, as Black can take on either a3 or especially b2.} Nxb2 $1 29. Qxb2 Rxc3 30. Qxb7 Rxa3 $17) 27... Nc7 $1 {Now 28.Nac3 would lose a pawn.} 28. Nd4 (28. Nac3 $2 Nxb5 29. Nxb5 Nxb2 $17) (28. Nxc7 Rxc7 29. Rd3 $11 {was a good alternative to the text.}) 28... Ne6 (28... b5 29. Nc3 $11) 29. Nb5 Nc7 30. Nd4 Ne6 {A very easy day at the office for Ding, and just what he needed after a poor game 1 and a disastrous game 2. For Nepo, it raises serious questions about his preparation. If this is the best he's got with 1.d4, we won't see that from him in the rest of the match.} 1/2-1/2