[Event "11th Sinquefield Cup"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2024.08.27"] [Round "8.1"] [White "Ding Liren"] [Black "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E60"] [WhiteElo "2745"] [BlackElo "2762"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "45"] [GameId "2083360119085052"] [EventDate "2024.08.19"] {[%evp 0,45,18,-18,40,40,35,-16,6,9,19,9,-2,-3,15,0,8,0,0,18,15,7,7,8,47,40,49,15,36,19,45,46,33,25,31,38,30,29,38,33,21,20,25,22,38,13,33,31]} 1. c4 g6 2. d4 Nf6 3. h4 {This has become popular as an anti-Grünfeld (and anti-KID) weapon.} c6 {Black wants to play ...d5, but doesn't want to recapture with the knight so he can keep an eye on h5.} (3... Bg7 {is the most common move, but after} 4. Nc3 {it's more common to stay in King's Indian-like positions with ...d6 rather than Grünfelding it with 4...d5. Nevertheless, that gets played, too - witness this game of Ding's from about three weeks ago:} d5 5. h5 Nxh5 6. cxd5 e6 7. g4 Nf6 8. dxe6 Bxe6 9. e4 Qe7 10. g5 Nxe4 11. Nxe4 Bd5 12. f3 Nc6 13. Bg2 Nxd4 14. Ne2 O-O-O 15. Nxd4 Bxe4 16. fxe4 Bxd4 17. Qe2 Qb4+ 18. Kf1 {½-½ Ding,L (2745)-Mamedyarov,S (2733) FIDE World Rapid Team Almaty KAZ 2024 (9.13)}) (3... c5 {is also possible, with a possible to switch to a Benoni or Benko Gambit after} 4. d5 e6 ({or} 4... b5 {, respectively.})) ({Finally, one can deal with White's h4 in the most direct way:} 3... h5 {.}) 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Bf4 Bg7 7. e3 O-O 8. Be2 Qb6 $146 ({Another Ding-Mamedyarov game:} 8... Nc6 9. h5 Bf5 10. h6 Bh8 11. Nf3 Rc8 12. O-O Ne4 13. Rc1 Bf6 14. Qb3 Na5 15. Qb4 Nxc3 16. Rxc3 Rxc3 17. Qxc3 Qb6 18. Rc1 Nc6 19. a3 Rc8 20. b4 a6 21. Qb3 Qd8 22. a4 e6 23. b5 axb5 24. axb5 Na5 25. Qa3 Nc4 26. Bxc4 dxc4 27. Ne5 Bxe5 28. Bxe5 f6 29. Bg3 Bd3 30. b6 Kf7 31. Bc7 Ra8 32. Qxd3 cxd3 33. Bxd8 {1-0 Ding,L (2799)-Mamedyarov,S (2765) Speed Chess Chess.com INT blitz 2021 (1.11)}) 9. Qb3 {We're not exactly in for a barnburner now as the queens depart and we get to enjoy the symmetrical structure. White is still a little better thanks to the extra space--just because it's a little try doesn't mean it's a draw.} Qxb3 10. axb3 Nc6 11. Nf3 Bd7 (11... Bg4 $142 {is often good in these Exchange Slav-like structures. Neither side's light-squared bishop tends to have much to do, so the swap is decent for Black - whether he takes on f3 or on e2.}) 12. Ne5 e6 13. Nd3 Rfc8 14. g4 $16 {Dry or not, White's space advantage looks meaningful. Black is danger of getting squished.} Bf8 15. g5 Nh5 16. Bxh5 gxh5 17. Kd2 Nb4 18. Ne5 (18. Nc1 {is a little better, looking to swing the knight to f4 (after Bg3) to collect the h5-pawn.}) 18... Be8 19. Rhc1 Nc6 20. Nd3 Nb4 21. Ne5 (21. Ne1 $16) (21. Nc5 $5 Bxc5 $6 (21... Bc6 $142 22. f3 $16) 22. dxc5 Rxc5 $2 23. Bd6 $18) 21... Nc6 22. Nd3 Nb4 23. Ne5 $2 {That was nice of Ding, and an indication that he's still somewhat broken with less than three months to go before the World Championship.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "11th Sinquefield Cup"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2024.08.27"] [Round "8.2"] [White "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A29"] [WhiteElo "2749"] [BlackElo "2793"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "55"] [GameId "2083360119134206"] [EventDate "2024.08.19"] {[%evp 0,55,18,-18,6,-29,-15,-18,-15,-31,-32,-6,-12,-19,19,-18,-18,-15,-4,4,1,-24,2,-11,8,-3,26,16,69,69,69,29,37,6,20,-17,17,-63,-63,-60,-43,-31,-3,-28,-35,-83,-62,-99,-99,-101,-73,-129,-96,-101,-88,-101,-90,-88]} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bc5 {This has been popular in recent years, and with both Carlsen and Firouzja incorporating into their repertoires it might become the main line.} 7. O-O O-O 8. d3 h6 9. Nxd5 Qxd5 10. Bd2 Qe6 (10... a5 11. Bc3 Qe6) (10... Qd6) (10... Rd8 11. Bc3 Qe6) 11. Qc2 Qe7 {A little time-consuming, but now Black's queen is probably on her best square.} 12. Rac1 $146 (12. a3 a5 13. Rac1 Bb6 14. Be3 Nd4 15. Bxd4 exd4 16. Rfe1 Be6 17. Qa4 Rfd8 18. Nd2 c6 19. Ne4 Bd5 20. Qc2 a4 21. Nc5 Ba5 22. Red1 b5 23. Bxd5 cxd5 24. b4 axb3 25. Nxb3 Bc3 26. e3 Qxa3 27. Nxd4 Bxd4 28. exd4 b4 29. Qc5 b3 30. Rb1 Qa2 31. Qc3 Rab8 32. Rb2 Qa4 33. Rc1 Qa3 34. Kg2 Kh7 35. Rcb1 Rdc8 36. Qd2 Kg8 37. h4 Rb4 38. h5 Qa4 39. Qd1 Rc3 40. Qe1 Rc8 41. Qe5 Qb5 42. Re1 Qxd3 43. Qxd5 Rxd4 44. Qxb3 Qxb3 {½-½ Maghsoodloo,P (2742)-Suleymanli,A (2609) Wch Rapid Samarkand 2023 (8)}) 12... Bd6 (12... Bb6 {is also possible, but will involve giving up a center pawn for one on the wing.} 13. b4 $1 Nxb4 14. Bxb4 Qxb4 15. Nxe5 Qe7 16. Nc4 c6 $11) 13. a3 (13. Bc3 {doesn't give White an advantage, but it does prevent Caruana's plan of exchanging knights.} a5 14. a3 Rd8 15. Rfd1 Bf5 16. Nd2 a4 17. Nc4 Be6 $11) 13... Nd4 {Very direct. The strength of the idea is that after the swap White will have a difficult time mobilizing his central pawn majority.} 14. Nxd4 exd4 15. Rfe1 c6 16. b4 (16. e4 dxe3 {and none of White's recaptures look attractive.}) 16... Be6 17. Qb2 Rfd8 18. Qxd4 $6 {This gives White a 2-0 advantage in central pawns, but the obvious damage this does to the kingside could easily end up mattering.} Bxg3 19. Qc5 Bd6 $15 {/?} 20. Qh5 f5 (20... a5 $1 21. bxa5 $8 Bxa3 22. Rb1 Rd4 {The immediate threat is ...Bg4, winning White's queen. More modestly, but also more relevantly as Pragg won't blunder his queen, are secondary ideas like ...Bb4, looking to eliminate the defenders of the a5-pawn. White has only one satisfactory move here:} 23. Be4 $8 Bb4 24. Bxb4 Rxb4 25. Qe5 $1 g6 26. Rec1 Ra4 27. Rc5 Re8 28. Bf3 $1 $15 {White is holding on.}) 21. Bf3 (21. e4 $142 $11 {/?}) (21. Qg6 $142 $11 {/?}) 21... Be5 $15 {/?} 22. Be3 Qf6 (22... Bb2 $142 $1 23. Rb1 Qf6) 23. Kh1 $1 {Without this move, preparing Rg1, White would be in some trouble. Black may still have a very slight edge, but it's hard to make something of it without substantial risk. Caruana goes for safety first and repeats.} Bf7 (23... g5 24. Rg1 $1 Rd7 25. b5 $1 cxb5 26. Rc5 Rg7 27. Rxb5 $11 {/?}) 24. Qh3 Be6 25. Qh5 Bf7 26. Qh3 Be6 27. Qh5 Bf7 28. Qh3 1/2-1/2 [Event "11th Sinquefield Cup"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2024.08.27"] [Round "8.3"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D06"] [WhiteElo "2751"] [BlackElo "2721"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "98"] [GameId "2083360119134207"] [EventDate "2024.08.19"] {[%evp 0,98,18,33,35,15,29,15,45,39,42,50,41,24,18,18,11,7,32,8,-19,-15,-29,-7,-7,-27,-26,-10,34,10,7,3,12,16,5,5,-5,0,-17,-13,-14,-16,-12,-4,-1,-9,-2,-12,-5,7,31,41,31,33,33,41,24,26,38,16,20,26,19,17,20,23,17,16,28,8,64,50,43,33,34,4,16,17,22,11,15,2,3,19,19,17,41,17,34,21,24,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 c5 {I remember when Svidler played 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c5 against Karjakin in the finals of the World Cup a decade or so ago, and it was a bit of an eyebrow-raiser. Now both that and the similar version we're seeing in the game have become just one more opening. Theory marches on.} 4. cxd5 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Qxd5 6. Nc3 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 a6 8. Bg5 (8. g3 {is the top move, when you're likely to see} e5 9. Nb3 (9. Nc2 Nc6 ({or} 9... Bd7 10. Bg2 Bc6 11. O-O Bxg2 12. Kxg2 $14 {, but the tempi Black spent effecting the exchange should leave White with an edge.}) 10. Bg2 Be6 $11) 9... Nc6 (9... Bd7 10. Bg2 Bc6 {is common here too, but after} 11. O-O {Black plays} Bb4 $1 {rather than (immediately) swapping - the benefit of White's knight not being on c2.}) 10. Bg2 a5 {and so on. Both MVL and Nakamura have played this way with Black this year.}) 8... e5 9. Bxf6 gxf6 {Black is already at least equal.} 10. Nc2 Be6 11. g3 Nc6 12. Bg2 O-O-O 13. O-O $146 Nd4 (13... Rd2 $142 14. Rac1 f5 $11 {/?}) 14. Nxd4 exd4 15. Ne4 f5 $11 16. Ng5 Bg7 17. Rfd1 Kb8 18. Nxe6 fxe6 {Black's pawn structure is a bit ragged, but none of the pawns is especially weak. (A "weakness" isn't a weakness if the opponent can't get to it.) With opposite-colored bishops to boot, Black has no problems.} 19. Rd3 Rd7 20. e4 Rc8 21. exf5 exf5 22. Rad1 Rc2 23. R1d2 Rxd2 24. Rxd2 d3 25. Bf1 ({The attempt to save the b-pawn and only then go for the d-pawn is suicidal:} 25. b3 $2 Bc3 26. Rd1 d2 27. f4 Re7 28. Kf2 Re1 29. Bf3 Bd4+ 30. Kg2 Be3 $19 {leaves White powerless against Black's king taking away all the way up the board into White's camp.}) 25... Bxb2 $1 26. Rxd3 (26. Rxb2 d2 27. Be2 d1=Q+ 28. Bxd1 Rxd1+ $11 {is also equal.}) 26... Kc7 27. Rf3 b5 $1 {Black's pressure against f2 and queenside majority will give him full compensation.} 28. Rxf5 Rd2 29. Rf7+ Kd6 30. Rf3 (30. Rxh7 Bd4 31. Rf7 Rxa2 $11 {is at least as dangerous for White as Black's pawns are more easily advanced.}) 30... Kc5 $1 {Black is only okay (at this point) if the rooks remain on the board. No rooks means no counterplay, and White's 3-1 kingside majority would prevail.} (30... Bd4 $4 31. Rd3 $18) 31. Bh3 Bd4 32. Be6 a5 33. Rf5+ Kd6 34. Bg8 a4 35. Rxb5 Bxf2+ 36. Kh1 Bc5 37. h4 h5 38. Ra5 a3 39. Bb3 Rb2 40. Ra6+ Kd7 41. Rf6 Bd6 42. Rf3 Ke7 43. Rf7+ Kd8 44. Rg7 Be5 {Now that Black's bishop controls a1 (the a-pawn's queening square) ...Rxb3 becomes a possibility.} 45. Rg8+ (45. Rg5 Rxb3 46. Rxe5 Rxg3 47. Rxh5 Ke7 $11) (45. Rh7 {White wouldn't play this, but just for illustrative purposes:} Rxb3 46. axb3 a2 47. Ra7 a1=Q+ 48. Rxa1 Bxa1 49. Kg2 Ke7 50. Kh3 Bf6 51. g4 $11) 45... Kd7 46. Bc4 Rc2 47. Bb3 Rb2 48. Bc4 Rc2 49. Bb3 Rb2 1/2-1/2 [Event "11th Sinquefield Cup"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2024.08.27"] [Round "8.4"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Gukesh, D."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C77"] [WhiteElo "2746"] [BlackElo "2766"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "46"] [GameId "2083360119134208"] [EventDate "2024.08.19"] {[%evp 0,46,18,18,20,20,12,13,17,5,3,16,20,4,26,19,27,18,30,11,23,28,32,18,27,23,46,-41,33,25,31,43,42,33,33,51,82,89,122,122,122,122,122,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. Nc3 d6 9. a3 h6 ({Black has many options here, including} 9... Na5 10. Ba2 Be6 11. b4 Bxa2 12. Rxa2 Nc6) ({and the Breyer-style} 9... Nb8 {.}) 10. h3 Rb8 11. Be3 Re8 12. Nd5 Bf8 13. c4 $146 (13. Re1) (13. c3) 13... Bd7 14. Qd2 bxc4 15. Bxc4 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 Ne7 (16... Qf6 {is a good, possibly superior alternative, threatening to threaten ...Bxh3. (It's not a threat yet due to the loose knight on c6, but Black is ready to play ...Ne7. White won't want to allow ...Nxd5, but if he hasn't yet dealt with the possibility of ...Bxh3 he'll have to.)}) 17. Bc4 c6 $1 18. Bxa6 {Putting Black's idea to the test. Or really, a pop quick - it's a very short and apparently very easy test, judging by the game's great duration.} (18. b4) (18. Rac1) 18... d5 19. Nxe5 (19. exd5 cxd5 20. d4 e4 21. Ne5 Ba4 22. b4 f6 23. Ng4 {is more combative. Black has about enough for the pawn after} Ng6 {, but he'll have to keep proving it. But Giri is happy to put the game to bed, and get one game closer to finishing a disappointing tournament.}) 19... Ra8 {With a "perpetual" on the bishop.} 20. Bb7 Rb8 21. Ba6 Ra8 22. Bb7 Rb8 23. Ba6 Ra8 1/2-1/2 [Event "11th Sinquefield Cup"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2024.08.27"] [Round "8.5"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C47"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2751"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "159"] [GameId "2083360119134209"] [EventDate "2024.08.19"] {[%evp 0,159,18,18,27,27,16,29,29,5,7,7,-10,-10,12,-2,18,16,49,21,68,6,-5,8,20,-2,20,30,16,20,3,-2,63,58,13,22,24,43,33,21,21,12,33,33,59,12,98,55,55,55,60,57,74,40,97,121,122,73,81,78,81,70,72,80,72,50,76,34,125,76,86,71,71,107,66,65,73,73,62,64,65,48,36,36,32,26,25,25,56,48,59,48,60,31,38,27,100,60,57,67,62,67,75,67,75,75,80,80,84,80,81,80,81,81,83,73,73,73,73,27,37,22,28,11,15,11,8,19,19,11,19,10,14,9,0,3,15,2,2,33,33,42,33,29,29,25,34,32,27,27,27,18,13,6,13,6,7,6,6,6,5,4]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 {The least enterprising line of the round, and yet it resulted in the longest and hardest fight of them all.} Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 O-O (8... cxd5) 9. O-O Bg4 (9... cxd5) 10. Ne2 (10. f3 Bh5 11. dxc6 (11. Bg5 cxd5 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. Nxd5 Qxb2 14. Rb1 Bc5+ 15. Kh1 Qe5 16. f4 Bxd1 17. fxe5 Bg4 18. Nxc7 Rac8 $44) 11... Qd4+ 12. Kh1 Bxc3 13. bxc3 Qxc3 14. Bf4 (14. Rb1) (14. Bg5) 14... Qxc6 15. Qe2 a6 16. Qe5 Bg6 17. Qxc7 Qxc7 18. Bxc7 Rfc8 19. Bg3 Bxd3 20. cxd3 Rc3 $11 (20... Rc2 21. a4 h6 22. h4 Rd8 23. Rfc1 Re2 24. Ra3 Nd5 25. Re1 Rxe1+ 26. Bxe1 Nf4 27. Rc3 Rxd3 28. Rc8+ Kh7 29. Rc4 Nd5 30. Bf2 Ra3 31. Kh2 Ra2 32. Bc5 g5 33. hxg5 hxg5 34. Kg1 Nf4 35. Bf2 Ra1+ 36. Kh2 Ra2 37. Kg1 Ra1+ 38. Kh2 Ra2 39. Kg1 {½-½ Grischuk,A (2742)-Vidit,S (2723) Chess.com Rapid Wk10 KO Chess.com INT 2022 (1.1)})) 10... cxd5 11. h3 Bh5 12. c4 dxc4 (12... Re8) 13. Bxc4 Bd6 (13... Qe7 14. Qa4 Bxe2 15. Bxe2 Bc5 16. Bf3 Rad8 17. Qc2 Qe5 18. Bd2 Bd4 19. Rae1 Qb5 20. b4 Bb6 21. a4 Qd3 22. Qxd3 Rxd3 23. Bg5 h6 24. Bxf6 gxf6 25. a5 Bd4 26. Rd1 Rxd1 27. Rxd1 Bc3 28. Rc1 Bxb4 29. Rxc7 Bxa5 30. Rxa7 Bb6 31. Rb7 Bc5 32. Rc7 Bb6 33. Rb7 Bc5 34. Bh5 Kg7 35. g3 Bd6 36. Rd7 Bc5 37. Kg2 Bb6 38. Rb7 Bc5 39. f4 Ba3 40. Kf3 Bc5 41. Rd7 Bb4 42. Kg4 Be1 43. Re7 Bb4 44. Rb7 Be1 45. Rd7 Bf2 46. Re7 Bc5 47. Rb7 Bf2 48. Kf3 Bc5 49. Rd7 Bb4 50. g4 Be1 51. Ke4 Bh4 52. Kf5 Bg3 53. Ke4 Bh4 54. Kf3 Kg8 55. Rb7 Kg7 56. Ra7 Kg8 57. Rd7 Kg7 58. Ke4 Re8+ 59. Kd5 Rf8 60. Rb7 Bg3 61. Ke4 Bh4 62. Kf3 Kg8 63. Rc7 Kg7 64. Ra7 Kg8 65. Rb7 Kg7 66. Ke3 Re8+ 67. Kd4 Rf8 68. Kd5 Bg3 69. f5 Bf4 70. Kc6 Rc8+ 71. Kd7 Rb8 72. Rxb8 Bxb8 73. Ke8 Bg3 74. Bxf7 Bh4 {½-½ Fedoseev,V (2674)-Nakamura,H (2775) Chessable Masters Div 1 Win Chess.com INT rapid 2023 (1.2)}) 14. Be3 Re8 $11 15. Re1 $146 {If nothing special happens, White will be a little better thanks to Black's isolated pawns on the queenside. Black takes dramatic measures - correctly.} Rxe3 $1 16. fxe3 Qe7 {Not only threatening to take on e3, but also to (then) play ...Qe5 and penetrate on h2.} 17. Qd4 (17. Qd2 Rb8 18. Nf4 Bxf4 19. exf4 Qc5+ 20. Qe3 Qxc4 21. g4 Bxg4 22. hxg4 h6 (22... Nxg4 $4 23. Qe8+ Rxe8 24. Rxe8#) 23. Rac1 Qb4 $11) 17... Rd8 18. Nf4 Bc5 19. Qc3 Bb4 {Regaining the exchange, and now that White has an ugly pawn of his own (on e3) Black is not worse.} 20. Qc2 Bxe1 21. Rxe1 Qe5 (21... Rd7 $142 $11) 22. Qb3 $1 {Now it's too late for ...Rd7, which loses a piece (23.Nxh5 Q/Nxh5 24.Qb8+ is mating). Still, after the calm 22...Qe7 the position is still equal - no real harm done.} Bg6 $6 (22... Qe7 $11) 23. Nxg6 hxg6 24. Bxf7+ Kh7 25. Qc3 $1 $14 {/? It's probably still drawn with best play, but why did Black go for this?} Qg3 26. Rf1 Nd5 27. Bxd5 $6 {Now Black is fine again, despite the missing pawn.} (27. Qe1 $1 Qxe3+ $8 28. Qxe3 Nxe3 29. Re1 $14 {/? White has the better structure and the better minor piece, and a lead on the clock, too. Firouzja may have saved the game, but it would have been all suffering ahead.}) 27... Rxd5 28. Kh1 c5 29. b3 Qd6 30. e4 Rd2 31. a4 Rd3 $11 32. Qc4 Re3 33. Qd5 Qxd5 34. exd5 Rxb3 35. Rc1 Ra3 36. Rd1 Re3 37. Kg1 c4 38. Kf2 Re8 39. Kf3 c3 40. d6 Rd8 41. Ke4 c2 42. Rc1 Rxd6 43. Rxc2 Kh6 44. Rc5 Rd2 45. Kf3 Rd3+ 46. Ke2 Rg3 47. Kf2 Rb3 48. Ra5 (48. Rc7 {is still just a draw, but why not win the pawn?}) {Conversely, if winning the a-pawn is no big deal (based on White's not playing 48.Rc7), then why bother defending it?} 48... Rb7 49. h4 Rb2+ 50. Kg3 Rb3+ 51. Kg4 Rb4+ 52. Kh3 Rb3+ 53. g3 Rb7 54. Ra6 Rc7 55. Ra5 Rb7 56. Ra6 Rc7 57. a5 Rb7 58. Rc6 Rb5 59. a6 Ra5 60. Kg4 Ra4+ 61. Kh3 Ra3 62. Re6 Kh5 63. Re5+ Kh6 (63... g5 {is just as good, the funny point being that after} 64. Rxg5+ Kh6 {White can't protect the a-pawn.}) 64. Re6 Kh5 65. Re8 {Hope springs eternal.} g5 (65... Rxa6 $4 66. Rh8#) 66. Rh8+ Kg6 67. h5+ Kf7 68. Kg4 Rxa6 69. Kxg5 {This would be a trivially easy draw even without Black's a-pawn.} Ra5+ 70. Kh4 g6 71. h6 Rh5+ (71... g5+ 72. Kh5 g4+ 73. Kxg4 Kg6 $11 {is even easier, not that the game is particularly challenging for Black.}) 72. Kg4 Kf6 73. Rf8+ Ke7 74. Ra8 Kf6 75. Rxa7 Rxh6 76. Ra6+ Kg7 77. Ra7+ Kf6 78. Ra6+ Kg7 79. Ra7+ Kf6 80. Ra6+ {Nepo finally accepts the inevitable. Firouzja has guaranteed himself at least a tie for first (which would result in a playoff) in the tournament and clinched overall victory in the Grand Chess Tour. Congrats to Firouzja, who has had a great 2024 (excepting the Candidates).} 1/2-1/2