[Event "FIDE Candidates 2024"] [Site "Toronto CAN"] [Date "2024.04.05"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Black "Gukesh, D."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2747"] [BlackElo "2743"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2024.04.04"] {[%evp 0,66,19,31,19,-16,-3,-3,-10,-17,5,-13,-3,-13,-14,-23,-15,-14,-21,-4,-23,-27,-20,-37,-41,-34,-35,-47,-83,-50,-75,-125,-41,-12,-41,-65,31,8,6,9,-42,-28,27,-100,40,-28,-60,-204,-149,-149,-69,-127,-123,-175,-175,-175,-175,-210,-170,-295,-176,-196,-200,-525,-447,-542,-516,-724,-720]} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 (5. Bd2 {is less interesting but (much) more popular.}) 5... dxc4 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 {Black's score in recent games has been brilliant against this; whether this is due to the move's drawbacks or to be chalked up to the randomness inherent in a small sample is unclear.} (8. Re1 {has been played in recent games by some of the world's top players (Caruana, Abdusattorov, and - repeatedly - Mamedyarov).}) 8... Be7 9. e4 a6 10. Be3 b5 $15 {The engine prefers Black here, and as noted above that squares with the results. But Pragg is playing this, and he's certainly no fool. What's going on here?} 11. Qe2 (11. Qc2 {has scored well for White, but it in fewer, comparatively lower-rated games.}) 11... Bb7 12. Rad1 Na5 13. d5 (13. Ne5 {has also been tried, preparing f4 and g4 to scare up a kingside attack.}) 13... exd5 14. e5 {This has been played before, but only in a couple of relatively old correspondence games.} (14. exd5) 14... Ne8 15. e6 f5 $146 {Probably slightly inferior to the moves chosen in the earlier games, though still good enough to retain equality in this wild, wildly imbalanced position.} (15... c6 16. exf7+ (16. Rfe1 {may improve. A possible line:} Nb3 17. exf7+ Rxf7 18. Ne5 Rf5 19. Bf4 Nc5 20. Nxc6 $1 Bxc6 21. Qxe7 Qxe7 22. Rxe7 Nd3 23. Re6 Rc8 24. Rxc6 Rxc6 25. Bxd5+ Rxd5 26. Nxd5 Re6 $15) 16... Rxf7 17. Ne5 Rf5 18. Bd4 Bd6 19. Bh3 Rf6 20. Nd7 Rh6 21. Rfe1 Nb3 22. Bb6 Nc7 23. Bg4 Qe8 24. Qxe8+ Rxe8 25. Rxe8+ Nxe8 26. Be3 Rg6 27. Bf5 Bc8 28. h4 Bxa3 29. Bxg6 hxg6 30. bxa3 Bxd7 31. f3 Bf5 32. Nxd5 cxd5 33. Rxd5 Nc7 34. Rd8+ Kh7 {0-1 Hunger,H (2402)-Laurenc,P (2415) Paredes Memorial-A email ICCF email 2014}) (15... fxe6 16. Bf4 (16. Nd4 {may improve. These positions are challenging to analyze, even with an engine.} Qd6 17. Bf4 Rxf4 18. gxf4 c6 19. Nxe6 Nf6 20. Rfe1 Re8 21. f5 Nb3 (21... Bc8 22. Ne4 Nxe4 23. Bxe4 Bf6 24. Qh5 Re7 25. Bc2 g6 (25... h6 $15) 26. Qg4 Bxe6 27. Rxe6 Rxe6 28. fxe6 Qe5 29. Bxg6 Qg5 30. Qxg5 Bxg5 31. Re1 Kf8 $15) 22. Ne4 Nxe4 23. Bxe4 Bf6 $17) 16... c6 17. Qxe6+ Kh8 18. Ne5 Nd6 (18... Bd6 19. Nf7+ Rxf7 20. Qxf7 Qe7 21. Qxe7 Bxe7 $17) 19. Rfe1 Bf6 20. Qh3 Bxe5 21. Bxe5 Nb3 22. Ne4 Nf7 23. Qh5 Nxe5 24. Ng5 h6 25. Rxe5 Qf6 26. Ne6 Qxf2+ 27. Kh1 Qf7 28. Qe2 Rfe8 29. Rf1 Qg8 30. Nf4 Rxe5 31. Ng6+ Kh7 32. Qxe5 Re8 33. Qf5 {½-½ Troia,E (2156)-Vecek,M (2140) W-ch WS/M/339 email ICCF email 2011}) 16. Ne5 Nf6 17. Qc2 $2 (17. Rfe1 {may improve. For instance,} Nb3 18. Nf7 Qc8 19. Bg5 $8 d4 $8 20. Bxf6 $8 Bxf6 $8 21. Nd5 Bxd5 $1 22. Bxd5 Be7 23. Qe5 $1 c6 $1 24. Bf3 d3 25. Bh5 $1 Bf6 26. Qxf5 Bxb2 {and it's hard to believe that White has nothing more than a draw here. It seems to be the case though, e.g.} 27. Re4 Nd4 $8 28. Nh6+ $8 Kh8 $8 29. Nf7+ $8 Kg8 $1 30. Nh6+ $1 $11) 17... c6 $2 (17... c5 $1 {was best. If White doesn't go for the following line, his position is lost due to the power of Black's enormous pawn center. Therefore} 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. Rxd5 Bxd5 20. Rd1 {is forced, and it would give White the advantage as well were it not for} Bxe6 $1 21. Rxd8 Raxd8 $17 {/-+ This wasn't a hard line for Gukesh to calculate and assess; so he must have overlooked the possibility or just assumed that it was impossible without taking the couple of seconds he needed to spot 20...Bxe6.}) 18. Qxf5 Qe8 $15 19. Nf7 $2 (19. Rfe1) 19... Bc8 $17 (19... Rxf7 $142 20. exf7+ Qxf7 $17 {/-+ is great for Black, with two pawns for the exchange and a massive 5-2 queenside majority that chokes much of White's army.}) 20. Rfe1 Nb7 $2 (20... Nb3 $1 21. Rxd5 $3 Bxe6 $1 (21... cxd5 $2 22. Nxd5 Nxd5 23. Bxd5 {is very dangerous for Black, who will need to show some generosity of his own to escape.} Bxe6 $1 (23... Rb8 $4 24. Be4 $1 g6 25. Qe5 Rxf7 26. exf7+ Qxf7 27. Bd5 $18 {wins the house.}) 24. Qxe6 $1 Bf6 25. Qxe8 Raxe8 26. Nd6+ Kh8 27. Nxe8 Rxe8 28. Re2 $11) 22. Qxe6 Bxa3 $3 {One exclam for the move, the other for the need to see this, which is Black's only satisfactory option, well in advance.} 23. Qxe8 Raxe8 24. Rg5 Bxb2 $1 {Were it not for this, White would have the advantage.} 25. Nd1 $8 Ba3 26. Ne5 h6 27. Rf5 c5 $19 {The dust settles at last. White has a piece for Black's three pawns, but Black's 4-0 pawn majority on the queenside will probably decide the game in his favor.}) (20... Rxf7 21. exf7+ Qxf7 $17 {is more routine than the crazy 20...Nb3 line, and still good enough for a clear plus.}) 21. Bg5 $6 (21. Rxd5 $3 cxd5 22. Nxd5 Rxf7 23. exf7+ Qxf7 24. Qe5 $1 $44 {It's hard to believe that White has enough compensation for a whole piece, but he does.}) 21... Ra7 $11 (21... Nc5 $1 {was best, but as so often in this game the proof is absurdly difficult for a human to produce, even if that person is rated over 2740.} 22. Bxf6 $8 Bxe6 $1 23. Nh6+ $1 Kh8 $1 (23... gxh6 $2 24. Rxe6 Nxe6 25. Qxe6+ Rf7 26. Nxd5 $1 cxd5 27. Bxe7 Qxe7 28. Qxe7 Rxe7 29. Bxd5+ $18) 24. Bxg7+ (24. Bxe7 $5 Qxe7 $1 (24... Bxf5 25. Bxc5 Qg6 26. Bxf8 $11) 25. Qe5 Qa7 $17) 24... Kxg7 25. Rxe6 $1 Nxe6 (25... Rxf5 $2 26. Nxf5+ Kh8 27. Rxe7 $14) 26. Qxe6 Kh8 $17) 22. Bxf6 (22. Bxd5 {would most likely transpose.}) 22... Bxf6 23. Bxd5 $1 cxd5 24. Nxd5 Be7 (24... Bxb2 25. Qc2 $1 Bxa3 $8 26. Nc7 Qe7 27. Nd5 Qe8 28. Nc7 Qe7 $11 {is an odd, more or less forced repetition.}) 25. Qg4 $2 (25. Nh6+ $1 {had to be played, with equality whether Black takes the knight or not.} gxh6 (25... Kh8 26. Nf7+ Kg8 $8 27. Nh6+ $11) 26. Qg4+ Bg5 (26... Kh8 $143 27. Nxe7 Qxe7 28. Qd4+ $14 {is a case of LPDO (loose pieces drop off - referring to the unprotected rook on a7).}) 27. Qd4 $1 Nd8 $1 (27... Ra8 $2 {is a mistake, but not because of 28.Nc7, which would itself be an error. The problem is} 28. e7 $1 Rf7 {and only now} 29. Nc7 $18 {Lest the analysis of this game be eternal, I'll leave it to the interested reader to decide why the preliminary 28.e7 is necessary.}) 28. Qxa7 Nxe6 $8 29. h4 $1 Bd8 30. Nb6 $1 {White's activity compensates - just - for Black's material advantage.}) 25... Nd8 $1 $19 {Now there's no perpetual and Black's pieces finally coordinate. As White is down a piece for only the one pawn (glorious though that e6 pawn may be), he's in big trouble if his initiative is drying up and there's no way to cash in.} 26. Nxd8 ({Perhaps the best he can do is} 26. Qd4 {, when Black's best is the "generous"} Nxe6 $1 27. Nh6+ gxh6 28. Qxa7 Bc5 29. Nf6+ $1 Rxf6 30. Qxc5 Qf8 $1 $19 {with what should be a winning position. White's pieces look nice, but the two minors are more powerful than the rook.}) 26... Bxd8 27. Qd4 Rb7 28. Re4 Bf6 29. Qe3 Be7 {White's next two moves allow Black to take over, but it's hard to find any constructive alternatives.} 30. h4 Qc6 31. h5 Bc5 32. Qg5 Bxe6 {With the pride and joy of his position gone, White is at death's door.} 33. h6 Rxf2 {Black is up a piece and a pawn, and has an attack to boot. It's time for Pragg to resign.} 0-1 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2024"] [Site "Toronto CAN"] [Date "2024.04.05"] [Round "2.2"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C65"] [WhiteElo "2789"] [BlackElo "2727"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "58"] [EventDate "2024.04.04"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 {Keeping the tension, rather than heading for the Berlin ending or the Exchange French/Petroff-like 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 line.} Bc5 5. c3 (5. Bxc6 {is another important line, used, for example, by Caruana twice in the American Cup a couple of weeks ago.}) (5. O-O {is the third main line. Black often plays 5...Nd4 here (one of the reasons for 5.c3), but Vidit played} d6 {against Gukesh this past leap day.}) 5... O-O 6. O-O d6 ({The very active} 6... d5 {is also common.}) 7. h3 (7. Nbd2) 7... Ne7 8. d4 {A well-known position in which Black almost always plays 8...Bb6; a few lower-rated players took on d4 - wrongly. Vidit has prepared something new.} c6 $5 $146 {Approved by the computer, of course, but still a remarkable idea.} 9. Bd3 {A sensible option, good in its own right and avoiding complications Vidit has prepared in advance.} (9. dxc5 cxb5 10. cxd6 {looks great for White at first glance, but after} Ng6 {Black will either regain the d-pawn with equality or achieve a position with sufficient counterplay to make up for the sacrificed pawn.} 11. Qd3 $1 (11. Re1 Be6 12. Na3 a6 $11 {Black will recoup the sacrificed pawn with ...Qb6 and ...Rfd8 or with ...Rc8-c6.}) 11... Be6 $1 (11... a6 {is playable but worse:} 12. a4 $1 bxa4 13. c4 $1 $14 {and now the d-pawn will survive.}) 12. Rd1 (12. Qxb5 Qxd6 $44) 12... Rc8 $1 $11 13. Qxb5 $2 Bc4 14. Qxb7 Be2 15. Re1 Bxf3 16. gxf3 Nh5 $19) 9... Bb6 $1 10. dxe5 ({White could have played it safe with} 10. Re1) ({or} 10. Nbd2 {, but this time he decides to test the waters.}) 10... dxe5 11. Nxe5 Bxh3 $1 {Still part of his preparation.} 12. Nc4 $2 (12. gxh3 $142 Qb8 13. Bf4 (13. Nf3 $4 Qg3+ 14. Kh1 Qxh3+ 15. Kg1 (15. Nh2 Rad8 16. Qf3 Rxd3 17. Qxh3 Rxh3 18. Kg2 Rh5 $19 {is not just an extra pawn for Black, thanks to White's poor development.}) 15... Ng4 16. Bf4 Ng6 17. Bd6 Rfd8 18. Ng5 Qh4 $19 {White's position collapses.}) 13... Bc7 14. Bh2 ({or} 14. Bg3 Bxe5 15. f4 Bc7 $11) 14... Bxe5 15. f4 Bc7 $11 {White has more space and the bishop pair, but White's kingside pawns may also be somewhat overextended.}) 12... Bg4 $17 13. Qc2 (13. Be2 {was Nakamura's initial intention, seeing} Qxd1 14. Bxd1 Bxd1 15. Rxd1 Nxe4 16. Nxb6 axb6 17. Re1 {which seems to win a piece. Unfortunately for him, Black has a nice tactical resource:} Nc5 $1 18. Rxe7 Nb3 {, which should eventually win. White can put up some resistance thanks to Black's knight's being stuck after} 19. Na3 Nxa1 20. Be3 b5 21. Rxb7 $19 {, but in the long run the extra material should decide the game.}) 13... Bc7 (13... Ng6 $142) 14. e5 Nd7 (14... Nfd5 $142 15. Bxh7+ Kh8 16. Bd3 Ng6 $17 17. Bxg6 fxg6 18. Qxg6 $2 Be2 19. Bh6 Qe7 $19) 15. Bxh7+ Kh8 16. Bd3 $2 (16. Qe4 {looks like a blunder, but in fact it's the prelude to an interesting piece sacrifice.} f5 $1 17. Bxf5 $1 (17. exf6 $4 Nxf6 $19 {wins a piece while keeping all the positional advantages as well.}) 17... Bxf5 18. Qh4+ Kg8 19. Bg5 {White has good pressure. Black has only one path to an advantage:} Rf7 $1 20. Nd6 $1 Nxe5 $1 21. Bxe7 $8 Qd7 $1 22. Nxf7 Ng6 23. Ne5 $1 Bxe5 24. Qc4+ Be6 25. Qe4 Kf7 26. f4 $1 Bc7 27. Bc5 Bd5 28. Qe3 Re8 29. Qh3 Qxh3 30. gxh3 b6 31. Bf2 $8 Nxf4 32. Bg3 $8 g5 $15 {A long and crazy line. Neither side's play is easy, but it was a good chance for Nakamura.}) 16... b5 $17 (16... f5 $1 $19 {was even better.}) 17. Ne3 Nxe5 18. Be2 $2 {A final error. Vidit finishes powerfully from here, and gives Nakamura no further chances to save or even complicate the game.} (18. Nxg4 $8 Nxg4 (18... Qxd3 $143 19. Qxd3 Nxd3 20. a4 $15) 19. g3 f5 $17) 18... f5 $1 {Practically all of Black's pieces are ready to attack, while White's kingside pieces are passive and his queenside is asleep.} 19. f4 (19. Nxg4 fxg4 20. g3 Qd6 $19 {Black will keep building with ...Bb6 and ...Rae8, when the attack will inevitably break through.}) 19... Bb6 $1 20. Kf2 (20. fxe5 Nd5 21. Qd3 Qg5 $19) 20... Nd5 $1 21. Rh1+ (21. fxe5 Qh4+ 22. g3 Qh2+ $19) 21... Kg8 22. fxe5 Qg5 23. Ke1 Bxe3 (23... Nxe3 $142) 24. Bxg4 Qxg4 25. Bxe3 Nxe3 26. Qe2 Qg3+ (26... Rad8 {is also strong.}) 27. Kd2 Rad8+ 28. Kc1 Qg5 29. b3 {Hoping to play Kb2, when the position will still be horrible but not immediately losing.} Nf1+ $1 (29... Nf1+ $1 30. Kb2 Ng3 31. Qe1 Nxh1 32. Qxh1 Rfe8 $19 {leaves White without a sensible reason to continue.}) 0-1 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2024"] [Site "Toronto CAN"] [Date "2024.04.05"] [Round "2.3"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C65"] [WhiteElo "2758"] [BlackElo "2760"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "89"] [EventDate "2024.04.04"] {[%evp 0,89,16,28,25,18,28,25,25,24,8,-23,-11,-11,26,-14,-9,-8,11,9,13,-20,-11,3,32,28,46,4,26,-82,-22,-8,-42,-28,-42,2,4,-9,-11,-63,-48,-88,-82,-66,-59,-28,-34,-51,-90,-28,-18,-46,0,-40,-102,-80,0,0,5,10,60,103,103,174,237,237,226,226,320,227,228,367,385,406,488,506,506,358,254,245,245,305,351,361,385,493,548,578,565,614,606,665]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O {All as in Nakamura-Vidit. Now Firouzja goes for the more active line.} d5 7. exd5 (7. Nbd2 {is the alternative, played by Firouzja himself earlier this year and by Nepo against Ding in their World Championship match.}) 7... Qxd5 8. Bc4 Qd8 9. b4 ({Or} 9. Nbd2 {, which can transpose when Black doesn't play} a5 {, which is the most commonly chosen move.}) 9... Be7 10. Nbd2 a6 (10... Bf5 {is more usual, but it's just a transposition after} 11. Qc2 a6 12. a4) 11. a4 Bf5 12. Qc2 Nd5 $11 13. Ne4 Bg4 14. Qa2 (14. Ne1 {was played in six prior games. Five were correspondence games, and all six were drawn.}) 14... Nb6 15. Bb3 Bxf3 16. gxf3 Qxd3 $146 (16... Qd7 $143 17. a5 Nc8 18. Qe2 $14 Nd6 19. Kh1 Nb5 $6 20. Bb2 $6 (20. Rg1 $142 $16) 20... Rad8 21. Rad1 Kh8 22. Rg1 h6 $2 23. f4 $18 (23. d4 $18) 23... exf4 $2 24. Qh5 {1-0 Durarbayli,V (2638)-Rodshtein,M (2596) Olympiad-44 Chennai 2022 (7.3)}) 17. Kg2 Qd7 18. Rd1 Qe8 {White has the bishop pair and more space, but if Black can swap pieces and/or get his knights to the kingside, White's poor structure will give Black his chances.} 19. h4 Nc8 (19... Kh8 {makes sense, unpinning the f-pawn. We'll see this played on the next move.}) 20. h5 $6 (20. Qc2 $142 Kh8 21. Ng5 Bxg5 $8 22. hxg5 Nd6 23. Rh1 g6 24. Rh3 $11) 20... Kh8 $5 (20... h6 $15 {is a good choice, but Firouzja is perfectly happy to let White carry out his threat.}) 21. h6 g5 $1 {As in the round 1 game between Firouzja and Praggnanandhaa (which had a somewhat similar pawn structure), both players are going for a kingside attack.} 22. Qd2 $5 (22. Rg1 $1 $11 {is another (better) way of dealing with ...f5-based tactics.} f5 $6 23. Nxg5 {and here ...Qg6, whether straight away or after the swap on g5, is rendered harmless by Kf1 in reply.}) 22... Nd6 $1 $15 (22... f5 $1 23. Nxg5 Qg6 24. Kf1 {keeps the knight safe, but} Nd6 25. Ne6 $8 Rg8 $15 {favors Black all the same. Note that White cannot safely play to win an exchange with} 26. Nxc7 $2 {because of} Qg2+ 27. Ke2 (27. Ke1 $2 Qxf3 28. Kf1 Nd4 $1 29. cxd4 Ne4 30. Qe3 Ng3+ 31. Ke1 Bxb4+ 32. Bd2 Qh1# {is a nice way to win a game.}) 27... Rg3 $1 28. Nxa8 Qxf3+ 29. Kf1 Rh3 {and it's mate in at most two more moves.}) 23. Bb2 Nf5 $2 (23... f6 $1 24. Ng3 f5 $1 $15 {/?}) (23... Nxe4 $5 24. fxe4 f5 $1 $15) 24. Qd7 $14 Nh4+ $1 25. Kf1 f5 26. Ng3 Nxf3 27. b5 $1 {What a round! It's one tactical mess after another.} f4 (27... Na5 $142 28. Ba2 g4 $1 29. Qxe8 (29. Qxc7 $143 Rc8 $1 30. Qd7 (30. Qxa5 $2 f4 $19 31. Ne4 $2 g3 $1 {Black will play ...Qg6 or ...Qh5 with an unstoppable attack.}) 30... f4 $44) 29... Raxe8 30. Rd7 axb5 31. axb5 $14 {/? White's active rook and bishop pair are dangerous, and the position looks very unpleasant for a human to defend.}) 28. Ne4 $6 (28. Qxe8 Raxe8 29. Ne4 $14 {/?}) 28... Na5 $6 (28... Qh5 $1 29. bxc6 Nh2+ {is an immediate draw after 30.Kg1/e1 Nf3+ 31.Kf1 Nh2+ and so on. White's problem is that} 30. Kg2 $2 {loses to} f3+ 31. Kg1 Ng4 $19) 29. Be6 (29. Ba2 $142 $16) 29... Qg6 $4 {I'm not sure what Firouzja missed, but this is essentially a free piece.} (29... g4 $1) 30. Qxe7 Qxh6 (30... Qxe4 31. Qg7#) (30... Rae8 31. Qg7+ Qxg7 32. hxg7+ Kxg7 33. Ba2 $18) 31. Bf7 $18 (31. Bd5 $18) 31... Qh3+ (31... Rxf7 32. Qxf7 Qh1+ 33. Ke2 Ng1+ 34. Rxg1 Qxe4+ 35. Kf1 $18 {Black's checks are about to run out, and the three pawns do not suffice for White's extra rook.}) 32. Ke2 Qf5 33. Bd5 $1 Rae8 34. Qxc7 $1 Qg4 35. Kd3 Rd8 36. c4 Rxd5+ 37. cxd5 Qh3 {Black is doing his best to make a pest of himself. Unfortunately, White has too many good options - not surprisingly, given his extra rook, Black's weak king and the loose knight on a5.} 38. Ng3 {One good move among many.} Nc4 $1 39. Qxc4 (39. Kxc4 Rc8 40. b6 {is another win.}) 39... fxg3 40. fxg3 axb5 41. axb5 Rc8 42. Rh1 Qd7 43. Qe4 Kg8 (43... Qxb5+ 44. Ke3 Qb3+ 45. Qd3 {brings the fun to an end, as} Qxb2 {allows} 46. Qxh7#) 44. Ke3 Nd4 45. Bxd4 1-0 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2024"] [Site "Toronto CAN"] [Date "2024.04.05"] [Round "2.4"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Abasov, Nijat"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B30"] [WhiteElo "2803"] [BlackElo "2632"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "2024.04.04"] {[%evp 0,73,33,33,47,66,47,60,64,49,69,45,62,55,68,22,24,24,12,-21,9,-18,12,-5,-3,25,36,36,36,20,20,15,57,33,32,78,82,33,33,43,42,42,42,34,38,41,48,48,63,52,49,69,61,43,112,109,109,43,27,40,96,51,34,59,59,47,59,59,59,59,107,93,93,153,309,756]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e5 {Better than it looks, though White should be better here.} 4. O-O {White threatens to take on c6 and then on e5.} Bd6 {The comment after Black's third move applies here, too.} 5. d3 {Caruana played this against Carlsen in 2020, losing that game. (Giri and Aronian have also lost to Carlsen from this position.)} ({Caruana has chosen other moves as well, opting for} 5. c3 {against Carlsen (drawn) and}) (5. d4 $5 {against Nakamura (he won that game).}) 5... Nf6 6. Nc3 {Not a novelty, but a move without super-GM (and maybe any sort of GM) precedents.} (6. Bg5 {was his choice in the earlier game against Carlsen (Aronian's choice too, while Giri played 6.a4 instead).}) 6... O-O 7. h3 $146 a6 8. Bxc6 dxc6 9. Nh4 Re8 (9... Ne8 10. Nf5 Bc7) 10. Qf3 g6 11. Bg5 Be7 12. Qe3 $14 Nh5 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Nf3 b6 {White is generally a little better in these Rossolimo positions. His plans are to play for f4 and maybe b4; Black would like to bring his knight around to d4 if possible, and if all goes well to play for ...f5. White's plans are more easily achieved - hence the slight edge.} 15. a3 b5 16. Ne2 f6 17. Nd2 Be6 18. f4 Nxf4 19. Nxf4 exf4 20. Rxf4 Rad8 21. Qf2 (21. Raf1 $142 Rf8 22. b4 $1 cxb4 23. axb4 $16) 21... Rf8 22. Rf1 Kg7 23. b4 cxb4 24. axb4 $14 {White is unquestionably better; the problem is how to make progress. If White could play Nb3-c5 the game would be strategically over, but obviously Nb3 will be met by ...Bxb3.} Ra8 25. Kh1 {Somewhat mysterious. Maybe it was a prophylactic move, hoping to prevent ...a5? If so, it failed.} (25. Nf3 $14) (25. h4 $14) 25... a5 $1 26. bxa5 c5 $6 {It's not the end of the world, but this is a definite inaccuracy.} (26... Rxa5 $1 27. Qb6 {would have been met by 27...Qa7, forcing a queen trade when White's king was on g1. That was (perhaps) the prophylactic idea behind 25.Kh1. It turns out that even here Black is completely fine thanks to} Ra2 $1 28. Qxc6 b4 $11 {followed by ...Rc8, regaining the pawn with equality.}) 27. Ra1 Ra6 (27... b4 $142) 28. e5 (28. c3 $142 $14 {/?}) 28... f5 29. c4 bxc4 30. dxc4 Rfa8 31. Nb3 g5 $1 32. Qg3 $1 h6 (32... Kh8 $142 $14) 33. Rf2 (33. Rff1 $142) 33... Bxc4 $6 {Not yet terminal, but the idea motivating it will cost Black the game.} (33... Rb8 $142) 34. Rxf5 $16 Bxb3 $4 (34... Qe6 $1 35. Rf3 Qd5 36. Re1 Re6 {and it's still a game.}) 35. Qxb3 Rxa5 {Abasov assumed that he was liquidating to a draw. Caruana's next move will disabuse him of this notion.} 36. Raf1 $1 $18 {There is no satisfactory answer to the threatened Rf7.} Kh8 ({Maybe Abasov had assumed without checking that} 36... Ra1 {would suffice, failing to notice that} 37. Rf7+ {still works thanks to White's queen.}) 37. Rf7 (37. Rf7 Qxe5 38. Rf8+ Rxf8 39. Rxf8+ Kg7 40. Qg8#) 1-0