[Event "FIDE Candidates Tournament"] [Site "?"] [Date "2020.03.17"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C78"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2842"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] {[%evp 0,88,19,34,23,10,26,2,17,2,2,7,3,24,18,29,38,32,77,57,58,-53,47,-4,38, 27,21,18,21,17,14,-7,20,11,47,39,61,42,17,10,9,9,-13,6,8,-8,-22,-22,-12,0,0,0, -14,-1,45,7,0,-47,-55,-30,23,-32,-24,-24,-81,-79,-36,-28,-19,-17,-23,-38,-38, -35,-40,-35,-30,-39,-36,-43,-49,-33,-36,-56,-13,-3,-17,-14,0,-13,-15]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. a4 Rb8 8. c3 d6 9. d4 Bb6 10. a5 Ba7 11. h3 O-O 12. Be3 exd4 13. cxd4 Nb4 14. Nc3 Bb7 15. Ng5 Qe7 $146 {The engine's top choice, but a novelty - ...Qe8 had almost always been preferred.} (15... Qe8 16. e5 dxe5 17. dxe5 ({Here} 17. Nxf7 $2 {is senseless:} Rxf7 18. dxe5 Qc6 $1 {is the critical point differentiating 15...Qe8 from 15... Qe7. White has no way of meeting the mate threat that won't result in an awful position.} 19. Qf3 Qxf3 20. Bxf7+ Kxf7 21. gxf3 Bxe3 22. fxe3 Nd7 23. f4 Nd3 24. Rad1 N7c5 $19 {is a disaster for White. Material is equal if we're adding things up the way the beginners' books teach us to do, but Black's minor pieces are far more effective than White's bottled up rook.}) 17... Bxe3 { But now it's a good move:} 18. Nxf7 $1 {Here ...Ba7 cannot be played. With the queen on e7 it's a good idea; with the queen on e8 it's obviously not, due to Nd6+, picking up the queen.} Rxf7 $8 19. exf6 Bc5 {The engine is optimistic about White's position up to here, but the longer it thinks, the more confident it becomes in Black's chances to keep the balance.} 20. Re1 (20. Qh5 Bd6 21. Rfe1 Qf8 22. Rad1 g6 23. Qh4 Re8 24. Rxe8 Qxe8 25. Bxf7+ Qxf7 26. Rxd6 cxd6 27. Qxb4 Qxf6 $11) 20... Qf8 21. Ne4 Bxe4 22. Rxe4 Kh8 23. Bxf7 Qxf7 { Is White better? The position is complicated, and could be analyzed further. For example:} 24. fxg7+ Kg8 25. Ra3 Qxf2+ 26. Kh1 Qf5 27. Rxb4 Bxb4 28. Qb3+ Kxg7 29. Qxb4 Qe5 $11 30. Rd3 Re8 31. Rd1 c5 32. Qg4+ {1/2-1/2 (32) Kraft,D (2477)-Oreopoulos,K (2494) ICCF email 2015}) (15... c5 {was played once, and by a good GM, too, who drew against an even higher-rated GM. But it's an objectively losing move, so please don't follow in his footsteps!}) 16. e5 dxe5 17. Nxf7 (17. dxe5 $143 Bxe3 18. Nxf7 Ba7 19. exf6 Qxf6 20. Ne5+ Kh8 21. Nd7 Bxf2+ 22. Kh1 Qh6 23. Nd5 (23. Nxf8 $4 Qxh3#) 23... Nxd5 24. Bxd5 Bxd5 25. Qxd5 Rbd8 26. Qe5 Rfe8 (26... Rxd7 27. Rxf2 $11) 27. Qxc7 Rc8 28. Qb7 Bg3 $15) 17... e4 {The position is sharp but balanced. Much more could be said about the remainder of the game, but from this author you'll have to settle for the following, more cursory notes.} (17... Rxf7 $2 18. dxe5 {and without the ... Qc6 trick (see the 15...Qe8 analysis) Black will lose material and the game.} Qxe5 19. Bxf7+ Kxf7 20. Bxa7 $18) 18. Nd6+ (18. Ng5+ Kh8 19. Ne6 Rfe8 $11) 18... Kh8 19. Nxb7 Rxb7 20. Qe2 c6 21. Rad1 (21. f3) 21... Rd7 22. f3 exf3 23. Rxf3 c5 24. dxc5 Rxd1+ 25. Nxd1 (25. Bxd1 Bxc5 26. Bxc5 Qxc5+ $11) 25... Bxc5 ( 25... Nc6 26. Qf2 Rd8 27. Nc3 Nd4 28. Bxd4 Rxd4 $44) 26. Qf2 Bd6 27. Nc3 Nd3 28. Qe2 Nc5 29. Ba2 Re8 30. Qd2 Nce4 31. Nxe4 Nxe4 32. Qd3 (32. Qc1) 32... Ng5 (32... Rd8) 33. Bxg5 Bc5+ 34. Kh1 Qxg5 35. Rf1 Qe5 36. Qd5 Qe2 37. Qf5 Qe5 { The rest is a mere formality.} 38. Qxe5 Rxe5 39. Rd1 g6 40. Bd5 Re7 41. Bc6 Re2 42. Bb7 Rxb2 43. Bxa6 Ra2 44. Bxb5 Rxa5 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates Tournament"] [Site "?"] [Date "2020.03.17"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Wang, Hao"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A22"] [WhiteElo "2805"] [BlackElo "2762"] [PlyCount "90"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] {[%evp 0,90,23,-16,-13,-51,-39,-39,-32,-37,-25,-30,2,10,6,14,24,19,41,40,20,26, 28,-15,21,9,24,28,21,21,21,16,21,21,34,-5,18,12,36,9,15,-3,20,-19,3,-9,32,10, -14,-3,39,-5,10,5,10,7,7,6,14,0,6,-34,-29,-21,-3,-3,0,0,0,0,0,0,-61,-49,-47, -128,-119,-85,-85,-85,0,-132,-121,-126,-160,-277,-133,-197,-200,-210,-123,-121, -134]} 1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Bc5 4. d3 O-O 5. Nc3 c6 6. Nf3 d6 7. O-O Re8 8. Na4 Bb4 9. a3 Ba5 10. b4 Bc7 11. e4 a5 12. Bb2 Na6 13. b5 cxb5 14. cxb5 Nc5 15. Nxc5 dxc5 16. a4 Bg4 17. Ra3 Nd7 18. h3 Bh5 19. Qb1 b6 20. Nd2 Nf8 21. Bf3 Qg5 22. h4 Qg6 23. Qd1 Bxf3 24. Qxf3 h5 25. Qf5 Rad8 26. Qxg6 Nxg6 27. Kg2 f6 28. Nc4 Kf7 29. Bc1 Rd7 30. f4 exf4 31. Bxf4 Nxf4+ 32. gxf4 f5 33. e5 Re6 34. Kf3 Rg6 35. Ne3 Ke6 36. Rd1 Bd8 37. Ra2 Rd4 38. Nc2 Rd5 39. Ne3 Rd7 40. Rdd2 Bxh4 41. Rg2 Rg4 42. Rh2 g6 43. Nxg4 fxg4+ 44. Ke3 Be7 45. Rac2 h4 0-1 [Event "FIDE Candidates Tournament"] [Site "?"] [Date "2020.03.17"] [Round "1.3"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A33"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2774"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "146"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] {[%evp 0,5,26,26,26,-8,24,16]} 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d4 (4. g3) 4... cxd4 5. Nxd4 e6 6. g3 Qb6 7. Ndb5 (7. Nb3 Ne5 8. e4 Bb4 9. Qe2 d6 (9... Bxc3+ $2 10. bxc3 d6 11. f4 Ng6 (11... Ned7 12. e5 $18 {[%CAl Gc1a3]}) 12. Ba3 {[%CAl Ge8g8,Ge4e5,Ga3f8]} Qa6 13. Bb4 O-O 14. O-O-O $16 {/+-}) 10. Bd2 O-O ( 10... a5 11. f4 Nc6 12. Be3 Qc7 (12... Qd8)) 11. O-O-O a5 12. f4 Nc6 (12... a4) ) 7... Ne5 8. Bf4 (8. Bg2 {is more popular at the moment.} a6 9. Qa4 Rb8 10. Na3) 8... Nfg4 9. e3 (9. Qa4 Qxf2+ (9... g5 10. Bxe5 Qxf2+ 11. Kd1 Nxe5 12. Nc7+ Kd8 13. Nxa8 Qd4+ 14. Kc2 Nxc4 15. e4 Qd2+ 16. Kb3 Qxb2+ 17. Kxc4 d5+ 18. Kd3 Bg7 19. Ne2 Qxa1 20. Bg2 $16 Bd7 21. Qa5+ b6 22. Nxb6 dxe4+ 23. Bxe4 Qe5 24. Qxe5 Bxe5 25. Nxd7 Kxd7 26. Rb1 f5 27. Rb7+ Kc8 28. Bg2 Rd8+ 29. Ke3 Bc7 30. Nc3 e5 31. Rb5 Bb6+ 32. Ke2 Bd4 33. Nd5 Kd7 34. Ne3 Ke6 35. Bd5+ Kf6 36. Bb3 h5 37. Nd5+ Kg6 38. Rb7 Re8 39. Ne7+ Kf6 40. Ng8+ {1-0 (40) Svane,R (2531) -Heimann,A (2557) Biel 2015}) 10. Kd2 Qc5 11. Ne4 Qb4+ 12. Qxb4 Bxb4+ 13. Kc2 Nxc4 14. Nc7+ Ke7 15. Nxa8 d5 $44) 9... a6 10. h3 (10. Qa4 Ra7 $1 11. h3 $8 ( 11. Nxa7 $2 Qxb2 {[%CAl Gb2a1,Gb2c3,Gb2f2,Ge5f3,Ge1d1,Gb2d2]} 12. Be2 $8 Qxc3+ 13. Kf1 Qxa1+ 14. Kg2 Qb2 $19 15. Qd1 Qb6 16. Nxc8 Qc6+ 17. e4 g5 18. Bxg5 Rg8 19. Bf4 Qxe4+ 20. f3 Qxf4 21. gxf4 Ne3+ 22. Kh3 Nxd1 23. Rxd1 Ng6 24. Kg3 Ne7+ {0-1 (24) Noe,C (2529)-Gschnitzer,A (2365) Heusenstamm 2018}) 11... axb5 12. Qxb5 Qc6 $1 13. Bxe5 Qxh1 14. hxg4 h5 (14... Qc6 15. Bd4 Ra8 16. a3 Be7 17. Qh5 Kf8 18. O-O-O b6 19. Kb1 Ba6 20. Nb5 Rd8 21. Bc3 Bxb5 22. cxb5 Qf3 23. Rd2 Bf6 24. Bb4+ Kg8 25. Bd6 Rc8 26. Qh3 Qe4+ 27. Bd3 Qd5 28. Bb4 Qf3 29. Bf1 h5 30. Bg2 Qxg4 31. Qxg4 hxg4 32. Bd6 Rc4 33. Ka2 Rh2 34. Bf1 Rc1 35. Bd3 Bg5 36. Bf4 Be7 37. e4 Bc5 38. e5 Re1 39. Rc2 g5 40. Bxg5 Rxe5 41. Bf6 Rd5 {1/2-1/2 (41) Topalov,V (2780)-Caruana,F (2794) Moscow 2016}) 15. g5 Ra6 16. O-O-O Qf3 17. Bd3 Qxf2 18. Bf4 Rc6 19. Qe5 h4 20. Ne4 d6 21. Qd4 e5 22. Bxe5 dxe5 23. Qxe5+ Re6 24. Qc7 Qxe3+ 25. Kb1 Rc6 26. Qe5+ Re6 27. Qb8 Rc6 28. Qe5+ Re6 {1/2-1/2 (28) Maetzig,R (2082)-Hoeppenstein,M (2017) GER email 2015}) 10... axb5 11. hxg4 Nxc4 12. Rc1 $5 {Almost a novelty.} (12. Qb3 d5 13. Bxc4 dxc4 14. Qxb5+ Qxb5 15. Nxb5 Ra5 $11 (15... Bb4+ $11)) 12... d5 $146 (12... Qa5 13. b3 Ba3 14. bxc4 Bxc1 15. Qxc1 bxc4 16. e4 b5 17. Rh5 d5 18. exd5 g6 19. Re5 f6 20. Re4 b4 21. Qe3 O-O 22. dxe6 bxc3 23. Bxc4 c2+ 24. Ke2 Ba6 25. e7+ Bxc4+ 26. Rxc4 Rae8 27. Qe6+ Rf7 28. Rc8 Qa4 29. Kd2 Kg7 30. Rxe8 Qxe8 31. Bd6 Qc6 32. Kc1 Qb5 33. Kxc2 {1-0 (33) Sedlacek,P (2478)-Suarez Sedeno,M (2426) ICCF email 2004}) 13. b3 Bb4 $1 (13... Na3 $2 14. g5 $16) 14. bxc4 Ra3 15. Be5 f6 16. Bd4 Qa5 17. Be2 Bxc3+ (17... e5 $2 18. O-O $1 exd4 19. Nxd5 $18) 18. Rxc3 Rxc3 19. Kf1 $1 (19. O-O $2 bxc4 20. g5 O-O 21. gxf6 gxf6 22. Bh5 Rd3 23. Qg4+ Kh8 $19) 19... b4 $5 (19... Rxc4 20. Bxc4 (20. g5 Qa4 (20... e5 21. Bxc4 bxc4 22. gxf6 $1 gxf6 ( 22... exd4 23. fxg7 Rg8 24. Qh5+ Ke7 25. Qg5+ (25. Qxh7 $2 Be6 26. Rh6 Qa6 $19 {[%CAl Gc4c3,Gd4d3,Gc3c2,Gd3d2,Gc2c1,Gd2d1]}) 25... Kf7 (25... Kd7 $2 26. Rh6 $18) 26. Qf4+ Ke7 27. Rh6 Qd8 28. exd4 c3 29. Qg5+ Kf7 30. Qh5+ Ke7 31. Qe5+ Kf7 $11) 23. Qh5+ Ke7 24. Bxe5 $1 Qb6 25. Bd4 Qb1+ 26. Kg2 Qe4+ 27. f3 Qc2+ 28. Kg1 Qf5 $11 (28... Qb1+ $11)) 21. Qxa4 bxa4 22. Bxc4 dxc4 23. gxf6 gxf6 24. Bxf6 O-O 25. Bc3 $11) 20... bxc4 21. g5 $44) (19... bxc4 20. g5 $1 O-O 21. gxf6 Rxf6 (21... gxf6 22. Bh5 Rd3 23. Qg4+ Kh8 24. Bg6 $18) 22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. Kg2 $44 {[%CAl Gh1h4,Gh4h6,Gd1h1]}) 20. g5 $1 (20. Bxc3 bxc3) 20... e5 (20... Qxa2 {[%CAl Ga2c2,Gc2d1,Gc2c1,Gc2e4]}) 21. Bxc3 bxc3 22. gxf6 gxf6 (22... O-O $142 23. fxg7 Kxg7 $11 24. Qxd5 $6 Qxd5 25. cxd5 Bf5 $1 $15 (25... Bh3+ 26. Rxh3 $1 (26. Ke1 $11) 26... c2 27. Rxh7+ $1 Kxh7 (27... Kf6 $4 28. Rc7 $18) 28. Bd3+ Kg7 29. Bxc2 $11)) 23. Qb1 $6 (23. cxd5 Qxa2 24. Qd3 Bd7 25. Qxc3 (25. Kg2 Qa3 $11) 25... Qxd5 $11) 23... Qc7 (23... d4 24. exd4 exd4 25. Rh4 Qc5 26. Qe4+ Kd8 27. Qxd4+ Qxd4 28. Rxd4+ Kc7 29. Ke1 Re8 30. Rd3 $8 Bg4 31. f3 c2 32. Rc3 $8 c1=Q+ 33. Rxc1 Bxf3 34. Rc2 $11 Kc6 35. Kf2 Rxe2+ 36. Rxe2 Bxe2 37. Kxe2 Kc5 38. Kd3 f5 {[%CAl Gh7h5,Gf5f4]} 39. Kc3 $1 (39. Ke3 $2 Kxc4 40. Kf4 Kb4 41. Kxf5 Ka3 42. Kg5 Kxa2 43. Kh6 b5 44. g4 b4 45. g5 b3 46. Kxh7 b2 47. g6 b1=Q $19) 39... h6 40. Kd3 b6 41. Ke3 Kxc4 42. Kf4 Kb4 43. Kxf5 Ka3 44. Kg6 b5 45. g4 Kxa2 46. Kxh6 b4 47. g5 b3 48. g6 b2 49. g7 b1=Q 50. g8=Q+ $11) (23... dxc4 24. Bxc4 Qc5 25. Rh4 Ke7) 24. Qd3 (24. Qg6+ $4 hxg6 25. Rxh8+ Ke7 26. Rh7+ Kd8 27. Rxc7 c2 $19 (27... Kxc7 28. Bd3 d4 $19)) 24... b5 $1 25. Qxc3 bxc4 26. e4 $8 (26. f4 $2 O-O $19) 26... dxe4 27. Rh4 $6 (27. Qxc4 Qxc4 28. Bxc4 Bg4 { [%CAl Gh7h5,Gg4f3]} 29. a4 h5 30. Be2 O-O 31. a5 Ra8 32. Rh4 Kf7 33. a6 Bxe2+ 34. Kxe2 Rxa6 35. Rxe4 {is a theoretical draw - an easy one, at this level.}) 27... Be6 28. Rxe4 O-O (28... Kf7 $142 $15) 29. Bxc4 $6 (29. Rh4 $1 $11) 29... Kg7 $1 (29... Kh8 $143 30. Qb3 Rb8 31. Qa4 Bd7 32. Qa3 Rb1+ 33. Ke2 Bf5 $4 34. Qf8#) 30. Qb3 (30. Qb4 Rb8 31. Bb5 Bd5 32. Re2 Qb7 33. Qg4+ Kh8 34. a4 $17 {/-+ }) 30... Rb8 31. Bxe6 (31. Qa4 Bd7 32. Qa3 Rb1+ 33. Ke2 Bf5 34. Rh4 Qd7 $19) 31... Rxb3 32. Rg4+ Kf8 33. Bxb3 (33. Rg8+ Ke7 34. Rg7+ Kd6 35. Rxc7 Rb1+ 36. Ke2 Kxc7 $19) 33... Qc1+ 34. Kg2 Qc6+ 35. Kg1 h5 $6 (35... h6) 36. Rg8+ $2 (36. Rh4 $1 Qf3 37. Bc4 f5 38. Bf1 Kg7 39. a4 f4 40. Rh3 $1 $11) 36... Ke7 37. Rg7+ Kd6 38. Rh7 Qf3 39. Rh8 ({White cannot head for the fortress given in the last note, as his pieces are too loose.} 39. Bc4 Qe4) (39. Bf7 Qd1+ 40. Kg2 Qb1 41. Rxh5 Qb7+ $19) 39... e4 {[%CAl Ge4e3]} 40. Rd8+ Ke7 41. Bd1 Qc3 42. Rd5 h4 $1 43. gxh4 f5 44. Rxf5 Qe1+ 45. Kg2 Qxd1 46. Rg5 Qa1 (46... Qe2 47. Rg3 Qxa2 48. Rg7+ Kf6 49. Rg3 Qd5 50. Kg1 Qh5 51. Rh3 Qd1+ 52. Kg2 Qg4+ 53. Kh2 Kf7 54. h5 Qf4+ 55. Kg2 Qg5+ 56. Kh2 Qc1 {[%CAl Gc1f1]} 57. Kg2 Kg7 58. Re3 Kh6 59. Rh3 Qd1 $22 60. Rh2 Qf3+ 61. Kg1 e3 62. fxe3 Qxe3+ 63. Kf1 Qg3 64. Rh1 Qf3+ 65. Kg1 Kg5 66. h6 Kg4 67. h7 Qg3+ 68. Kf1 Kf3 $19) 47. Rg4 Qb1 48. Rg3 Qxa2 49. Rh3 Qd5 50. Kf1 Qd1+ 51. Kg2 Qg4+ 52. Rg3 Qh5 53. Ra3 Qd5 54. Kg1 Kf6 55. Rg3 Qd1+ 56. Kg2 Kf5 57. Rg5+ Kf4 58. Rg3 Qd5 59. Kf1 Qd2 60. Kg2 Qd1 61. Re3 Kf5 62. Rg3 Kf6 63. Rh3 Kg6 64. Rg3+ Kh5 65. Rh3 Qb1 66. Re3 Kxh4 {[%CAl Gh4f4,Gf4e5, Ge5d4,Gb1d3]} 67. Rg3 Kh5 68. Rh3+ Kg4 69. Rg3+ Kf4 70. Re3 Qd1 $1 (70... Ke5 $2 71. f3 Kf4 72. Rxe4+ Kf5 $19) 71. Ra3 Ke5 72. Rg3 Kd4 73. Re3 Qd3 $1 0-1 [Event "FIDE Candidates Tournament"] [Site "?"] [Date "2020.03.17"] [Round "1.4"] [White "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Black "Alekseenko, Kirill"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A20"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2698"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] {[%evp 0,82,36,-14,6,-39,-32,-30,-30,-37,-7,-7,-7,-1,-11,-11,-11,-17,-4,-3,1, -2,32,-19,83,45,36,4,14,11,19,14,22,-10,16,19,27,8,-10,-75,8,-2,-4,0,0,-2,59, 77,83,78,82,75,68,79,79,78,92,63,62,49,131,123,187,141,124,104,80,84,89,83,83, 88,81,78,78,85,79,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Bc5 4. d3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Nc3 Nxc3 7. bxc3 O-O 8. Qc2 Nc6 9. Nf3 h6 10. O-O Rb8 11. Bb2 b6 12. Rad1 Qe8 13. e4 Bd6 14. Nh4 Bg4 15. f3 Bd7 16. f4 exf4 17. gxf4 Na5 18. Rde1 Qd8 19. Qf2 Nc4 20. Bc1 Bc5 21. d4 Be7 22. Nf3 f5 23. Qe2 Nd6 24. e5 Ne4 25. Nd2 Nxd2 26. Bxd2 Be6 27. Qd3 Qd7 28. Be3 c6 29. a4 a6 30. Qxa6 Ra8 31. Qxb6 Bd5 32. Qb2 Rxa4 33. Ra1 Rfa8 34. Rxa4 Rxa4 35. Ra1 Rxa1+ 36. Qxa1 Bxg2 37. Kxg2 Qd5+ 38. Kf2 Bh4+ 39. Ke2 Qg2+ 40. Kd3 Qe4+ 41. Kd2 Qg2+ 1/2-1/2