[Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.02.19"] [Round "4"] [White "Gukesh, D..."] [Black "Keymer, Vincent"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "2718"] [BlackElo "2690"] [Annotator "rafael"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e5 7. Nb3 {When people started trying 6.h3 against the Najdorf, the idea was to take the knight to e2 and then try to play g4-Ng3. Currently two other withdrawals are also popular, either 7.Nb3 or 7.Nf3.} Be6 8. Be3 Nbd7 9. g4 {If the position had originated from the English Attack (6.Be3 or 6.f3), then we would have almost this same position on the board with the difference that there would be a pawn on f3 and not on h3. Who has the advantage when we change this pawn for the one on h3 $2 Like almost everything in life, there is a good side and a bad side. In the case of the game, the queen has the option of being developed on f3 and the bishop has the option of being developed on g2 without a pawn in front of it. On the other hand, the plan with h4-g5 becomes less attractive.} h6 10. Qd3 $5 {[%c_effect d3;square;d3;type;Interesting;persistent;true] A creative choice of square for the queen. The most popular is 10.Qd2.} (10. Qd2) (10. Qf3) (10. Bg2) 10... Nc5 {A new idea. This is a rarity after just 10 moves in the Najdorf.} (10... Rc8 {was played in an important correspondence game.} 11. O-O-O Be7 12. Kb1 b5 13. f4 exf4 14. Bxf4 Ne5 15. Qg3 Qc7 {with an equal position in Panitevsky-Firnhaber, ICC email 2018.}) 11. Nxc5 dxc5 12. Qe2 {An ambitious move, keeping the queens on the board.} (12. Qxd8+ {This is also possible, trying to gain some advantage in the endgame.} Rxd8 13. a4 c4 $5 { [%c_effect c4;square;c4;type;Interesting;persistent;true] With the idea of developing the bishop on b4. Black has enough for equality.}) 12... Be7 13. Bg2 O-O 14. O-O Qb6 15. Nd5 {Now comes the Sicilian Defense's eternal doubt: what is the best way to capture the knight on d5 $2} Nxd5 (15... Bxd5 {This move has a lot of merit. In exchange for the pair of bishops, Black maintains a solid blockade and the possibility to activate the pieces with Rfe8 followed by e4.} 16. exd5 Bd6) 16. exd5 Bd7 17. b4 $1 {[%c_effect b4;square;b4;type; GreatFind;persistent;true] A nice move to open the game on the queenside.} Qxb4 {Accepting the challenge.} (17... Qc7 {is also possible. After} 18. bxc5 Bxc5 19. Bxc5 Qxc5 20. Qxe5 Rae8 $1 {[%c_effect e8;square;e8;type;GreatFind; persistent;true] Black has good counterplay. The move f7-f5 will disturb White's kingside.}) 18. d6 $1 {[%c_effect d6;square;d6;type;GreatFind; persistent;true] Keeping the flame burning.} (18. Rab1 Bb5 $1 {[%c_effect b5; square;b5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] This will be a recurring theme in this game.}) (18. Rfb1 {This move has the advantage of taking the rook out of the b5-bishop's possible attack, but the a1-rook is now in the queen's range. As I wrote before: everything in life has a good side and a bad side.} Qc3 $1 { [%c_effect c3;square;c3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) 18... Bg5 (18... Bxd6 $2 {[%c_effect d6;square;d6;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This is not a good idea, as the bishops on d-file are attacked after} 19. Rfd1) (18... Bf6 { is less accurate because after} 19. Rab1 Bb5 20. Rxb4 Bxe2 21. Rxb7 Bxf1 22. Kxf1 {White has a dangerous compensation for the exchange. Note that now the c5-pawn is attacked. In the game continuation, with the black bishop on g5, the dark-squared bishops can be exchanged, and the pawn is no longer in danger. }) 19. Bxg5 (19. Rab1 Bb5 $1 {[%c_effect b5;square;b5;type;GreatFind; persistent;true]}) (19. Rfb1 Qc3 $1 {[%c_effect c3;square;c3;type;GreatFind; persistent;true]}) 19... Bb5 $1 {[%c_effect b5;square;b5;type;GreatFind; persistent;true] Now we start a series on ingenious tactical moves.} (19... hxg5 {is not so good because of} 20. Rab1 Bb5 21. Qxe5 $1 {[%c_effect e5; square;e5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) 20. c3 $5 {[%c_effect c3;square;c3; type;Interesting;persistent;true] Both players show great creativity.} (20. Qxe5 Bxf1 21. Be7 Bxg2 22. Bxf8 (22. Kxg2 {also leads to a draw after} Qd4 ( 22... Qd2) 23. Qxd4 cxd4 24. Bxf8 (24. Rd1 Rfe8 25. Rxd4 f6 {is not dangerous.} ) 24... Kxf8 25. Rd1 Ke8 26. Rxd4 Kd7 {Black will soon regain the pawn with a draw.}) 22... Rxf8 23. Kxg2 Qd2 $1 {[%c_effect d2;square;d2;type;GreatFind; persistent;true]} 24. Qxc5 Rd8 {with an equal position.}) 20... Qa4 $1 { [%c_effect a4;square;a4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} (20... Bxe2 21. cxb4 Bxf1 22. Kxf1 hxg5 23. bxc5 {This position is very dangerous for Black due to the menacing white pawns.}) 21. Qxe5 Bxf1 22. Bxh6 $1 {[%c_effect h6;square;h6; type;GreatFind;persistent;true] One more intermediate move. That's the main tactical theme of this game.} gxh6 23. Rxf1 Rae8 24. Qxc5 Re6 $1 {[%c_effect e6;square;e6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 25. Bd5 Rg6 26. Rb1 h5 $1 { [%c_effect h5;square;h5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} (26... Qf4 {is also possible with a more or less equal game after} 27. Rxb7 Rxd6 28. c4) 27. d7 $1 {[%c_effect d7;square;d7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} (27. f3 $2 { [%c_effect f3;square;f3;type;Mistake;persistent;true] White can't defend the g-pawn, as now} Qf4 {is very unpleasant.}) 27... Qxd7 28. Be4 $1 {[%c_effect e4;square;e4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Another precise move.} (28. Rxb7 Qf5 $1 {[%c_effect f5;square;f5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] is better for Black.}) 28... hxg4 {Keymer decides to give back the exchange and steer the game toward a draw.} (28... Rg7 {is also possible but dangerous. The position is double-edged after} 29. Qxh5 b5) 29. Bxg6 fxg6 30. Qc4+ Qf7 31. Qxf7+ Rxf7 32. hxg4 b5 {This rook endgame is a draw, since all pawns on the queenside are going to be exchanged, and White's material advantage is not enough after that. } 33. Kg2 Rc7 34. Rd1 (34. Rb3 Rc4 35. Kg3 Ra4 {Black is too active.}) 34... Rxc3 35. Rd6 Kf7 36. Rxa6 b4 37. g5 b3 38. axb3 Rxb3 39. Rf6+ Kg7 40. f3 1/2-1/2 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.02.19"] [Round "4"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2766"] [BlackElo "2793"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ (4... Be7 5. Bg2 dxc4 6. O-O O-O 7. Qc2 b5 8. a4 Bb7 9. axb5 a6 10. bxa6 Nxa6 11. Qxc4 Bd5 12. Qc3 c5 {Black sacrifices a pawn but has great activity, although White won in So,W (2776) -Nepomniachtchi,I (2773) Bucharest 2022.}) 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. Bf4 b6 10. Rd1 Ba6 11. Ne5 Nxe5 12. dxe5 Nd7 ({In his interview, Nepomniachtchi mentioned a line with ...Ng4 and a piece sacrifice. It goes} 12... Ng4 13. cxd5 cxd5 14. h3 Rc8 15. Nc3 Nxf2 16. Kxf2 Bc5+ {And in the most recent game the players followed the top engine recommendations, with a draw after} 17. Be3 Bxe3+ 18. Kxe3 b5 19. Qd2 Qb6+ 20. Qd4 Qb8 21. Qb4 Qb6+ 22. Qd4 Qb8 {½-½ (22) Bluebaum,M (2651)-Niemann,H (2699) Sant Boi 2022}) 13. cxd5 cxd5 14. e4 Rc8 15. Nc3 d4 16. Rxd4 Qc7 17. Rad1 Rfd8 18. h4 h6 19. h5 Bc5 20. R4d2 {All five games in the database from here ended in draws. Just one of them was played in the last decade.} Bf8 21. Rd4 $146 (21. Qb1 Nc5 22. Rxd8 Rxd8 23. Rxd8 Qxd8 24. Be3 Qc7 25. f4 Qc6 26. Qd1 Nd3 27. Qd2 Bb4 28. a3 Bxc3 29. Qxc3 Qxc3 30. bxc3 Bb7 {Black was fine in Pham,C (2352)-Tran,M (2342) Hanoi 2022.}) 21... Bc5 22. R4d2 Bf8 23. a4 {Refusing the invitation to repeat. } Nb8 24. Rxd8 Rxd8 25. Rxd8 Qxd8 26. Nb5 Bxb5 27. axb5 Bc5 28. Qd2 {It's not clear that there were winning chances with queens on the board, but without them the game gave even less reason for hope.} (28. Bf1 Nd7 29. Kg2 Bf8 { Perhaps So felt there were no winning chances here either, although it seems White isn't risking much by keeping queens on the board.}) 28... Qxd2 29. Bxd2 Bd4 {Black immediately trades off White's bishop pair.} 30. Bc3 Bxc3 31. bxc3 Nd7 32. f4 Nc5 {Black's position already looks unassailable.} 33. Kf2 Na4 34. c4 Nc5 35. Ke3 Nd7 36. Bf1 Kf8 37. Bd3 Ke7 38. Bc2 Kf8 39. Kd4 Ke7 40. Ke3 Kf8 41. Kf3 Ke7 42. Ke3 1/2-1/2 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.02.19"] [Round "4"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Esipenko, Andrey"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2780"] [BlackElo "2675"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d5 3. e3 c5 4. dxc5 $5 {[%c_effect c5;square;c5;type; Interesting;persistent;true] A pawn grab.} e6 5. b4 a5 6. c3 Nc6 ({ Interestingly, if you follow the main moves of this variation you arrive at what Giri says} 6... axb4 7. cxb4 b6 $2 {[%c_effect b6;square;b6;type;Mistake; persistent;true]} 8. Bxb8 $1 {[%c_effect b8;square;b8;type;GreatFind; persistent;true] The trick.} Rxb8 9. Bb5+ {\"is actually winning for White, I think.\" Admittedly, most of the games played until here are blitz games.}) 7. Bb5 Bd7 8. Qb3 Nh5 (8... Ne4 {is a fascinating option.} 9. f3 e5 {Giri called this \"the most fun\" variation.} 10. fxe4 exf4 11. exd5 Qh4+ 12. Kd1 Qf2 13. Nf3 Qxg2 14. Rf1 {Black has many moves here.} Bg4 (14... O-O-O)) 9. Ne2 Nxf4 10. Nxf4 {Giri mentioned that at first he believed Black had compensation for the pawn with two bishops. However, he did think that the extra pawn gave White a true advantage.} g6 (10... g5 {was possible and is the engine's recommendation. Giri showed the top line:} 11. Nh5 g4 12. Nd2 Qg5 13. Nf4) 11. a4 $1 {[%c_effect a4;square;a4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Preventing ... a4, defending the bishop, and (my favorite point) preparing to move the rook off the long a1-h8 diagonal.} Bg7 12. Ra2 O-O 13. O-O {One main pawn break to watch out for is ...b6.} Ne5 ({Here it can be adequately met.} 13... b6 14. Bxc6 Bxc6 15. b5 Be8 16. c6 {\"Once you get the pawn on c6 it's winning usually.\" (Giri)}) (13... Rb8 {He mentioned this as an alternative to prepare the move ...b6, bringing the rook opposite to the white queen.}) 14. Bxd7 { Preventing Black from playing ...Bc6.} (14. Na3 Bc6 {\"It's very hard here for White to make any progress.\" (Giri)}) 14... Qxd7 15. Rd1 {[%c_arrow e3e4; keyPressed;none;from;e3;opacity;0.8;to;e4;persistent;false] Threatening e4.} Qc6 16. Nd3 $1 {[%c_effect d3;square;d3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] [%c_highlight e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false] Trading off one of Black's best pieces, the knight, which helps blockade the c-pawn break.} (16. Ne2 b6 17. Nd4 Qb7 18. cxb6 Qxb6 {Giri compared this to a game he recalled against Nihal Sarin in the Chess.com Global Championship and said Black \"has compensation in such positions.\"} 19. b5 Rfc8 {The engine gives White a small edge, but Black has very similar compensation to the game, except the knight on e5 remains on the board. This is a better version for Black, strategically speaking.}) 16... Nxd3 (16... Nc4 17. Nd2 {is one point of Nd3. the knight on c4 cannot avoid the trade.}) 17. Rxd3 Rfc8 (17... b6 $2 { [%c_effect b6;square;b6;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} 18. cxb6 Qxb6 19. b5 { \"What I didn't realize is how good this position is.\"} Rfc8 {A key plan that he missed in the game was that he can play Rd1-c1 to prepare c4. This is a key plan that is no longer possible after Nd2.} 20. Rc2 Rc5 21. Rd1 $1 {[%c_effect d1;square;d1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true][%c_arrow d3d1;keyPressed;none; from;d3;opacity;0.8;to;d1;persistent;false,d1c1;keyPressed;none;from;d1; opacity;0.8;to;c1;persistent;false]} Rac8 22. Rdc1 {followed by Nd2-c4.}) 18. Nd2 $2 {[%c_effect d2;square;d2;type;Mistake;persistent;true] A key moment. \"This is why I didn't win this game,\" said Giri. He can no longer prepare the c4 pawn break with Rd1-c1.} (18. h3 b6 19. cxb6 Qxb6 20. b5 Rc5 21. Rc2 Rac8 22. Nd2 Qb7 {Giri showed this as the type of position where Black has compensation.}) (18. Rd1 $1 {[%c_effect d1;square;d1;type;GreatFind;persistent; true] Giri showed:} axb4 $2 {[%c_effect b4;square;b4;type;Mistake;persistent; true]} (18... h5 19. Rc1 e5 20. Nd2 e4 {is what the engine gives, and this is certainly tougher to break.}) 19. cxb4 b6 20. cxb6 Qxb6 21. Nd2 {and White has great chances to win. Nd2 prevents Rc4 and the white rook is no longer stuck on d3.}) 18... axb4 (18... b6 19. cxb6 Qxb6 20. b5 Rc5 21. c4 Rac8 22. cxd5 Rc1+ {He showed this line, although there also exists the nice} (22... Rc3 $1 { [%c_effect c3;square;c3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 23. Rxc3 Rxc3 24. Qd1 Qc5 {with great compensation. Black controls the only open file and has threats against the white king.}) 23. Nf1 {is very good for White.}) 19. cxb4 b6 20. cxb6 Qxb6 21. b5 $2 {[%c_effect b5;square;b5;type;Mistake;persistent; true] Missing the last chance to try to win, although it's based on a miscalculation.} ({Giri rejected} 21. g3 {although this move had to be tried.} Rc1+ 22. Kg2 Rac8 ({He showed} 22... Qb7 {and in general he felt his king safety was at risk with no very specific line.} 23. Nf3 g5 {He put this move on the board just to show the kinds of threats he was afraid of, although Black's attack in this case isn't threatening objectively.} 24. Nxg5 d4+ 25. Nf3 e5 26. Rdd2 Rc3 27. Qd1) 23. Nf3 {and White has chances.}) ({Giri also considered:} 21. h3 Rc1+ 22. Kh2 Rac8 {Black has counterplay.}) 21... Rc1+ 22. Nf1 Qa5 23. Rd1 Rc3 24. Qb1 Rc4 25. Rd3 Rb8 $1 {[%c_effect b8;square;b8;type; GreatFind;persistent;true] This is the move he missed.} ({From afar he calculated} 25... Rxa4 26. Rxa4 Qxa4 27. b6 Rb8 28. b7 {and thought this endgame was difficult to hold for Black, with slow pressure. Compared to the game, the pawn on b7 is better than on b5, but Black can still hold this objectively.}) 26. Rb3 Rxa4 27. Rxa4 Qxa4 28. g3 (28. b6 Rb7 {Now the pawn is blockaded on a dark square, which is worse.}) 28... Rb6 29. h4 h5 30. Kg2 Bf6 31. Nd2 Kg7 32. Qd3 {\"I only saw it when I played it.\" (Giri)} Bxh4 33. gxh4 ({He considered a nice trap starting with} 33. Ra3 Qg4 (33... Qb4 {draws.}) 34. Qc3+ {and if} Bf6 $4 {[%c_effect f6;square;f6;type;Blunder;persistent;true]} ( 34... d4 {also draws, but it's more complicated.} 35. Qc4 Bxg3 36. fxg3 dxe3 37. Qc3+ Kh7 38. Qc7 Qe2+ 39. Kh3 (39. Kh1 $4 {[%c_effect h1;square;h1;type; Blunder;persistent;true]} Qe1+ 40. Kh2 Qf2+ 41. Kh1 exd2 {Black wins.}) 39... Qg4+ 40. Kg2 Qe2+) 35. Qc7 Rxb5 36. Ra7 {White wins.}) 1/2-1/2