[Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.01.22"] [Round "8"] [White "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Black "Erigaisi, Arjun"] [Result "*"] [WhiteElo "2681"] [BlackElo "2722"] [PlyCount "107"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "6000+30"] 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. d4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O h6 8. Rb1 exd4 9. Nxd4 Re8 10. f3 c6 11. Bf4 Nh5 12. Be3 f5 {The thematic KID advance to jumpstart kingside attacking chances.} 13. Qd2 f4 14. Bf2 Qg5 15. Rfd1 Nd7 16. b4 Ne5 17. Kh1 Qf6 {Despite Black's pieces aimed at the white kingside, he doesn't have a way to make concrete threats.} 18. Rbc1 Qf7 19. a4 {Van Foreest gets his own play on the queenside started.} b6 20. Qa2 Rb8 21. a5 Bd7 22. a6 { Though this keeps the queenside closed for the time being, it fixes Black's a7-pawn as a long-term weakness.} Red8 23. Nc2 Be6 24. Nd4 Bd7 25. Rd2 Kh7 26. Rdd1 Qe7 27. Qd2 Rbc8 28. Bf1 Be8 29. Nce2 Qf7 30. Nc3 Qg8 31. Qe1 Bf7 32. b5 c5 33. Nc6 Rd7 (33... Nxc6 34. bxc6 Rxc6 35. Nd5) 34. Nxa7 {White gives up a knight for three pawns to generate passers on the queenside.} Rxa7 35. Rxd6 Nxc4 36. Bxc4 Bxc4 37. Rxb6 Nf6 38. e5 Nd7 39. Rxg6 $1 {[%c_effect g6;square; g6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The tactical play just keeps coming.} Nxe5 ( 39... Kxg6 40. Qe4+ Kf7 41. Qxc4+ Kf8 42. e6 Nb6 (42... Bf6 43. exd7) 43. Qxf4+ $18) 40. Rd6 Re8 41. Qd2 Qf7 42. Bxc5 Rc7 43. Bg1 Rcc8 44. a7 Be6 45. Ne4 Nc4 46. Qd3 Bf5 47. Ra6 {In the middle of all of the chaos, van Foreest stays focused on opportunities to make progress with his passed pawns.} Bxe4 48. fxe4 Ne5 49. Qf1 Rxc1 50. Qxc1 f3 51. Qf1 fxg2+ 52. Kxg2 {White's pieces are so well placed. Black struggles to generate attacking play even with the white king on the open g-file.} Qb7 53. Qf5+ Kg8 54. Bd4 {and Black resigned.} (54. Bd4 {if} Qa8 55. b6 Rf8 56. b7 Qxb7 57. Qxf8+ Bxf8 58. a8=Q Qxa8 59. Rxa8 $18) * [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.01.22"] [Round "8"] [White "Rapport, Richard"] [Black "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2740"] [BlackElo "2684"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "6000+30"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. Nbd2 a6 7. Bb3 O-O 8. Nf1 Ne7 9. Bg5 Ng6 10. h4 {A new move in this position. Rapport flips the regularly strategic Italian Game into a double-edged slugfest.} Re8 11. h5 Nf4 12. Ng3 h6 13. Bxf4 exf4 14. Ne2 Ng4 15. Rf1 Nf6 16. Qc2 Bg4 17. O-O-O { Opposite-side castling is rare in the usually quiet Italian Game.} Ba7 18. Nxf4 c6 19. Rde1 Nxh5 20. Qd2 Qf6 21. Nxh5 Bxh5 22. Rh1 Bxf3 23. gxf3 Qxf3 24. Rh2 Kf8 {Nervous about the open g- and h-files, Black runs his king toward the other side of the board.} 25. Bd1 Qf6 26. f4 Ke7 27. d4 Kd7 28. e5 {Rapport reorganizes his attack to press in the center.} Qe7 29. Rg2 g6 30. f5 { Sacrificing a pawn to break into the seventh rank with the rook.} gxf5 31. Rg7 Rf8 32. e6+ {A powerful move. The pawn is immune to either capture, and both f7 and h6 are falling.} Kc7 33. Bh5 {Rapport reroutes his least active piece to add more pressure to Black's pinned f-pawn.} Qf6 34. Rxf7+ Rxf7 35. exf7 Rf8 36. Qe3 Rxf7 {Black's best try to play on.} (36... f4 37. Qe8) 37. Bxf7 Qxf7 38. Qe7+ Qxe7 39. Rxe7+ Kb6 {After this move, with 38 seconds left on his clock, Praggnanandhaa got up from the board, unaware that he has to make one more move to make the time control.} 40. c4 {Praggnanandhaa came back to the board but let his time run out in the move count confusion.} ({White is winning, but Black could try to fight on:} 40. c4 Bb8 41. Rf7 d5 42. cxd5 cxd5 43. Rxf5 Kc6) 1-0 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.01.22"] [Round "8"] [White "Gukesh, D."] [Black "Maghsoodloo, Parham"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2725"] [BlackElo "2719"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "6000+30"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 h6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. e3 c5 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O d5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. b3 Nc6 11. Bb2 Bg4 12. h3 Bh5 13. Rc1 Bb6 14. Be2 Rc8 15. Na4 Bc7 16. Nc5 Bxf3 17. Bxf3 Be5 18. Qd2 Qe7 19. Nd3 Bxb2 20. Qxb2 Rfd8 21. Rfd1 g5 $5 {[%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;Interesting;persistent;true] Maghsoodloo strives to liven up the game despite opening up his own kingside.} 22. b4 a6 23. a4 Qd6 24. b5 {Gukesh creates pressure on the queenside.} Ne7 25. a5 axb5 26. Qxb5 {White's pieces begin to eye the b7-pawn, the main obstacle to the a-pawn's hopes of dancing to the other side of the board and transforming.} Nc6 27. Ra1 (27. Qxb7 Nxa5) 27... Rc7 28. g3 d4 {Maghsoodloo rips open the center so his heavy pieces can break into White's kingside.} 29. Nb2 Nd5 30. Nc4 Qe6 31. exd4 Nc3 32. Qb6 Nxd1 33. Qxc7 Qe1+ 34. Kh2 Qxf2+ { It's hard to imagine the white king not being terrified at this moment, but Gukesh has all the key points guarded, such as e3.} 35. Bg2 Rxd4 36. Qxb7 { Eliminating the b7-pawn to progress his own ideas while preparing to support the g2-bishop along the a8-h1 diagonal.} Rxc4 37. Rxd1 Rc2 38. Rg1 {Though the rook is passively placed, White has counterplay with his active queen and passed a-pawn that limits Black's attack.} Nd4 39. Kh1 Nf5 40. Qb8+ Kg7 41. a6 ({The difficult to play} 41. g4 {is stronger:} Ng3+ 42. Kh2 Nf1+ (42... Ne4 43. a6 Ra2 44. a7 Rxa7 (44... Ra3 45. Kh1) 45. Rf1 Qd4 46. Bxe4) 43. Kh1 Ng3+ 44. Kh2) 41... Ra2 ({Black should grab the pawn first:} 41... Nxg3+ 42. Kh2 Nf5 43. Kh1 Ra2) 42. Qe5+ Kg6 $4 {[%c_effect g6;square;g6;type;Blunder;persistent;true] } (42... f6 {should lead to a perpetual check:} 43. Qc7+ Kh8 44. Qd8+ Kg7 45. Qd7+ Kg6 46. Qe8+ Kg7 47. Qd7+) 43. g4 Ne3 (43... Ng3+ 44. Qxg3 Qxg3 45. Be4+ Kg7 46. Rxg3) 44. Be4+ {White's bishop enters the attack with check.} f5 45. Qd6+ Kf7 46. gxf5 {Despite Black's queen and rook doubled on White's second rank, Gukesh has the key squares around his king (g2, h2 and f3) well-guarded. The three black attacking pieces are unable to create mating threats.} g4 47. Qe6+ Kf8 48. Qf6+ Kg8 49. Bd5+ 1-0 [Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "2023.01.22"] [Round "8.8"] [White "Giri, A.."] [Black "Keymer, V.."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2764"] [BlackElo "2696"] [Annotator "Petrisor Adrian"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 {Italian Game today} Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bg5 {Not the main line for White but very interesting.} (5. c3 $5 {[%c_effect c3;square;c3; type;Interesting;persistent;true] another try}) (5. O-O $5 {[%c_effect g1; square;g1;type;Interesting;persistent;true] is also possible.}) (5. Nc3 $5 { [%c_effect c3;square;c3;type;Interesting;persistent;true]}) 5... h6 6. Bh4 d6 7. c3 {Preparing d4 and b4 with a4 to take some queenside space.} g5 8. Bg3 a6 {Preparing Ba7, so White's d4 will be without tempo.} 9. Nbd2 Ba7 10. O-O O-O 11. b4 (11. a4 {is by far the main line here for White.} Nh7 12. h3 h5 13. d4 g4 14. Bh4 Qd7 15. Ng5 $13) 11... Nh7 {Preparing h5, h4, and even Qf6 later.} 12. Kh1 {A good prophylactic move, planning h4 against Black's ...h5 plan and Ng1 followed by f4 against ...g4.} Kh8 {Unpinning the f7-pawn to prepare ...f5. } (12... h5 13. h4 g4 14. Ng1) 13. a4 $14 {Usually, White wants to play b5 to attack the c6-knight and then push in the center with d4 to create pressure against the e5-pawn.} f5 14. exf5 Bxf5 15. Qe2 $5 {[%c_effect e2;square;e2; type;Interesting;persistent;true]} (15. b5 $1 {[%c_effect b5;square;b5;type; GreatFind;persistent;true] is probably the most precise move for Giri.} Ne7 16. bxa6 bxa6 17. d4 e4 18. Ng1 $14) 15... Nf6 16. b5 Na5 17. bxa6 bxa6 18. Bxa6 { White gains a pawn, but Black has a lot of activity after 18...Nd5 followed by ...Re8 and ...Nf4.} Nd5 19. Rac1 Re8 20. Rfe1 Nf4 21. Bxf4 exf4 $2 {[%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} (21... gxf4 $1 {[%c_effect f4; square;f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] is the right move here for Keymer and if} 22. Bb5 c6 23. Bc4 Nxc4 24. Nxc4 Qf6 25. Ncd2 $13 {/=}) 22. Qxe8+ $2 { [%c_effect e8;square;e8;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} (22. Qf1 $1 $16 { [%c_effect f1;square;f1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] is the best for Giri:} g4 23. Rxe8+ Qxe8 24. Nh4 Bd7 25. Re1 Qh5 26. g3 $18) 22... Qxe8 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. d4 g4 $5 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;Interesting;persistent;true]} (24... Rb8 $1 {[%c_effect b8;square;b8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] takes control of the b-file, preparing Rb2, activating the rook.} 25. Bb5 c6 26. Bf1 Rb2 27. Re1 Bb6 28. Ne4 Bxe4 29. Rxe4 g4) 25. Ne1 d5 $1 {[%c_effect d5;square;d5;type; GreatFind;persistent;true] Black will follow with ...c5 to open up the a7-bishop, which is so passive at the moment.} 26. Kg1 c5 27. Bd3 Bd7 $13 {/=} 28. dxc5 {Draw agreed.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.01.22"] [Round "8"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C88"] [WhiteElo "2766"] [BlackElo "2859"] [Annotator "Rafael"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "6000+30"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O { This variation is Carlsen's main weapon as Black and the one he used in his last world championship match against Nepomniachtchi. Interestingly, in the match he played against Caruana in 2018, Carlsen chose the Sicilian Sveshnikov as his main weapon.} 8. a4 b4 9. a5 d6 10. c3 (10. d3 {is also a popular move.} ) 10... Rb8 11. h3 {A rare move. 11.Bc4 is the most played.} (11. Bc4 Bg4 ( 11... bxc3 12. dxc3 {and White can fight for a small advantage. Caruana-Niemann, Chess.com (rapid) 2022.}) 12. h3 Bh5 13. Bxa6 d5 $1 { [%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Black has enough counterplay. A recent game continued:} 14. exd5 Qxd5 15. d3 Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Qxf3 17. gxf3 bxc3 18. bxc3 Ra8 19. Bb7 Rxa5 20. Rxa5 Nxa5 21. Rxe5 Nxb7 22. Rxe7 Nc5 23. Rxc7 Nxd3 {and the game later ended in a draw. Moussard-Harikrishna, Chennai (Ol) 2022.}) 11... h6 {A solid, typical move, which is hardly a bad one in the Ruy Lopez. It's useful to prevent White from playing the annoying Ng5, attacking the f7-pawn in some lines.} (11... Rb5 {attacks the a5-pawn and is a critical move. A few correspondence games were played here, and White was unable to demonstrate any advantage. Certainly Caruana has some new idea to show.} 12. d4 Rxa5 13. Rxa5 Nxa5 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. Nxe5 Qxd1 (15... Nxb3 16. Nc6 $1 {[%c_effect c6;square;c6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} Qe8 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. Qxb3 {This also leads to equality.}) 16. Bxd1 Rd8 {Black has nothing to fear.}) 12. d4 bxc3 13. bxc3 exd4 14. Nxd4 $1 {[%c_effect d4;square;d4;type; GreatFind;persistent;true] This move is stronger than the pawn capture.} (14. cxd4 d5 $1 {[%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 15. e5 Ne4 {And Black has no worries.}) 14... Bd7 (14... Nxd4 15. cxd4 d5 {Now there is a difference, as White can capture on d5, and Black cannot recapture. This gives more chances for an advantage.} 16. exd5 $1 {[%c_effect d5;square;d5;type; GreatFind;persistent;true]}) 15. Bf4 {Only now a new move is played. This is a very natural try, developing the bishop on a good square.} (15. Nd2 Re8 16. Bc2 Bf8 {With chances for both sides. Nguyen-Wojtaszek, POL-chT 2022.}) 15... Ne5 $1 {[%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] A very accurate move, preventing the natural development of the knight on d2.} (15... Re8 16. Nd2 Bf8 17. Bc4 Qc8 18. Qc2 {White finishes development and has the pieces well placed, being able to fight for the advantage.}) 16. Na3 $6 {[%c_effect a3;square;a3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] I don't like this move. My coach told me so many times, \"A knight on the rim is dim\" that it caused a certain trauma in my childhood. Now, as an adult, I try to blame a knight in the corner for the defeat in every game I analyze.} (16. Nd2 $2 {[%c_effect d2; square;d2;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} Nd3 $1 {[%c_effect d3;square;d3;type; GreatFind;persistent;true] This is the point of Carlsen's previous move. Black wins material.}) (16. Bg3 $1 {[%c_effect g3;square;g3;type;GreatFind; persistent;true] is my favorite move. It avoids the double attack of the black knight on d3 and prepares the pawn advance to f4. Moves with more than one objective are usually the best.} c5 (16... Re8 17. f4 $1 {[%c_effect f4;square; f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) 17. Bxe5 (17. Nf5 Bxf5 18. exf5 c4 19. Bc2 Qc7 {Black is ok.}) 17... dxe5 18. Nf3 Qc7 19. Bc4 Bb5 20. Na3 {With a tiny advantage for White.}) 16... Re8 17. Bg3 {Caruana decides to advance the kingside pawns, but Carlsen will show a flaw in this plan.} (17. Nc4 {is very natural, but Black has two good options.} Bf8 (17... Rxb3 $5 {[%c_effect b3; square;b3;type;Interesting;persistent;true]} 18. Qxb3 Nd3 19. Bg3 Nxe1 20. Rxe1 Bf8 {with a balanced game.})) 17... Bf8 18. f4 (18. Bc2 {it is safer and better.} c5 19. Nf3 Qxa5 20. Nc4 Qc7 21. Ncxe5 dxe5 22. Rxa6 {with equality.}) 18... Nc6 19. e5 dxe5 20. fxe5 {Truth be told, White's plan looks very promising. The knight is attacked, and the bishop has an eye on the f7-pawn. But Carlsen finds a tactical way to solve all of his problems.} Nxd4 21. cxd4 Bc6 $1 {[%c_effect c6;square;c6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] This is the idea. Caruana probably didn't see this move in his analysis. Now he plays a losing move.} 22. Bc2 $2 {[%c_effect c2;square;c2;type;Mistake;persistent;true] } (22. exf6 $2 {[%c_effect f6;square;f6;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} Rxe1+ 23. Bxe1 (23. Qxe1 Rxb3 $19) 23... Rxb3 $1 {[%c_effect b3;square;b3;type; GreatFind;persistent;true]} 24. Qxb3 Qxd4+ {The a1-rook falls, and White's position collapses.}) (22. Bh4 g5 23. Bf2 Nd5 {with some advantage for Black.}) (22. Rc1 Bd5 23. Bxd5 Nxd5 {Black manages to establish a good blockade and has a more comfortable position.}) (22. Qd3 $5 {[%c_effect d3;square;d3;type; Interesting;persistent;true] It's an interesting move that leads to a chaotic position, with chances for both sides, after:} Be4 23. Bxf7+ $1 {[%c_effect f7; square;f7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} Kxf7 24. Rxe4 Nxe4 25. Qxe4 { White has good compensation for the exchange.}) 22... Qd5 $1 {[%c_effect d5; square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 23. Re2 Rb4 $1 {[%c_effect b4; square;b4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] This move is devastating. White still cannot capture on f6, and there is no defense for the d4-pawn. The rest is easy for Carlsen.} 24. Kh2 (24. exf6 Rxe2 25. Qxe2 Qxd4+ {The a1-rook falls again.}) 24... Rxd4 25. Qb1 Ne4 {True to his style, Carlsen takes the game to a technical endgame where the conversion is simple.} (25... Rd2 $1 {[%c_effect d2;square;d2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] is more brutal:} 26. Qf1 (26. Qe1 Qxg2+ $1 {[%c_effect g2;square;g2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 27. Rxg2 Rxg2+ {With a delightful version of the windmill tactic.}) 26... Rxe2 27. Qxe2 Nh5 {and White can resign.}) 26. Bxe4 Rxe4 27. Rxe4 Qxe4 28. Qxe4 Bxe4 29. Nc4 Rb8 30. Rc1 (30. e6 {is a bit more stubborn, but the endgame is easily winning after} fxe6 31. Bxc7 Rc8 32. Nd6 Rxc7 33. Nxe4 Rc4 34. Nd2 Rd4 35. Nf3 Rd5) 30... Rb5 31. e6 fxe6 32. Bxc7 Rc5 33. Bf4 Bd5 {A surprisingly easy victory for Carlsen. 0-} 0-1