[Event "World Championship"] [Site "Dubai"] [Date "2021.11.27"] [Round "2"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E05"] [WhiteElo "2855"] [BlackElo "2782"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "116"] [EventDate "2021.11.27"] [EventCountry "UAE"] 1. d4 {A mild surprise, as Carlsen plays 1.e4 more than 1.d4.} Nf6 2. c4 e6 { Nepo played the Gruenfeld almost exclusively until around last June, when he started tinkering around with 2...e6. So it's not as big a shock as it would have been a year and a half ago, but it's still a surprise.} 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 b5 {Relatively trendy, but nowhere near as popular as the ultra main line with 7...a6.} 8. Ne5 {A rare move, and Nepomniachtchi wasn't as well-prepared this time as he was in the first game.} (8. a4 {is far more common.}) 8... c6 {After nine minutes' thought.} (8... Nd5 {was played in the only prior all-GM game with 8.Ne5.} 9. b3 (9. a4) 9... Bb7 10. Bd2 c5 11. bxc4 bxc4 12. Qb2 Qb6 13. Qxb6 axb6 14. Nxc4 Nd7 15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. Nc3 Ba6 17. Nxd5 exd5 18. Bxd5 Rad8 19. Rfc1 Nf6 20. e4 Nxd5 21. exd5 Rxd5 22. Be3 Bxc4 23. Rxc4 Bxe3 24. fxe3 Rd2 25. a4 h5 26. Rf1 Re8 27. Rf2 Rd3 28. Rb4 Re6 29. Rfb2 Rdxe3 30. Rxb6 Re1+ 31. Kf2 Rxb6 32. Rxb6 {1/2-1/2 (32) Adly, A (2602)-Matlakov,M (2682) Riga 2021}) (8... Qxd4 9. Bxa8 Qxe5 {is also interesting.}) 9. a4 (9. Nxc6 Nxc6 10. Bxc6 Rb8 {is harmless, but}) (9. b3 { is a typical idea in structures of this sort.}) 9... Nd5 $8 10. Nc3 (10. axb5 cxb5 11. Nc3 f6 {is fine for Black.}) 10... f6 {The right move once again, after another ten and a half minutes.} 11. Nf3 Qd7 $146 {Possibly not as good as 11...b4, but it's playable, aiming to maintain the structure.} (11... b4 $1 {was played in the two predecessor games - to their credit!} 12. Ne4 (12. Nb1 $2 Ba6 13. e4 b3 $1 14. Qd1 Nb4 (14... c3 $4 15. bxc3 Bxf1 16. Bxf1 $18 { 1/2-1/2 (63) Biermann,L (2056)-Skabs,D (1745) Dortmund 2019}) 15. Nc3 (15. Na3 Nd3 $19) 15... Nd7 $19) 12... Ba6 13. Nc5 Bxc5 14. dxc5 b3 (14... e5 $6 15. e4 b3 16. Qd2 $14 {1/2-1/2 (44) Hernandez Munoz,A (2126)-Lara Lopez,S (2132) Burguillos 2012}) 15. Qd2 Nd7 16. e4 c3 17. bxc3 Bxf1 18. Bxf1 Nc7 19. Qd6 Qc8 $15 {This is just one of the possible positions that can arise after 11...b4, and to work this out at the board - and to properly assess it - isn't easy at all.}) 12. e4 {The obvious and desirable move, but what about the d3 square?} Nb4 13. Qe2 Nd3 (13... N8a6 {is the engine's move, looking to send the second knight into b4 after the first one leaps into d3. Here's just one possible, entirely preposterous line:} 14. d5 bxa4 15. Rd1 Nd3 16. Nd4 Nac5 17. Nxc6 Nb3 18. e5 $1 Bb7 19. Bh6 gxh6 20. Rxa4 Bc5 21. dxe6 Qg7 22. e7 Nxf2 23. Rd7 Qg5 24. exf8=Q+ Rxf8 25. Rxb7 {and it all ends in a perpetual check:} Ne4+ 26. Kh1 (26. Kf1 $4 fxe5+ $19) 26... Nf2+ 27. Kg1 Ne4+ $11 {Good luck finding such a variation at the board!}) 14. e5 {Carlsen finally started thinking here and was evidently out of his preparation.} Bb7 (14... b4 15. exf6 Bxf6 16. Ne4 Bxd4 17. Nxd4 Qxd4 {is possible, as is}) (14... f5 15. axb5 Bb7 {. It's a very rich variation that Carlsen has chosen.}) 15. exf6 Bxf6 16. Ne4 Na6 17. Ne5 $6 { It's almost a very good move, but Black has a nice resource that somehow slipped the World Champion's attention. Oddly, Carlsen's first Ne5 threw Nepo for a loop, but Ne5: The Sequel reversed the roles, and it was Carlsen who was left floundering for a time.} (17. Be3) (17. Bg5) ({and} 17. Nxf6+ {are all decent, "human" moves that merit further exploration, while}) (17. Bd2 $5 { is a computer-based oddity. The fun begins after} Nxb2 18. axb5 cxb5 19. Rxa6 Bxa6 20. Nc5 Qc8 21. Ng5 {, with plenty of loose but aggressively placed pieces. By the way, Black is up an exchange and two pawns, but fortunately for White that extra material isn't coordinated at all.}) 17... Bxe5 $1 18. dxe5 Nac5 $1 {Not the hardest move to find, but when a middlegame has been as crazy as this one it's almost impossible not to miss something. Now White has to fight to stay out of serious trouble.} (18... Nab4 $14 {was a move Carlsen had foreseen, when he can "install" his knight on d6. (Though it's better if he doesn't do it right away.)}) 19. Nd6 $1 {Dueling octopuses!} (19. Nxc5 $2 Nxc5 $17) 19... Nb3 20. Rb1 $2 {Carlsen was right to decide on an exchange sacrifice, but this is the wrong one.} (20. Be3 $1 Nxa1 21. Rxa1 $44 {gives White just about enough compensation for the material, which is considerable - he's down the exchange and a pawn.}) 20... Nbxc1 21. Rbxc1 Nxc1 22. Rxc1 Rab8 $17 23. Rd1 Ba8 $6 ({The ugly} 23... bxa4 $1 {is best, hastening to open the b-file for counterplay.} 24. Be4 {Here Black can get away with 24...Bc8 - you might try to work out the crazy line there for yourselves - but a simple alternative is available that leaves him with a big, nearly winning advantage.} g6 25. Qxc4 c5) 24. Be4 {White has a very dangerous attacking idea in mind: Rd4, Bxh7+, Qh5+, Rh4 and game over. Black has several ways to react to this threat, and Nepo chooses one that's tactically clever but positionally rather poor.} c3 $2 (24... bxa4 25. Bxh7+ Kxh7 26. Qh5+ Kg8 27. Rd4 Qe7 {is a typical resource, intending to sac the queen for the rook once the latter gets to h4. Black has some advantage here.}) (24... g6 $1 {is best, I think.} 25. axb5 (25. Nxb5 $2 Qg7 $19 {is better for Black than the 24.Nxb5 line. Black wins the e-pawn, and White is lost.}) (25. Qg4 Kh8 $1 26. Bxg6 Qg7 $1 $19) 25... cxb5 26. Bxa8 Rxa8 27. Nxc4 Qg7 28. Nd6 b4 $19) 25. Qc2 $6 {Not bad, but not as good as simply taking the c-pawn.} ({The point of Nepo's last move can be seen in a line like} 25. Bxh7+ $4 Kxh7 26. Qh5+ Kg8 27. Rd4 cxb2 28. Rh4 b1=Q+ 29. Kg2 c5+ $19 {, when it is White who is getting mated.}) (25. Qh5 $2 g6 26. Bxg6 Qg7 $1 $19) (25. bxc3 $1 bxa4 26. Qc2 $1 $11 ({Another illustration of Black's idea:} 26. Bxh7+ $4 Kxh7 27. Qh5+ Kg8 28. Rd4 c5 29. Rh4 Rb1+ 30. Qd1 Rxd1#) ( 26. Qh5 $2 g6 27. Bxg6 hxg6 28. Qxg6+ Qg7 29. Qxe6+ Kh8 30. Qh3+ Qh7 $19) 26... g6 27. Qxa4 {White has full compensation for the exchange.}) 25... g6 26. bxc3 $6 {Paradoxically, it was better to capture with the queen.} (26. Qxc3 $142 bxa4 27. Rd2 Kh8 $15 {/-/+}) 26... bxa4 $2 {Nepo wants to activate his rook in search of counterplay, but this is a mistake.} (26... Qg7 $1 27. f4 g5 $1 $17 { /-+ when White starts to have his own kingside worries.}) 27. Qxa4 $11 { Black's structure is such a wreck that White is OK, despite being a full exchange down. Indeed, it's now Black who must prove the draw.} Rfd8 28. Ra1 c5 {Trades obviously help Black here.} 29. Qc4 $1 (29. Qxa7 $4 Qxa7 30. Rxa7 Rxd6 $1 $19) 29... Bxe4 30. Nxe4 Kh8 31. Nd6 Rb6 32. Qxc5 Rdb8 33. Kg2 {Not allowing the trade of rooks.} a6 {Intending 34...Qc6+.} 34. Kh3 Rc6 35. Qd4 Kg8 {Intending ...Rd8 followed by an exchange sac. The immediate 35...Rd8 was a blunder due to 36.Nf7+.} 36. c4 Qc7 37. Qg4 {Carlsen didn't see any way to improve his position, so he allowed the exchange sac to reach an objectively drawn ending where he has an extra pawn and no risk.} Rxd6 $1 38. exd6 Qxd6 39. c5 Qxc5 40. Qxe6+ Kg7 41. Rxa6 Rf8 $1 {Avoiding a small but attractive trap.} ( 41... Qxf2 $4 42. Qe5+ Kh6 {The only sensible king move.} 43. Qxb8 Qf1+ 44. Kh4 Qc4+ (44... Qxa6 45. Qf8#) 45. g4 Qxa6 {Regaining the rook, but...} 46. Qf8#) 42. f4 Qf5+ 43. Qxf5 Rxf5 {Mere mortals may lose this ending from time to time, but not these guys.} 44. Ra7+ Kg8 45. Kg4 Rb5 46. Re7 Ra5 47. Re5 Ra7 48. h4 Kg7 49. h5 Kh6 50. Kh4 Ra1 51. g4 Rh1+ 52. Kg3 gxh5 53. Re6+ Kg7 54. g5 Rg1+ 55. Kf2 Ra1 56. Rh6 Ra4 57. Kf3 Ra3+ 58. Kf2 Ra4 1/2-1/2