[Event "WCh 2023"] [Site "Astana KAZ"] [Date "2023.04.18"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C07"] [WhiteElo "2795"] [BlackElo "2788"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "2023.04.09"] {[%evp 0,74,26,25,45,44,44,29,18,11,10,10,9,2,38,31,30,39,31,24,32,32,32,26,18,19,14,14,9,11,16,11,11,0,53,8,36,25,21,21,10,14,0,-36,32,7,7,27,27,14,14,-14,15,10,30,18,0,2,37,39,44,54,15,31,0,0,62,69,143,143,214,221,221,164,361,384,386]} 1. e4 e6 {A nice change of pace. This match has been such a breath of fresh air: wins left and right, new openings every game, great moves and mistakes, both players taking turns rising to the occasion - this is what makes chess interesting for the fans.} 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 (3. Nc3 {is the most principled move, but White is taking risks here, too. The Tarrasch (3.Nd2) is very safe.}) 3... c5 (3... dxe4 {is a spectator's nightmare. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.}) 4. Ngf3 (4. exd5 {is the main move.}) 4... cxd4 5. Nxd4 {Generally considered harmless, but I'm sure Team Nepo has found at least a few ways of making it interesting.} (5. exd5 {will likely transpose to 4.exd5 lines.}) 5... Nf6 (5... Nc6 {is good too, as played by Carlsen several times late last year and by Kramnik against...Nepo in February.} 6. Bb5 Bd7 7. Nxc6 Bxc6 8. Bxc6+ bxc6 9. c4 Nf6 10. Qa4 Qc7 11. exd5 exd5 12. O-O Be7 13. cxd5 Nxd5 14. Nf3 O-O 15. Bd2 Bf6 16. Rab1 Rfe8 17. b3 Re6 18. Rbe1 Rae8 19. Rxe6 Rxe6 20. Rc1 Qd7 21. h3 h5 22. Qc4 g6 23. a4 Nb6 24. Qc2 Nd5 25. a5 Qb7 26. Qc4 a6 27. Nd4 Bxd4 28. Qxd4 Qxb3 29. Bh6 Nf6 30. Qc5 Qb8 31. Qb6 Qc8 32. Qa7 Qe8 33. Be3 Nd5 34. Rb1 Rd6 35. Bc5 Rd8 36. Qxa6 Ra8 37. Qc4 Rxa5 38. Bd4 Ra8 39. Rc1 Nf4 40. Be3 Nd5 41. Bd4 Nf4 42. Be3 Nd5 43. Bd4 {½-½ Nepomniachtchi,I (2793)-Kramnik,V (2753) Airthings Masters Div 2 L Chess.com INT rapid 2023 (2.1)}) 6. exd5 Nxd5 7. N2f3 Be7 {Now we reach a position where White has many decent options but nothing special. The most popular move, which has a very, very slight preference from the engine, is 8.Bd3, but there are many reasonable options: 8.g3, 8.c3, 8.Be2, and the text is fine as well.} (7... Bb4+ {has been more popular lately, chosen a bunch of times by Grischuk (including three games against Nepo).} 8. Bd2 Bc5 9. c3 O-O 10. Bc4 b6 (10... Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Qc2 Qb6 13. O-O a5 14. Rad1 Ba6 15. Bxa6 Qxa6 16. c4 Nf6 17. b3 Rfd8 18. Bc3 Qb6 19. h3 h6 20. Rxd8+ Rxd8 21. Re1 Nh5 22. Kf1 Bb4 23. Re2 Bxc3 24. Qxc3 Rd1+ 25. Re1 Rd8 26. Qc2 Nf6 27. Rd1 Ra8 28. Ne5 Qc5 29. Nd7 Nxd7 30. Rxd7 Qe5 31. g3 g6 32. Kg2 a4 33. bxa4 Rb8 34. Rd2 Kg7 35. Qd3 Rb4 36. Qc2 Rb8 37. a3 g5 38. Qd3 Qa1 39. Qf3 Qf6 {1-0 Nepomniachtchi,I (2782)-Grischuk,A (2764) Wch Rapid Warsaw 2021 (10)}) 11. O-O (11. Qc2 Bxd4 12. Nxd4 Bb7 13. Rd1 Nd7 14. O-O Rc8 15. Bd3 Qh4 16. Qc1 Ne5 17. Bg5 Qh5 18. Be2 Qg6 19. f3 h6 20. Bh4 Nc4 21. Bxc4 Rxc4 22. Rfe1 Rfc8 23. Qd2 a6 24. a3 b5 25. Re5 R4c7 26. Rde1 Nb6 27. Qf2 Nc4 28. R5e2 e5 29. Nc2 Nxb2 30. Nb4 Nc4 31. Bg3 a5 32. Na2 f6 33. f4 exf4 34. Qxf4 Rd7 35. Nc1 Kh7 36. Qf2 a4 37. Ra2 Rcd8 38. Ne2 Rd2 39. Rxd2 Rxd2 40. Qf1 Ne3 41. Qf4 Qd3 42. Bf2 Nxg2 {0-1 Nepomniachtchi,I (2773)-Grischuk,A (2742) Chess.com Rapid Wk9 Swiss Chess.com INT 2022 (8)}) 11... Bb7 12. Qe2 Nf6 13. Rad1 Nbd7 14. Bf4 Qc8 15. Rfe1 a6 16. Bb3 Re8 17. Bg3 h6 18. h3 b5 19. Bc2 Bd5 20. Ne5 Qb7 21. Qd3 Nf8 22. Bh4 Nh5 23. Qe2 Nf4 24. Qg4 g5 25. Bg3 Nxg2 26. Re4 f6 27. Kxg2 fxe5 28. Bxe5 Nd7 29. Nf3 Nxe5 30. Nxe5 Rf8 31. f3 Rae8 32. Re2 Qg7 33. Be4 Bd6 34. Ng6 Bxe4 35. Qxe4 Rf6 36. Rxd6 Rxg6 37. Rxa6 Rf6 38. Ra8 Rxa8 39. Qxa8+ Kh7 40. Qe4+ Kg8 41. Rd2 Qe7 42. Qd3 Kg7 43. Qxb5 Rf7 44. Qe5+ Kh7 45. c4 Rf5 46. Qd4 Rf7 47. c5 h5 48. c6 g4 49. Qe4+ Kg7 50. hxg4 Qg5 51. Rd7 {1-0 Nepomniachtchi,I (2773)-Grischuk,A (2742) Chess.com Rapid Wk12 Swiss Chess.com INT 2022 (4)}) 8. Bc4 Nc6 $146 (8... O-O {is usual, and after} 9. O-O Nc6 {is typical. So Ding's novelty hasn't really left theory behind - not yet.}) 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. O-O O-O {Back to (minimal) theory.} 11. Qe2 Bb7 $11 (11... Qb6 12. a3 Bf6 13. Ne5 Rd8 14. Bd3 Bb7 15. Re1 c5 16. Ng4 Be7 17. c4 Nf6 18. Ne5 Bd6 19. Bf4 Qc7 20. Rad1 Rac8 21. Bg3 g6 22. Bf4 Nd7 23. Nxf7 Bxf4 24. Nxd8 Rxd8 25. Qxe6+ Kg7 26. Qe7+ Kg8 27. Bxg6 hxg6 28. Re6 Nf8 29. Rxg6+ Nxg6 30. Rxd8+ Qxd8 31. Qxd8+ Nf8 32. Qe7 {1-0 Buchenau,F (2318)-Houska,J (2202) Prague Summer op 7th 2020 (5) It's Jiri Houska, not Jovanka, in case anyone wondered.}) 12. Bd3 $146 {Again, just one reasonable option among others. White starts loading up for a kingside attack.} (12. Ne5 Qc7 13. Bd2 Bd6 14. f4 c5 15. Rae1 Ne7 16. Bd3 Ng6 17. Bxg6 fxg6 18. c4 Rf5 19. Nd3 Re8 20. Bc3 g5 21. Qg4 Ref8 22. Rf2 Bc8 23. Ne5 gxf4 24. Rfe2 h6 25. Qg6 R8f6 26. Qe8+ Kh7 27. Qa4 Bb7 28. Qc2 Kg8 29. Ng4 Rg6 30. Rxe6 Qf7 31. Rxg6 Qxg6 32. Ne5 Qg5 33. h4 Qh5 34. Nf3 Bxf3 35. gxf3 Bf8 36. Qf2 Qf7 37. b3 Be7 38. Rd1 Rh5 39. Rd7 Bxh4 40. Qd2 Qg6+ 41. Kf1 Bf6 {0-1 Kruppa,Y (2455)-Dokhoian,Y (2530) URS-ch U26 Uzhgorod 1987}) 12... Qc7 {Supporting a possible ...Nf4.} 13. Qe4 Nf6 (13... g6 14. Bh6 Rfd8 15. Rfe1 Bf6 16. Ne5 c5 $11) 14. Qh4 c5 15. Bf4 Qb6 ({Surprisingly,} 15... Qd8 {may be best. It seems odd to undevelop the queen, thereby disconnecting the rooks and seemingly walking into tactical possibilities once White plays Rad1, but nothing seems to work for White.} 16. Rad1 (16. Qh3 Bd6 17. Ng5 Bxf4 18. Bxh7+ Kh8 19. Bg6+ Kg8 20. Bh7+ $11 (20. Bxf7+ $4 Rxf7 21. Qh8+ Kxh8 22. Nxf7+ {looks clever until you count up the pieces.} Kg8 23. Nxd8 Rxd8 $19)) (16. Be5 g6 $11) 16... Bxf3 17. gxf3 (17. Bxh7+ $4 Nxh7 18. Rxd8 Bxh4 $19) 17... c4 $1 18. Be4 (18. Bxc4 Nd5 19. Qg4 h5 20. Qg3 h4 21. Qg4 f5 22. Bxd5 $8 fxg4 23. Bxe6+ Kh8 24. Rxd8 Raxd8 25. Be3 gxf3 $15) 18... Nxe4 19. Rxd8 Bxh4 20. Rxa8 Rxa8 21. fxe4 $11) 16. Ne5 {Threatening to win on the spot with Nd7, attacking the queen and threatening mate in two with 18.Nxf6+ followed by 19.Qxh7#.} Rad8 $8 (16... Rfd8 $2 17. Bxh7+ $1 Nxh7 18. Qxe7 $18) 17. Rae1 (17. Bxh7+ {is only good for a draw:} Nxh7 18. Qxe7 f6 19. Rfd1 (19. Ng6 $4 Rf7 $19) 19... Rde8 20. Qd7 Rd8 21. Qe7 $11) (17. Rad1 Ba6 (17... Qxb2 $4 18. Rb1 $18) 18. c4 Rd4 19. Bc2 Qxb2 20. Rxd4 cxd4 $8 (20... Qxd4 $4 21. Nc6 Qd7 22. Nxe7+ Qxe7 23. Bxh7+ Kh8 24. Bc2+ Kg8 25. Be5 Rd8 26. h3 $18 {There's no immediate win, but Black cannot repair his position, and once White's rook enters the action Black will be unable to maintain the defense.}) 21. Bd3 Qa3 $1 22. Bc1 Qc3 23. Bg5 Rc8 24. Bxf6 Bxf6 25. Qxh7+ Kf8 26. f4 Ke7 $11 {Lots of complications, but no advantage for White. That said, the burden on Black seems to be greater - his moves are harder to find, and he needs to be precise. White, by contrast, can often bail out with a draw if he's so inclined.}) 17... g6 (17... Ba6 $1 18. c4 Rxd3 $1 19. Nxd3 Nd5 20. Bg5 Bxg5 21. Qxg5 Bxc4 22. Rd1 Nb4 (22... Bxa2 $11) 23. Nxc5 Bxf1 24. Nd7 Qb5 25. Qe7 $1 Rc8 26. Ne5 Bd3 27. Qxf7+ Kh8 28. Qxe6 Qe8 29. Nf7+ Kg8 30. Nh6+ Kh8 31. Nf7+ $11) 18. Bg5 (18. Qh3 $142 Nh5 19. Bh6 Rfe8 20. b3 Rd4 21. Qe3 Nf6 22. h3 {keeps White on the safer side of equality.}) 18... Rd4 $11 19. Qh3 Qc7 20. b3 ({There have been options throughout the game, and here's yet another:} 20. c3 Rd5 21. f4 c4 $1 22. Nxc4 h6 $1 23. Bh4 (23. Bxh6 $4 Rh5 $19) 23... g5 $1 24. fxg5 hxg5 25. Rxf6 $1 Bxf6 26. Bxg5 Rxd3 $8 27. Qg4 $8 Bxg5 28. Qxg5+ $11) 20... Nh5 21. f4 (21. Bh6 $142 {was better, and now it's Black who has several good moves to choose from. For instance, there's} Bf6 22. c3 (22. Bxf8 Nf4 $1 23. Qg3 Bh4 $1 24. Bh6 $1 Bxg3 25. fxg3 $8 Nxd3 26. cxd3 $44 {/?}) 22... Rdd8 23. f4 (23. Bxf8 $6 Bxe5 24. Rxe5 $8 (24. Bh6 $2 Bf4 $1 $19) 24... Qxe5 25. Bh6 Qxc3 $15 {/?}) 23... Bg7 (23... c4 $5 24. Bxc4 Rd2 25. Rf2 Rxf2 26. Kxf2 Rd8 $44) 24. Bxg7 Kxg7 $11) 21... Bd6 $1 {Committing to an exchange sacrifice.} (21... Bxg5 22. fxg5 Nf4 23. Qh6 $1 c4 $1 24. Ng4 $8 f5 $8 25. Nf6+ $8 Rxf6 26. gxf6 cxd3 27. Rxf4 Rxf4 28. f7+ Qxf7 29. Qxf4 dxc2 30. Qc4 Be4 31. Qc8+ Kg7 32. Rxe4 fxe4 33. Qxc2 Qf4 34. Qc3+ $11) 22. c3 Nxf4 23. Bxf4 (23. Rxf4 $1 Bxe5 24. Bxg6 $1 hxg6 25. cxd4 cxd4 $8 {Now White has a variety of ways to preserve equality, the most straightforward of which is} (25... Bxf4 $4 26. Bf6 $18) 26. Rxe5 Qxe5 27. Bf6 Qe1+ 28. Rf1 Qe3+ 29. Qxe3 dxe3 30. Rc1 Rc8 31. Rxc8+ Bxc8 32. Bd4 $11) 23... Rxf4 24. Rxf4 Bxe5 25. Rh4 {It's still about equal, but thanks to White's inaccuracy on move 23 it's Black who is more comfortable here. His bishops are great, while White's pieces look uncoordinated. Even if White can take on h7, there's no real follow-up.} Rd8 $1 26. Be4 (26. Rxh7 $4 Rxd3 $19) 26... Bxe4 (26... Ba6 $5 27. Rxh7 Bg7 28. Rxg7+ Kxg7 29. Qe3 $11) 27. Rhxe4 Rd5 (27... Bf4 {was also possible.}) 28. Rh4 $6 (28. Rf1) 28... Qd6 29. Qe3 h5 $15 30. g3 Bf6 31. Rc4 {I think I heard some nonsensical commentary alleging that Black was on his way to victory at this point. That's ridiculous. Black has taken over the initiative and it is White who faces more danger here, but it's not even clear that Black's position has reached "?" status, never mind anything within sniffing distance of victory. At any rate, here is where things start going wrong. At this point, Ding had 9:13 (with no increment or delay) to make the remaining 10 moves to the time control. (*After* move 40, the players get more time.) It was probably best to sit on the position, but with 5:39 left on the clock he decides to go for it:} h4 (31... Bg5) ({and} 31... Kg7 {were reasonable alternatives. Black can and probably should just sit on the position until the time control, and then have a deep think looking for concrete options.}) 32. gxh4 {Now Ding self-destructed. Looking for a concrete win led to disaster, as he spent way too much time in its pursuit. He only moved with 45 seconds left, and while the move he made wasn't so bad, everything afterwards was a disaster.} (32. Qf4 $1 {was best, and keeps equal chances with best play. But best play isn't easy!} e5 33. Qg4 hxg3 34. Qxg3 Rd3 35. Re3 Rd2 36. h4 $1 Rxa2 37. Re1 $1 $11) 32... Rd2 (32... Be5 $1 33. Qf2 $1 Rd2 34. Re2 Rd3 $1 35. Re3 $1 Bxh2+ 36. Kh1 $8 Rd5 $1 37. Rce4 $1 $11 {/?}) (32... Rh5 33. Rf1 $1 Bxh4 34. Qf3 Rf5 35. Qa8+ $11 {and White is okay after the swap on f5.}) 33. Re2 (33. Qg3 {was also possible.} Qd5 $11) 33... Rd3 $4 {Played after a second, but now he's lost.} (33... Rd5 {, retreating for the sake of the c-pawn and to prevent h4-h5 from opening his kingside, would have maintained equality. Black's position remains healthy; his only real problem is the clock.}) 34. Qxc5 $18 Rd1+ (34... Bd4+ $1 {is a cute idea Ding didn't spot but Nepo did, and that's why he took a little time before taking on c5.} 35. cxd4 Qf4 (35... Rd1+ 36. Kg2 Qf4 37. Qe5 Qg4+ 38. Kf2 Qg1+ 39. Kf3 Rf1+ 40. Ke4 Qg4+ 41. Kd3 Qf3+ 42. Kd2 $18) 36. Rc1 Qg4+ 37. Rg2 Rd1+ 38. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 39. Kf2 Qd2+ 40. Kf3 Qd3+ 41. Kg4 Qe4+ 42. Kh3 Qf3+ 43. Rg3 Qf1+ 44. Kg4 Qe2+ 45. Kg5 {and the checks are about to run out. It's a very good thing for White that his queen is defended on c5!}) 35. Kg2 Qd3 36. Rf2 {Everything's covered; there's no attack for Black, not even as much as a single good check. Now Ding had to think again, going from 43 seconds to 17 after his next move.} Kg7 37. Rcf4 Qxc3 {Played with three seconds left, but then he resigned rather than waiting for Nepo's reply.} (37... e5 38. Rxf6 Qe4+ 39. R6f3 Qg4+ 40. Rg3 Qe4+ 41. Kh3 $18) (37... Qxc3 38. Qxc3 Bxc3 39. Rxf7+ Kh6 40. Rxa7 $18) 1-0