[Event "WCh 2023"] [Site "Astana KAZ"] [Date "2023.04.29"] [Round "14.1"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E46"] [WhiteElo "2788"] [BlackElo "2795"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "180"] [EventDate "2023.04.09"] {[%evp 0,180,31,18,35,5,-7,4,28,17,36,19,31,15,37,32,20,25,25,31,48,29,22,22,43,-5,-15,-29,-23,-65,-22,-36,-18,-8,27,-29,-27,-39,-24,-51,-50,-45,-46,-91,-76,-93,-52,-51,-51,-37,-59,-46,-42,-68,-56,-36,-26,-49,-28,-60,-75,-85,-84,-97,-87,-89,-85,-85,-68,-67,-79,-87,-87,-115,-51,-39,-45,-95,-87,-82,-72,-81,-79,-75,-74,-75,-74,-74,-66,-73,-76,-78,-70,-72,-72,-74,-103,-104,-116,-116,-122,-122,-174,-171,-185,-237,-252,-252,-252,-252,-192,-252,-214,-252,-215,-221,-233,-252,-220,-252,-240,-221,-156,-252,-166,-174,-114,-114,-123,-167,-184,-195,-209,-155,-163,-143,-143,-149,-164,-145,-150,-150,-143,-244,-143,-143,-143,-143,-143,-143,-143,-165,-170,-170,-170,-170,-170,-170,-170,-170,-170,-170,-170,-170,-143,-143,-105,-105,-105,-105,-2,0,0,0,0,-2,-2,-3,-2,-2,-2,-2,0]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd2 {A fashionable move/approach.} ({We were treated to} 5. a3 {in game 8, which Ding nearly won.}) 5... d5 (5... c5 6. a3 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 Ne4 {is an important alternative.}) 6. a3 (6. Nf3 {is more common.} b6 (6... c5 7. a3 Bxc3 8. Bxc3 Ne4 9. Rc1 Nxc3 10. Rxc3 cxd4 11. Nxd4 {has scored well for White.}) 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Rc1 Bb7 9. Bd3 {is arguably (the start of) the key variation of the Bd2 system.}) 6... Be7 (6... Bxc3 {is also playable, and after} 7. Bxc3 {Black has at least three reasonable options.} b6 (7... Nbd7) (7... Ne4)) 7. Nf3 c5 (7... b6 {is more common, especially at the GM level. Still, Nepo's move isn't unknown or a rarity.} 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Rc1 c5 10. dxc5 $6 bxc5 11. Bd3 Bg4 (11... Nc6 $142 $15) 12. h3 Bh5 13. Ne2 (13. O-O) (13. Be2) 13... Bxf3 14. gxf3 Nbd7 $11 {Black has had nothing to complain about in the opening, so we should avoid assessing the opening by the game's final result.} (14... Nc6 $142 $15) 15. Bc3 Re8 16. O-O Nf8 17. Ng3 Ng6 18. Nf5 Bf8 19. Bb1 d4 20. exd4 Nd5 21. dxc5 Qg5+ 22. Kh2 Rad8 23. Qa4 Ndf4 24. Rg1 Qh5 25. Rg3 Ne2 26. Rcg1 Nxg3 27. Rxg3 Re2 28. Bd4 Rd2 29. Be3 R2d5 30. Rg5 Qxf3 31. Be4 Qd1 32. Qxd1 Rxd1 33. c6 Rc8 34. Bxa7 f6 35. Rg1 Rd2 36. b4 Ne5 37. b5 g6 38. Be3 Kh8 39. Bxd2 gxf5 40. Bd5 Bd6 41. f4 Nd3 42. b6 Nxf4 43. Bxf4 Bxf4+ 44. Kh1 h5 45. a4 Kh7 46. a5 Bd2 47. a6 Be3 48. Rb1 Rd8 49. a7 {1-0 Ding,L (2806)-Praggnanandhaa,R (2642) Chessable Masters KO chess24.com INT rapid 2022 (3.32)}) 8. dxc5 (8. cxd5 exd5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. b4 Be7 $11) 8... Bxc5 9. Qc2 (9. b4 Be7 10. cxd5 exd5 $11 {transposes to the last note.}) 9... dxc4 $146 (9... Nc6 $143 10. Rd1 {was mentioned by Nepo afterwards as a little better for White, and the reason why 9...dxc4 was part of his prep.}) 10. Bxc4 $11 {The impression from the presser was that Nepomniachtchi's prep ended around here. Well done, as it's a fairly obscure line!} Nbd7 11. Rd1 Be7 (11... b6 $1 {may be best, but it's not easy to persuade yourself to surrender the bishop pair in an open position if you don't need to.} 12. Ne4 Bb7 ({Here} 12... Be7 $2 {is wrong, as Black comes under an immediate attack after} 13. Nfg5 $16 {/+- Maybe lines like this were floating around somewhere in Ding's memory when he went for the attacking idea in the game?}) 13. Nxc5 Nxc5 14. Bc3 Qe7 15. O-O Rac8 16. Qe2 Nfe4 17. Be5 (17. Bd4 Nd6 $11 {/?}) 17... Nd7 $11) 12. Ng5 $6 ({The calm} 12. e4 {gives White an advantage - a serious one, too, unless he plays} Qc7 $1 13. Nb5 Qb8 14. Be2 $1 {and then surrenders the exchange with} b6 15. Nc7 Bb7 16. Nxa8 Rc8 $1 $11 {/? If this wasn't part of Nepo's preparation, he may have had a difficult time finding and deciding on this.}) 12... h6 $15 13. h4 {It might look scary (and would probably work like a dream against most of us), but as Nepo said, he hadn't done anything wrong. White doesn't just get to win automatically by playing Ng5 and h4.} (13. Nge4 $142) 13... Qc7 $1 14. Be2 (14. Bxe6 $2 fxe6 15. Nxe6 Qc4 16. Nxf8 Bxf8 $19 {is terrible for White. Most of us learn the 1-3-3-5-9 scale for the value of the pieces when we're starting out, and while it's useful for novices it has its limitations. One of them is that it badly underestimates the value of minor pieces against a rook and a pawn (or sometimes two) in the middlegame. The rook will come into its own in the endgame, but here the rooks are relatively useless, while the minor pieces are ready to do damage. White is lost here.}) (14. Bb3 $142) 14... Rd8 $6 (14... b6 $1 15. Rc1 $1 {Threatening knight jumps to b5 and especially d5.} Qb8 $1 (15... Bb7 16. Nd5 $1 Qd8 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. Qc7 Rfb8 $11) 16. Nge4 Bb7 $15 {/?}) 15. Rc1 $1 Nf8 $11 {Overprotecting h7, and therefore threatening to take the eager knight on g5.} (15... Qb8 {doesn't make a good impression aesthetically, and it invites} 16. g4 $1 b6 17. Nxf7 $1 {which is almost terrifying. Still, Black survives this and finishes with the better half of equality after} Kxf7 18. g5 Bb7 19. gxf6 Bxf6 20. Rh3 Kg8 21. Ne4 Rc8 22. Nxf6+ Nxf6 23. Bc3 Ne4) 16. Nge4 Nxe4 17. Nxe4 (17. Qxe4 {was also possible. The position is equal, and could lead to a speedy draw if the players are so inclined:} Qb6 18. Na4 Qb3 19. Bd1 Qb5 20. Be2 Qb3 21. Bd1 $11) 17... Qxc2 18. Rxc2 Bd7 (18... b6 {is also fine.}) 19. Bb4 $6 {Now White starts getting into trouble.} (19. Rc7 f5 20. Nc5 Rac8 21. Rxc8 (21. Rxd7 $5 Rxd7 (21... Nxd7 $2 22. Nxe6 Re8 23. Bb5 $16) 22. Nxd7 Nxd7 23. g4 fxg4 24. Bxg4 Kf7 $11) 21... Bxc8 $11) 19... Bxb4+ 20. axb4 Bc6 $15 21. Nc5 $6 (21. Bf3 Ng6 22. Nc3 $15 {White should still draw without tears.}) 21... Bxg2 22. Rg1 Bd5 (22... Bc6 $1 23. b5 Bd5 24. e4 b6 25. exd5 bxc5 26. Rxc5 exd5 $17 27. Bf3 $6 Rab8 28. Bxd5 $2 Nd7 29. Rc2 Rxb5 $19) 23. e4 Bc6 24. b5 Be8 25. Nxb7 Rd4 26. Rc4 Rd7 27. Nc5 Rc7 28. Rc3 Rac8 {White has played well since his 21st move, and with Black opting for 21...Bd5 instead of 21...Bc6 Ding has managed to reach equality. Prosperity is short-lived, however, and now he gets into trouble all over again.} 29. b4 {Good enough.} (29. Nb7 $1 {gives full equality, but it is possible to miss cool ideas like this.} Rxc3 30. bxc3 Rxc3 31. Kd2 Rc7 32. Nd6 Bd7 33. Bh5 g6 34. f4 $44) 29... Nd7 30. Rcg3 $2 (30. Kd2 Nxc5 31. bxc5 Rxc5 32. Rgc1 $1 Rxc3 33. Rxc3 {should be an easy draw for White, whether or not Black swaps rooks. Let's see what happens on the trade.} Rxc3 34. Kxc3 Kf8 35. Kb4 Ke7 36. e5 Bd7 37. f4 Bc8 38. Ka5 Bb7 39. Bd3 f6 40. Bg6 $11 {White sits, and Black is going nowhere.}) 30... Nxc5 $2 {White is still in a practically difficult position after this move, but he should hold. Nepomniachtchi played this move quickly, thinking it was good enough. It wasn't, but he gets another chance of Ding's blunder on move 34.} (30... g6 $1 $17 {/-+ Why give White any counterplay at all? Yes, White's knight can run away, but that will make things even worse.} 31. Nd3 (31. Nxd7 Rxd7 $1 {Threatening to win on the spot with ...Rc1+.} 32. Bd3 Rd4 33. h5 g5 34. f4 f6 $19) 31... Kf8 32. h5 g5 33. f4 gxf4 $1 34. Nxf4 Nf6 35. Re3 Rd7 36. e5 Nd5 37. Nxd5 Rxd5 $19 {White's pawns will fall like leaves in October.}) 31. bxc5 Rxc5 32. Rxg7+ Kf8 33. Bd3 Rd8 (33... Ke7 $142) 34. Ke2 $2 (34. Kd2 Ke7 35. Rg8 Bxb5 36. Rxd8 Kxd8 37. Bxb5 Rxb5 $11 {isn't exactly like the game (after move 41), but it too should be drawn.}) 34... Rc3 $1 $19 {Suddenly White is in desperate trouble. The World Championship is now there for the winning. Ding had missed this move, and thought for a long time, finding his best chance.} 35. Rg8+ Ke7 36. R1g3 e5 $2 {Played quickly, and, unless Nepo wins the tiebreaks tomorrow, it will be a move he may regret for the rest of his life.} (36... Rdxd3 $2 {doesn't work:} 37. Rxe8+ $1 (37. Rxd3 $4 Bxb5 $19) 37... Kxe8 38. Rxd3 $11) (36... Rb3 $1 {was correct, and winning. Among its virtue is that it avoids the tactical trick we'll soon see in the game.} 37. Bc4 Rb2+ $1 38. Ke3 Rb4 $1 39. Bd3 (39. Bf1 Rdd4 40. f3 Rd1 41. Be2 Rb3+ 42. Kf4 Rh1 $19) 39... Rb3 40. Kd2 Rd4 41. Kc2 Rdb4 $19 {Black is finally ready to start collecting.}) 37. Rh8 $1 $11 {Threatening Rgg8.} Rd6 {Defending h6 and getting out of the way of the potential pin with Rgg8. Nevertheless, it's too late for Black to win.} 38. b6 $3 {Very nice, but White is fine even without this.} (38. Rf3) ({and} 38. Re3 {are both approximately equal. The main virtue of Ding's move is that it resolves the situation while these moves maintain the tension, a tension that's more likely to be unfavorably broken in Black's favor than White's.}) 38... Rxb6 39. Rxe8+ Kxe8 40. Bb5+ {If Black's c3-rook had been on b3, this tactic wouldn't exist.} Rxb5 41. Rxc3 Kd7 42. Rf3 Ke7 43. Rc3 a5 44. Rc7+ Kf6 45. Rc6+ Kg7 46. Ra6 {Nepo put Ding under a lot of pressure the rest of the way, but whenever there was a move that had to be played, Ding played it. The following rook ending was surprisingly fascinating; hopefully the following commentary, which could have been a lot longer, will successfully convey some of its intricacies.} Rb2+ 47. Kf3 Ra2 48. Kg3 h5 {This is double-edged. It grabs some space, but it takes away the possibility of inducing White to play h5, which could, in some very long lines where the king goes in a sort of circle (or triangle) to take it. (Imagine White's pawns on f3 and h5, and Black's pawn on f6. Black plays ...Ra1 and pushes the pawn to a2, then moves the king to b7, then to b6-c5-d4-e3-f4-g5xh5. After all that, he's winning.)} 49. Ra8 Ra1 50. Kg2 a4 51. Ra5 f6 52. Kf3 a3 53. Ra6 Kf7 54. Ke3 $5 {This was a surprise to the commentators (and to yours truly), who expected the king to stay in the g2-h2 zone. One issue then is what he'll do about ...a2 followed by ...Re1, when the swap of Black's a-pawn for White's e-pawn is still drawn, but not trivially. White could play f3, but then there's the problem of Black's king getting to e3 and f4. So while Ding's approach seems riskier and has more things that can go wrong, it is well motivated. One last point: Black can swap his a-pawn for White's h-pawn, but that's harmless for White. That's a much easier hold than the case where White loses the e-pawn instead for the a-pawn.} Ke8 55. Ke2 (55. Rxf6 $4 a2 56. Ra6 Re1+ $19) 55... Ke7 (55... a2 56. Ra7 f5 {might look like a winner, and if Black's pawn were back on h6 *and* White's pawn were on h5, it *would* win.} 57. Ra8+ $1 {This is the only way. White will keep giving check, and only if Black's king strays far from f8 will he play exf5. With White's pawn on h5 and Black's on h6, Black wins by running his king to g5, avoiding further checks while remaining in touch with White's passer (after exf5).} (57. exf5 $2 e4 58. f6 e3 $1 59. fxe3 (59. Kxe3 Re1+ $19) 59... Rh1 60. Rxa2 Rh2+ $19 {is the main idea.}) 57... Kd7 58. Ra7+ Kc6 (58... Ke6 59. exf5+ {also draws because it's check. This suggests that if Black's pawn had been on h6 while White's remained on h4 it would still be a draw, as ...Kg6 would also allow exf5+. That said, that's a scenario that probably wouldn't have arisen, as Black would have threatened to play ...Kg6-h5 before trying this ...f5, ...e4-e3 idea. White would have had to play h5, and then this idea works.} (59. Ra6+ $11) 59... Kxf5 60. Kf3 e4+ 61. Kg2 $11) (58... Kd6 59. exf5 e4 60. f6 {If Black's king were on the other side of the pawn there wouldn't be a problem, but here it can't get across. So he needs to surrender the a-pawn, when it's an easy draw (but now easier for White than Black).} Rb1 61. f7 Rb8 62. Rxa2 Ke7 63. Ra4 Kxf7 64. Rxe4 $11) 59. exf5 $8 e4 60. f6 {Black must give up on the ...e3 plan and chase White's passer.} Rb1 61. Rxa2 Kd7 $11) 56. Kf3 Ra2 57. Ke3 Ra1 58. Ke2 Kf7 59. Kf3 Ra2 60. Ke3 Ke7 61. Kf3 Kd7 $1 {Creating a new set of problems for Ding. If only Nepo had been this diligent and resourceful before he played 36...e5!} 62. Rxf6 Rb2 63. Ra6 Rb3+ 64. Kg2 Kc7 {Black intends ...Kb7, breaking the king from its cage on the back two ranks. White has only one drawing move.} 65. f4 $1 exf4 66. e5 $1 {Also forced.} Kb7 67. Ra4 Kc6 68. Ra6+ Kb5 69. Ra7 (69. Ra8 {also draws.}) 69... Kb6 70. Ra8 Kc5 71. Ra6 Kb5 (71... Kd5 72. e6 $11) 72. Ra7 Kb6 (72... Kb4 73. Rb7+ Kc3 74. Rxb3+ Kxb3 75. e6 a2 76. e7 a1=Q 77. e8=Q $11) (72... Re3 73. e6 Kb4 74. e7 Kb3 75. Kf2 a2 {All well and good, but White can make no progress after} 76. Rb7+ Kc2 77. Ra7 Kb2 78. Rb7+ $11) 73. Ra8 Kc6 74. Ra6+ Kd7 {The king is incarcerated once again.} 75. Kf2 Ke7 76. Kg2 Re3 (76... Rg3+ 77. Kf2 Rg4 78. Rxa3 Rxh4 (78... Ke6 79. Ra6+ Kxe5 80. Ra5+ $11) 79. Ra7+ Ke6 80. Kf3 Kxe5 81. Ra5+ Kf6 82. Rb5 {While rook, f- and h-pawn vs. rook is generally a theoretical draw as long as the defender's king is decently placed (i.e. around the pawns and not cut off on the back rank), here Black's play doesn't get off the ground, as he won't be allowed to move his rook without surrendering one of the pawns, which will result in a trivially drawn ending.} Kg6 {Hoping to have the chance to play ...Rg4. That would still be drawn, but there's no reason to allow it.} 83. Rb6+ Kf5 84. Rb5+ Kf6 85. Ra5 $11 {etc.}) 77. Kf2 Rg3 (77... Rxe5 78. Rxa3 ({or} 78. Kf3 {, in either case with an easy draw. The worst is over for Black.})) 78. Kf1 Rc3 79. Kf2 Re3 80. Kg2 Kd7 81. Kf2 Kc7 82. e6 $1 {Not necessary, but driving Black's king further back makes White's life even easier.} Kd8 83. Ra7 Ke8 84. Kg2 Rxe6 {Giving up at last.} 85. Rxa3 Rg6+ 86. Kf2 Rg4 87. Ra5 Rxh4 88. Kf3 Ke7 {Thanks to 82.e6, White doesn't need to bother about immobilizing Black's rook (per the note to Black's 76th move); he can just win the f-pawn directly.} 89. Rf5 Ke6 90. Rxf4 Rxf4+ {The biggest mistake of the match: Nepo offered a draw up a rook and a pawn! (A joke.) It was a huge missed opportunity for Nepomniachtchi, but hopefully the hours of subsequent misery he inflicted on Ding cheered him up enough (and tired Ding enough) to put the players on a level footing going into tomorrow's playoff.} 1/2-1/2