[Event "Superbet ROM Classic 2024"] [Site "Bucharest ROM"] [Date "2024.07.05"] [Round "9.1"] [White "Deac, Bogdan-Daniel"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2692"] [BlackElo "2732"] [PlyCount "61"] [GameId "2064144741690687"] [EventDate "2024.06.26"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nxd5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. e4 Ndb4 8. a3 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Na6 10. Be3 g6 11. Nd4 Bd7 12. Nc3 Bg7 13. Nxc6 Bxc6 14. Bb5 Nb8 15. Rc1 O-O 16. Kc2 Rc8 17. Bxc6 Nxc6 18. Kb1 Bd4 19. Nd5 Bxe3 20. Nxe3 f6 21. Rhd1 Kf7 22. Rc3 Rd8 23. Kc1 Rxd1+ 24. Kxd1 Rd8+ 25. Ke1 Rd7 26. f3 h5 27. Ke2 Nd4+ 28. Kf1 Nc6 29. Ke2 Nd4+ 30. Kf1 Nc6 31. Ke2 1/2-1/2 [Event "Superbet ROM Classic 2024"] [Site "Bucharest ROM"] [Date "2024.07.05"] [Round "9.2"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "2770"] [BlackElo "2765"] [PlyCount "74"] [GameId "2064144741702976"] [EventDate "2024.06.26"] 1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. c5 Nh5 8. Be2 Nxf4 9. exf4 b6 10. b4 a5 11. a3 c6 12. O-O Qc7 13. g3 Bf6 14. Qc2 Ba6 15. Rab1 Bxe2 16. Nxe2 axb4 17. axb4 Ra3 18. Kg2 Rfa8 19. Rfc1 b5 20. h4 h5 21. Ne5 Nf8 22. Qd1 Nd7 23. Ra1 Nb8 24. Ng1 g6 25. Ngf3 R3a4 26. Qe1 Kg7 27. Ng5 Bxe5 28. fxe5 Nd7 29. Rxa4 bxa4 30. Rc3 a3 31. Qc1 Qa7 32. Rf3 Nf8 33. Qf4 Qe7 34. Qc1 Qa7 35. Qf4 Qe7 36. Qc1 Qa7 37. Qf4 Qe7 1/2-1/2 [Event "Superbet ROM Classic 2024"] [Site "Bucharest ROM"] [Date "2024.07.05"] [Round "9.3"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E01"] [WhiteElo "2745"] [BlackElo "2805"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "111"] [GameId "2064144741702977"] [EventDate "2024.06.26"] {[%evp 0,111,16,16,27,6,-12,-24,-24,-11,8,-33,-13,-20,1,-11,-11,-12,-11,-6,0,4,5,-21,5,9,10,-2,-2,-3,13,-11,-9,-25,-12,34,-39,-66,-75,-91,-36,-36,-13,0,-5,-5,-7,28,38,31,34,45,66,66,50,53,54,59,62,56,86,65,89,102,87,92,95,107,124,94,93,120,138,108,185,188,193,208,206,203,212,220,205,205,224,221,236,220,217,225,227,223,231,196,223,210,210,215,248,248,322,325,355,355,371,336,378,336,374,394,394,1090,29993,29992]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bb4+ 5. Nd2 O-O 6. Ngf3 b6 7. O-O Bb7 8. b3 Nbd7 9. Bb2 Qe7 10. a3 Bd6 11. Nh4 g6 12. b4 c5 13. bxc5 bxc5 14. cxd5 exd5 15. dxc5 Nxc5 $11 {The position is equal, but it's also of a sort where White has a target he can assail forever while Black has the "privilege" of defending indefinitely.} 16. Nb3 Nfe4 17. Na5 Rab8 18. Qd4 f6 19. Nxb7 Qxb7 {It's still "equal".} 20. Qd1 $1 Qxb2 $6 (20... Be7 $1 21. Rb1 (21. Bd4 Rfd8 $11) 21... Qb3 $11) 21. Qxd5+ Kg7 22. Bxe4 $14 {With a board full of pieces, there's a long way to go before Caruana can hope that the opposite-colored bishops will save him.} Rbd8 $6 (22... Be7 $142) 23. Ra2 $1 $16 Qe5 24. Qxe5 Bxe5 25. Bg2 {Even without the queens, there are too many pieces for Black to rest his hopes on the opposite-colored bishops.} (25. Bc2 $1) 25... f5 (25... Rb8 $1) 26. Nf3 Bf6 27. Rc2 Ne4 28. Rfc1 Rf7 29. Ne1 Re7 (29... Nd2 $142) 30. Nd3 Rdd7 $2 (30... Ng5) 31. Bxe4 $1 {Of course. White is clearly winning now that concerns about opposite-colored bishops are off the table.} fxe4 32. Nc5 Rd6 33. e3 {Fixing the weakness on e4. Under different circumstances, it wouldn't be surprising for Black to resign here.} Rc6 34. a4 Kh6 35. Nb3 Rb6 36. Nd2 Rbe6 37. Rc6 a5 38. Rxe6 Rxe6 39. Rc4 Rb6 40. Nxe4 {Or especially here, now that White is two pawns up.} Be7 41. Rc7 Re6 42. Nd2 g5 43. Nb3 Bb4 44. Nd4 Re5 45. g4 Kg6 46. Kg2 Rd5 47. Kf3 Rd8 48. Rc6+ Kf7 49. Ne6 Rd5 50. Ke4 Rd2 51. Nxg5+ Ke7 52. f4 Ra2 53. Kd5 Rxa4 54. Rc7+ Ke8 55. Ke6 Kd8 56. Rc4 {Black has no defense to the coming Nf7+, Rc8+/#.} 1-0 [Event "Superbet ROM Classic 2024"] [Site "Bucharest ROM"] [Date "2024.07.05"] [Round "9.4"] [White "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B92"] [WhiteElo "2747"] [BlackElo "2737"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "135"] [GameId "2064144741707074"] [EventDate "2024.06.26"] {[%evp 0,135,16,11,46,40,71,70,70,26,26,42,73,42,33,43,49,-11,16,14,8,12,1,14,16,22,47,30,23,37,39,37,14,-76,-59,-85,-75,-140,-70,-144,-85,-76,-99,-129,-81,-94,-81,-96,-95,-119,-107,-122,-126,-116,-119,-107,-98,-140,-121,-186,-188,-181,-168,-224,-148,-141,-119,-193,-165,-165,-151,-201,-201,-209,-212,-209,-209,-210,-214,-216,-175,-186,-184,-172,-155,-160,-151,-151,-139,-145,-146,-137,-87,-96,-96,-95,-109,-109,-101,-104,-98,-98,-100,-86,-100,-95,-86,-95,-120,-157,-112,-157,-80,-103,-104,-112,-116,-121,-120,-108,-108,-164,-58,-119,-110,-100,-57,-52,-45,-76,-23,-40,-40,-40,-40,-40,0,0]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. h4 h6 9. Be3 Be6 10. Qd3 Nc6 11. a3 Na5 12. Nd2 d5 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. O-O-O Nxe3 15. Qxe3 Qc7 16. Nde4 Rc8 17. g4 Nc6 18. Kb1 Nd4 19. f4 Nxe2 20. Qxe2 exf4 21. g5 Kf8 22. Qf2 Rd8 23. Rdf1 Bf5 24. Rhg1 g6 25. Qxf4 Qxf4 26. Rxf4 hxg5 27. hxg5 Rd4 $19 {There's no two ways about it: Black is winning here.} 28. Rgf1 Rh2 29. Rxf5 gxf5 30. Rxf5 Rg2 31. Re5 Rg4 32. Ka2 b6 33. b4 Rc4 34. Kb2 b5 35. Nf6 Bxf6 36. gxf6 Rgf4 37. Nd5 Rf2 38. Ne3 Rc6 39. Rh5 Rfxf6 40. Nf5 Ke8 41. Nd4 Rc4 (41... Rcd6 $142) 42. c3 Rg6 (42... Rc8 $142) 43. Rh3 Rc7 44. Kb3 Re7 (44... Rg1 $142 45. a4 bxa4+ 46. Kxa4 Rb1) 45. a4 Re5 $2 (45... bxa4+ $142) 46. axb5 axb5 47. Rh8+ Ke7 48. Rb8 $11 {And now it's objectively equal, though Pragg is the one who must continue to prove it.} f5 49. Rb7+ Kf6 50. Nxb5 f4 51. Nd4 Rg3 52. Rb8 Kf7 53. Rb7+ Re7 54. Rb5 Kg6 55. Rb6+ Kf7 56. Rh6 Ree3 57. Rh4 Rxc3+ 58. Kb2 Kf6 59. Rxf4+ Ke5 60. Rh4 Rc8 61. Nb5 Rb8 62. Nc3 Rc8 63. Rh5+ Ke6 64. Rc5 Rxc5 65. bxc5 Rg5 66. Kb3 Rxc5 67. Kb4 Rxc3 68. Kxc3 {A surprising failure by Firouzja, who would have taken clear first in the tournament had he pulled out the win. And excellent defense by Pragg, especially in a classical game.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Superbet ROM Classic 2024"] [Site "Bucharest ROM"] [Date "2024.07.05"] [Round "9.5"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Gukesh, D."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E48"] [WhiteElo "2757"] [BlackElo "2763"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "43"] [GameId "2064144741707075"] [EventDate "2024.06.26"] {[%evp 0,43,16,16,27,13,6,-4,21,25,34,17,17,17,17,24,24,14,15,8,8,6,26,26,31,24,59,31,9,28,16,16,35,23,46,54,29,46,47,47,72,32,46,35,35,35]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b6 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Bb7 10. O-O Qe7 {There's only one predecessor with this move, and that game will be left behind momentarily.} (10... Nbd7) ({and} 10... c5 {are usual.}) 11. a4 $146 c5 12. a5 Qc7 13. axb6 axb6 14. Rxa8 Bxa8 {White has no advantage here, but no problems either.} 15. Qe2 Nbd7 16. Bb2 Bc6 (16... Bxf3 {forces} 17. gxf3 {, when Black may have a nibble.} ({Not} 17. Qxf3 $4 {as} cxd4 $19 {wins two pawns, as saving the c4-bishop from the queen will result in the loss of the c3-pawn as well.})) 17. Ra1 Qb7 18. Ba6 Qc7 (18... Bxf3 19. Qxf3 Qxf3 20. gxf3 Ra8 $11 {keeps the game going, but it's fully equal as well.}) 19. Bd3 Qb7 20. Ba6 Qc7 21. Bd3 Qb7 22. Ba6 1/2-1/2 [Event "Superbet Classic TB 2024"] [Site "Bucharest ROU"] [Date "2024.07.05"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Gukesh, D."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A20"] [WhiteElo "2796"] [BlackElo "2763"] [PlyCount "193"] [GameId "2064132610678971"] [EventDate "2024.07.05"] 1. c4 e5 2. d3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. a3 a5 5. e3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. b3 Bd6 8. Bb2 O-O 9. Nbd2 Qe7 10. Be2 Nb6 11. O-O Be6 12. Qc2 Rfd8 13. Rfe1 f6 14. Ne4 Qf7 15. Nfd2 Bf8 16. Rab1 Rd7 17. Nc5 Bxc5 18. Qxc5 Rad8 19. Qc2 Bf5 20. Ne4 Bxe4 21. dxe4 Rd2 22. Qc1 R2d6 23. Bc3 Kh8 24. h3 Qe7 25. Qc2 Qe6 26. Rec1 Ra8 27. Be1 Rdd8 28. Qc5 Nd7 29. Qc2 Nb6 30. Qb2 h6 31. Rc2 Nc8 32. Bc4 Qd7 33. Rbc1 N6e7 34. Be2 c6 35. b4 axb4 36. Bxb4 Qc7 37. Rd2 Rxd2 38. Qxd2 b6 39. Qa2 c5 40. Be1 Nd6 41. Rd1 Rd8 42. f3 Nb7 43. Rb1 Nc8 44. a4 Rd6 45. Ba6 Nd8 46. Qb3 Kh7 47. Bc4 Nc6 48. Bd5 N6e7 49. Be6 Qd8 50. Bc4 Nc6 51. Qc2 N8e7 52. Kh2 Nc8 53. Qb3 N6e7 54. a5 bxa5 55. Qa3 Nb6 56. Be2 Nd7 57. Bxa5 Qc8 58. Be1 Nc6 59. Bc4 Nb4 60. Bxb4 Rb6 61. Rb3 cxb4 62. Rxb4 Rxb4 63. Qxb4 Qc5 64. Qb3 Qd6 65. Be6 Nf8 66. Bf5+ Kh8 67. Qf7 Nh7 68. Be6 Qf8 69. Qd7 Ng5 70. Bd5 g6 71. h4 Nh7 72. Bf7 Qg7 73. Qe8+ Nf8 74. Bxg6 Kg8 75. Bf5 Qc7 76. Be6+ Kg7 77. Bd5 Qa7 78. Qd8 h5 79. Qe8 Ng6 80. Qe6 Qxe3 81. Qf7+ Kh6 82. Qxf6 Qf4+ 83. Qxf4+ Nxf4 84. g3 Nd3 85. Kg2 Kg6 86. Kf1 Nb4 87. Ke2 Nc2 88. f4 Kf6 89. Bc4 Nd4+ 90. Ke3 Nc2+ 91. Kf2 Nd4 92. Be2 Kg6 93. fxe5 Nc6 94. e6 Ne7 95. Ke3 Nc6 96. Bb5 Ne7 97. Be8+ 1-0 [Event "Superbet Classic TB 2024"] [Site "Bucharest ROU"] [Date "2024.07.05"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C54"] [WhiteElo "2744"] [BlackElo "2757"] [PlyCount "177"] [GameId "2064132610691260"] [EventDate "2024.07.05"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Bg5 d6 6. c3 a6 7. Nbd2 h6 8. Bh4 Ba7 9. O-O g5 10. Bg3 Nd7 11. b4 Nf8 12. Qb3 Qe7 13. b5 Na5 14. Qb4 axb5 15. Bxb5+ c6 16. d4 Bb8 17. Be2 Ng6 18. Nb3 Bc7 19. h3 h5 20. dxe5 dxe5 21. Qxe7+ Kxe7 22. Nxg5 h4 23. Bh2 f6 24. Nf3 Be6 25. Nc5 Bf7 26. Nd4 Rhd8 27. Nf5+ Ke8 28. Bh5 Bb6 29. Ne6 Bxe6 30. Bxg6+ Bf7 31. Bxf7+ Kxf7 32. Kh1 Nc4 33. f4 Nd2 34. Rfe1 Ra4 35. fxe5 fxe5 36. Bxe5 Nxe4 37. Bd4 Bxd4 38. cxd4 Ng3+ 39. Nxg3 hxg3 40. Re3 Rdxd4 41. Rxg3 Rd2 42. a3 b5 43. Re1 Rc4 44. Rf3+ Kg6 45. Re6+ Kg7 46. Re7+ Kg6 47. Re8 Kg7 48. Re5 Kg6 49. Kh2 Ra2 50. Re6+ Kg7 51. Ree3 c5 52. Rf1 Rd4 53. Rg3+ Kh6 54. Rf6+ Kh7 55. Rf5 Kh6 56. Rxc5 b4 57. Rc6+ Kh7 58. axb4 Rxb4 59. Rcg6 Rb5 60. R6g5 Rxg5 61. Rxg5 Kh6 62. h4 Ra1 63. Rb5 Rc1 64. Kh3 Rg1 65. Rb6+ Kg7 66. g3 Ra1 67. h5 Rh1+ 68. Kg4 Ra1 69. Kh4 Ra3 70. g4 Ra5 71. Rg6+ Kh7 72. Rf6 Kg7 73. Rf5 Ra7 74. Kg5 Rb7 75. h6+ Kh7 76. Kh5 Rb1 77. Rf7+ Kg8 78. Ra7 Rb8 79. g5 Kh8 80. Rc7 Ra8 81. g6 Ra5+ 82. Kg4 Ra4+ 83. Kf5 Ra5+ 84. Ke4 Ra4+ 85. Kd5 Ra8 86. Kc5 Rd8 87. Kc6 Rb8 88. Kd7 Rg8 89. Rc8 1-0 [Event "Superbet Classic TB 2024"] [Site "Bucharest ROU"] [Date "2024.07.05"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Gukesh, D."] [Black "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C26"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2757"] [PlyCount "121"] [GameId "2064132610695357"] [EventDate "2024.07.05"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d3 Nf6 4. g3 Bc5 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 a5 8. h3 Re8 9. Kh2 a4 10. Bd2 Nd4 11. Nxd4 Bxd4 12. Rb1 c6 13. Ne2 Bb6 14. f4 exf4 15. Nxf4 d5 16. exd5 cxd5 17. Qf3 Be6 18. Rbe1 Rc8 19. c3 Qd7 20. Re2 Bc7 21. Rfe1 b5 22. Be3 Bf5 23. Bd4 Bxf4 24. gxf4 Rxe2 25. Rxe2 Re8 26. Re5 Rxe5 27. Bxe5 Ne8 28. Qe3 f6 29. Bb8 g6 30. Qd4 Be6 31. f5 Bxf5 32. Qxd5+ Qxd5 33. Bxd5+ Kf8 34. d4 Ke7 35. Bc6 Bd7 36. Bf3 Be6 37. d5 Bf7 38. b3 axb3 39. axb3 Nd6 40. Ba7 g5 41. Bc5 Kd7 42. Kg2 h5 43. Kf2 Bg6 44. Ke3 h4 45. Bxd6 Kxd6 46. Kd4 Bf5 47. Bg2 Bc2 48. c4 Bxb3 49. cxb5 Ba4 50. Kc4 f5 51. b6 g4 52. b7 Kc7 53. d6+ Kb8 54. Kd4 Be8 55. Ke5 Bd7 56. Bh1 Ka7 57. Kf6 f4 58. Ke7 Bf5 59. d7 Bxd7 60. Kxd7 f3 61. Kc7 1-0 [Event "Superbet Classic TB 2024"] [Site "Bucharest ROU"] [Date "2024.07.05"] [Round "2.2"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A20"] [WhiteElo "2796"] [BlackElo "2744"] [PlyCount "155"] [GameId "2064132610695358"] [EventDate "2024.07.05"] 1. c4 e5 2. d3 Bb4+ 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 Nc6 5. g3 d6 6. Bg2 Nge7 7. O-O Ba5 8. b3 O-O 9. Bb2 h6 10. e3 Be6 11. d4 exd4 12. exd4 cxd4 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Bxd4 d5 15. cxd5 Bxd5 16. Ne4 Nc6 17. Bf6 gxf6 18. Qxd5 Qe7 19. Rac1 Rad8 20. Qf5 Kg7 21. Rxc6 bxc6 22. Qxa5 Rd5 23. Qc3 Rfd8 24. g4 Qe5 25. Qxe5 fxe5 26. Bf3 Ra5 27. Rc1 Rxa2 28. Rxc6 Rb2 29. Kg2 Rxb3 30. Ng3 Rb6 31. Rc7 a6 32. Nf5+ Kf8 33. Ra7 Rf6 34. Be4 Rg6 35. Kf3 Rb6 36. h4 Ke8 37. h5 Rd7 38. Ra8+ Rd8 39. Rxd8+ Kxd8 40. g5 Kd7 41. Nxh6 Ke6 42. Bf5+ Ke7 43. Ng4 a5 44. h6 a4 45. h7 Rb8 46. Nf6 Rh8 47. Bb1 a3 48. Ke4 Kf8 49. Kxe5 Kg7 50. Nh5+ Kf8 51. Nf6 Kg7 52. Ba2 Rb8 53. f4 Rc8 54. Kd4 Rc2 55. Bxf7 a2 56. Bxa2 Rxa2 57. Ke4 Ra4+ 58. Kf5 Ra5+ 59. Kg4 Ra6 60. Kh5 Rc6 61. f5 Ra6 62. Kg4 Rc6 63. Kf4 Ra6 64. Ke5 Ra5+ 65. Ke6 Ra6+ 66. Ke7 Ra7+ 67. Ke6 Ra6+ 68. Ke5 Ra5+ 69. Kf4 Ra4+ 70. Kg3 Ra6 71. Kg4 Rc6 72. Kh5 Ra6 73. Nd7 Kxh7 74. f6 Ra5 75. f7 Rf5 76. f8=Q Rxg5+ 77. Kh4 Rh5+ 78. Kg4 1-0 [Event "Superbet Classic TB 2024"] [Site "Bucharest ROU"] [Date "2024.07.05"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D00"] [WhiteElo "2757"] [BlackElo "2796"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "104"] [GameId "2064132610695359"] [EventDate "2024.07.05"] {[%evp 0,104,16,16,17,2,4,-4,32,-5,19,5,16,-59,-32,-34,-19,4,2,4,-4,-2,-8,-5,24,29,32,37,28,42,28,9,7,8,30,27,17,18,18,1,2,-4,23,21,15,8,23,-6,4,-7,25,26,24,8,10,10,10,10,10,0,0,0,39,12,10,43,43,-12,-16,-15,0,0,0,13,13,23,23,11,16,0,77,69,57,44,107,139,134,87,86,-35,-41,-146,-132,-179,-187,-294,-344,-380,-388,-407,-410,-473,-476,-463,-525,-811,-857]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 d5 3. Nd2 e6 4. e3 c5 5. c3 Nbd7 6. f4 Be7 7. Bd3 b6 8. Ngf3 Bb7 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. O-O f5 11. Bb5 Bf6 12. Ne5 Bxe5 13. fxe5 a6 14. Bxd7+ Qxd7 15. Nf3 a5 16. Ng5 h5 17. Nh3 $6 (17. h4 $142 $16 {/+- first was right, and only later Nh3-f4.}) 17... h4 $1 18. Nf4 O-O-O 19. Rb1 Kb8 20. Rf2 Rc8 21. Nh5 Ba6 22. Rd2 Ka7 23. Qf3 $6 Qa4 $1 $11 24. Ra1 Qc6 25. Nf6 a4 26. a3 Bc4 27. Qf4 Qc7 28. h3 Qe7 29. Kh2 Qf8 30. Rg1 Rh6 31. g4 hxg3+ 32. Rxg3 Qh8 33. Qg5 Bf1 34. Kg1 Rg6 35. Qf4 Rxg3+ 36. Qxg3 Qxh3 37. Qxh3 Bxh3 38. Rh2 Bg4 39. Rh7 Ka6 40. Rxf7 Kb5 41. Re7 cxd4 42. exd4 Rc6 43. Rh7 $2 {Part 1 in the execution of a terrible plan. That's the peril of the short time control, of course, and with almost no time even the best players can on occasion make very large mistakes.} (43. Nxg4 fxg4 44. Ra7 $1 $18 {was the right way to deal with the ...Kc4-b3 threat. Now White is winning - he'll bring the king towards the g-pawn, and if Black's rook bothers with that White will collect the e-pawn instead. Putting the rook on g6 won't help, either, as White will play Rf7-f6 to win the pawn.}) 43... Kc4 $11 44. Rh2 $2 {And this is part 2, the point of the previous move. Black's king can't win the b2-pawn - at least not by itself - but even if Black didn't have ...Bd1-c2 White would still be unable to win, meaning that Caruana has now essentially guaranteed himself of victory in the playoff and thus the tournament as a whole.} Kb3 $2 (44... Bd1 $1 $19) 45. Rg2 $2 (45. Nxg4 fxg4 $11) 45... Bd1 $1 $19 {The bishpo goes to c2, and Black starts collecting White's pawns.} 46. Ne8 Bc2 47. Ng7 Kxb2 48. c4 Rxc4 49. Nxe6 Kxa3 50. Ng7 Kb3 51. e6 Rc7 52. Re2 $2 {Missing that the knight drops with check, but it was (a) lost in any case, and (b) even if it weren't check White would still be completely and hopelessly lost.} Rxg7+ ({To illustrate that Black would be winning even if this weren't check, let me enter some silly moves to reach the position we'd have if White could play e7 here:} 52... Rxg7+ 53. Kf2 Rh7 54. Kg1 Ra7 55. e7 Rxe7 56. Rxe7 {This would have arisen if ...Rxg7 weren't check. Now:} a3 57. Re3+ (57. Ra7 a2 58. Kf2 Kb2 59. Ke3 b5 {Threatening ...Ba4.} 60. Rxa2+ Kxa2 $19) 57... Kb2 {followed by ...a2-a1Q wins.}) 0-1 [Event "Superbet Classic TB 2024"] [Site "Bucharest ROU"] [Date "2024.07.05"] [Round "3.2"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Gukesh, D."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2744"] [BlackElo "2763"] [PlyCount "69"] [GameId "2064132610699456"] [EventDate "2024.07.05"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be6 8. Nc4 Nf6 9. Bg5 b5 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Ne3 Ne7 12. a4 Bh6 13. axb5 Bxe3 14. fxe3 O-O 15. bxa6 Qb6 16. Qd2 Qxb2 17. Rb1 Qa3 18. Bd3 Rfc8 19. Ne2 f5 20. Ng3 fxe4 21. Nxe4 f5 22. Ng5 e4 23. Nxe6 Qa2 24. c4 Qxd2+ 25. Kxd2 exd3 26. Rb7 Kf7 27. Nc7 Rxc7 28. Rxc7 Rxa6 29. Kxd3 Ra2 30. Rb1 Kf6 31. Rb6 Ke6 32. c5 Nd5 33. Rxd6+ Ke5 34. Rcd7 Ra3+ 35. Ke2 1-0