[Event "Grand Chess Tour: Superbet Chess Classic"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.05.11"] [Round "6"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "So, Wesley"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A22"] [WhiteElo "2789"] [BlackElo "2760"] [Annotator "rafael"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] {[%evp 0,79,23,-27,-14,-6,-28,-28,-15,-12,-19,6,-7,11,10,-36,-11,-6,7,-22,-3,4,-2,7,28,1,-13,-4,-13,-43,-35,-33,-40,-49,-49,-28,-6,3,0,0,0,-37,-37,-37,-41,-41,-12,-14,-14,-15,-20,-20,-10,-20,13,-58,-58,-58,-58,-106,-111,-107,-107,-107,-107,-110,-103,-101,-118,-110,-112,-127,-95,-95,-95,-87,-95,-95,-94,-95,-95,-102]} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. e3 {It seems that Ding has an inexhaustible amount of little ideas in the English Opening.} Bb4 4. Nge2 {All very logical, and we've seen this in different forms before. White wants to play a3 and capture on c3 with a piece.} O-O 5. a3 Be7 (5... Bxc3 6. Nxc3 d5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 {This is also playable and So had this position with Black in a blitz game against Carlsen.}) 6. d4 exd4 7. Qxd4 (7. Nxd4 d5 $1 {[%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Black equalizes easily.}) 7... Na6 $5 {[%c_effect a6;square;a6;type;Interesting;persistent;true] This rare move is probably the result of home preparation. The main question in this position is whether Black will be able to play the liberating d7-d5 move or not.} (7... Nc6 {is the main move.}) 8. Qd1 {The queen retreats as prophylaxis against Nc5. In case of} (8. Nf4 Nc5 9. Qd1 a5 $1 {[%c_effect a5;square;a5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Black is able to secure the knight's post before it is pushed back by b2-b4. At least, this is what I imagined before discovering that this has all been played before. See the next comment.}) 8... c6 $5 {[%c_effect c6;square;c6;type;Interesting;persistent;true] A new move in this position, but we will have a transposition later. The plan is to play Nc5 and then d7-d5.} (8... Nc5 9. b4 {I suppose this is the right way to use the earlier queen retreat.} (9. Nf4 a5 $1 {[%c_effect a5;square;a5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] transposes to the position I've just mentioned.} 10. b3 c6 11. Be2 d6 {with a good position for Black in Gasanov-Banusz, Zalakaro op 2017.}) 9... Nce4 10. Bb2 a5 $1 {[%c_effect a5;square;a5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] To be honest, this also doesn't seem very inspiring for White.}) 9. Nf4 Nc7 (9... Nc5 {is also good.} 10. b4 Ne6) 10. e4 {Ding wants to avoid the move d7-d5, which leads to easy equality.} (10. Be2 d5) 10... Re8 {The real novelty.} (10... d5 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. exd5 Bd6 13. Be2 Bxf4 14. Bxf4 Ncxd5 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bg3 {White has a small edge due to the bishop pair. Ponkratov-Khanin, Chelyabinsk (rapid) 2020.}) 11. Be2 $6 {[%c_effect e2;square;e2;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} (11. Bd3 $1 {[%c_effect d3;square;d3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] is better. A possible variation is:} d5 12. cxd5 cxd5 13. O-O dxe4 14. Nxe4 Nxe4 15. Bxe4 Qxd1 16. Rxd1 Bxa3 $1 {[%c_effect a3;square;a3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 17. Bxh7+ Kxh7 18. Rxa3 {with an equal endgame.}) 11... Bf8 {Now White is in trouble. Surprisingly lackluster play by Ding in an opening he probably had studied for the world championship match.} 12. Qd3 (12. O-O Nxe4 13. Nxe4 Rxe4 {The compensation for the missing pawn is not enough.}) 12... Qe7 13. f3 Qe5 $1 {[%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} (13... d5 {also looks tempting, but the move played in the game is better.} 14. cxd5 cxd5 15. Ncxd5 Ncxd5 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Qxd5 Be6 {with excellent compensation for Black, but White should make a draw with careful play.}) 14. Nh3 $2 {[%c_effect h3;square;h3;type;Mistake;persistent;true] An ugly move born out of necessity.} (14. O-O {is a better way to fight for a draw.} d5 $1 {[%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 15. cxd5 cxd5 16. Nfxd5 Ncxd5 17. f4 $1 {[%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The best defense.} (17. exd5 Bf5 $1 {[%c_effect f5;square;f5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 18. Qd1 Nxd5 19. Qxd5 Qxd5 20. Nxd5 Rxe2 {This is an unpleasant endgame for White.}) 17... Qe6 18. exd5 Nxd5 19. Nxd5 Qxe2 20. Qxe2 Rxe2 21. Be3 $1 {[%c_effect e3;square;e3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] With good drawing chances for White, for instance:} Be6 22. Nc7 Rc8 23. Nxe6 Rxe3 24. Nxf8 Kxf8 25. Rf2) 14... d5 $1 {[%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Is just a dream position for Black. White has fallen behind in development, the king is stuck in the center, and his pieces are badly placed.} 15. Bf4 Qe7 16. cxd5 cxd5 (16... Bxh3 $6 {[%c_effect h3;square;h3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} 17. d6 $1 {[%c_effect d6;square;d6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) 17. Nf2 (17. exd5 $2 {[%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} Ncxd5 {with a decisive initiative.}) (17. Bxc7 $2 {[%c_effect c7;square;c7;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} Bxh3 18. gxh3 Qxc7 19. Nxd5 Nxd5 20. exd5 Qf4 {with a totally winning position for Black.}) 17... Ne6 18. Be3 d4 $1 {[%c_effect d4;square;d4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] So plays all the best moves.} 19. Bxd4 Rd8 $1 {[%c_effect d8;square;d8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} (19... Nf4 $2 {[%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;Mistake;persistent;true] is not convincing after} 20. Qd2 Nxg2+ 21. Kf1) 20. Bxf6 Qxf6 21. Ng4 $1 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The best chance.} (21. Nd5 Qxb2 22. Rb1 (22. O-O Nf4 $1 {[%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) 22... Qxa3 {with a technically winning position.}) (21. Qc4 Nf4 22. O-O Be6 {Black's position plays by itself.}) 21... Qg5 $1 {[%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 22. h4 (22. Qe3 Nf4 $1 {[%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] is unpleasant.}) 22... Qa5 23. Qb5 Qc7 24. Nd5 Qg3+ 25. Kf1 {After conducting a perfect game until this point, So hesitates.} Bd7 $2 {[%c_effect d7;square;d7;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} (25... Rxd5 $1 {[%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] is a killer exchange sacrifice that decides the game. I imagine Kasparov would've never missed such a move, but maybe I'm just being nostalgic.} 26. exd5 Nf4 27. Ne3 a6 $1 {[%c_effect a6;square;a6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] An important little move that is necessary to complete the development of the c8-bishop.} 28. Qb6 (28. Qc4 Bd7 {with a deadly attack.}) (28. Qe8 $2 {[%c_effect e8;square;e8;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} Bh3 $1 {[%c_effect h3;square;h3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) 28... Bf5 $1 {[%c_effect f5;square;f5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Followed by Re8, with a devastating initiative.}) 26. Qa5 Nd4 27. Rd1 (27. Qe1 {is more stubborn.}) 27... Nxe2 28. Rh3 {The only justification of the previous move.} b6 $1 {[%c_effect b6;square;b6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 29. Qa6 Bxg4 $1 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 30. Rxg3 Nxg3+ 31. Ke1 (31. Kf2 {loses to} Nxe4+ 32. fxe4 Bxd1) 31... Be6 32. Qb7 Rdb8 33. Qc7 Nh5 34. g4 Nf6 35. Ne7+ Bxe7 36. Qxe7 Re8 37. Qb7 {Unbalanced positions are never easy to assess, but So surely knew that he was close to winning here. His decision to repeat moves and accept a draw makes no sense to me.} Reb8 (37... h5 {is the most natural way to continue.} 38. g5 Nh7 39. Kf2 Nf8 {Black is ahead in material and should win this position with no particular problem since White's king is too unsafe.}) 38. Qe7 Re8 39. Qb7 Reb8 40. Qe7 1/2-1/2