[Event "WCh 2023"] [Site "Astana KAZ"] [Date "2023.04.15"] [Round "5.1"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C84"] [WhiteElo "2795"] [BlackElo "2788"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "2023.04.09"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 {A very popular alternative to the 6. Re1 main line.} (6. Bxc6 {was Nepo's choice in game 1.}) 6... b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 (9. Re1 {seems more logical in a way, in that if Black plays 9...Bb7 White doesn't have to spend a tempo on h3. A sensible line of reasoning, but Black's bishop has other options in addition to ...Bb7 and waiting for d4 to play ...Bg4.} Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. Nbd2 Nc6 12. Nf1 h6 13. h3 Re8 14. Ng3 Be6 {is one typical idea, illustrating that there's a third way.}) 9... Bb7 ({Black can go for a similar approach to the one seen in the last note, e.g.} 9... Na5 10. Bc2 c5 {, and now 11.Re1 would transpose. Instead, White seems to be opting for} 11. d4 {in recent high-level games, with a standard Chigorin position except for White's rook sitting on f1.}) 10. a4 {Rare (10.Re1 is still standard, but you-know-"who" [Stockfish] likes this move), and only played once in a GM game. That game was a big one, though: Firouzja vs. Giri, played last August and won by White.} Na5 11. Ba2 c5 12. Bg5 $146 {Acknowledged as prep by Nepomniachtchi and the top choice, if only by a tiny margin, by the computer. With Black's c5-d6-e5 pawn triangle, the d5 beckons, and so plans of swapping off the Black minor pieces that defend that square is one typical idea.} (12. Na3 Qd7 13. Bg5 bxa4 14. Nh4 Rab8 15. Nf5 Bd8 16. f4 exf4 17. Rxf4 Nb3 18. Bxb3 axb3 19. Qf3 Ne8 20. Bxd8 Rxd8 21. Qg3 f6 22. Raf1 Bc8 23. Nc4 Qb7 24. Nce3 Be6 25. R4f3 a5 26. Ra1 Qc7 27. d4 cxd4 28. Nxd4 Bf7 29. Nd5 Bxd5 30. exd5 Qc5 31. Kh2 Qxd5 32. Rf5 Qf7 33. Rfxa5 Rd7 34. Nf5 Kh8 35. Re1 g6 36. Nd4 Ng7 37. Qf3 d5 38. Ra6 Rb8 39. Rxf6 Qg8 40. Rf1 Rdd8 41. Nc6 Nf5 42. Nxb8 Rxb8 43. g4 Qd8 44. Re6 Ng7 45. Re5 Qd6 46. Qxd5 Qc7 47. Qc5 Qd8 48. Rd5 Qe8 49. Qf2 Ra8 50. Re1 Qb8+ 51. Rde5 Qg8 52. Qe2 Ra2 53. Re4 Qb8+ 54. Kg2 Qc8 55. Rf1 Kg8 56. Rd4 Qxc3 57. Rd8+ {1-0 Firouzja,A (2778)-Giri,A (2760) Miami FTX Crypto Cup rapid 2022 (3.7)}) 12... h6 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. axb5 axb5 15. Nbd2 Nc6 16. Bd5 Rxa1 17. Qxa1 Qd7 18. Re1 Ra8 19. Qd1 {So far, everything squares with the engine, though it should also be said that all both sides' moves are natural and logical.} Bd8 {Looking to give the bishop better prospects on b6. If White were to play d4 the bishop would have been fine where it was, but White can make any number of useful moves before pushing the pawn.} (19... Ra6 {(This move and its successor can be played the other way around.) Clearing everything off the diagonal followed by ...Ne7 is one effective plan.} 20. Nf1 Bc8 21. Ne3 Ne7 22. d4 exd4 23. cxd4 Nxd5 24. Nxd5 Be7 ({The engine has a very slight preference for} 24... Bd8 25. b3 Be7 $11 {, but I doubt any human not looking at a computer screen (or getting a report from someone else...who got it from a computer screen) would consider this semi-retraction.}) 25. Nxe7+ Qxe7 26. e5 cxd4 27. exd6 Qf8 28. Re4 Rxd6 29. Rxd4 Rxd4 30. Qxd4 Be6 $11 {There's no doubt about the equality here.}) 20. Nf1 Ne7 21. Bxb7 {Another desirable trade, avoiding which was the motivation for the idea given on move 19 with ...Ra6, ...Bc8, and only then ...Ne7.} Qxb7 22. Ne3 {White doesn't have much, but it's not fully equal, either.} Bb6 {Black prepares to activate the bad-ish bishop with ...c4. The downside of this is that the bishop has left the kingside unattended, so White turns his attention there.} (22... g6 {followed by ...h5 (sooner or later) may be better, but isn't really in keeping with the plan of transferring the bishop to b6.}) 23. h4 {Looking to put the pawn on h5. Now Black cannot reasonably go for ...g6 or ...h5.} Qc6 {Going for ...c4.} (23... h5 $2 24. Ng5 $16 g6 $2 (24... f6 $142 25. Nh3 g6 26. Qb3+ $16) 25. Qf3 Rf8 26. g4 hxg4 27. Nxg4 f5 28. Nh6+ Kg7 29. Nxf5+ $1 gxf5 30. Qh5 Qc8 31. Qh7+ Kf6 32. Qh6+ Ng6 33. h5 Rg8 34. Kh2 $1 $18) (23... g6 $6 24. h5 $16 g5 $2 25. Nh2 $18) (23... Ra2 $1 {followed by ...Qa6-a4 is risky, going all-in on queenside play, but it seems that he has time for this - White is still in the early stages of his kingside build.}) 24. h5 c4 25. d4 exd4 ({It's also possible to maintain the tension, e.g. with} 25... Rd8 $11 {, and this also supports ...d5 (after swapping on d4).}) 26. Nxd4 Qc5 $2 {An error, but it goes unpunished.} (26... Qb7 {maintains approximate equality. (White has the tiniest plus, but Black is just a few accurate moves away from making a draw.)}) (26... Qxe4 $4 27. Nef5 $18) 27. Qg4 (27. Qf3 $1 {is a nice dual-purpose move. It prepares to put a knight on f5 by safeguarding f2, and it also threatens e4-e5.} Re8 $1 (27... Rc8 $2 28. Ndf5 Nxf5 29. Nxf5 Qe5 $2 30. Nxh6+ $1 gxh6 31. Qg4+ $18) (27... Rb8 $2 28. Ndf5 Nxf5 29. Nxf5 Qe5 30. Rd1 Bc7 31. Rd5 Qf6 32. g3 $18 {There's no immediate win, but White's grip should prove decisive.}) 28. Qg4 $1 (28. Ndf5 Nxf5 29. Nxf5 Qe5 {The point of 27...Re8 is that White doesn't have Rd1 now.}) 28... Kf8 29. Rd1 Qe5 $8 30. Qd7 Bxd4 31. Rxd4 Qxh5 32. Rxd6 $16) 27... Qe5 28. Nf3 Qe6 29. Nf5 Nxf5 (29... Qf6 $11) 30. exf5 Qf6 $6 (30... Qd7 31. Qf4 Bd8 $1 {The dark squares on the kingside must be defended - f6, obviously, and as we'll see a little later, g5 is also important.} 32. Qe4 d5 $8 33. Qe8+ Qxe8 34. Rxe8+ Kh7 {If White could play Kg2 here, Black would be in trouble.} 35. g3 Ra1+ $8 {Otherwise, Black is losing.} 36. Kg2 Bf6 37. Rb8 d4 $1 38. cxd4 Rb1 $1 39. Rxb5 c3 {The point of the last two moves.} 40. Rc5 $8 cxb2 41. Rb5 Bxd4 $1 42. Nxd4 Rd1 43. Rxb2 Rxd4 $11) 31. Qe4 $1 $14 Rb8 ({It's sad for Black to surrender the open file, but the alternative is much worse.} 31... Ra2 $4 32. Qc6 Ba7 33. Re8+ Kh7 34. Qc8 $18 {mates. The back rank is more important than the a-file.}) 32. Re2 $1 {A nice prophylactic move.} ({The immediate} 32. g4 {is well met by} b4 $1 {, e.g.} 33. Qxc4 bxc3 34. bxc3 d5 $1 35. Qxd5 Qxc3 {and with only kingside pawns for both players, and White's extra pawn being doubled, Black should save this.}) 32... Bc5 {Preparing ...b4.} (32... b4 $2 33. cxb4 $18 {There's no ...Qxb2 here.}) 33. g4 $1 {Entirely safe for White - but not for Black.} Qd8 $1 ({Sacrificing the pawn with} 33... b4 $143 $6 {isn't impossible, but since White keeps a queenside pawn it's not as good for Black as the similar sac seen in the 32.g4 b4 line, above.} 34. Qxc4 bxc3 35. bxc3 $16) 34. Qd5 {Preventing ...d5.} Kf8 $6 (34... Rc8 $14) (34... b4 $5 35. Qxc4 Qd7 36. Qd5 bxc3 37. bxc3 Qa4 38. Qe4 Qxe4 39. Rxe4 d5 40. Re5 Rc8 $3 41. Rxd5 Bb6 {This time the queenside pawns disappear, so it's again a likely draw. White can't keep the pawn with} 42. Rd3 {because of} Ba5 {, of course.}) 35. Kf1 $2 (35. Kh2 $1 Qc8 36. Nh4 Qb7 (36... Qd8 37. Kg3 $1 $16) 37. Qd1 $1 $16) 35... Rc8 $2 {A big mistake, after which he can't activate his queen fast enough to get counterplay.} ({If you're wondering what's so special about 35.Kh2, here's your answer:} 35... Qc8 $1 36. Nh4 Qd8 (36... Qb7 {isn't as good as 36...Qd8, but it's also decent, and also illustrates the superiroity of 35.Kh2.} 37. Qd1 $4 {This was a good idea in the 35.Kh2 line; here, not so much.} (37. Qxb7 Rxb7 38. f6 $1 gxf6 39. Nf5 $14) 37... Qh1#) 37. Nf3 {There's no Kg3 this time.} Qc8 {and White needs to find another plan.}) 36. Re4 $1 $18 {Now Black is in trouble, and everywhere. His queenside pawns are fragile and immobile, his king's position is suspicious (and he must be ever-alert to possibilities with f5-f6), and White dominates in the center as well.} Rb8 (36... Bb6 $1 37. Qxb5 Rc5 38. Qa6 d5 {was better, pitching a pawn to fight back in the center and at least momentarily spoil White's harmony. Still, after} 39. Re1 $1 Ra5 40. Qb7 {Black is still in serious trouble, and has nothing better than to head for what should be a lost ending after} Qc7 41. Qxc7 Bxc7 42. Nd4 Ra2 43. f6 $1 gxf6 44. Rb1 $18 {followed by Nf5 and the advance of White's king.}) 37. g5 $3 ({Tidying up with} 37. Kg2 $1 $18 {was a good alternative. It's not as if Black can stop g5 (or f6) ideas with ...f6, as Nh4 in reply would be immediately fatal. Nevertheless, it's not necessary, and Nepo goes ahead and strikes while the iron is hot, before the cliches are avoided like the plague.}) 37... hxg5 $2 (37... Qd7 $1 {had to be tried, intending ...Qb7 while also creating the possibility of ...Qh3+ if White pushes the f-pawn. (That's the point of Kg2.) Still, White can bust this, too:} 38. gxh6 $1 (38. f6 $2 Qh3+ $1 39. Ke2 (39. Kg1 $4 Qg3+ $19 ({But not} 39... Qxf3 $4 40. Re8+ $18)) 39... Qxh5 $14) 38... gxh6 39. f6 $1 Qh3+ 40. Ke2 Qg2 {and now the key move, without which White's play would have been terrible:} 41. Re7 $1 Qxf2+ 42. Kd1 Qf1+ 43. Kc2 Qd3+ (43... Qg2+ 44. Kb1 Qg8 45. Ka2 {and the entry of the knight next will finish Black off.} Qh7 46. Nh4 b4 47. Ng6+ $1 Kg8 48. Qc6 b3+ 49. Ka1 Rf8 50. Qg2 $1 $18 {Far from necessary, but it's very nice and the speediest winner. It's going to be mate in a very few moves.}) 44. Qxd3 cxd3+ 45. Kxd3 $18 {Material remains equal, but Black's king is so horrible that the ending is hopeless.}) 38. Rg4 $1 Ra8 (38... f6 39. Nh4 $1 {Once White's knight reaches g6 the attack will play itself, and if} gxh4 {then} 40. h6 $18 {will mate or win everything (on the way to a slightly slower mate).}) 39. Nxg5 Ra1+ 40. Ke2 (40. Kg2 {is just as good. Black can trade queens, but can't save the game:} Qa8 41. Qxa8+ Rxa8 42. f6 $1 gxf6 (42... Kg8 43. Ne4 g6 44. hxg6 fxg6 45. Rxg6+ Kf7 46. Rg7+ Ke6 47. Re7+ $18 {followed by 48.f7, winning.}) 43. Nh7+ Ke7 44. Re4+ Kd7 45. Nxf6+ Kc6 46. Re8 $18 {White's h-pawn is probably unstoppable, but if there's some quasi-miraculous way for Black to prevent its promotion it will come at the cost of a catastrophic material deficit.}) 40... Qe7+ 41. Ne4 {Threatening 42.Rxg7 (42...Kxg7 43.f6+) and 42.f6 gxf6 43.h6 (43...Rh1 44.Qa8+ Qe8 45.Rg8+).} Qe8 42. Kf3 Qa8 {And so we wind up with something similar to the 40.Kg2 line after all.} 43. Qxa8+ Rxa8 {Give Black a tempo to play ...f6 and he's...well, not fine, but he can resist. Of course, Nepo isn't going to give Black any unnecessary chances here.} 44. f6 $1 g6 (44... gxf6 45. Nxf6 Ke7 46. Ng8+ Ke6 ({Squirm as he might, there's no way for Ding to (reasonably) stop White's h-pawn.} 46... Kf8 47. h6 f5 48. Rg6 Ra7 49. Nf6 Ra1 50. Kg2 Kf7 51. Rg8 Kxf6 52. h7 $18) 47. h6 Ra1 48. Kg2 $18) 45. hxg6 fxg6 46. Rxg6 Ra2 47. Kg4 Rxb2 48. Rh6 {Black's king can stop White's f-pawn; the only problem is that comes at the low, low price of his own life. There is no good answer to the threatened 49.Ng5 followed by 50.Rh8#, so Ding throws in the towel.} 1-0