[Event "9th Sinquefield Cup 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.09.02"] [Round "1"] [White "Mamedyarov, S."] [Black "So, W."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D41"] [WhiteElo "2757"] [BlackElo "2771"] [PlyCount "130"] [EventDate "2022.09.01"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 d5 4. Nc3 c5 5. cxd5 cxd4 6. Qxd4 exd5 7. Bg5 Be7 8. e3 O-O 9. Rd1 Be6 10. Bd3 h6 11. Bh4 Nc6 12. Qa4 Qb6 13. Rd2 Rfd8 14. O-O Rac8 15. Rfd1 Kf8 16. Bb5 a6 17. Bxc6 Rxc6 18. Qd4 Rdc8 19. Qd3 g5 20. Bg3 Bb4 21. Be5 Ne4 22. Rc2 Bxc3 23. Bxc3 Bf5 24. Bd4 Qb5 25. Qa3+ Kg8 26. Rxc6 bxc6 27. Qe7 Be6 28. b4 a5 29. a3 axb4 30. axb4 Qb8 31. Be5 Re8 32. Bxb8 Rxe7 33. Nd4 Rb7 34. Be5 Bd7 35. f3 f6 36. fxe4 fxe5 37. Nf3 Rxb4 38. exd5 cxd5 39. Rxd5 Bc6 40. Rxe5 Kf7 41. Kf2 Rb2+ 42. Kg3 Re2 43. Rc5 Be4 44. Rc3 Kf6 45. Ra3 h5 46. h4 g4 47. Ra6+ Kg7 48. Nd4 Rxg2+ 49. Kf4 Bd3 50. Rd6 Rf2+ 51. Ke5 Kf7 52. e4 g3 53. Rd7+ Kg8 54. Rd8+ Rf8 55. Rxf8+ Kxf8 56. Kf4 g2 57. Nf3 Ke7 58. Kg3 Bxe4 59. Kxg2 Bxf3+ 60. Kxf3 Kf7 61. Kf4 Kf6 62. Ke4 Ke6 63. Kf4 Kf6 64. Ke4 Ke6 65. Kf4 Kf6 1/2-1/2 [Event "9th Sinquefield Cup 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.09.02"] [Round "1"] [White "Dominguez Perez, L."] [Black "Vachier Lagrave, M."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "2745"] [BlackElo "2757"] [PlyCount "143"] [EventDate "2022.09.01"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3 h5 9. Nd5 Bxd5 10. exd5 Nbd7 11. Qd2 g6 12. O-O-O Nb6 13. Kb1 Nbxd5 14. Bg5 Be7 15. a3 Qc7 16. g3 O-O-O 17. Qf2 Kb8 18. Rd3 Nd7 19. Bd2 N5f6 20. Ba5 b6 21. Bd2 Rc8 22. Bg5 Nc5 23. Nxc5 dxc5 24. Rb3 Nd5 25. Bxe7 Nxe7 26. Bxa6 Rcd8 27. Bc4 Nf5 28. Bxf7 Nd4 29. Bxg6 Nxb3 30. cxb3 Rd4 31. Qe2 Rhd8 32. Be4 c4 33. bxc4 Qxc4 34. Qxc4 Rxc4 35. Rc1 Rc7 36. Rxc7 Kxc7 37. Kc2 b5 38. b4 Rg8 39. Kb3 Kb6 40. a4 bxa4+ 41. Kxa4 Rd8 42. Bg6 Rd2 43. Bxh5 Rxh2 44. Bg6 Rh3 45. Be4 Rxg3 46. Kb3 Rg8 47. Kc4 Rd8 48. Bd3 Rd6 49. Be4 Rd4+ 50. Kc3 Kb5 51. Bd3+ Ka4 52. Bc2+ Ka3 53. b5 Rb4 54. Bd3 Ka4 55. Kd2 Ka5 56. Ke3 Kb6 57. Be2 Kc5 58. Bd3 Rb3 59. Ke4 Kd6 60. Be2 Rb4+ 61. Ke3 Kd5 62. Bd3 Rb3 63. b6 Kc6 64. Ke4 Kd6 65. Ke3 Kc6 66. Ke4 Kxb6 67. Bf1 Rb1 68. Bh3 Re1+ 69. Kd5 Re3 70. Bf5 Rxf3 71. Kxe5 Rxf5+ 72. Kxf5 1/2-1/2 [Event "9th Sinquefield Cup 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.09.02"] [Round "1"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Caruana, F."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A35"] [WhiteElo "2778"] [BlackElo "2758"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "2022.09.01"] 1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. e3 e5 5. Qb3 d6 6. d3 Be7 7. g3 O-O 8. Bg2 Nb4 9. Qd1 d5 10. Nxe5 dxc4 11. dxc4 Qxd1+ 12. Kxd1 Ng4 13. Nxg4 Bxg4+ 14. Kd2 Rad8+ 15. Nd5 Be6 16. e4 f5 17. Bh3 Bf6 18. Ke2 Rfe8 19. Be3 Nc2 20. Rac1 Nxe3 21. fxe3 fxe4 22. Nxf6+ gxf6 23. Bxe6+ Rxe6 24. Rhd1 Red6 25. Rxd6 Rxd6 26. Rd1 Rxd1 27. Kxd1 Kf7 28. Ke2 Kg6 29. Kf2 Kg5 30. h3 f5 31. Kg2 Kh5 32. Kf2 Kg5 33. Kg2 Kh5 34. Kf2 Kg5 1/2-1/2 [Event "9th Sinquefield Cup 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.09.02"] [Round "1"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E10"] [WhiteElo "2861"] [BlackElo "2792"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "2022.09.01"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nc3 c6 6. Bf4 Bf5 {The conventional wisdom says that the opening is a complete success for Black. It's not that he's better, but he has solved the problem of his bad bishop and can put all his pieces on good squares, and it's not at all obvious that White has any good ideas in the position. If one looks at the engine's recommendations, one will be even happier about Black's prospects, as it recommends a rather comic plan for White: e3, h3, then Qc1 in reply to ...Qb6 followed by Be2-d1-c2 to trade the light-squared bishops. Carlsen, following the ever-creative Baadur Jobava, has another idea in mind.} 7. e3 Nbd7 8. h3 Be7 (8... h6 {is possible, giving the bishop a retreat on h7, though it may also create a hook someday for White's g-pawn.} 9. g4 Bh7 10. Bd3 Bxd3 (10... Ne4 $143 11. Bxe4 (11. a3 $1 $14) 11... dxe4 $2 (11... Bxe4 12. Nxe4 dxe4 $15) 12. Nd2 $16 {0-1 (43) Jobava,B (2603)-Andreikin,D (2725) Chess.com INT 2020}) 11. Qxd3 Bb4 $11) ({After} 8... Qb6 $1 {White can play the uninspired 9.Qc1, which doesn't promise White anything but does keep the game going.} 9. Bd3 { is an interesting try, giving White enough for the pawn (but not more) after} Qxb2 10. Bxf5 Qxc3+ 11. Kf1 $44) 9. g4 {A la Jobava, and years before, Carlsen's great predecessor against Carlsen himself.} Be4 {Only chosen once before, but that was Carlsen's own move.} (9... Bg6 10. Bd3 Ne4 (10... O-O 11. Bxg6 hxg6 12. Qc2 Rc8 13. O-O-O b5 14. Kb1 b4 15. Ne2 c5 16. dxc5 Nxc5 17. Ned4 Qb6 18. Ne5 Bd6 19. Qe2 Rfe8 20. Nd3 Nxd3 21. Qxd3 Ne4 22. Rdf1 Bxf4 23. exf4 Rc4 24. Nb3 Nxf2 25. Qxd5 Rce4 26. Rhg1 Nxh3 27. Rh1 Nf2 28. Rhg1 Rxf4 29. Nc5 Qf6 30. Re1 Rxe1+ 31. Rxe1 Nxg4 32. Ne4 Qf5 33. Qa8+ Kh7 34. Ka1 f6 35. Ng3 Qg5 36. a3 bxa3 37. bxa3 Qa5 38. Rh1+ Nh6 39. Qf8 {0-1 (39) Jobava,B (2603) -Korobov,A (2688) Lichess.org INT 2020}) (10... b5 11. Rc1 Rc8 12. Kf1 O-O 13. Bxg6 hxg6 14. Kg2 Re8 15. Ne2 Ne4 16. h4 Ndf6 17. Ne5 Bd6 18. f3 Nc5 19. Rxc5 Bxc5 20. dxc5 Nd7 21. Nxd7 Qxd7 22. Nd4 Qe7 23. Qc2 a5 24. g5 Qd7 25. Kg3 Re7 26. h5 {1-0 (26) Jobava,B (2603)-Korobov,A (2688) Lichess.org INT 2020}) (10... Qb6 11. Rb1 O-O 12. Bxg6 hxg6 13. Kf1 Rfe8 14. Kg2 Rad8 15. Qd3 Ne4 16. h4 Ndf6 17. Ne5 Bd6 18. f3 Nxc3 19. bxc3 Qc7 20. h5 gxh5 21. g5 Nd7 22. Rxh5 Nxe5 23. Qh7+ Kf8 24. dxe5 Bxe5 25. g6 Bxf4 26. Rf5 Rd7 27. Rxf4 Qe5 28. gxf7 Rxf7 29. Rxb7 Qg5+ 30. Kf1 {1-0 (30) Jobava,B (2604)-Kezin,R (2470) Moscow 2019}) (10... Qa5 11. Kf1 O-O 12. Bxg6 fxg6 13. Kg2 Bb4 14. Ne2 Ne4 15. h4 Bd6 16. Bxd6 Nxd6 17. Nf4 Rae8 18. h5 gxh5 19. Rxh5 g6 20. Rh3 Ne4 21. Qh1 Re7 22. g5 Rf5 23. Rh6 Nf8 24. Qh4 Qa4 25. Rh1 Qc2 26. Nxg6 Nxg6 27. Rxg6+ hxg6 28. Qh8+ Kf7 29. Rh7+ Ke6 30. Qc8+ Kd6 31. Qd8+ {1-0 (31) Jobava,B (2603)-Zeng,S (2065) ICC INT 2020} ) 11. Bxe4 dxe4 12. Nd2 Qa5 (12... Nb6 13. Ndxe4 Nd5 14. Be5 O-O 15. Qb3 Bh4 16. O-O b6 17. Nd6 Be7 18. Nxd5 cxd5 19. Qxd5 Kh8 20. Nf5 Bxf5 21. Qxd8 Rfxd8 22. gxf5 f6 23. Bg3 Rd5 24. Rfd1 Rxf5 25. d5 Rc8 26. e4 Rg5 27. Rac1 Rxc1 28. Rxc1 Bc5 29. Rxc5 bxc5 30. d6 {1-0 (30) Jobava,B (2603)-Sargissian,G (2682) Chess.com INT 2020}) 13. a3 O-O 14. b4 Qd8 15. Ndxe4 a5 16. bxa5 Qxa5 17. O-O f5 18. gxf5 Qxf5 19. Kh2 Qe6 20. Ng5 Qc4 21. Nge4 Bxa3 22. Rg1 Be7 23. Rxa8 Rxa8 24. Qg4 Nf6 25. Nxf6+ Bxf6 26. Ne2 Qd5 27. Bg3 Bf5 28. Nf4 Qd7 29. Qe2 g6 30. e4 Be6 31. Nxe6 Qxe6 32. Rd1 Rd8 33. Qe3 Kf7 34. Qf3 Kg7 35. d5 cxd5 36. exd5 Qf5 37. Qxf5 gxf5 38. Kg2 Kf7 39. Kf3 Rd7 40. d6 {1/2-1/2 (40) Jobava,B (2603)-Karjakin,S (2752) Chess.com INT 2020}) 10. Be2 $146 (10. Bg2 O-O 11. O-O Re8 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Nd2 Nxd2 14. Qxd2 Nf8 15. b4 Ng6 16. Bg3 Bd6 17. Bxd6 Qxd6 18. Rab1 a6 19. a4 Nh4 20. b5 axb5 21. axb5 Qg6 22. bxc6 bxc6 23. Rfc1 h5 24. Qc2 Qg5 25. Qxc6 Nxg2 26. Kxg2 hxg4 27. h4 Qf5 28. Qd6 Qf3+ 29. Kg1 Ra2 30. Rf1 Rxe3 31. Qd8+ Kh7 32. Qg5 g3 33. Qxe3 gxf2+ 34. Qxf2 Rxf2 35. Rxf2 Qg4+ 36. Rg2 Qxd4+ 37. Kh1 Qe4 38. Rf1 f5 39. Kg1 d4 40. Rgf2 d3 41. h5 Qg4+ 42. Rg2 Qd4+ 43. Kh1 d2 44. Rgg1 f4 45. Kg2 Qe3 46. Rh1 Qg3# {0-1 (46) Anand,V (2788) -Carlsen,M (2801) Moscow 2009}) 10... Qb6 (10... O-O {is possible, clearing e8 for the knight in case of 11.g5.}) 11. Qb3 (11. Nxe4 {may improve.} Nxe4 12. Qc2 Bd6 13. Bxd6 Nxd6 14. O-O-O O-O-O 15. Kb1 Kb8 16. Rc1 {is a touch better for White.}) 11... Qxb3 12. axb3 Bg6 ({Perhaps Black should prefer} 12... h6 $11) ({or} 12... Bc2 $11) 13. Nh4 Bb4 (13... Bc2 $142) 14. Nxg6 (14. Rc1 { is the most precise move, avoiding any ...Bc2 business. Of course, Black can't play ...Bc2 without the bishop, but it may have been better to wait a little longer before making the exchange.}) 14... hxg6 15. f3 Nf8 $1 16. Kf2 Ne6 17. Bg3 Ke7 (17... Kd7 $142) 18. h4 a6 19. Kg2 Rad8 20. Bf2 Bd6 21. Bd3 Bb8 (21... Kd7 {was still better, intending ...Ng8-e7.}) 22. Na4 $1 Bd6 23. Be1 $1 c5 $2 { A direct bid for counterplay. Black's pieces gain in scope as a result, but they are unable to coordinate to any useful purpose.} ({Black has been getting outplayed, bit by bit.} 23... g5 {was a better try, trying to create a little counterplay before getting ground down by Carlsen's bishop pair. The idea is that after} 24. h5 $16 {Black can double rooks on the h-file and play ...g6. Still, White is clearly better.}) 24. Nxc5 Nxc5 25. dxc5 Bxc5 26. Bd2 $16 {/+-} Rhe8 27. b4 $1 Bb6 28. b5 $1 {In effect winning a pawn.} a5 (28... axb5 $2 29. Bxb5 Rg8 30. Bb4+ Ke6 31. g5 Nh5 32. Rhe1 $18 {leaves Black's king in terrible trouble.}) (28... Kf8 29. bxa6 bxa6 30. Rhe1 a5 31. g5 Nh5 32. Bb5 Re6 33. Rac1 $16 {/+- is Black's best, though it's not very good. His a- and d-pawns are vulnerable and his knight is sad on h5.}) 29. Bxa5 Bxa5 30. Rxa5 {Black retains some small hopes for a draw as White's extra pawn is the doubled b-pawn.} Kd6 31. Kf2 Re7 $2 (31... Ra8) 32. Rd1 Rh8 33. g5 Nd7 34. Ra4 Nc5 35. Rg4 Kc7 $2 {Now White will win the d-pawn, and the game will be clearly lost.} (35... Rd7) (35... Nxd3+) 36. Bb1 Re5 37. Ba2 f6 (37... Rd8 38. Rgd4) 38. gxf6 gxf6 39. Rxd5 Rxd5 40. Bxd5 Nd3+ 41. Kg3 Ne5 42. Rf4 Rd8 43. b6+ $1 {This allows White to take on f6 (unless Black's king goes to d6 - then 44.Bxb7 - or if he goes to c8 - then 44.Be6+ and 45.Rxf6). A great game by Carlsen.} 1-0 [Event "9th Sinquefield Cup 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.09.02"] [Round "1"] [White "Niemann, Hans Moke"] [Black "Aronian, L."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2688"] [BlackElo "2759"] [PlyCount "100"] [EventDate "2022.09.01"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. a4 a6 7. Nxe5 Be7 8. Bf1 Nxe5 9. Rxe5 O-O 10. d4 Ne8 11. Nc3 Bf6 12. Re1 d5 13. a5 c6 14. Bf4 Bg5 15. Be5 Bf6 16. Qd2 Bxe5 17. Rxe5 Nf6 18. f3 Be6 19. Na4 Qd6 20. b4 Nd7 21. Re3 Rae8 22. Rae1 Re7 23. Bd3 Rfe8 24. R1e2 g6 25. c3 f6 26. Qe1 Kf7 27. Qh4 Nf8 28. Qh6 Bc8 29. Rxe7+ Rxe7 30. Rxe7+ Qxe7 31. Kf2 Qd6 32. g3 Kg8 33. Bf1 Qc7 34. Nc5 Ne6 35. Nd3 Ng7 36. Qe3 Kf7 37. Qh6 Kg8 38. Nc5 Ne6 39. Na4 Ng7 40. Nb6 Be6 41. Qh4 g5 42. Qh6 Qf7 43. g4 f5 44. Qxg5 fxg4 45. Qd8+ Ne8 46. Be2 Kf8 47. Qg5 Nd6 48. Qd8+ Ne8 49. Qg5 Nd6 50. Qd8+ Ne8 1/2-1/2