[Event "Superbet Chess Classic"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2023.05.13"] [Round "7.4"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C54"] [WhiteElo "2768"] [BlackElo "2789"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] {[%evp 0,71,30,21,5,24,23,25,8,21,8,12,32,-30,-18,-27,-19,-26,9,12,4,-1,-4,18,38,45,45,7,-41,0,42,8,21,-90,154,29,9,17,17,17,17,-173,-120,-89,-65,-76,-76,-76,1,15,34,12,25,31,31,31,58,52,73,60,179,281,297,256,265,338,381,547,580,604,604,533,741,447]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 {As we have witnessed earlier in Bucharest, Black may even postpone the development of this knight, in order to avoid the pin.} 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bg5 {White is happy to go for this modern line.} h6 6. Bh4 d6 7. c3 a5 8. Nbd2 {White is postponing his castling for the time being.} ({As Black wants to push king g-pawn, this seems reasonable, although there are people brave enough to go for it:} 8. O-O O-O 9. Re1 g5 10. Bg3 Ba7 11. Nbd2 Nh7 12. d4 h5 13. h3 Qf6 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. Bb5 g4 16. hxg4 hxg4 17. Nh2 Qg5 {as in Erigaisi,A (2701)-So,W (2766) Chess.com INT 2023}) 8... Ba7 9. a4 ({Here too} 9. O-O {is inviting} g5 10. Bg3 O-O 11. a3 Nh7 12. h3 h5 13. d4 g4 14. hxg4 hxg4 15. Bh4 Qd7 16. Nh2 exd4 17. Be2 dxc3 18. Nc4 cxb2 19. Rb1 Ne5 20. Rxb2 Ng6 {and Ding had positive memories from this game, Praggnanandhaa,R (2612)-Ding,L (2799) chess24.com INT 2022}) 9... O-O $146 {Black castles first, but as we shall witness this might be too daring of a strategy against the pin.} ({The predecessor saw:} 9... Qe7 10. O-O O-O 11. Re1 Be6 12. Bb5 Rad8 13. Qc2 Nb8 14. d4 c6 15. Bf1 Nbd7 16. Rad1 Rfe8 {Prabhu $146 (2099)-Pang,B (1818) Dulles 2022}) ({The natural question was asked in the studio. Why not} 9... g5 {before castling. The answer is after} 10. Bg3 {\"but then Black has to reckon with h2-h4.) (Giri)}) 10. h3 g5 {Otherwise why did Black allow the pin $2 But now comes the forced, but good} 11. Nxg5 $1 {[%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] \"I remembered that in this particular move order this sacrifice is strong.\" (Giri)} hxg5 12. Bxg5 Kg7 13. Qf3 {For the piece White has a couple of pawns and a long lasting, step-by-step kingside attack.} Be6 14. Nf1 Rh8 $1 {[%c_effect h8;square;h8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] A crafty move $1} ({White knew the typical trick.} 14... Bxf2+ {and the best reply to it is} 15. Ke2 $3 {[%c_effect e2;square;e2;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] \"I had this position in my prep in a slightly different version.\" (Giri) Now the pawn gain backfires, as the f-file is opened in White's favor and his attack is decisive after say} ({Instead} 15. Qxf2 $2 {[%c_effect f2;square;f2;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} Nxe4 16. Bxd8 Nxf2 17. Kxf2 Nxd8 $1 {[%c_effect d8;square;d8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] leads to Black's advantage.}) ({Whereas} 15. Kxf2 $6 {[%c_effect f2;square;f2;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} Nxe4+ 16. dxe4 Qxg5 {is approximately equal.}) 15... Bb6 16. Ng3) 15. Ne3 $5 {[%c_effect e3;square;e3;type;Interesting;persistent;true]} ({Giri spotted the danger. It appears that with his last move, the world champion had actually prepared the capture on f2, as in the line} 15. g4 Bxf2+ $1 {[%c_effect f2;square;f2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 16. Ke2 Bh4 $1 {[%c_effect h4;square;h4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] and it is Black who is on top $1}) ({However, there was also a strong argument about} 15. Ng3 Kg6 16. Nf5 {The knight is immune.} ({The Dutchman rejected this line as he spotted the nasty trick} 16. h4 Bg4 17. Bxf6 Qd7 $1 {[%c_effect d7;square;d7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] when the queen is trapped in the spirit of the Rubinstein French.}) 16... Kxg5 $4 {[%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;Blunder;persistent;true] sends the king on a one-way journey to the moon after} 17. Qg3+ Kh5 18. Qg7 $1 {[%c_effect g7;square;g7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] and mate is inevitable.}) 15... Qe7 {Black's defense is very difficult. He also has a vast choice of ideas.} ({White was OK with} 15... Bxe3 16. fxe3 {\"is sort of a thing in these positions, so I was kind of going for this.\" (Giri) Then White seems to regain his material and attack for free, say} Rh6 (16... Bxc4 17. O-O ({Or equally good} 17. Rf1) 17... Rh6 18. Bxh6+ Kxh6 19. dxc4) 17. Bxh6+ Kxh6 18. Bxe6 fxe6 19. Rf1) ({Black correctly avoids} 15... Bxc4 16. Ng4 $1 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) ({And the immediate} 15... Nb8 16. Nf5+ Bxf5 17. Qxf5 Nbd7 {also leads to a strong white attack after} 18. h4 ({Or} 18. O-O-O)) 16. O-O-O {Another smart move, which eventually worked. Giri is preparing himself against the maneuver …Nc6-b8-d7, but misses a couple of ideas in the process.} ({However, his other idea} 16. Rf1 $1 {[%c_effect f1;square;f1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] would have been even better, as it appears that} Nb8 {does not suffice due to the computer's slow attack with} 17. Nf5+ ({But my feeling is that White missed the idea} 17. Bxe6 $5 {[%c_effect e6;square;e6;type;Interesting;persistent;true]} Qxe6 18. Qxf6+ Qxf6 19. Bxf6+ Kxf6 20. Nd5+ $1 {[%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} Kg7 21. Nxc7 {practically winning the exchange.}) 17... Bxf5 18. Qxf5 Nbd7 19. f4 exf4 20. Rxf4 Qe5 21. Kd2 $1 {[%c_effect d2;square;d2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] and Black still faces problems.}) 16... Rag8 {Whereas the world champion sees the Ne3-d5-xc7 danger and thus moves the rook out of the way.} ({White's idea would have worked in case of} 16... Nb8 17. d4 $1 {[%c_effect d4;square;d4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} exd4 18. cxd4 Nc6 19. e5 dxe5 20. d5) ({However} 16... Bxe3+ $1 {[%c_effect e3;square;e3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] might have been a more stubborn defense, when Giri intended} 17. fxe3 Nb8 18. Rhf1 Nbd7 19. Qg3 $2 {[%c_effect g3;square;g3;type;Mistake;persistent;true] But saw at the studio that this is only a dream and Black wins with} ({Instead} 19. Bd5 $1 {[%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} c6 20. Qg3 Nh5 21. Bxe7+ Nxg3 22. Bxe6 fxe6 23. Rf3 {would have most likely been holdable for Black.}) 19... Nh5 20. Bf6+ Kh7 21. Qh4 Ndxf6 $19) 17. Rhf1 Nb8 18. d4 {The point behind White's play.} ({However, much better was} 18. Nf5+ $1 {[%c_effect f5;square;f5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} Bxf5 19. Qxf5 Nbd7 20. Kb1 {preparing the nasty f2-f4.}) 18... exd4 19. cxd4 {Still, White's initiative is intimidating and the tired world champion soon messed things up.} Nbd7 ({White was more afraid of the idea} 19... Nc6 $1 {[%c_effect c6;square;c6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] White is still calling the shots here though, after} 20. e5 dxe5 21. d5 Nd4 22. Rxd4 ({I see nothing wrong with the prosaic} 22. Qxf6+ Qxf6 23. Bxf6+ Kxf6 24. dxe6 fxe6 25. Ng4+ {with a clear edge for the first player.}) 22... Bxd4 23. dxe6 fxe6 24. Ng4 $1 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} Rf8 ({If} 24... e4 25. Qf4 $1 {[%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) 25. Nxf6 Rxf6 26. Qxb7 {\"and I thought he might hold.\" (Giri) Even if this is the case, Black still needs to prove it.} ({But} 26. Bxf6+ Qxf6 27. Qxb7 {might be even better for White.})) 20. e5 {Breakthrough time.} dxe5 21. d5 Qb4 {Ding obviously counted on this aggressive idea to save the day. However} 22. Qe2 $3 {[%c_effect e2;square;e2;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] A very nice idea $1} ({Giri avoids the line} 22. Kb1 Bxe3 ({But not} 22... Bd4 23. Rxd4 exd4 24. dxe6 fxe6 {(Giri) Due to} 25. Bxf6+ Nxf6 26. Ng4 $3 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] when the black king is too vulnerable.}) 23. fxe3 Qxc4 24. Bxf6+ Nxf6 25. Qxf6+ Kf8 26. dxe6 Qe4+ {\"a beautiful perpetual.\" (Giri)}) 22... Bxh3 23. gxh3 Kf8 24. h4 {Even better than the more solid option.} (24. Nc2 Qd6 25. h4 {although here, too, White should be significantly better.}) 24... Bd4 25. Rxd4 $1 {[%c_effect d4;square;d4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Black's position collapses. The rooks are doing little to nothing and the black knights would be soon separated.} (25. Bb5 $5 {[%c_effect b5;square;b5;type;Interesting;persistent;true]}) 25... exd4 26. Nf5 Rxg5 27. hxg5 Ne5 28. Bb5 $1 {[%c_effect b5;square;b5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Not only hitting the e8-square, but this bishop is preventing any perpetual checks, as pointed out by White.} Nfg4 29. Kb1 Kg8 ({Perhaps Ding should have tried his last chance} 29... Rh2 30. d6 cxd6 31. Rc1 Kg8 {Then White still had to find the nice ambush} 32. Bd3 $3 {[%c_effect d3;square;d3;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] with a win in the line} Rxf2 33. Rc8+ Kh7 34. Nh6+ f5 35. Bxf5+ Rxf5 36. Nxf5) 30. Nh6+ {Now it is easy, without the black knight the king cannot survive.} Nxh6 31. Qxe5 Ng4 32. Qxc7 Kg7 33. g6 Rf8 34. gxf7 d3 35. Rg1 Rxf7 36. Qc3+ 1-0