[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.17"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C78"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2842"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] {[%evp 0,88,19,38,25,16,14,23,25,0,10,12,12,16,22,22,49,36,62,60,55,-35,61,10, 9,30,32,11,19,26,19,-24,13,26,17,45,57,31,28,25,12,-11,-1,-10,-16,-19,-6,0,0,1, -6,-24,-27,3,7,14,26,-24,-13,-8,-8,-26,-19,-99,-52,-45,-29,-30,-14,-21,-53,-53, -26,-29,-29,-26,-31,-27,-39,-48,-37,-32,-35,-56,-20,-12,-10,-12,0,-11,-17]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nc6 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 3. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:00] Caruana spent quite some time making a DVD in the Ruy Lopez for White for ChessBase. This time he plays it with black!} 4. Ba4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. O-O {[%emt 0: 00:00]} b5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (5... Be7 {leads to the closed lines of the Ruy Lopez.}) 6. Bb3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bc5 {[%emt 0:00:00] The sharp Arkhangelsk variation.} 7. a4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (7. c3 {followed by d4 is the natural way to play, but a4 is one of those tweaks for White where Black has to know what exactly he is doing.}) 7... Rb8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (7... Bb7 {is the second most popular move here.}) 8. c3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 9. d4 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} Bb6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 10. a5 $5 {[%emt 0:00:00] This move is slowly become quite popular. It may seem quite counter intuitive to release the tension on the queenside especially because the rook on a1 can now no longer be activated with axb5. However, White has concrete reasons for doing this as we shall see.} Ba7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 11. h3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:00] } 12. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:00] The pawn on e4 for now is taboo because of Bd5.} exd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (12... Nxe4 13. Bd5) 13. cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nb4 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} (13... Nxe4 14. Qc2 Qe8 15. Nc3 $1 (15. Bd5 Nb4 16. Qxe4 Qxe4 17. Bxe4 f5 {is fine for Black.}) 15... Nf6 (15... Nxc3 16. Qxc3 {also is a very pleasant position for White.}) 16. Rfe1 {Gives White compensation.}) 14. Nc3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Bb7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 15. Ng5 {[%emt 0:19:22]} Qe7 $146 { [%emt 0:00:00]} (15... h6 16. Nxf7 Rxf7 17. Bxf7+ Kxf7 18. Qb3+ $18 {wins the knight on b4 and gives White a winning advantage.}) (15... Qe8 {has been played in five games, the highest average rated one was between Sasiskiran and Moroni Luca.} 16. e5 dxe5 17. dxe5 Bxe3 18. Nxf7 Rxf7 19. exf6 Bc5 20. Re1 Qf8 21. Ne4 {Leads to a complex position.}) 16. e5 {[%emt 0:03:54]} dxe5 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 17. Nxf7 {[%emt 0:00:29]} e4 $1 {[%emt 0:00:00] Such a bold move by Fabiano! He sees that there is no good discovered check that White has and simply pushes the pawn!} (17... Rxf7 $2 18. dxe5 $1 Qxe5 19. Bxf7+ Kxf7 20. Qb3+ Nbd5 21. Bxa7 $18) 18. Nd6+ {[%emt 0:08:11]} Kh8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 19. Nxb7 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Rxb7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 20. Qe2 {[%emt 0:11:00] The position looks round about even here.} c6 {[%emt 0:01:10]} 21. Rad1 {[%emt 0:07:24]} Rd7 {[%emt 0:06:06]} 22. f3 {[%emt 0:00:59]} exf3 {[%emt 0:06:09]} 23. Rxf3 { [%emt 0:00:29]} c5 $5 $11 {[%emt 0:12:53]} (23... Re8 {was also possible keeping the pressure on the e3 bishop.}) 24. dxc5 {[%emt 0:01:28]} Rxd1+ { [%emt 0:00:25]} 25. Nxd1 {[%emt 0:08:46]} Bxc5 {[%emt 0:02:58]} 26. Qf2 { [%emt 0:00:10]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:09:38]} 27. Nc3 {[%emt 0:05:23]} Nd3 {[%emt 0:05: 59]} 28. Qe2 {[%emt 0:09:00]} Nc5 {[%emt 0:06:18]} 29. Ba2 {[%emt 0:06:30]} Re8 {[%emt 0:15:08]} 30. Qd2 {[%emt 0:06:25]} (30. Bd4 $5 Qxe2 31. Nxe2 Ncd7 $11 ( 31... Rxe2 32. Rxf6 $1 $14)) 30... Nce4 {[%emt 0:04:43]} 31. Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00: 57]} Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 32. Qd3 {[%emt 0:03:49] A critical moment of the game. Here Caruana thought for 23 minutes but couldn't find anything substantial.} Ng5 {[%emt 0:23:25]} (32... Rd8 $5 {would have kept the pressure in the position and made White's task to equalize much more difficult.} 33. Bd4 Be5 34. Rf7 Qb4 35. Qxe4 Bxd4+ 36. Kh1 Qxb2 37. Bb1 Qc1+ 38. Kh2 Bg1+ 39. Kg3 Qa3+ 40. Qf3 Qd6+ $15 {A computer line to show you what are the possibilities in the position.}) 33. Bxg5 {[%emt 0:01:49]} Bc5+ {[%emt 0:00:05]} 34. Kh1 { [%emt 0:00:24]} Qxg5 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 35. Rf1 {[%emt 0:02:39] Black doesn't have much here and the players soon agreed to a draw.} Qe5 {[%emt 0:02:16]} 36. Qd5 {[%emt 0:00:33]} Qe2 {[%emt 0:05:14] Fabiano shows a bit of ambition in this position, but changes his mind on the next move.} 37. Qf5 {[%emt 0:00:52]} Qe5 {[%emt 0:02:42]} 38. Qxe5 {[%emt 0:01:06]} Rxe5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 39. Rd1 { [%emt 0:00:51]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:36]} 40. Bd5 {[%emt 0:00:23]} Re7 {[%emt 0:01: 22]} 41. Bc6 {[%emt 0:30:59]} Re2 {[%emt 0:31:56]} 42. Bb7 {[%emt 0:02:27]} Rxb2 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 43. Bxa6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Ra2 {[%emt 0:00:50]} 44. Bxb5 { [%emt 0:00:06]} Rxa5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.17"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Wang, Hao"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A22"] [WhiteElo "2805"] [BlackElo "2762"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "90"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] {[%evp 0,90,19,-12,-12,-45,-39,-47,-25,-36,-24,-26,8,8,12,10,19,24,32,32,32,23, 23,-3,-2,10,25,20,16,16,16,16,7,13,29,17,13,28,27,21,15,19,20,-16,-10,-9,18,6, -5,11,59,0,7,7,4,0,0,3,4,0,6,-34,-34,-7,0,0,1,5,0,0,-58,-61,0,-38,-39,-38,-40, -96,-40,-40,0,-162,-176,-167,-176,-285,-149,-136,-148,-138,-108,-95,-132]} 1. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. g3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 3. Bg2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bc5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. d3 {[%emt 0:00:00] This looks like an unambitious way to play the position. But Giri used it recently to beat Vishy at the Tata Steel Chess India Blitz and in general leads to complex play where White is looking for a fresh position rather than an opening advantage.} O-O {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c6 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 6. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (6... Re8 {is also possible.}) 7. O-O {[%emt 0:00:00]} Re8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 8. Na4 {[%emt 0:06:29] A fresh position has been reached!} Bb4 {[%emt 0:12:56]} 9. a3 {[%emt 0:00:28]} Ba5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 10. b4 {[%emt 0:03:25]} Bc7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 11. e4 $5 { [%emt 0:02:24]} a5 {[%emt 0:05:36]} 12. Bb2 {[%emt 0:02:51] White should be happy with what he has achieved out of the opening.} Na6 {[%emt 0:02:17]} 13. b5 {[%emt 0:07:00]} cxb5 {[%emt 0:03:11]} 14. cxb5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Nc5 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 15. Nxc5 {[%emt 0:14:55] Ding Liren thought for a lot of time before taking the knight on c5.} dxc5 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 16. a4 {[%emt 0:00:01] This position looks more comfortable for White. He has more space and can plan the very strong manoeuvre of the knight to c4 later on.} Bg4 {[%emt 0:14:21]} 17. Ra3 $6 {[%emt 0:02:03] The point of this move is not so clear. Apart from defending the pawn on d3, the rook isn't doing much on a3. It's moves like these that make you feel that Ding Liren wasn't playing so well.} (17. h3 { looked more purposeful.}) (17. Qc2 $5 {was also much better than Ra3.}) 17... Nd7 {[%emt 0:04:59]} 18. h3 {[%emt 0:09:55]} Bh5 {[%emt 0:08:12]} 19. Qb1 { [%emt 0:01:14]} b6 {[%emt 0:09:14]} (19... f6 {might have been more accurate.} 20. Nd2 Nf8 21. Nc4 b6 $11 {The knight will come to e6, the bishop on f7 and Black will be completely fine.}) 20. Nd2 {[%emt 0:01:06]} Nf8 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 21. Bf3 $5 {[%emt 0:04:38]} Qg5 {[%emt 0:06:40]} (21... Bg6 22. Qd1 {with the idea of Bh5 is a strong idea.} Ne6 23. Bh5 Qg5 24. Bxg6 Qxg6 25. Qg4 $14) 22. h4 {[%emt 0:04:26]} Qg6 {[%emt 0:03:02]} (22... Qxd2 23. Bxh5 $11 Ne6 $11 {/+=} ) 23. Qd1 {[%emt 0:04:37]} (23. Bxh5 Qxh5 24. Qd1 $1 {was the right way to press. If the queen moves, then gaining space with h5 is a good idea. and if the queen takes on d1, then White has a pleasant endgame.} Qg6 25. h5 Qg5 26. Nc4 $14) 23... Bxf3 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 24. Qxf3 {[%emt 0:00:01]} h5 {[%emt 0:04: 22]} (24... Ne6 25. Nc4 Nd4 26. Bxd4 cxd4 27. Raa1 $14) 25. Qf5 {[%emt 0:07:58] } (25. Nc4 $14) 25... Rad8 {[%emt 0:10:17]} 26. Qxg6 {[%emt 0:00:45]} Nxg6 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 27. Kg2 {[%emt 0:07:39]} f6 {[%emt 0:01:00]} 28. Nc4 {[%emt 0: 00:30]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 29. Bc1 {[%emt 0:00:57]} Rd7 {[%emt 0:01:48]} 30. f4 $6 {[%emt 0:02:11] Why did Ding play this move?} (30. Kf3 {White has a risk free edge here. It's true that the d3 pawn is weak, but his knight is well placed on c4 and the bishop will come to e3. The king will come to e2. It will be a long game, but White will keep trying. What happened in the game was completely opposite.}) 30... exf4 {[%emt 0:07:40]} 31. Bxf4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} ( 31. gxf4 Nxh4+ $17 {just loses a pawn.}) 31... Nxf4+ {[%emt 0:00:06]} (31... Bxf4 32. gxf4 Nxh4+ 33. Kg3 Ng6 34. Nxb6 $16) (31... Re6 {Even a move like ... Re6 leads to a good position for Black, so there is absolutely no reason why Ding Liren should have gone for this.}) 32. gxf4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} f5 $1 { [%emt 0:00:07] Very accurate chess.} 33. e5 {[%emt 0:04:59]} Re6 $1 {[%emt 0: 00:53] The reason why Black's position looks preferable is because his rook is coming to g6 and Black has plenty of weaknesses to attack.} 34. Kf3 {[%emt 0: 00:38]} Rg6 {[%emt 0:00:34]} 35. Ne3 {[%emt 0:13:19]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 36. Rd1 {[%emt 0:02:41]} Bd8 {[%emt 0:04:18]} 37. Ra2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (37. d4 $6 { According to Wang Hao, this was a good chance for White to equalize.} cxd4 38. Rad3 Bxh4 39. Rxd4 Rxd4 (39... Rg3+ $6 40. Ke2 Rxd4 41. Rxd4 Be7 42. Rc4 Bc5 43. Rxc5 {This was not possible with the rook on g6.} bxc5 44. b6 Rg1 45. Nd1 Rg3 46. Ne3 $11) 40. Rxd4 Be7 $19 {It somehow feels like Black should win this! }) (37. Rc3 $1 {was the most accurate defence.} Bxh4 $2 (37... Rd4 38. Rc4 { with good defensive chances.}) 38. d4 $1 $18) 37... Rd4 {[%emt 0:04:02]} (37... Bxh4 $1 38. Rh2 Rg4 39. Nxg4 hxg4+ 40. Ke3 g5 $1 $19) 38. Nc2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Rd5 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 39. Ne3 {[%emt 0:00:34]} Rd7 $2 {[%emt 0:00:24]} (39... Rd4 40. Nc2 Rd7 $17) 40. Rdd2 $2 {[%emt 0:01:34]} (40. d4 $1 cxd4 (40... Rxd4 41. Rxd4 cxd4 42. Nc2 $1 Kd5 43. Nxd4 $1 {Easy to miss.} Kxd4 44. Rd2+ $16) 41. Rc2 $1 {is a very strong move.} Bxh4 42. Rc6+ Kf7 43. Nxf5 $18) 40... Bxh4 $1 { [%emt 0:01:07]} 41. Rg2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Rg4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 42. Rh2 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} g6 {[%emt 0:03:28]} 43. Nxg4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} fxg4+ {[%emt 0:00:08]} 44. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 45. Rac2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} h4 { [%emt 0:02:26] Seeing no way to stop the pawns, Ding Liren gave up here.} 0-1 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.17"] [Round "1.3"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A33"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2774"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "146"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] 1. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c5 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. d4 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 6. g3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Qb6 {[%emt 0:00:00] This line is very sharp, but for top players this is one of those systems where everything seems to have been worked out. True, every now and then you can "outremember" your opponent in terms of analysis, but objectively it seems like all lines lead to 0.00.} 7. Ndb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ne5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 8. Bf4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nfg4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 9. e3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (9. Qa4 {Believe it or not, this is a good move for White and is the second most played move after e3. The idea is to give up the f2 pawn, but in return get very good play.}) 9... a6 {[%emt 0: 00:00] As the b2 pawn is hanging, White cannot move his b5 knight. He has to counter-attack.} 10. h3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (10. Nd4 Qxb2 $19) 10... axb5 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 11. hxg4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nxc4 {[%emt 0:00:00] The main move in this position is without a doubt Qb3. Ian was prepared for this move, but Anish's next move came as a big surprise. One must take note, that although the above position has been reached 20 times in over the board games, there have been 30 more games played in Correspondence chess. Now this is something that Anish and his team (Erwin l'Ami) are good at. They always have a deep look at lines which have been popular in correspondence chess.} (11... Qc6 12. Rh5 $5 {is a cool way to develop the rook!} Nf3+ 13. Ke2 Ng1+ 14. Kd2 {And Black has to be careful here.}) 12. Rc1 {[%emt 0:00:00] But even in Correspondence chess this has only been played once! The game we are looking at is Sedlacek and Suarez. Black responded with ...Qa5 here, while Nepo went for the much stronger ...d5.} (12. Qb3 {This has been the main move in the position} d5 13. Bxc4 dxc4 14. Qxb5+ Qxb5 15. Nxb5 Bb4+ 16. Ke2 Ke7 $11 { When Nepo was aware that Black is doing fine.}) (12. Rc1 $5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qa5 {This was the correspondence game!} 13. b3 Ba3 14. bxc4 Bxc1 15. Qxc1 bxc4 16. e4 $16 {White already had a tangible advantage.} b5 17. Rh5 d5 18. exd5 g6 19. Re5 f6 20. Re4 b4 21. Qe3 O-O 22. dxe6 bxc3 23. Bxc4 c2+ 24. Ke2 Ba6 25. e7+ Bxc4+ 26. Rxc4 Rae8 27. Qe6+ Rf7 28. Rc8 Qa4 29. Kd2 Kg7 30. Rxe8 Qxe8 31. Bd6 Qc6 32. Kc1 Qb5 33. Kxc2 {1-0 (33) Sedlacek,P (2478)-Suarez Sedeno,M (2426) ICCF email 2004}) 12... d5 {[%emt 0:08:08] This is the most logical move, played after 8 minutes of thought by Nepo.} (12... Nxb2 13. Qb3 $18) 13. b3 { [%emt 0:00:00] This was the entire concept beginning with Rc1. You want to kick the knight away. Of course the knight cannot really move away from c4 as that would then hang the b5 pawn. So the two moves under consideration are Bb4 and e5.} Bb4 $1 {[%emt 0:18:20]} (13... Na5 14. Bxb5+ $16) (13... e5 14. bxc4 ( 14. Nxd5 Qa5+ $19) 14... exf4 $13 {leads to an unclear mess.}) 14. bxc4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Ra3 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 15. Be5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (15. Qd2 Qa5 { is already pretty bad for White.}) 15... f6 {[%emt 0:02:08]} 16. Bd4 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} Qa5 {[%emt 0:00:50]} 17. Be2 $1 {[%emt 0:00:00] And this is Anish's concept.} (17. Qd2 e5 $19 {is already losing for White.}) 17... Bxc3+ {[%emt 0: 04:00]} (17... e5 18. O-O $1 exd4 19. Nxd5 $18) 18. Rxc3 $1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} ( 18. Bxc3 $2 Rxc3 19. Rxc3 Qxc3+ 20. Kf1 bxc4 $19 {is winning for Black.}) 18... Rxc3 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 19. Kf1 $1 {[%emt 0:00:00] We come to the most critical position, which in a way improves our understanding of modern day opening preparation. If you look at why Anish played this opening, it's not because objectively he has an advantage. Objectively the position is just equal, so one might even reproach Anish for playing this opening with the white pieces. However, he believes that Ian would not have studied this position at home. And this is where he would get confused amidst the several tasty options he has at his disposal. He can take on c4 in three different ways. But Ian showed why such an approach can backfire.} b4 $1 {[%emt 0:09:09] The reason why this move is strong is because Anish hadn't studied it thoroughly at home. He had thought, who would play this move, when there are so many tempting ways to take on c4.} (19... bxc4 20. g5 $13 {Gives White excellent play because of his rook on the open file and very active bishop} O-O (20... e5 $2 21. Bxc3 Qxc3 22. Qxd5 $18) 21. gxf6 Rxf6 22. Bxf6 gxf6 {This resulting position is complex and Anish was definitely well prepared here.}) (19... Ra3 {Just to show what happens if the rook is rescued from the c3 square.} 20. g5 e5 21. Bh5+ $1 Ke7 ( 21... Kd8 22. gxf6 gxf6 23. Qf3 $18) (21... g6 22. Bxg6+ $18) (21... Kd7 22. Bc5 $18) 22. Bc5+ $18) (19... Rxc4 20. Bxc4 bxc4 21. g5 e5 22. gxf6 exd4 (22... gxf6 23. Qh5+ Ke7 24. Bxe5 {If I were Black I would be quite scared here, although the engines say that it is all 0.00.}) 23. fxg7 Rg8 24. Qh5+ Ke7 25. Qg5+ Kf7 26. Qh5+ $11) (19... dxc4 20. g5 $36 {already seems to be in White's favour.}) 20. g5 $1 {[%emt 0:17:46] The first big think of the game for Anish. He pushes his pawn to g5. Black has many options here, but Nepo chooses the most pragmatic.} e5 $1 {[%emt 0:09:01] Practically the most clean.} (20... Qxa2 $5 {is an interesting move, but then after} 21. gxf6 gxf6 22. Bxf6 (22. Bh5+ Kd7 23. Kg2 $44) 22... Rf8 $13 {is an unclear mess.} 23. Bxc3 bxc3) 21. Bxc3 { [%emt 0:03:00]} bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 22. gxf6 {[%emt 0:15:24]} gxf6 {[%emt 0: 00:33] Let's take stock here. White is still a pawn down, but he can recover it by taking on d5. Black will most probably take on a2. What is really working in White's favour is his king having a fine square on g2 to sit on. While for Black it is his c3 pawn which gives him all the play. The position is dynamically balanced, but has plenty of ways in which it can go wrong for both sides.} 23. Qb1 {[%emt 0:07:20] Anish tries to be cheeky here. He sets his eyes upon the h7 pawn and at the same time prevents the bishop from developing as the b7 pawn is hanging. But this was not particularly a great idea.} (23. cxd5 {Anish should have take the pawn.} Qc5 (23... Bf5 24. Bd3 $1 e4 (24... Qxd5 $2 25. Qh5+ $18) 25. Bc2 $16) 24. Bd3 Ke7 25. Qb3 $13 {It's very difficult to evaluate such positions. But I would say that White's chances do look practically preferable as he has less weaknesses to worry about.}) (23. Qc2 Be6 24. Rxh7 Rxh7 25. Qxh7 dxc4 $19) 23... Qc7 {[%emt 0:09: 00]} (23... d4 $5 24. exd4 exd4 25. Rh5 f5 26. Bd3 O-O $13) 24. Qd3 {[%emt 0: 22:57]} b5 $1 {[%emt 0:12:17] A very nice move by Nepo.} (24... Qxc4 25. Rxh7 Rg8 26. Qxc4 dxc4 27. Ke1 {was also possible, when the game is slightly more preferable for Black, but should be drawish.} b5 $15) 25. Qxc3 {[%emt 0:06:54]} (25. cxb5 c2 {Things may not be so clear here.} 26. Bh5+ Kf8 27. Qa3+ Kg7 ( 27... Qe7 28. Qxe7+ Kxe7 29. Ke2 $15) 28. Kg2 {With still quite some play in the position.}) 25... bxc4 {[%emt 0:00:33]} 26. e4 {[%emt 0:01:02] This was what Anish was banking on.} dxe4 {[%emt 0:06:48]} (26... Bb7 27. exd5 Bxd5 28. Rh4 $11) 27. Rh4 {[%emt 0:08:28]} Be6 {[%emt 0:02:00]} 28. Rxe4 {[%emt 0:00:32] } O-O {[%emt 0:00:28]} 29. Bxc4 $5 {[%emt 0:06:16]} (29. Rh4 {was also fine, trying to play against the weakened position of the Black king.}) 29... Kg7 $1 {[%emt 0:02:32] White now has to play carefully. His bishop on c4 is pinned and Rc8 is coming up. So the queen has to be moved to a good square. But which one is a good square?} (29... Kh8 30. Qb3 Rb8 31. Qa4 Bd7 32. Qa3 $13) 30. Qb3 {[%emt 0:02:06] A losing mistake? One cannot be sure. But White does have to sacrifice his queen after this.} (30. Qb4 $1 Rb8 31. Bb5 Bxa2 32. Qd2 Be6 33. Bd3 $15 {Although Black's position is definitely for choice here, it seems as if White will be able to hold this.}) 30... Rb8 $1 {[%emt 0:01:29]} 31. Bxe6 { [%emt 0:06:10]} (31. Qa4 Bd7 32. Qa3 (32. Qd1 Bf5 33. Rh4 Rb1 $19) 32... Rb1+ 33. Kg2 (33. Ke2 Bf5 34. Rh4 e4 35. Qa6 Qd7 {The black king is just too weak.}) 33... Bc6 $19 {There's no mate on f8 here like in the line when you play your king to h8.}) 31... Rxb3 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 32. Rg4+ {[%emt 0:03:32]} Kf8 { [%emt 0:00:10]} 33. Bxb3 {[%emt 0:00:17] There is no doubt that Giri is worse here. The question is - can he hold the draw?} Qc1+ {[%emt 0:00:32]} 34. Kg2 { [%emt 0:00:01]} Qc6+ {[%emt 0:00:42]} 35. Kg1 {[%emt 0:01:41]} h5 {[%emt 0:00: 34]} 36. Rg8+ {[%emt 0:00:49]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 37. Rg7+ {[%emt 0:00:38]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 38. Rh7 {[%emt 0:02:16]} Qf3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 39. Rh8 { [%emt 0:01:45]} e4 {[%emt 0:01:00]} 40. Rd8+ {[%emt 0:00:24]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:02: 09]} 41. Bd1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 42. Rd5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} h4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 43. gxh4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} f5 {[%emt 0:00:00][%CAl Gf5f4] Ian has played it pretty well until this point. It is quite possible that he did have better options, but this position should be objectively winning for him.} 44. Rxf5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:00] Anish finds the best practical resource.} (44. Bh5 Qg7+ 45. Kh2 Qh7 {should be lost for White.}) 44... Qe1+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 45. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qxd1 {[%emt 0:00:00] How does one assess this position? It is clear that taking the pawn on e4 leads to a losing position. So White has to play something else. But what is that something else? Most probably get his rook from g5 to g3 and alternate between g3 and e3. But this is not going to be easy.} 46. Rg5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (46. Re5+ Kf6 47. Rxe4 Qd5 {[%CAl Gd5g2]} 48. f3 {Once the pawn is pushed to the third rank, it is a lost position for White theoretically.} (48. Kf3 Kf5) 48... Qxa2+ 49. Kg3 Qd2 $19 {One cannot really explain this endgame to the exact end, but through zugzwangs, Black will be able to win both the pawns - on f3 and h4.}) 46... Qa1 $1 {[%emt 0:00: 00][%CAl Ge4e3] A shrewd move by Ian Nepomniachtchi. He knows that the king should not be allowed to come to f1 and at the same time he shouldn't allow Re5+.} (46... Qf3+ 47. Kg1 Qf4 48. Rg3 Qxh4 49. Kf1 $1 {[%csl Ge1,Ge2] This is exactly what White wants. If he can get his king to e1 or e2, he holds the draw.} Qh5 50. Ke1 $11) 47. Rg4 {[%emt 0:08:42]} Qb1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (47... e3 48. Re4+ (48. fxe3 Qxa2+ $19 {would win.}) 48... Kf6 49. Rxe3 $11) 48. Rg3 { [%emt 0:02:39]} Qxa2 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 49. Rh3 {[%emt 0:09:36]} (49. Kf1 Qd2 { Not allowing the king to come to e1 or e2.}) 49... Qd5 {[%emt 0:00:42]} 50. Kf1 {[%emt 0:02:23]} Qd1+ {[%emt 0:00:05]} 51. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Qg4+ {[%emt 0: 01:05]} 52. Rg3 {[%emt 0:00:41]} Qh5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} (52... Qxh4 {would once again be wrong because of} 53. Kf1 $1 $11 {And White is able to hold.}) 53. Ra3 {[%emt 0:03:50]} Qd5 {[%emt 0:02:02]} 54. Kg1 {[%emt 0:01:38]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00: 29]} 55. Rg3 {[%emt 0:01:42]} Qd1+ {[%emt 0:00:59]} 56. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Kf5 {[%emt 0:00:29]} 57. Rg5+ {[%emt 0:00:37]} Kf4 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 58. Rg3 { [%emt 0:00:02]} Qd5 {[%emt 0:09:55]} 59. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:22]} Qd2 {[%emt 0:00: 03]} 60. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:55]} Qd1 {[%emt 0:02:44]} 61. Re3 {[%emt 0:00:38]} Kf5 {[%emt 0:00:50]} (61... Qg4+ 62. Rg3 Qxh4 63. Kf1 {[%CAl Gf1e2]} Qh5 64. Ke1 $11) 62. Rg3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 63. Rh3 {[%emt 0:03:29]} Kg6 {[%emt 0:01:07]} 64. Rg3+ {[%emt 0:03:12]} Kh5 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 65. Rh3 { [%emt 0:00:19][%csl Ge4,Gf1]} Qb1 $1 {[%emt 0:00:18] A fine accurate move which keeps the e4 pawn protected and also stops the king from coming to f1.} ( 65... Qc2 66. Kf1 {[%CAl Gf1e1]} Qd1+ {Black has to push the king back.}) 66. Re3 {[%emt 0:01:33]} Kxh4 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 67. Rg3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Kh5 { [%emt 0:00:10] Now it is time to bring the king back to d4, put the queen on d3 and let the king pass through from c3.} 68. Rh3+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kg4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 69. Rg3+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kf4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 70. Re3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Qd1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 71. Ra3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ke5 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 72. Rg3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 73. Re3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qd3 {One must agree, that this was an amazing game by Ian Nepomniachtchi. Making sure he doesn't succumb to his opponent's preparation, and then punching back with powerful moves, is never easy.} (73... Qd3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 74. Rg3 Kc3 { [%CAl Gc3d2,Gd2e2]} 75. Re3 Kd2 76. Rg3 Ke2 $19) 0-1 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.17"] [Round "1.4"] [White "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Black "Alekseenko, Kirill"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A20"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2698"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] {[%evp 0,82,19,-12,-12,-27,-39,-30,-44,-27,-28,-20,-18,-18,-13,2,8,-10,-7,-6, 15,-2,9,-17,47,27,30,-4,5,18,-7,6,6,-29,12,14,27,-6,-8,-67,9,21,24,23,28,17,64, 77,71,73,85,84,78,83,83,105,33,37,47,47,138,107,128,159,168,110,86,75,72,68,68, 62,67,71,56,55,63,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. g3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Bg2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bc5 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 4. d3 {[%emt 0:03:41] The same opening as Ding Liren vs Wang Hao.} d5 $5 {[%emt 0:00:00] Alekseenko goes a different route as compared to Wang Hao.} (4... O-O {was Wang Hao's choice.}) 5. cxd5 {[%emt 0:00:38]} Nxd5 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 6. Nc3 {[%emt 0:04:28]} Nxc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 7. bxc3 {[%emt 0: 00:16]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:00]} 8. Qc2 $5 $146 {[%emt 0:04:37] Played after quite some thought. Grischuk has a position that has never been played before!} (8. Nf3 Nc6 9. O-O {has been seen several times.}) 8... Nc6 {[%emt 0:05:06]} 9. Nf3 {[%emt 0:01:21]} h6 {[%emt 0:06:45]} 10. O-O {[%emt 0:01:27]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:03: 00]} 11. Bb2 {[%emt 0:14:20]} (11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. d4 Bd6 13. dxe5 Bxe5 14. e4 $14) 11... b6 {[%emt 0:06:13]} (11... Bf5 $1 $11) 12. Rad1 {[%emt 0:08:22]} Qe8 $5 {[%emt 0:37:15] A very interesting move. The queen first of all defends the knight on c6 and secondly also prepares Bd7 and later Na5 and Ba4 can be a threat. However, taking 37 minutes for this move is a bit too much. It shows that Alekseenko is nervous for this big event.} 13. e4 {[%emt 0:20:55]} Bd6 { [%emt 0:09:47]} 14. Nh4 {[%emt 0:08:38]} Bg4 {[%emt 0:10:24]} 15. f3 {[%emt 0: 18:12]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:04:29]} 16. f4 {[%emt 0:00:56]} exf4 {[%emt 0:05:03]} 17. gxf4 {[%emt 0:01:17]} Na5 {[%emt 0:00:33] White has a very powerful center. Black has to play very carefully not to land up in a completely lost position.} 18. Rde1 {[%emt 0:02:51]} (18. Qf2 Bc5 19. d4 Be7 20. Bc1 $14 {would have been the most accurate.}) 18... Qd8 {[%emt 0:01:46]} 19. Qf2 {[%emt 0:01:01]} Nc4 { [%emt 0:01:08]} (19... Bc5 $5 20. d4 Be7 21. Nf3 Bb5 {This would have been an accurate way of taking advantage of White's incorrect move order Re1 instead of Qf2. Black wins an exchange, but White has compensation. Overall leading to a complicated game.}) 20. Bc1 {[%emt 0:01:29]} (20. dxc4 Bc5 $19) 20... Bc5 { [%emt 0:01:23]} 21. d4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 22. Nf3 {[%emt 0: 00:27]} f5 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 23. Qe2 {[%emt 0:01:20]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:01:54]} 24. e5 {[%emt 0:01:55]} Ne4 {[%emt 0:01:05]} 25. Nd2 {[%emt 0:01:12]} Nxd2 { [%emt 0:00:06]} 26. Bxd2 {[%emt 0:00:49] White has a beautiful central majority. But it is not very easy to get them rolling.} Be6 {[%emt 0:01:11]} 27. Qd3 {[%emt 0:01:59]} (27. a4 $16) 27... Qd7 {[%emt 0:03:08]} 28. Be3 { [%emt 0:00:57]} (28. c4 b5 29. d5 Rfd8 $11) 28... c6 {[%emt 0:00:52]} 29. a4 { [%emt 0:00:14]} a6 {[%emt 0:01:06]} 30. Qxa6 {[%emt 0:00:32]} Ra8 {[%emt 0:00: 33]} 31. Qxb6 {[%emt 0:00:30]} Bd5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 32. Qb2 {[%emt 0:00:40]} ( 32. Bxd5+ Qxd5 33. c4 Qxc4 34. Rc1 Qd3 35. Bf2 $16) 32... Rxa4 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 33. Ra1 {[%emt 0:00:18]} Rfa8 {[%emt 0:00:44]} 34. Rxa4 {[%emt 0:00:58]} Rxa4 { [%emt 0:00:07]} 35. Ra1 {[%emt 0:00:31]} Rxa1+ {[%emt 0:01:11]} 36. Qxa1 { [%emt 0:00:01]} Bxg2 {[%emt 0:00:24]} 37. Kxg2 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Qd5+ {[%emt 0: 00:06]} 38. Kf2 {[%emt 0:00:40]} (38. Kg3 {was more fighting, but Black has enough resources nonetheless to hold a draw.}) 38... Bh4+ {[%emt 0:01:09]} 39. Ke2 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Qg2+ {[%emt 0:01:14]} 40. Kd3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Qe4+ { [%emt 0:00:24]} 41. Kd2 {[%emt 0:30:16]} Qg2+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.18"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Alekseenko, Kirill"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2842"] [BlackElo "2698"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,67,14,30,23,-16,-10,-3,28,-40,-28,-13,3,9,13,22,83,86,48,76,66,54,64, 55,50,53,57,58,53,64,81,65,97,97,60,60,92,56,113,80,143,143,102,112,100,88,107, 83,133,117,107,119,156,170,139,124,210,199,209,133,161,406,406,268,526,538,626, 626,658,680]} 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00] } e6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Nc3 $5 {[%emt 0:00:00] Allowing the Nimzo Indian these days already means that you are in an aggressive mood!} Bb4 {[%emt 0:00: 54]} 4. f3 $5 {[%emt 0:00:00] Fabiano Caruana is not trying to veil his intentions in this game. He has the white pieces, playing the last seed of the event. For him it is extremely important to win!} d5 {[%emt 0:01:10]} 5. a3 { [%emt 0:00:25]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:08]} (5... Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 {is usually how Black players liked to play this. However, Be7 is more combative in nature than Bxc3.}) 6. e4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} dxe4 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 7. fxe4 {[%emt 0:00: 07]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:04] was last seen in top level chess when Firouzja played against Anand at the Wijk Aan Zee tournament. Firouzja with white decided to play e5, which was like burning all the bridges! Caruana plays it more positionally.} (7... e5 {is another main move in this position.}) 8. d5 { [%emt 0:00:08]} exd5 {[%emt 0:01:17]} 9. exd5 {[%emt 0:00:09]} O-O {[%emt 0:01: 00]} 10. Be2 $1 {[%emt 0:00:03] These are small subtleties. Why not begin with Nf3?} (10. Nf3 {is not the most accurate move order.} Bd6 $1 {[%CAl Gc8g4, Gb8d7]} 11. Nb5 (11. Be2 Bg4 12. Nb5 Bxf3 $1 13. Bxf3 Re8+ 14. Be2 Be5 $17) 11... Bg4 $1 12. Nxd6 Qxd6 13. Be2 Bxf3 14. Bxf3 Re8+ {[%CAl Gb8d7]} 15. Kf2 Nbd7 $17) 10... Re8 {[%emt 0:06:17] White forces Black to play this move Re8 and lose a crucial tempo. Bd6-Bg4-Nbd7 is the ideal way for Black to develop, but right now Bg4 is stopped and Bd6 is met with Nb5 winning the bishop on d6.} (10... Bd6 11. Nb5 {[%csl Rd6]}) 11. Nf3 {[%emt 0:02:05]} Bg4 {[%emt 0:02:40]} 12. O-O {[%emt 0:00:09]} Nbd7 {[%emt 0:01:45][%CAl Ge7d6,Gc3b5,Gd6b8] Just when Black is ready to play Bd6 and claim a fine position, Caruana pushes his pawn forward.} 13. d6 $1 {[%emt 0:06:37] A very concrete move. The pawn can be both a strength and weakness. But as of now the Fabiano is still in his preparation.} Bf8 {[%emt 0:00:43]} 14. h3 {[%emt 0:00:32]} Bh5 {[%emt 0:11:41]} 15. Nb5 {[%emt 0:00:28][%CAl Gb5c7] A fork looms large on c7. And objectively Black is fine, but if you are unprepared then it becomes very difficult to find the most accurate moves.} Re6 $2 {[%emt 0:36:10] Played after 36 minutes of thought. Long thinks are most often wrong thinks!} (15... Rb8 $1 {is the accurate way to equalize.} 16. Bf4 (16. Nc7 Re4 $11 {The main idea is to take on f3 and play Rd4.} 17. Bd3 Bxd6 $1 (17... Bxf3 18. Rxf3 (18. Qxf3 $2 Ne5 $17) 18... Rd4 19. Nb5 $18) 18. Bxe4 Qxc7 $44) 16... a6 17. Nc7 Re4 18. Bg3 $1 { Only this move allows White to keep the balance.} (18. Bh2 Bxf3 19. Bxf3 Rd4 $17) 18... Bxf3 (18... Nb6 $5 {has to be checked.}) 19. Bxf3 Rd4 $13 20. Qe1 Bxd6 21. Nd5 $44 {White has some compensation for the missing pawn.}) 16. Bf4 { [%emt 0:06:49]} a6 {[%emt 0:05:18]} 17. Nc7 {[%emt 0:07:20]} Re4 {[%emt 0:00: 44]} 18. Bh2 {[%emt 0:02:23]} (18. Qd2 {was slightly more accurate.} Rb8 19. Rad1 Bxf3 20. Bxf3 Rd4 21. Qc1 $18 {And the rook on d1 defends the d6 pawn.}) 18... Rc8 {[%emt 0:12:28]} 19. g4 {[%emt 0:07:13] This is very much Caruana's style. He doesn't really believe in the aesthetics of the position, or how good/bad looking his move is. If it works, it works! He is one of the best calculators out there and if he is sure that tactically it is working, he goes for it.} (19. Qc2 $16 {was also quite strong. White pre-empts Bxf3 and Rd4 and keeps his d6 pawn alive.}) 19... Bxg4 {[%emt 0:10:26]} (19... Bg6 20. Bd3 Nb6 ( 20... Re3 21. Bxg6 hxg6 22. Qd2 $18 {The rook next comes to e1 and White is winning.}) 21. Bxe4 Nxe4 22. b3 $16 {It seems as if Black should have some compensation, but doesn't seem enough.}) (19... Nxg4 {was the best move.} 20. hxg4 Rxg4+ 21. Kh1 Rg6 $1 22. Qd2 Rh6 $16 {Black has improved the position of the rook. White retains his edge, but the margin of error for both sides is small here.}) 20. hxg4 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Nxg4 {[%emt 0:00:07] This move is logical because Black wants to eliminate the bishop on h2 and then pick up the d6 pawn.} (20... Rxg4+ 21. Kh1 $16 {was also possible, but doesn't change the nature of the game.}) 21. Bd3 {[%emt 0:02:52]} Nxh2 {[%emt 0:01:40]} (21... Ne3 22. Bxe4 Nxd1 23. Raxd1 $18) 22. Bxe4 {[%emt 0:01:40]} Nxf1 {[%emt 0:00:45]} 23. Qxf1 {[%emt 0:01:02]} Bxd6 $6 {[%emt 0:02:19] The final mistake of the game. After this Black has no real chance to comeback in the game.} (23... Nf6 $1 24. Re1 (24. Bxb7 Rb8 $19) 24... Nxe4 25. Rxe4 Qxd6 26. Nd5 $1 Qg6+ 27. Qg2 Qxg2+ (27... Qxe4 28. Nf6+ $18) 28. Kxg2 $16 {we reach a position where only two results are possible. Either White will win or a draw. And such positions are never easy to play. But this was the best way to continue.}) 24. Nd5 { [%emt 0:00:37] Black has three pawns for the piece and White's king is also exposed. However, the white pieces in centre are so strong that Black has no way to take advantage of the exposed position of the king.} g6 {[%emt 0:08:06]} (24... Nf6 25. Nxf6+ Qxf6 26. Qh3 {with a double attack on c8 and h7 is the problem.}) 25. Qh3 {[%emt 0:04:08]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} (25... Rc6 {might well be a tricky way to continue to the fight.} 26. Kh1 (26. Qxd7 $2 Bh2+ $1 $19) 26... Ne5 27. Re1 $16 {White is still better, the game goes on.}) 26. Kh1 {[%emt 0:00:53]} Ne5 {[%emt 0:01:13]} 27. Nh4 $1 {[%emt 0:04:18] A very strong move keeping the pieces on the board.} (27. Nxe5 $2 Bxe5 28. Rf1 Bxb2 $13) 27... h5 {[%emt 0:02:21]} (27... f5 28. Nxf5+ gxf5 29. Bxf5 $18) 28. Rg1 { [%emt 0:03:36][%csl Gd5,Ge4,Gg1,Gh3,Gh4] When five pieces attack the king, it is going to be a decisive attack!} Bf8 {[%emt 0:03:39]} 29. Nf4 {[%emt 0:12:06] } Ng4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 30. Nxh5+ $1 {[%emt 0:00:28]} gxh5 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 31. Bf5 {[%emt 0:05:31]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:32]} 32. Bxg4 {[%emt 0:01:37]} hxg4 { [%emt 0:00:36]} 33. Qxg4+ {[%emt 0:00:47]} Bg5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 34. Qh5 $1 { [%emt 0:00:50] The accuracy with which Caruana played the game was quite mind boggling.} (34. Qh5 f6 35. Nf5+ Kg8 36. Qg6+ Kf8 37. Qg7+ Ke8 38. Re1+ $18) 1-0 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.18"] [Round "2.3"] [White "Wang, Hao"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A37"] [WhiteElo "2762"] [BlackElo "2763"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "121"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,23,19,-12,11,10,40,4,11,1,1,1,28,20,13,-50,-47,-49,22,33,31,33,25,17, 38,-33]} 1. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:15]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:17]} 3. g3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. Bg2 {[%emt 0: 00:23]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 5. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:18]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:35]} 6. h4 {[%emt 0:03:26]} (6. d4 cxd4 7. Nb5 {is a normal line, but how does including h4 and h6 change the dynamics of the position?}) 6... h6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 7. d4 {[%emt 0:03:32]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:01:59]} 8. Nb5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} d5 {[%emt 0:00: 05]} 9. cxd5 {[%emt 0:00:27]} exd5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (9... Qa5+ 10. Kf1 Qxb5 11. dxc6 Qxc6 12. Nxd4 $14) 10. O-O {[%emt 0:02:15]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 11. Bf4 { [%emt 0:08:35]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:26]} 12. Qc1 $5 {[%emt 0:15:18] This is how Wang Hao would like to take advantage of the inclusion of the moves h4 and h6.} (12. Nfxd4 a6) (12. Nbxd4 Re8 {Black is doing fine.}) 12... a6 {[%emt 0:47:18] Played after an amazing 47 minutes of thought!} (12... Bg4 13. Bxh6 Qb6 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. Na3 Rae8 $17 {is clearly better for Black.}) 13. Nbxd4 {[%emt 0: 02:23]} Nxd4 {[%emt 0:12:06]} 14. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:01:05]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 15. Rd1 {[%emt 0:25:50]} Re8 {[%emt 0:01:41]} 16. Qc7 {[%emt 0:09:20]} Qxc7 { [%emt 0:00:49]} 17. Bxc7 {[%emt 0:01:19]} Bg4 {[%emt 0:01:34]} 18. f3 {[%emt 0: 01:40]} Rac8 {[%emt 0:01:02]} 19. Ba5 {[%emt 0:02:09]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 20. Kf2 {[%emt 0:00:08] White has a risk free edge and can milk the position for hours.} h5 {[%emt 0:02:03]} 21. Bf1 {[%emt 0:04:58]} Ng8 {[%emt 0:02:58]} 22. Bc3 {[%emt 0:01:31]} Bh6 {[%emt 0:03:45]} 23. Rd3 {[%emt 0:07:32]} Ne7 { [%emt 0:01:42]} 24. Rad1 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:02:32]} 25. e3 {[%emt 0: 01:52]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 26. R3d2 {[%emt 0:01:12]} Ba4 {[%emt 0:08:28]} 27. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:55]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:04:00]} 28. Ne2 {[%emt 0:01:12]} Rc7 { [%emt 0:10:31]} 29. Bxg7 {[%emt 0:01:39]} Kxg7 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 30. Nc3 { [%emt 0:01:09]} Be6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 31. Red1 {[%emt 0:00:11]} b5 {[%emt 0:01: 15]} 32. a3 {[%emt 0:01:59]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:00:49]} 33. Ne2 {[%emt 0:01:31]} a5 { [%emt 0:02:00]} 34. Nd4 {[%emt 0:00:59]} Bd7 $2 {[%emt 0:00:38]} (34... b4 { seemed logical, when Black gets counterplay. Also he doesn't let White fix his pawns on light squares.}) 35. b4 $1 {[%emt 0:02:05]} axb4 {[%emt 0:03:00]} 36. axb4 {[%emt 0:00:09] Now b5 is also weak in addition to d5. Black has quite a grim defensive task ahead.} Ra8 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 37. Rb2 {[%emt 0:00:50]} Ra4 { [%emt 0:00:32]} 38. Rdb1 {[%emt 0:01:43]} Rb7 {[%emt 0:01:13]} 39. Rc1 { [%emt 0:00:20]} Rba7 {[%emt 0:01:53]} 40. Nxb5 {[%emt 0:02:39]} Bxb5 {[%emt 0: 00:05]} 41. Bxb5 {[%emt 0:49:38] This is technically a winning position.} Ra3 { [%emt 0:50:01]} 42. Be2 {[%emt 0:05:14]} Rb7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 43. b5 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} Rb6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 44. Rd1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 45. Rdd2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Rb7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 46. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nc8 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 47. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} dxe4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 48. Bxe4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Rb6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 49. Rd7 $6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (49. Rd3 { Exchanging the active rook was more prudent.}) 49... Rc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 50. Rb7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Rxb7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 51. Bxb7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nb6 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 52. Be4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ke5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 53. Rd2 {[%emt 0: 00:18]} (53. Re2 $1 Kd4 54. Bb1 $18) 53... Rb3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 54. Bc6 { [%emt 0:02:56]} Nc4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 55. f4+ {[%emt 0:01:19]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 56. Rd8 {[%emt 0:01:10]} Rb2+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 57. Kf3 {[%emt 0:00:26]} Nd2+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 58. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:14]} Nf1+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 59. Kf3 { [%emt 0:01:59]} Nd2+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 60. Ke2 {[%emt 0:01:38]} Ne4+ {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 61. Kf3 {[%emt 0:16:28] Somehow miraculously Anish managed to hold the draw. Wang Hao could have continued playing, but it already seemed like things were getting out of hand, and so a draw was a fine result for the Chinese GM.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.18"] [Round "2.4"] [White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C88"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2805"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,73,19,38,25,16,14,23,25,0,4,0,9,7,7,4,-1,8,22,2,10,11,30,35,41,25,41, 33,47,25,31,34,62,55,54,40,40,40,78,46,83,56,64,70,99,75,108,96,85,89,148,114, 234,234,244,244,237,243,284,271,250,236,226,186,195,177,177,130,185,140,157, 158,325,302,302,322]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nf3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:00] } 4. Ba4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. O-O {[%emt 0:00:00]} Be7 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 6. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:02]} b5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 7. Bb3 {[%emt 0:00: 04]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:06]} 8. h3 {[%emt 0:00:15] MVL's antidote against the Marshall.} (8. c3 {We can be sure that if White went c3, then Ding would have gone for the Marshall with} d5 $1) (8. a4 {is another way to get into the Anti-Marshall Territory.}) 8... Bb7 {[%emt 0:00:24]} 9. d3 {[%emt 0:00:20]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:12] Black threatens to win the key bishop with Na5 (now that e5 is defended), and hence White must do something about it.} 10. a3 {[%emt 0:00:10]} (10. a4 {is another option.}) ({and so is} 10. c3) 10... Qd7 {[%emt 0:02:07] The second most popular move in the position. Black is clearing the d8 square for his knight on c6 so that it can be rerouted to e6.} (10... Na5 11. Ba2 c5 12. Nbd2 Nc6 13. Nf1 Bc8 14. c3 Be6 {is one of the main lines of this system.}) 11. Nc3 {[%emt 0:01:27]} Rfe8 {[%emt 0:01:30] Ding has already played two games in this. One of them with Nd5 and the other with Ne2 against Nakamura and Shakland respectively in 2019.} 12. Bd2 $5 {[%emt 0:00:28] This is MVL's innovation of the game. Although it has been played only thrice in over the board play, it has been seen in 36 more encounters in Correspondence chess! It is some kind of a semi waiting move. White would like to play Nd5 only when the black knight has moved to d8.} (12. Bg5 {has been played the most number of times.}) (12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. exd5 Na7 {[%CAl Ga7c8,Gc8b6] is what Ding played against Naka. With the pawn on d5, he realized that it would be a good idea to play Na7 and reroute the piece to b6 via c8.}) 12... Nd8 {[%emt 0:09:11]} 13. Nd5 {[%emt 0:01:11]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:08:07] This decision by Ding Liren, is the reason why he lands up in a passive position. The pawn on d5 has such a cramping effect on Black's camp.} (13... Ne6 $5 {Might well be a better option. But after} 14. Nxe7+ Qxe7 15. Ng5 $14 {White should be able to claim a small edge because of the bishop pair.}) 14. exd5 {[%emt 0:00:09][%csl Rd8][%CAl Rd8e6,Rd8c6]} c5 {[%emt 0:02:46]} (14... c6 {might well have been a better choice to break the center.} 15. c4 cxd5 16. cxd5 f6 {followed by Nf7. Black is worse, but he is fighting.}) 15. a4 $1 {[%emt 0:06:53] A strong move by MVL, opening up the queenside.} f5 $2 {[%emt 0:08:51] It's moves like these that make you understand that Ding Liren is not in the best form here. In general this is a weakening move, but even concretely White is able to take advantage of his move with precise play.} (15... f6 16. axb5 axb5 17. Rxa8 Bxa8 18. c4 Rf8 19. cxb5 Qxb5 20. Bc4 Qd7 $16 {Yes, the position is far from being comfortable for Black, but he can continue fighting.}) 16. axb5 {[%emt 0:11:07] } axb5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 17. Rxa8 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Bxa8 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 18. c4 $1 {[%emt 0:04:46][%CAl Gb3a4,Ga4e8] A powerful strike, that is surprisingly very difficult to meet. White threatens to take on b5 and then put his bishop on c4, when he would have not just won a pawn but also have a strong passer on b5. Taking the pawn on b5 is very difficult because of Ba4 skewer ideas. At the same time, if you move the rook away from e8, then Nxe5 ideas are activated.} (18. Nxe5 $2 dxe5 19. d6+ c4 20. dxe7 cxb3 21. exd8=Q Rxd8 22. Rxe5 Qc6 $15 {Black is taking over.}) 18... Nf7 {[%emt 0:10:26]} (18... Rf8 19. cxb5 Qxb5 20. Nxe5 {is the tactical point why Rf8 doesn't work here.}) (18... Bf6 { is another line that Black could play.} 19. cxb5 Qf7 20. Bg5 $1 {is a powerful strike.} Bxd5 21. Bxd5 Qxd5 22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. Nh4 $18 {with Qh5 coming up, White is positionally winning.}) 19. cxb5 {[%emt 0:02:51][%csl Gb5,Gd3,Gd5] [%CAl Gb3c4,Gb2b4]} g5 $5 {[%emt 0:00:15] Good or bad Ding Liren decides to attack on the kingside. But of course this is more out of desperation.} (19... Qxb5 20. Ba4 $18 {Just loses.}) 20. Nh2 {[%emt 0:05:43]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:07:01]} 21. Bc4 {[%emt 0:04:23] Consolidating the extra pawn.} Kg6 {[%emt 0:00:20] It's not with a happy feeling that you get your king to g6 in such a position.} 22. g4 $1 {[%emt 0:05:41] Not giving his opponent any counterplay.} Nh6 { [%emt 0:02:13]} 23. Qf3 {[%emt 0:10:07][%csl Rg6]} Bd8 {[%emt 0:00:26]} 24. Qg2 {[%emt 0:05:23]} f4 {[%emt 0:02:25]} 25. b4 {[%emt 0:10:38]} Bb6 {[%emt 0:15: 59]} 26. Qe4+ {[%emt 0:04:49]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:38]} 27. bxc5 {[%emt 0:04:43]} dxc5 {[%emt 0:00:08]} (27... Bxc5 28. d4 $1 Bxd4 29. Nf3 $18) 28. Nf3 {[%emt 0: 01:14]} Nf7 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 29. Bc3 $18 {[%emt 0:00:06] The e5 pawn is weak and Black is just lost. The way MVL finishes off the game is quite nice.} Bc7 { [%emt 0:02:45]} 30. b6 {[%emt 0:02:34]} Bb8 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 31. Qf5 {[%emt 0: 00:32]} Qxf5 {[%emt 0:01:43]} 32. gxf5 {[%emt 0:00:38]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:01:44]} 33. Nd2 {[%emt 0:05:43]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:12]} (33... Kxf5 34. Ne4 Rd8 35. Nxc5 Bxd5 36. Na6 Bxc4 37. dxc4 e4 38. Nxb8 Rxb8 39. c5 $18) 34. d6 $1 {[%emt 0:07: 58] A nice move that interferes with the working of Black pieces.} Rxd6 { [%emt 0:01:49]} (34... Bxd6 35. Ra1 Be7 36. Ne4+ Bxe4 37. dxe4 $18) 35. Rb1 { [%emt 0:06:09]} Nd8 {[%emt 0:00:43]} 36. b7 $1 {[%emt 0:02:06] The final nail in the coffin.} Bxb7 {[%emt 0:01:48]} (36... Nxb7 37. Ne4+ $18) 37. Ba5 { [%emt 0:00:09] Black is losing a piece. It's really surprising to see how the position quickly went downhill for Ding.} 1-0 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.18"] [Round "2.2"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2777"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,37,19,38,25,16,14,23,13,36,37,41,62,55,74,71,61,73,62,63,63,47,53,51, 55,55,62,51,65,65,63,25,36,37,37,21,22,8,8,-13]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e5 { [%emt 0:05:12]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 3. Bb5 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:26]} 4. O-O {[%emt 0:00:01]} Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 5. d4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:00:42]} 6. Bxc6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} dxc6 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 7. dxe5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Nf5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 8. Qxd8+ { [%emt 0:00:06]} Kxd8 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 9. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Ke8 {[%emt 0:01: 44]} 10. h3 {[%emt 0:00:05]} h5 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 11. Bf4 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Be7 { [%emt 0:01:36]} 12. Rad1 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Be6 {[%emt 0:00:34]} 13. Ng5 { [%emt 0:00:06]} Rh6 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 14. Rfe1 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Bb4 {[%emt 0:00: 42]} 15. a3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 16. bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:00] [%csl Ra3,Rc2,Rc3,Re6]} h4 {[%emt 0:13:07]} 17. Kh2 {[%emt 0:00:45] The first new move of the game.} (17. Ne4 Rg6 18. g4 hxg3 19. fxg3 {is usually how White plays here.}) 17... Kf8 {[%emt 0:07:22]} 18. Rb1 {[%emt 0:14:18]} (18. g4 hxg3+ 19. fxg3 $14 {[%csl Gg3,Gh3] is the way White usually plays in this line. What Nepo did in the game was quite pointless.}) 18... b6 {[%emt 0:07:23]} 19. Rb4 { [%emt 0:02:39] While the rook lift does look cool, one wonders what purpose it solves.} Re8 {[%emt 0:38:12]} 20. Ra4 {[%emt 0:05:22]} a5 {[%emt 0:02:23]} 21. Bd2 {[%emt 0:00:04]} c5 {[%emt 0:08:28]} 22. Rf4 {[%emt 0:02:03]} Rh5 {[%emt 0: 06:28]} 23. Rf3 {[%emt 0:00:27][%CAl Gb7b6,Ga7a5,Gc6c5,Ga8e8]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:06: 47]} 24. Bc1 {[%emt 0:06:50]} Ne7 {[%emt 0:02:35]} 25. g4 {[%emt 0:10:42]} hxg3+ {[%emt 0:01:46]} 26. fxg3 {[%emt 0:00:06][%CAl Rd1b1,Rb1b4,Rb4a4,Ra4f4, Rf4f3,Gb7b6,Ga7a5,Gc6c5,Ga8e8,Gf8g8] A move that White could have played 8 moves ago in much favourable circumstances was now played and Black has a clear advantage.} Nc6 {[%emt 0:03:27]} 27. Bf4 {[%emt 0:03:58]} Bc8 {[%emt 0: 01:35]} 28. Rfe3 {[%emt 0:02:50]} Nd8 $6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (28... Ne7 $1 { with the idea of Nd5 would have given White quite some headaches.} 29. Rd3 Ng6 30. Rde3 Bf5 $17) 29. Kg2 {[%emt 0:01:53]} Ne6 {[%emt 0:00:22]} 30. Nxe6 { [%emt 0:00:06]} Bxe6 {[%emt 0:00:07] Now the position is closer to a draw than an advantage for Black.} 31. g4 {[%emt 0:00:23]} Rh8 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 32. Bg5 { [%emt 0:00:26]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 33. Kg3 {[%emt 0:00:27]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:02: 11]} 34. Rd3 {[%emt 0:03:35]} Rhe8 {[%emt 0:00:36]} 35. Red1 {[%emt 0:00:52]} b5 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 36. Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:28]} b4 {[%emt 0:01:14]} 37. Rxe8 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Rxe8 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 38. cxb4 {[%emt 0:00:23]} cxb4 {[%emt 0: 00:02]} 39. axb4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} axb4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 40. Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:31] } Rxd8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.19"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D17"] [WhiteElo "2805"] [BlackElo "2842"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,71,19,19,19,-9,36,36,24,15,-1,1,0,-11,7,17,18,-11,-11,36,79,64,76,80, 60,43,109,111,128,101,216,117,151,184,194,130,208,150,145,145,145,157,131,111, 79,86,131,106,135,127,143,133,130,114,121,102,94,98,100,68,121,86,118,101,109, 126,167,167,204,218,221,238,258,255]} 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:00] } 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c6 {[%emt 0:00:00] The Slav is not part of Caruana's repertoire, but with Fabi we have come to expect the unexpected.} 3. Nf3 { [%emt 0:00:44]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. Nc3 {[%emt 0:01:18]} dxc4 {[%emt 0:01: 30]} 5. a4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Bf5 {[%emt 0:00:18][%CAl Ge2e3]} 6. Ne5 {[%emt 0: 00:17]} (6. e3 {is the more solid way to play.}) 6... e6 {[%emt 0:00:30]} (6... Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 {is the other way for Black to play.}) 7. f3 {[%emt 0:00:51] [%CAl Ge2e4,Gd5c4] This is an aggressive way to play the position. White is aiming to get in e4.} Bb4 {[%emt 0:00:32]} (7... c5 8. e4 Bg6 9. Be3 cxd4 10. Qxd4 Qxd4 11. Bxd4 {is the line that Anand played against Topalov with black in his World Championship Match in 2010}) 8. Nxc4 {[%emt 0:07:50]} (8. Kf2 { is a typical error.} Bc2 {[%csl Gf2]} 9. Qd2 (9. Qxc2 Qxd4+ {[%CAl Gd4e5]}) 9... Bb3 $17 {[%csl Gb3][%CAl Gb3c4] Black saves his pawn. This mistake has been committed by two strong players from White - Jan Gustafsson and Vidit Gujrathi!}) (8. e4 Bxe4 9. fxe4 Nxe4 10. Bd2 Qxd4 11. Nxe4 Qxe4+ 12. Qe2 Bxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Qd5+ 14. Kc2 Na6 {[%csl Rc4] This was supposed to be an important mainline, but very few games are being played here these days.}) 8... O-O { [%emt 0:01:02]} 9. Kf2 {[%emt 0:00:05][%CAl Ge2e4,Gf5e4] Now Bc2 makes no sense because after Qd2, the bishop no longer has anything to do on b3.} (9. e4 $6 Nxe4 10. fxe4 Qh4+ 11. Kd2 Qxe4 $44) 9... e5 $5 $146 {[%emt 0:00:10] A shocking move. It has never been played before and Fabi made the move in a flash and left the board, letting Ding Liren find his way through maze of variations.} (9... c5 10. e4 Bxc3 11. bxc3 Bxe4 12. fxe4 Nxe4+ 13. Kg1 { White has scored well here and should be better for White.} Nxc3 14. Qe1 cxd4 15. h4 $16) 10. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:17:07] Ding takes the pawn in the most natural manner.} (10. dxe5 Nfd7 (10... Qxd1 11. Nxd1 Nfd7 12. e4 Be6 13. Nde3 $14 { [%csl Gc4,Ge3]}) 11. Bf4 (11. e4 Be6 $44) 11... Qh4+ 12. g3 Qe7 {maybe another place where Caruana has deep preparation.} 13. e4 Be6 14. Kg2 Bxc4 15. Bxc4 Nxe5 16. Be2 $14) 10... Bc2 {[%emt 0:00:23]} 11. Qd2 {[%emt 0:07:42]} (11. Qxc2 Qxd4+ 12. e3 Qxe5 $11) 11... c5 {[%emt 0:00:22][%CAl Gd4d5,Ge2e3] White now has two approaches - to play e3 which looks slightly cowardly in nature or go for the bold d5!?} 12. d5 {[%emt 0:16:37] The most natural move, but Ding took a good 16 minutes for this move.} (12. e3 $5 {[%csl Rc2][%CAl Gc2g6,Gc2b3]} Bg6 (12... cxd4 13. Qxc2 dxc3 14. bxc3 Bc5 15. g3 $16) (12... Bb3 13. Nd3 $5 $16 { [%CAl Gc5d4,Gd3b4]}) 13. d5 {The bishop is now on g6 instead of c2, and in some ways can be useful for Black.}) 12... Bb3 {[%emt 0:00:29]} (12... Be4 $5 { An interesting attempt but can be met with} 13. g4 $5 $16 Bxd5 (13... Re8 14. Nxf7 Kxf7 15. g5 {Again is a very complicated line.} Ng4+ 16. Kg3 $16) 14. g5 $16) 13. e4 {[%emt 0:00:16][%csl Gd5,Ge4,Rf2,Gf3][%CAl Gf6e4,Gf6d5]} Re8 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 14. Qf4 {[%emt 0:12:35][%CAl Gb8d7,Ge5d7]} (14. Nd3 $2 Rxe4 $1 $17 {[%csl Rd5,Rf2][%CAl Gf3e4] White has to remain careful of such tricks.}) 14... c4 $5 {[%emt 0:00:40][%CAl Gb4d6,Gd6f4] To keep the initiative flowing Black has to sacrifice another pawn. He now threatens Bd6 winning a piece.} ( 14... Ba5 15. Nc4 Bxc4 (15... Bc7 16. d6 $18) 16. Bxc4 Bc7 17. Qd2 $18) 15. Nxc4 {[%emt 0:02:15]} (15. Bxc4 {[%csl Gc4][%CAl Gc4b3]} Bd6 {[%CAl Gd6f4] is already quite a difficult situation to be in.} 16. Qe3 {[%CAl Gb3c4,Ge5c4, Gd6e5,Gc4b3,Ge3b6]} (16. Bxb3 Qb6+ $19 {[%CAl Gb6b3,Gd6e5]}) 16... Nbd7 $5 $13 {Crazy complications.} 17. Bxb3 (17. Nxd7 Nxd7 $1 (17... Bxc4 18. Nxf6+ Qxf6 19. Qg5 $16) 18. Bxb3 Bc5 $13 {[%CAl Gc5f2]}) 17... Bc5 18. Nd3 Bxe3+ 19. Bxe3 Ne5 $13) 15... Nbd7 {[%emt 0:00:08][%csl Gc4,Rd5,Re4,Rf2,Rf3,Rf4] Black has given up two pawns and hopes to take advantage of the exposed position of the white king on f2. The queen is also not so well placed on f4. It's true White is going to face difficulties in consolidating, but he has two extra pawns for all the pain that he is going to suffer! Is that not enough?} 16. Be3 $1 { [%emt 0:06:13] The most natural and strong move.} Nf8 {[%emt 0:00:39][%csl Rf4] [%CAl Gf8g6] Once again instantly played. The threat is to play Ng6 followed by Rc8 when White would be in big trouble.} (16... Nh5 17. Qg5 Nhf6 18. Nd2 $16 ) (16... Rc8 17. Nd6 Bxd6 18. Qxd6) 17. Bd4 {[%emt 0:08:44][%CAl Gf4e3] Ding Liren finds the best move to keep his advantage. But this move took away nine minutes from his clock.} Ng6 {[%emt 0:01:01]} (17... Rc8 $5 {It is quite possible that this is the strongest move in the position.} 18. Ne3 $16 Ng6 19. Qf5 Bc5 20. Bxc5 Rxc5 $44) 18. Qf5 {[%emt 0:01:12]} (18. Qc1 {is the best move, but it leads to some insane complications after} Nxe4+ (18... Rc8 19. Nd2 Nxe4+ 20. fxe4 Bxd5 21. Qd1 (21. exd5 Qh4+ $19 {[%CAl Gh4d4]}) 21... Bc6 22. Be3 $18 {[%csl Gb4,Gc6,Gc8,Gd8,Ge8,Gg6]}) 19. fxe4 Rc8 20. Nd2 Bxd5 21. Qd1 $18 { These are all the moves which are very difficult for humans to find.} (21. exd5 Qh4+ $19)) (18. Qd2 Nxe4+ $1 19. fxe4 Rxe4 $44) (18. Qe3 Rc8 $1 19. Nd2 Nxd5 20. Nxd5 Bxd5 $11) 18... Bxc4 {[%emt 0:06:46] The first move where Fabi had a serious think. He thought for around seven minutes, which could still mean that he is in his home preparation.} (18... Rc8 19. Ne3 Bc5 {[%csl Rd4,Re3,Rf4] } 20. Bxc5 Rxc5 {Just to give you an example of how dangerous this position can be for White, let's skip one move for White.} 21. Z0 Re5 22. Qh3 Bxd5 23. Ncxd5 (23. exd5 Qb6 $19 {[%CAl Gb6f2,Ge5e3]}) 23... Nxd5 24. Nxd5 (24. exd5 Rxe3 25. Kxe3 Qb6 $19) 24... Rcxd5 25. exd5 Qb6+ $19 {is an illustrative line of how things can go wrong for White.}) 19. Bxc4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Qc7 {[%emt 0: 00:16][%CAl Gc7c4]} 20. Be2 {[%emt 0:07:32]} Bc5 {[%emt 0:02:24]} 21. Bxc5 { [%emt 0:02:39] What can be more natural than to recapture the bishop on c5. But Caruana pauses to think. Why? Well, he sees that there is another powerful move in this position, and that is Re5!} Qxc5+ {[%emt 0:14:27] Finally Caruana settled on Qxc5.} (21... Re5 $5 {The reason to play this way and not recapture the bishop is because White wants to get his queen from f5 to h3-g3-f2. But if the king is still on f2 then the queen cannot return. And hence it is important for Black to attack the queen and bring it to an undesirable location before capturing on c5.} 22. Qh3 Nf4 (22... Qxc5+ 23. Kf1) 23. Qh4 ( 23. Qg3 N6h5 24. Bd4 $1 {The queen sacrifice is the best.} (24. Qg4 Qxc5+ 25. Kf1 f5 $17) (24. Qh4 g5 25. Qg4 Qxc5+ 26. Kf1 Rd8 $1 $19 {Preventing the queen from coming to d7. Next Black can slowly improve the position with h6, followed by g5 and there is nothing much that White can do.} (26... Nf6 27. Qg3 N6h5 28. Qf2 {is not what you what Black wants.})) 24... Nxg3 25. hxg3 Nxe2 26. Nxe2 Ree8 27. g4 $44 {In return for the queen you have two minor pieces and two pawns and this looks like excellent compensation.}) 23... g5 24. Qxf4 $1 ( 24. Qh6 Qxc5+ 25. Kf1 N6xd5 26. Nxd5 Nxd5 27. exd5 Qe3 28. Re1 Rc8 $17 { with a powerful attack.}) 24... gxf4 25. Bd4 $44 {[%csl Gd4,Gd5,Ge2,Ge4,Gf2] [%CAl Gh1d1,Ga1c1] White has good compensation for the queen, but this position is difficult to find on the board especially when Ding has spent so much time and energy for his previous moves.}) 22. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:01]} h6 $6 { [%emt 0:00:49] It somehow felt as if Caruana brain switched off for a few seconds. What can be the idea of this move. Well perhaps it was to get the g5 square for his rook, but in reality it doesn't work out.} (22... Re5 {This move loses its power because now the queen can come back via h3-g3-f2.} 23. Qh3 Qb4 $1 {[%CAl Gb4b2] Black has some other weaknesses to attack as well.} 24. Rb1 Nf4 25. Qg3 N6h5 26. Qf2 f5 $44 {This would not have been easy for Ding to deal with.}) 23. Rd1 $14 {[%emt 0:01:58][%CAl Ga1b1,Gd1d2,Gd2b2] The rook enters the game and now can defend b2 via d2 and doesn't need to be passive on b1.} Qb6 {[%emt 0:10:35]} 24. Rd2 {[%emt 0:00:59]} Qe3 {[%emt 0:01:03]} 25. Rc2 {[%emt 0:00:14][%csl Gd5,Ge4][%CAl Gf5h3,Gh3g3,Gg3f2,Gg2g3,Gf1g2]} a6 {[%emt 0: 03:47][%CAl Gb7b5,Gb5b4]} (25... Rac8 26. Nd1 $18 {[%CAl Gc2c8,Gd1e3]}) 26. Qh3 {[%emt 0:02:49]} b5 {[%emt 0:02:04]} 27. Qg3 $1 {[%emt 0:00:19]} b4 {[%emt 0: 01:57]} (27... Rec8 28. Qf2 Qxf2+ 29. Kxf2 b4 30. Ke3 Nd7 31. Rhc1 bxc3 32. Rxc3 Rcb8 33. b3 $16 {White has three pawns for a knight and a clear edge, but the position is far from winning just as yet.}) 28. Nd1 {[%emt 0:01:48]} Qb3 { [%emt 0:00:10]} 29. Rd2 {[%emt 0:01:19]} Qxa4 {[%emt 0:03:41]} 30. Qf2 $18 { [%emt 0:00:56][%csl Gd1,Gd2,Ge2,Gf2][%CAl Gg2g3,Gf1g2] White has given back one pawn but completely consolidated his position.} Qd7 {[%emt 0:12:27][%CAl Gg2g3,Gd7h3]} 31. g3 {[%emt 0:01:20]} Qh3+ {[%emt 0:00:49]} 32. Kg1 {[%emt 0: 00:42]} a5 {[%emt 0:01:34]} 33. Qd4 {[%emt 0:01:15]} Nh5 {[%emt 0:10:16]} 34. Nf2 {[%emt 0:00:33]} Qd7 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 35. f4 {[%emt 0:00:36][%CAl Gh5f6, Ge4e5]} Nhxf4 {[%emt 0:00:21]} 36. gxf4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nxf4 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 37. Kf1 {[%emt 0:01:57]} Qd6 {[%emt 0:03:30]} 38. Rg1 {[%emt 0:00:25]} f6 { [%emt 0:04:24]} 39. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:54]} Re7 {[%emt 0:07:11]} 40. b3 {[%emt 0: 03:23] White is simply a piece up.} Rf8 {[%emt 0:03:53]} 41. Rc2 {[%emt 0:12: 26]} Ne6 {[%emt 0:04:41]} 42. Qe3 {[%emt 0:01:11][%csl Gf2]} Ng5 {[%emt 0:00: 39]} 43. h4 {[%emt 0:00:35]} Nf7 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 44. Rc6 {[%emt 0:02:28]} Qb8 {[%emt 0:01:39]} 45. Qc5 {[%emt 0:02:25]} Qd8 {[%emt 0:06:15]} 46. Rxf6 { [%emt 0:02:26]} Kh8 {[%emt 0:03:28]} 47. Rf5 {[%emt 0:00:55]} Rc7 {[%emt 0:02: 40]} 48. Bc6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} a4 {[%emt 0:00:21]} 49. bxa4 {[%emt 0:04:39]} b3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 50. Rg3 {[%emt 0:02:25]} b2 {[%emt 0:04:14]} 51. Rb3 {[%emt 0: 00:09]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 52. Rxf8+ {[%emt 0:00:23]} Qxf8 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 53. Rxb2 {[%emt 0:00:43]} Qf4 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 54. Rb8+ {[%emt 0:05:42]} Kh7 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 55. Qc2 {[%emt 0:00:16]} Re7 {[%emt 0:07:02]} 56. e5+ {[%emt 0: 00:57]} Nf5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 57. Qe4 {[%emt 0:09:48]} Qc1+ {[%emt 0:01:26]} 58. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:20]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 59. Rb3 {[%emt 0:01:49]} 1-0 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.19"] [Round "3.2"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D85"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2767"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,19,19,27,13,4,38,32,54,49,43,35,27,26,25,25,46,27,18,29,26,8]} 1. d4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:00] Two of the biggest Grunfeld experts face off against each other and play the Grunfeld!} 4. cxd5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. Bd2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:04:37]} 6. e4 { [%emt 0:00:20]} Nxc3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 7. Bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} c5 {[%emt 0:02: 27]} (7... O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Nf3 Bg4 10. d5 Bxf3 11. Bxg7 Kxg7 12. gxf3 Ne5 { was seen in Anand vs Carlsen, World Championship game 1.}) 8. d5 {[%emt 0:01: 28]} Bxc3+ {[%emt 0:00:14]} 9. bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} O-O {[%emt 0:01:09]} 10. Qd2 {[%emt 0:01:02]} Qd6 $5 {[%emt 0:06:25] The idea of this move is to keep the development of the knight and the bishop flexible. If White plays Nf3, then Bg4 is possible. Otherwise the knight develops to d7 and the queen is better placed on d6 instead of d8.} 11. f4 {[%emt 0:01:32]} e6 {[%emt 0:07:45]} 12. Bc4 {[%emt 0:02:43]} b5 $1 {[%emt 0:01:28] Black plays actively and this move has been seen before in two top level encounters - Gelfand vs Dominguez 2014, and Tomashevsky vs Nepomniachtchi 2018.} 13. Bxb5 {[%emt 0:00:22]} exd5 { [%emt 0:01:04]} 14. Bc4 {[%emt 0:02:01]} (14. exd5 Nd7 15. Bxd7 Bxd7 16. Nf3 Bb5 17. Kf2 Rad8 18. Rad1 Rfe8 19. Rhe1 f6 $11) 14... Bb7 {[%emt 0:12:26]} 15. Nf3 {[%emt 0:03:04]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:04:22]} (15... Rd8 16. Bxd5 Bxd5 17. Qxd5 Qxd5 18. exd5 Rxd5 19. Rd1 Rxd1+ 20. Kxd1 Nd7 21. Re1 Kf8 {was how Nepo tried to equalize against Tomashevsky. Maybe MVL was not happy with this line and hence chose the ...Nd7 move.}) 16. O-O {[%emt 0:12:30]} Nb6 {[%emt 0:11:11]} 17. Be2 {[%emt 0:05:06]} d4 {[%emt 0:17:37]} 18. e5 {[%emt 0:06:57]} (18. cxd4 Bxe4 $11) 18... Qd7 $1 {[%emt 0:00:04] This move gives Black good equalizing chances.} (18... Qe7 19. cxd4 Rad8 (19... cxd4 20. Nxd4 {is an extra pawn without any real compensation.}) 20. f5 $1 {is the key point.} Bxf3 $2 21. Qh6 $3 {This leads to a winning position for White.} (21. Rxf3 Qxe5 $13) 21... f6 22. Bxf3 $16) 19. cxd4 {[%emt 0:24:35]} Rad8 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 20. Rad1 { [%emt 0:07:29]} Bxf3 {[%emt 0:00:34]} 21. Rxf3 {[%emt 0:02:07]} Qxd4+ {[%emt 0: 00:43]} 22. Qxd4 {[%emt 0:00:16]} Rxd4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 23. Rxd4 {[%emt 0:00: 36]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 24. Rd3 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:05:28]} 25. Bd1 {[%emt 0:03:30]} Nc4 {[%emt 0:04:31]} 26. Kf2 {[%emt 0:00:29]} (26. Bb3 Na5 27. Kf2 {Maybe White is slightly better, but it should not be enough to win.} Nxb3 28. axb3 f6 29. exf6 Kf7 30. Kf3 Kxf6 31. Ke4 Re8+ 32. Kxd4 Re2 $132) 26... Nb2 {[%emt 0:02:17]} 27. Rd2 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Nc4 {[%emt 0:00:23]} 28. Rd3 {[%emt 0:01:44]} Nb2 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 29. Rd2 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Nc4 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 30. Rd3 {[%emt 0:00:17] A fine game which Giri was close to getting a tangible edge, but MVL held his own well.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.19"] [Round "3.4"] [White "Alekseenko, Kirill"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C19"] [WhiteElo "2698"] [BlackElo "2774"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,16,19,38,43,18,28,25,32,31,18,17,33,22,15,-15,22,0,9]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. d4 {[%emt 0:03:15]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Nc3 { [%emt 0:00:55]} Bb4 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 4. e5 {[%emt 0:01:05]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 5. a3 {[%emt 0:00:43]} Bxc3+ {[%emt 0:00:10]} 6. bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Ne7 { [%emt 0:00:08]} 7. h4 {[%emt 0:02:10]} Qc7 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 8. Nf3 {[%emt 0:02: 29]} b6 {[%emt 0:00:50]} 9. Bb5+ {[%emt 0:06:16]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 10. Be2 {[%emt 0:07:48]} (10. Bd3 {more common is to get the bishop to d3, and only when Black plays c4, to move to e2.}) 10... Ba4 {[%emt 0:01:03]} 11. O-O { [%emt 0:08:46]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:03:45]} (11... cxd4 12. cxd4 {taking the c2 pawn is never going to hurt White here.} Qxc2 (12... Bxc2 13. Bb5+ $16) 13. Bb5+ $18 ) 12. Be3 {[%emt 0:19:59]} h6 {[%emt 0:06:56]} 13. Ra2 {[%emt 0:07:50]} Nf5 { [%emt 0:14:45]} 14. Bf4 {[%emt 0:06:00]} Qc6 $6 {[%emt 0:05:13]} (14... Nf6 { with the idea of Ne4 would have been strong.}) 15. Rb2 {[%emt 0:03:56]} a6 { [%emt 0:00:39]} 16. dxc5 {[%emt 0:06:20]} Qxc5 {[%emt 0:04:03]} (16... bxc5 { would have been preferable because the white pieces do not get the d4 square.} 17. c4 dxc4 $1 $17) 17. Rb4 {[%emt 0:02:52]} b5 $6 {[%emt 0:05:17]} (17... Bb5 {and the bishops are exchanged and Black is still doing fine.} 18. Bxb5 axb5 19. Nd4 O-O 20. Rxb5 Qc4 $13) 18. Bd3 $1 {[%emt 0:04:48] The bishop is now just trapped on a4.} Ne7 {[%emt 0:01:50]} (18... Qxc3 19. Bxf5 exf5 20. Qxd5 $18) 19. Bd2 {[%emt 0:03:51]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:01:01]} 20. Qe2 $1 {[%emt 0:01:25] White is ready to give up an exchange.} (20. Re1 $1 {was slightly more accurate.} Nxb4 21. axb4 Qc7 22. Nd4 $1 $16 {gives White a tangible edge.}) 20... Nxb4 {[%emt 0:02:03]} 21. axb4 {[%emt 0:01:19]} Qc7 {[%emt 0:01:24]} 22. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:52]} Nb8 {[%emt 0:01:05]} 23. Nd4 {[%emt 0:02:50]} Nc6 { [%emt 0:00:26]} 24. Qg4 {[%emt 0:01:08]} (24. Nxc6 Qxc6 25. Qg4 $16) 24... Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 25. cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:43]} g6 $2 {[%emt 0:03:49]} (25... g5 $1 $132) 26. h5 $6 {[%emt 0:06:00]} (26. Bxg6 $1 {Although this was not an easy move to calculate all the way until the end, if you want to score at the Candidates, you have to take chances like these.} fxg6 27. Qxe6+ Qe7 (27... Kf8 28. Qxg6 $1 {The point is that the h6 pawn is hanging.} Qg7 29. Qd6+ Qe7 30. Bxh6+ $18) 28. Qc6+ $1 (28. Qxg6+ Kd7 29. Qb6 Rhc8 {Black somehow manages to get his pieces together.}) 28... Kf7 29. h5 $3 {A powerful move by White.} Rag8 (29... gxh5 30. Re3 $1 $18) (29... Rhg8 30. Bxh6 {It's not so easy to assess this position.}) 30. Re3 $18 {The rook is coming in and White manages to launch a decisive attack. The main thing working in White's favour is the bishop on a4, which is completely out of the game.}) 26... gxh5 {[%emt 0:03:35] } 27. Qxh5 {[%emt 0:00:10]} O-O-O {[%emt 0:00:17]} 28. f4 {[%emt 0:00:59]} Kb8 {[%emt 0:00:54]} 29. c3 {[%emt 0:05:41]} Bb3 {[%emt 0:01:35]} 30. f5 {[%emt 0: 00:05]} Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 31. Bc2 {[%emt 0:00:20]} Rdg8 {[%emt 0:01:21]} 32. Kf2 {[%emt 0:01:53]} a5 {[%emt 0:13:17]} 33. bxa5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Qxa5 { [%emt 0:00:59]} (33... Ka8 $1 $15) 34. Qxf7 {[%emt 0:00:31]} Qa2 {[%emt 0:00: 14]} 35. Qxe6 {[%emt 0:00:33]} Qxc2 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 36. Qb6+ {[%emt 0:00:07]} Kc8 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 37. Qc6+ {[%emt 0:00:05]} Kb8 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 38. Qb6+ { [%emt 0:00:06]} Kc8 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 39. Qc6+ {[%emt 0:00:05]} Kb8 {[%emt 0:00: 05]} 40. Qb6+ {[%emt 0:00:05]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.19"] [Round "3.3"] [White "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Black "Wang, Hao"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C01"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2762"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "98"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,21,19,36,42,9,58,6,44,24,28,20,24,24,17,29,18,10,-5,-4,-4,-16,-11,-21] } 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:21]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Nf6 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:00:41]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. Nf3 {[%emt 0: 00:05]} Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. d3 {[%emt 0:00:18]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 6. d4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:23] We have reached an exchange French with couple of tempos lost. As Vidit joked in his round up video - "It's good news for Grischuk as he is closer to the time control now!"} 7. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:01:23]} 8. Qe2+ {[%emt 0:00:11]} Be6 {[%emt 0:03:28]} 9. Ng5 { [%emt 0:01:50]} Qe7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 10. Nxe6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} fxe6 {[%emt 0: 04:00]} 11. c3 {[%emt 0:00:09]} c5 {[%emt 0:09:42]} 12. Nd2 {[%emt 0:03:10]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:02:26]} 13. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:16]} O-O {[%emt 0:02:42]} 14. O-O { [%emt 0:00:28]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:07:04]} (14... e5 15. dxe5 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Qxe5 17. Qxe5 Bxe5 18. Be3 $16 {The pawns on c5 and c3 are in White's favour.}) 15. cxd4 {[%emt 0:03:36]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:24]} 16. dxe5 {[%emt 0:05:05]} Nxe5 {[%emt 0: 00:01]} 17. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:35:14] To think 35 minutes for this move is a bit too much!} Qxe5 {[%emt 0:00:53]} 18. Qxe5 {[%emt 0:15:14]} (18. g3 $14) 18... Bxe5 {[%emt 0:00:38]} 19. f3 $1 {[%emt 0:00:51] With this move White stops ideas of Ng4 and definitely has a small edge.} Bd4+ {[%emt 0:07:59]} 20. Kh1 { [%emt 0:00:15]} Rac8 {[%emt 0:02:22]} 21. Rd1 {[%emt 0:05:12]} Rfe8 {[%emt 0: 04:03]} 22. g3 {[%emt 0:04:39]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:07:42]} 23. Kg2 {[%emt 0:04:20]} g6 {[%emt 0:02:09]} 24. Bd2 {[%emt 0:20:54]} Be3 {[%emt 0:18:52]} (24... Bxb2 25. Rab1 $16) 25. h4 {[%emt 0:03:44]} Re6 {[%emt 0:03:41]} 26. Bxe3 {[%emt 0: 00:41]} Rxe3 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 27. Kf2 {[%emt 0:01:47]} Re6 {[%emt 0:03:44]} 28. Rd2 {[%emt 0:01:33]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:05:57]} 29. Rad1 {[%emt 0:00:33]} Rec6 { [%emt 0:03:24]} 30. g4 {[%emt 0:00:39] White is just pressing without any difficulties in the position.} a6 {[%emt 0:02:03]} 31. h5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:48]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:01:32]} (31... gxh5 32. g5 $18) 32. a3 {[%emt 0:01:14]} (32. h6 $1 $18 {Fixing the pawns on h7 and g6 would have given White a clear advantage.}) 32... Re8 {[%emt 0:03:27]} 33. hxg6+ {[%emt 0:01:25]} hxg6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 34. g5 $2 {[%emt 0:00:10]} (34. Bb1 $14) 34... Ne4+ $1 {[%emt 0:04:53] After this move, the game has equalized.} 35. Bxe4 {[%emt 0:00:53]} dxe4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 36. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:30]} exf3 {[%emt 0:06:24]} 37. Rd7+ {[%emt 0:00:03]} Kf8 { [%emt 0:00:06]} 38. Rh1 {[%emt 0:00:22]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 39. Rxb7 { [%emt 0:01:24]} Rc2+ {[%emt 0:06:29]} 40. Kxf3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Rc5 {[%emt 0: 00:03]} 41. Rh4 {[%emt 0:51:00]} Rxg5 {[%emt 0:50:26]} 42. b4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Rge5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 43. Rd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Re3+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 44. Kf4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Rxa3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 45. Rd6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ra1 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 46. Rxg6+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kh8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 47. Rh6+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 48. Rg6+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kh8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 49. Rh6+ { [%emt 0:00:00]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.21"] [Round "4.1"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D87"] [WhiteElo "2842"] [BlackElo "2774"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "110"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,110,16,28,27,-16,55,36,69,90,58,58,58,51,62,44,51,25,30,33,33,20,76, 30,36,21,33,48,45,54,61,40,42,0,33,20,26,-16,-16,-11,75,41,65,54,75,7,29,-50, -4,-37,40,9,9,45,23,32,38,23,23,49,54,56,113,7,4,-2,0,12,12,32,40,30,17,20,20, 19,19,19,21,20,17,0,23,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0, 0,0]} 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} g6 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. cxd5 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nxc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 6. bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 7. Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:13]} c5 {[%emt 0: 00:11]} 8. Ne2 {[%emt 0:00:05]} O-O {[%emt 0:01:56]} 9. O-O {[%emt 0:01:40]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 10. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} b6 {[%emt 0:00:59] This is not the most popular move in the position but has been played a lot by MVL.} 11. Qd2 {[%emt 0:01:23]} (11. dxc5 {is also played when Black gives up a pawn in order to get compensation.} Qc7 12. Nd4 Ne5 $13) 11... Bb7 {[%emt 0:03:11]} 12. Rfd1 {[%emt 0:00:10]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:05:06]} 13. cxd4 {[%emt 0:03:12]} Rc8 { [%emt 0:00:06]} 14. Rac1 {[%emt 0:00:21]} Na5 {[%emt 0:01:07]} 15. Bd3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Qd7 {[%emt 0:00:48]} 16. h4 $146 {[%emt 0:01:22] This is a new move. But anyone in the present era who has seen games in such structures, or games of Alphazero would know that playing h4 is quite natural.} Rxc1 {[%emt 0: 03:31]} 17. Rxc1 {[%emt 0:00:24]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 18. h5 {[%emt 0:00:30]} Rxc1+ {[%emt 0:07:47]} 19. Qxc1 {[%emt 0:00:16]} Qc8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (19... gxh5 20. Ng3 $16) 20. h6 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Bf8 {[%emt 0:00:56]} (20... Qxc1+ 21. Bxc1 Bf8 22. d5 e6 23. dxe6 fxe6 24. Nd4 Kf7 25. Nf3 $14 {White has a nagging edge here. But with accurate play Black should be able to defend.}) 21. d5 { [%emt 0:03:58]} e6 {[%emt 0:01:57]} 22. Nc3 $5 {[%emt 0:04:32] All of a sudden Caruana has changed his mind - no more queen exchange!} Nc4 {[%emt 0:13:04]} 23. Bxc4 {[%emt 0:13:38]} (23. Bf4 a6 {with the idea of b5 and Black is doing fine.}) 23... Qxc4 {[%emt 0:00:47]} 24. Qd2 {[%emt 0:00:42]} exd5 {[%emt 0:10: 38]} (24... Bb4 25. dxe6 $1 $16 {Because of the back rank weakness, White is better.}) (24... Bd6 $1 {was the move that Nepo had to find in order to equalize the position. The line could run} 25. e5 Bxe5 26. dxe6 (26. d6 Qxc3 27. d7 Qxd2 28. Bxd2 Bf6 $19) 26... Qh4 $1 {Controlling d8 and also threatening checks on h2. This is not an easy line to see, but if you can, then you would be able to equalize without too many difficulties.} 27. Qd7 Qh2+ 28. Kf1 Bxg2+ 29. Ke2 Qh5+ 30. Kd2 Bxc3+ 31. Kxc3 Qe5+ 32. Kc2 Qe4+ 33. Kd2 Qb4+ 34. Kd3 Qa3+ 35. Kd4 Qb2+ 36. Kd3 Qa3+ $11) 25. Nxd5 {[%emt 0:04:00]} Bxd5 {[%emt 0:00:26]} 26. exd5 $16 {[%emt 0:00:00] The problem here is that White has an edge which is not at all easy for Black to defend against. Firstly there are threats against the Black king and secondly the d-pawn is quite strong.} Qb4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 27. Qd3 {[%emt 0:19:11]} (27. Qc2 $5) 27... Qa3 { [%emt 0:16:19]} (27... Bd6 28. g3 Kf8 $11 {was the correct way to proceed.}) 28. Qc2 {[%emt 0:12:24]} Qa5 $6 {[%emt 0:05:41]} (28... Qb4 29. g3 Bc5 30. Bxc5 Qxc5 $11) 29. Qd1 {[%emt 0:04:36]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:24:50]} 30. g3 {[%emt 0:00:30]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:01:59]} 31. Qf3 $2 {[%emt 0:18:20] A lapse in concentration by Caruana that allows Black to draw the game instantly.} (31. Qd4 $1 $16 Ke7 32. Qe4+ Kf8 33. Bd4 $16) 31... Qe1+ $1 {[%emt 0:03:29]} 32. Kg2 {[%emt 0:02:20]} f5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:07][%csl Rf3] The queen on f3 has no squares and Black is completely fine.} 33. g4 {[%emt 0:03:45]} Qb1 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 34. Bd4 { [%emt 0:01:48]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:01:40]} 35. Qe3 {[%emt 0:03:05]} Qe4+ {[%emt 0:00: 17]} 36. Qxe4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} fxe4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 37. f3 {[%emt 0:00:20]} exf3+ {[%emt 0:00:44]} 38. Kxf3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:01:03]} 39. Ke4 { [%emt 0:01:06]} Kd7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 40. a4 {[%emt 0:07:21]} Bc7 {[%emt 0:03: 19]} 41. Be3 {[%emt 0:54:42]} a6 {[%emt 0:55:56]} 42. Bd2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} b5 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 43. axb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} axb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 44. Kd4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Bb6+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 45. Kd3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bc5 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 46. Bc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ba3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 47. Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bc5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 48. Bc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bf8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 49. Bg7 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 50. Kd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 51. Bf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kc7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 52. Bg5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kb6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 53. Bd8+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ka6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 54. Kd3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Bf8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 55. Kd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.21"] [Round "4.4"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E11"] [WhiteElo "2805"] [BlackElo "2763"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e6 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 3. g3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bb4+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. Bd2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} a5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. Bg2 {[%emt 0:03:18]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:28]} 6. Nf3 {[%emt 0: 03:29]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:42]} 7. Qc2 {[%emt 0:02:52]} c5 {[%emt 0:01:07]} 8. cxd5 {[%emt 0:03:50]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:21]} 9. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:01:04]} Qb6 { [%emt 0:01:02]} 10. e3 {[%emt 0:05:25]} exd5 {[%emt 0:00:27]} 11. O-O {[%emt 0: 03:53]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 12. Nxc6 {[%emt 0:04:17]} bxc6 {[%emt 0:00:17]} 13. Rc1 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:00:00] The first new move of the game, but it doesn't really change the character of the position.} 14. Bxb4 {[%emt 0: 10:41]} Qxb4 {[%emt 0:01:37]} 15. b3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} h5 $5 {[%emt 0:02:01]} 16. Nc3 {[%emt 0:10:16]} (16. Qxc6 Bf5 {and with Rc8 coming up next White is in trouble.}) (16. Nd2 {with the idea of Nf3 is more precise. The knight would stand well on the f3 square.}) 16... h4 {[%emt 0:03:57]} 17. Ne2 {[%emt 0:00: 07]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:20:27]} 18. Nf4 {[%emt 0:03:17]} hxg3 {[%emt 0:13:35]} 19. hxg3 {[%emt 0:00:03] One may ask, what has Black achieved after pushing his h-pawn down the board and then taking on g3. Well the point to note is that the white king is slightly more exposed and at any point a knight could jump to g4 without getting disturbed and a queen could come around the h-file to deliver a check down on the h2 file.} Rfc8 {[%emt 0:03:51]} (19... Rfe8 $11) 20. Bf3 $6 {[%emt 0:06:09]} (20. Nd3 Qe7 21. Qc5 $14) 20... a4 $1 {[%emt 0:10: 55] Now Black is able to get the pieces off the board.} 21. bxa4 {[%emt 0:02: 20]} Ra8 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 22. Nd3 {[%emt 0:04:18]} Qxa4 {[%emt 0:00:28]} 23. Qxa4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Rxa4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 24. Nc5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Ra5 { [%emt 0:09:54]} 25. a4 {[%emt 0:04:20]} Rca8 {[%emt 0:07:57]} 26. Bd1 {[%emt 0: 04:45]} Be8 {[%emt 0:02:04]} 27. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:01:31]} 28. Rab1 {[%emt 0:05:27]} Ne4 {[%emt 0:02:11]} 29. Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00:20]} dxe4 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 30. Rb7 {[%emt 0:02:20]} c5 {[%emt 0:04:39]} 31. Bb3 {[%emt 0: 01:01]} R5a7 {[%emt 0:02:00]} 32. Rxa7 {[%emt 0:02:35]} Rxa7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 33. Ke1 {[%emt 0:01:10]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:55]} 34. Ra1 {[%emt 0:04:06]} c4 { [%emt 0:09:47]} 35. Bc2 {[%emt 0:02:35]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:01:15]} 36. Kd2 {[%emt 0: 00:42]} Kc5 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 37. Kc3 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Ra6 {[%emt 0:01:47]} 38. g4 {[%emt 0:08:09]} g5 {[%emt 0:05:00]} 39. a5 {[%emt 0:05:16]} Bc6 {[%emt 0: 00:14]} 40. Ra2 {[%emt 0:00:31]} Ra7 {[%emt 0:02:12]} 41. Ra1 {[%emt 0:53:05]} Ra6 {[%emt 0:50:18]} 42. Ra2 {[%emt 0:00:52]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.21"] [Round "4.3"] [White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2777"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "106"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,106,19,31,21,24,5,15,12,15,53,35,63,52,74,53,66,63,69,53,51,57,75,65, 56,60,60,53,69,57,47,31,34,39,42,9,14,4,4,5,0,-2,-10,-7,-50,12,0,22,-6,0,4,-31, -45,-62,-12,-8,-15,0,0,-1,0,27,44,0,0,0,0,0,57,36,41,44,57,0,0,20,15,18,15,0,0, 0,0,-17,-5,-3,-2,-3,-1,-1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. e4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:00] } 3. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 4. O-O {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nxe4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 5. d4 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 6. Bxc6 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} dxc6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 7. dxe5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 8. Qxd8+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kxd8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 9. h3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Ke8 { [%emt 0:01:14]} 10. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:12]} h5 {[%emt 0:00:22]} 11. Bf4 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} Be7 {[%emt 0:01:36]} 12. Rad1 {[%emt 0:00:14]} Be6 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 13. Ng5 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Rh6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 14. Rfe1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bb4 { [%emt 0:00:14]} 15. a3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 16. bxc3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} h4 {[%emt 0:00:08] All of this was seen in the second round game between Ian Nepomniachtchi and Alexander Grischuk.} 17. g4 {[%emt 0:00:20] } (17. Kh2 {Nepo had played Kh2 and then continued with the idea of Rb1-b4 and swinging his rook on the fourth rank. It wasn't a great idea and MVL doesn' waste time to get the most obvious break in the position - g4.}) 17... hxg3 { [%emt 0:00:10]} 18. fxg3 {[%emt 0:00:03] Both players had taken close to no time on the clock. This was good news for Grischuk. Because he had to make only 22 moves in the remaining 100 minutes. However, here comes the shocker! He thinks for a massive 53 minutes for his next move.} Ne7 {[%emt 0:53:13] What was Grischuk thinking? It's not that he came up with a new move. This exact move had been played before by Nakamura against MVL in an online blitz mach. So he lost 53 minutes and also reached a position which was well known not just to his opponent, but to modern theory in general.} 19. h4 $146 { [%emt 0:00:58] The first new move of the game. Earlier MVL had gone g4 against Nakamura. He had worked on this line deeply and had come to the conclusion that h4 might well be more useful limiting the options of the rook on h6.} (19. g4 Nd5 20. Bd2 Nb6 21. Kg2 Rd8 22. Kg3 Nc4 23. Bf4 Rxd1 24. Rxd1 Nxa3 25. Ra1 Nb5 26. h4 Nxc3 27. Bd2 Ne2+ 28. Kf2 Bxg4 29. Rxa7 Rxh4 30. Rxb7 Rh2+ 31. Ke3 Ng3 $17 {1/2-1/2 (67) Vachier Lagrave,M (2779)-Nakamura,H (2777) chess.com INT 2018}) 19... Nd5 {[%emt 0:21:05][%CAl Rd5f4,Rd5c3,Ye7d5] The game gets really direct here. Black is now attacking not just the f4 bishop but also the pawn on c3.} (19... Rd8 {is another possibility here.}) 20. Bc1 $1 {[%emt 0:00:28] It would have seemed normal to place the bishop on d2 to guard the c3 pawn. But MVL has analyzed the pawn sacrifice and knows that he would get good play for the pawn.} Nxc3 {[%emt 0:03:26] Taking the pawn makes sense.} 21. Rd3 { [%emt 0:01:38]} Na4 {[%emt 0:11:25]} (21... Nd5 22. Rf1 {The f7 pawn is weak.} Ke7 23. Rdf3 Rf8 24. Ne4 Rh5 25. Bg5+ Ke8 26. Rd3 $16 {White is preparing c4.} b5 27. Nc5 $16 {It's not easy to defend this as Black.}) 22. Rf3 {[%emt 0:06: 53] The f7 pawn is soft and White focuses all his energies on that point.} Bd5 {[%emt 0:05:44]} (22... Ke7 23. Nxe6 Rxe6 24. Bg5+ Kf8 (24... Ke8 25. Ref1) 25. Ref1 Kg8 26. Rxf7 Rc8 27. R1f5 $14) 23. Rf4 {[%emt 0:02:46]} (23. Rf5 {is also possible, but winning a tempo on the a4 knight looks better.}) 23... Nb6 { [%emt 0:02:55]} 24. Ref1 {[%emt 0:00:48][%csl Rf7] The f4 pawn is hanging and something should be done about it.} Rg6 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 25. Rf5 {[%emt 0:02: 56] with the idea of h5.} (25. Kh2 {defenging g3 is a possibility, but it fails to} Rxg5 $1 26. hxg5 g6 $17 {Black is very solid and has excellent control on the light squares.}) 25... Bc4 {[%emt 0:01:28]} 26. Re1 $1 {[%emt 0: 17:47] MVL thought for 17 minutes for this move. He is definitely preparing for e6 ideas.} (26. R1f2 Rd8 27. Bd2 Rd7 $15 {Black has coordinated himself well here.}) 26... Ke7 {[%emt 0:06:07]} (26... Rd8 27. Kf2 $1 {The idea is to play h5-g4 and then get the king to g3 to defend the g4 pawn.} (27. h5 Rh6 28. Nxf7 (28. g4 Rd4 $132 {gives Black excellent counterplay.}) 28... Bxf7 29. Bxh6 Be6 $1 {The only way to stay in the game and a good one.} (29... gxh6 $2 30. e6 Bg8 31. e7 $18) 30. Rg5 gxh6 31. Rg6 Ke7 32. Rg7+ Ke8 33. Rf1 $13) 27... Be6 28. Nxe6 Rxe6 29. Rh5 $36) 27. h5 {[%emt 0:05:25]} Rh6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 28. g4 {[%emt 0:00:07] If now given an opportunity White would love to play e6 and make the tactics work in his favour.} Rhh8 $2 {[%emt 0:01:42]} (28... Be6 29. Nxe6 Rxe6 30. Bg5+ Kf8 (30... Ke8 31. Ref1 $18) 31. Ref1 Kg8 32. Rxf7 Nd5 $11 { was the best line for Black.}) 29. a4 $1 {[%emt 0:13:43] A powerful move by MVL.} (29. e6 $5 f6 (29... fxe6 30. Rf7+ $18) (29... Bxe6 30. Rxf7+ $18) 30. a4 {is also possible, but it is less effective than what was played in the game.}) 29... Nxa4 $2 {[%emt 0:00:20]} (29... Be6 30. Nxe6 Kxe6 31. Ref1 {Black is already in trouble but this trouble is less than what he will face in the game. } Nd7 32. Rxf7 Rhg8 33. Kg2 {[%csl Gg4,Gh5]}) 30. Ba3+ $6 {[%emt 0:02:48] What could be more natural than to give this check. Wasn't this the reason why we played a4 in the first place?} (30. Re4 $1 {was the killer blow. Any attempt to save the bishop with ...b5 or ...Nb6 is met with taking the bishop off and then capturing the f7 pawn.} Be6 (30... Nb6 31. Ba3+ Ke8 32. Nxf7 $1 Bxf7 33. e6 $18 Bxh5 34. Ref4) 31. Nxe6 fxe6 (31... Kxe6 32. Rxa4 $18) 32. Bg5+ $1 (32. Rg5 Nc3 33. Re3 (33. Rxg7+ Kf8 $19) 33... Nd5 34. Rf3 Rag8 {and Black is somehow surviving.}) 32... Ke8 33. Rf3 Nc5 (33... Nb6 34. Ref4 Nd5 35. Rf7 { [%CAl Gc2c4,Gf7e7]}) 34. Ref4 $18 {[%csl Gf3,Gf4,Gg5][%CAl Gf4f7] The rook is coming to f7 and it will be game over.}) (30. Rf4 b5 $15 {And this is the reason why you need the other rook to attack the bishop. Because you need one rook to keep an eye on f7 and the other rook to take off the bishop.}) (30. e6 f6 31. Nh3 $14 {is possible but White has something better.}) 30... c5 { [%emt 0:01:04]} 31. e6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} f6 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 32. Bxc5+ {[%emt 0: 00:52]} Nxc5 {[%emt 0:00:59]} 33. Rxc5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} fxg5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:50] } (33... Rhc8 34. Nf3 {Grischuk corrrectly assessed that in time pressure, this would not be a wise position to enter into.} Bxe6 (34... b5 35. Nh4 $18) 35. Nd4 Kd6 36. Nxe6 Re8 37. Rd5+ $1 {An easy move to miss!} Kxd5 38. Nxc7+ $18 ) 34. Rxc7+ {[%emt 0:04:54]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 35. Rxc4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} a5 {[%emt 0:00:49] Yes the king is slightly exposed on d6, but there is no way to trap it. Black has his own trumps, most notably the a-pawn and hence it is very difficult for White to fight for a win.} 36. Rd1+ {[%emt 0:10:41]} (36. Rd4+ Kc6 37. Red1 Rhe8 38. Rc4+ Kb6 39. Rb1+ Ka6 40. Rc7 Rxe6 41. Rxg7 Rc6 ( 41... Rc8)) 36... Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:01]} (36... Kxe6 37. Re4+) 37. Re4 {[%emt 0: 07:10]} Rhd8 {[%emt 0:00:55]} 38. Rb1 {[%emt 0:00:16]} Rdb8 {[%emt 0:00:28]} 39. Rb5 {[%emt 0:02:28]} a4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 40. Rxg5 {[%emt 0:00:41]} Rg8 { [%emt 0:00:23]} (40... a3 41. Rxg7+ Kf6 42. Rf7+ Kg5 43. Rf5+ Kh4 44. Rf1 a2 45. Ra1 $18) 41. h6 $11 {[%emt 1:07:24] MVL liquidates this into a drawn endgame.} (41. Rb5 Ra7) 41... gxh6 {[%emt 0:51:04]} 42. Rxg8 {[%emt 0:01:34]} Rxg8 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 43. Rxa4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} h5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 44. Kf2 { [%emt 0:01:17]} Rxg4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 45. Rxg4 {[%emt 0:01:42]} hxg4 {[%emt 0: 00:05]} 46. Kg3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Kxe6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 47. Kxg4 {[%emt 0:00:08] } Ke5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 48. Kf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kd4 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 49. Ke2 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Kc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 50. Kd1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} b5 {[%emt 0:00: 08]} 51. Kc1 {[%emt 0:00:07]} b4 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 52. Kb1 {[%emt 0:00:01]} b3 { [%emt 0:00:04]} 53. cxb3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Kxb3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.21"] [Round "4.2"] [White "Wang, Hao"] [Black "Alekseenko, Kirill"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D78"] [WhiteElo "2762"] [BlackElo "2698"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,81,19,29,23,-8,32,23,21,26,13,13,10,-4,6,-12,12,7,0,16,15,9,15,9,9,23, 10,21,31,39,37,2,13,20,20,25,32,28,30,30,46,32,66,57,63,33,45,42,39,18,59,0,0, 0,-9,0,0,-12,-23,-10,-2,-21,-21,-26,-9,-18,-21,-20,4,0,4,0,29,30,36,36,57,53, 58,58,58,58,52,58]} 1. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. g3 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:58]} 3. Bg2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 4. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 5. O-O {[%emt 0:00:49]} O-O {[%emt 0:00: 10]} 6. c4 {[%emt 0:00:20]} c6 {[%emt 0:00:28]} 7. Nbd2 {[%emt 0:05:31]} a5 { [%emt 0:06:08]} 8. b3 {[%emt 0:00:41]} Bf5 {[%emt 0:05:42]} 9. Bb2 {[%emt 0:06: 49]} a4 {[%emt 0:10:59]} 10. bxa4 {[%emt 0:00:52]} (10. Nh4 {is more common.}) 10... Qa5 {[%emt 0:04:02]} 11. Qb3 {[%emt 0:02:03]} Nbd7 {[%emt 0:01:47]} 12. cxd5 {[%emt 0:04:57]} cxd5 {[%emt 0:03:13]} 13. Rfc1 {[%emt 0:01:36]} Ra6 $6 { [%emt 0:20:40] was not such a great move because Rb6 can be met with Bc3 and the point of this move is not so clear.} (13... Ne4 $11) 14. e3 $1 {[%emt 0:11: 35] The bishop plans to enter the game via f1.} Qxa4 {[%emt 0:09:21]} 15. Bf1 { [%emt 0:04:28]} Qxb3 {[%emt 0:02:02]} 16. axb3 {[%emt 0:25:23]} (16. Nxb3 $14) 16... Rxa1 {[%emt 0:00:56]} 17. Rxa1 {[%emt 0:06:45]} Nb6 {[%emt 0:02:06]} 18. Ra7 {[%emt 0:01:38]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 19. Ne5 {[%emt 0:00:36]} Nfd7 { [%emt 0:02:14]} 20. Bb5 {[%emt 0:03:06]} f6 {[%emt 0:12:06]} 21. Nxd7 {[%emt 0: 02:18]} Bxd7 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 22. Ra5 {[%emt 0:01:04]} Bf5 {[%emt 0:09:22]} 23. Ba3 {[%emt 0:11:24]} Bf8 {[%emt 0:00:57]} 24. Bc5 {[%emt 0:01:51]} Nd7 $6 { [%emt 0:04:02]} (24... Nc8 $11) 25. Ra7 $1 {[%emt 0:01:03]} Nxc5 {[%emt 0:07: 17]} 26. dxc5 {[%emt 0:01:40]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 27. b4 {[%emt 0:03:53]} b6 { [%emt 0:00:02]} 28. c6 {[%emt 0:11:04]} Bxb4 {[%emt 0:00:10] Very concrete stuff by Alekseenko.} 29. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} dxe4 {[%emt 0:01:38]} 30. Nxe4 { [%emt 0:02:22]} Bxe4 {[%emt 0:00:22]} 31. c7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Rf8 {[%emt 0:00: 23]} 32. Bc4+ {[%emt 0:00:15]} Kh8 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 33. Be6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Bf5 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 34. c8=Q {[%emt 0:00:06]} Rxc8 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 35. Bxc8 { [%emt 0:00:05]} Bxc8 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 36. Ra8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:03: 28]} 37. Rxc8 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Bc5 {[%emt 0:01:51] Black has a fortress.} 38. Rc7+ {[%emt 0:00:26]} Kh6 {[%emt 0:01:07]} 39. h4 {[%emt 0:00:31]} f5 {[%emt 0: 00:18]} 40. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:06]} e4 {[%emt 0:00:32]} 41. Kf1 {[%emt 0:51:25]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.22"] [Round "5.3"] [White "Alekseenko, Kirill"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B80"] [WhiteElo "2698"] [BlackElo "2767"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,42,21,24,46,62,67,43,83,26,26,28,46,23,55,38,94,61,47,23,70,39,38,26, 24,10,16,-3,32,1,11,-11,-38,-24,-24,-19,0,-94,-93,-113,-132,-26,0,-34,-34]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d6 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 3. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:00] With MVL you can be sure he will go for the Najdorf.} 6. f3 $5 {[%emt 0:00:00] MVL has gone for both ....e5 and ....e6 setups here. Today he prefers the Scheveningen pawn formation.} e6 {[%emt 0:01:30]} 7. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:34]} b5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 8. Qd2 {[%emt 0:01:26]} Nbd7 {[%emt 0:01:03]} 9. a3 {[%emt 0:01:03] Alekseenko follows Carlsen's footsteps. Magnus played it against Maxime at the London Chess Classic 2019. But Carlsen had followed a different line. He had gone Bg5 in the Najdof forcing MVL to play e6 and then coming back to e3 when h6 was played. As MVL later anyway went h5 we reach the same position.} h5 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 10. O-O-O {[%emt 0:02:57]} Bb7 {[%emt 0:00:24]} 11. Kb1 {[%emt 0:03:45] } Be7 {[%emt 0:01:05]} 12. Rg1 {[%emt 0:01:46]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:01:43]} 13. Be2 { [%emt 0:00:31]} Nb6 {[%emt 0:01:11]} 14. Qe1 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Nfd7 {[%emt 0:01: 08]} 15. g4 {[%emt 0:00:25]} hxg4 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 16. Rxg4 {[%emt 0:00:09]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:09]} (16... Bf8 {was MVL's choice against Magnus and Black went on to win the game!} 17. Rg2 Ne5 18. f4 Nec4 19. Bc1 Qc7 20. Bxc4 Nxc4 21. Rd3 g6 22. b3 Bg7 23. Qd1 Qa5 24. f5 Ne5 25. b4 Qb6 26. fxg6 Nxg6 27. Be3 Bh6 28. Ndxb5 Bxe3 29. Nxd6+ Ke7 30. Nxb7 Ne5 31. Rxe3 Nc4 32. Rd3 Qxb7 33. Na4 Rhd8 34. Nc5 Rxd3 35. Nxd3 Nxa3+ 36. Kc1 Qxe4 37. Rf2 Qe3+ 38. Kb2 Nc4+ 39. Ka2 Nd6 40. Qh5 Nf5 41. Re2 Qg1 42. Qf3 Qb6 43. Ne5 Qb5 44. c4 Qa4+ 45. Qa3 Qxa3+ 46. Kxa3 f6 47. Nd3 Rxc4 48. Nc5 Nd4 49. Re4 a5 50. Ka2 Rxb4 51. Nd3 Nb5 52. Rxb4 axb4 53. Nxb4 f5 54. Kb2 Kf6 55. Kc2 Nd4+ 56. Kd3 Nf3 57. h3 e5 58. Ke3 Nh4 59. Nd5+ Kg5 60. Ne7 Ng6 61. Nc8 Nf4 62. h4+ Kxh4 63. Ne7 Kg5 64. Kf3 Ng6 65. Nd5 e4+ 66. Ke3 Ne5 67. Kd4 Ng4 68. Nc7 Nh2 69. Ke3 Nf1+ 70. Kf2 Nd2 71. Ke3 Nc4+ 72. Kd4 Nd6 73. Ne6+ Kg4 74. Ke3 Kg3 75. Nd4 f4+ 76. Ke2 Kg2 77. Ne6 f3+ 78. Ke3 Kg3 79. Nf4 Nc4+ 80. Kxe4 f2 81. Ne2+ Kg4 {0-1 (82) Carlsen,M (2872) -Vachier Lagrave,M (2780) London 2019}) 17. Rxg6 $1 {[%emt 0:12:21] Kirill had seen that this was the best move, but had not delved deep into the analysis.} Rxc3 {[%emt 0:01:04] The only move.} (17... fxg6 18. Nxe6 {traps the queen on d8.}) 18. Nxe6 {[%emt 0:48:16] Played after 48 minutes of thought! Kirill was trying to recollect his lines and at the same time double checking all his analysis.} (18. Qxc3 Na4 (18... fxg6 19. Nxe6 $18) 19. Qd2 fxg6 20. Nxe6 Qc8 21. Bg5 $44 {with excellent compensation, was also another way to play.}) 18... Qc8 {[%emt 0:00:47]} 19. Ng7+ {[%emt 0:05:32]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:01:05]} (19... Kd8 20. Bxb6+ Nxb6 21. Rgxd6+ Bxd6 22. Rxd6+ Kc7 23. Qg3 $1 $18 {with a winning attack.}) 20. Rh6 {[%emt 0:01:08]} Rxh6 {[%emt 0:02:36]} (20... Kxg7 21. Qg3+ $18) 21. Bxh6 {[%emt 0:00:43]} Rxc2 {[%emt 0:01:05]} 22. Nf5+ {[%emt 0:09:15]} Ke8 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 23. Nxe7 {[%emt 0:12:44]} Kxe7 {[%emt 0:05:38]} 24. Qh4+ { [%emt 0:00:23] The position is around equal, but of course very stressful for both sides, because one inaccuracy and the game is over!} f6 {[%emt 0:13:46]} ( 24... Ke8 25. Rg1 $18) 25. Bf4 {[%emt 0:01:52]} Rxb2+ $1 {[%emt 0:11:33] MVL played this after 11 minutes of thought. He was checking if all his variations are correct.} 26. Kxb2 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Na4+ {[%emt 0:00:04]} 27. Kb1 {[%emt 0: 00:08]} (27. Ka2 Qc2+) (27. Ka1 Qc3+) 27... Nc3+ {[%emt 0:00:03]} 28. Ka1 { [%emt 0:00:39]} Nxd1 {[%emt 0:00:35]} 29. Qh7+ {[%emt 0:01:33]} Kd8 {[%emt 0: 03:46]} 30. Qg8+ {[%emt 0:00:15]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 31. Qh7+ {[%emt 0:02:02] } (31. Qxc8 Bxc8 32. Bxd1 Ne5 {is a playable endgame for White, but Alekseenko didn't want to test his opponent.}) 31... Kd8 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 32. Qg8+ { [%emt 0:01:12]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 33. Qh7+ {[%emt 0:00:34] A short by intense game of chess. Theoretically it was a good result for Black because a draw with black pieces is a good result. However, practically Alekseenko would have felt good to split the point because he was out of his preparation sooner than MVL and managed to hold without making any mistakes.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.22"] [Round "5.1"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D12"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2842"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,80,20,28,24,-9,34,18,30,44,14,8,8,0,14,14,23,30,33,25,21,-19,-12,2,1, 4,3,1,10,-8,43,36,40,52,36,19,56,35,35,-4,19,-36,-31,-30,35,28,30,27,40,8,12, 37,71,-15,44,52,63,61,61,94,78,70,69,100,103,102,169,42,52,92,97,73,17,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. e3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Bf5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:04] } 6. Nh4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Be4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 7. f3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Bg6 { [%emt 0:00:06]} 8. Bd2 {[%emt 0:00:23]} (8. Qb3 {is the main move here.}) 8... Be7 {[%emt 0:00:37]} 9. Nxg6 {[%emt 0:00:55]} hxg6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 10. Qc2 { [%emt 0:00:08] Usually White places his queen on b3. This Qc2 ideas are relatively new and hence Caruana wasn't prepared for it.} Nbd7 {[%emt 0:10:03]} 11. O-O-O {[%emt 0:01:05]} Nb6 {[%emt 0:07:33] Very provocative play by Caruana, allowing White to gain space and a tempo by playing c5.} 12. c5 { [%emt 0:06:15]} Nbd7 {[%emt 0:00:22]} 13. Kb1 {[%emt 0:01:30]} Qb8 $6 {[%emt 0: 09:58] This is just dubious. Black should have immediately created play with b6.} (13... b6 $1 $132) 14. h4 {[%emt 0:08:37]} g5 {[%emt 0:19:13]} (14... Nh5 15. Ne2) 15. Be1 {[%emt 0:01:20]} (15. e4 $1 gxh4 16. g4 $16) 15... g4 { [%emt 0:02:27]} 16. e4 {[%emt 0:13:06]} (16. Be2 $16) 16... gxf3 {[%emt 0:04: 34]} 17. gxf3 {[%emt 0:05:18]} b6 {[%emt 0:01:17]} 18. exd5 {[%emt 0:03:49]} exd5 {[%emt 0:01:28]} 19. cxb6 {[%emt 0:04:30]} axb6 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 20. Ne2 { [%emt 0:02:30]} (20. a3 {with the idea of Na2 was also very interesting.}) 20... Qa7 {[%emt 0:04:25]} 21. b3 {[%emt 0:04:15]} (21. Nc1 {Keeping the queenside pawns on their initial squares was also an idea. But Anish saw nothing wrong with playing b3.}) 21... Nh5 {[%emt 0:01:22]} 22. Ng3 {[%emt 0: 02:29]} g6 {[%emt 0:05:48]} 23. Nxh5 {[%emt 0:04:04]} Rxh5 {[%emt 0:00:32]} 24. f4 {[%emt 0:00:24]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:05:29]} 25. Be2 {[%emt 0:04:30]} Rh8 {[%emt 0: 00:49]} 26. Bd3 {[%emt 0:05:26]} c5 {[%emt 0:09:17]} 27. Bc3 {[%emt 0:05:25]} cxd4 $6 {[%emt 0:13:49]} (27... c4 $1 28. bxc4 Nf6 29. f5 dxc4 30. Bxc4 Rc8 31. Bb3 gxf5 $16 {White is better but Black is surviving.}) 28. Bxd4 {[%emt 0:00: 40]} Bf6 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 29. Bxf6 {[%emt 0:02:11]} Nxf6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 30. f5 {[%emt 0:00:13][%csl Gb1,Rf8] While White's king is safe on b1, Black's king is quite exposed on f8. White has a close to winning advantage here.} gxf5 {[%emt 0:00:54]} 31. Bxf5 {[%emt 0:00:26]} b5 {[%emt 0:00:49]} 32. Rh2 { [%emt 0:06:19]} Rh5 {[%emt 0:01:12]} 33. Re2 $6 {[%emt 0:07:11]} (33. Rf2 $1 { The f-file is where the goods lie!} Ne4 34. Bxe4 dxe4 35. Rdf1 Rd8 36. Qxe4 $18 ) 33... d4 {[%emt 0:03:40] Black starts to create counterplay in the position.} 34. Re5 {[%emt 0:06:08]} Ng4 $1 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 35. Rc5 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Ne3 { [%emt 0:01:28]} 36. Rc8+ {[%emt 0:00:09]} Rxc8 {[%emt 0:00:22]} 37. Qxc8+ { [%emt 0:00:00]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:13] Here the black king looks totally exposed, but the knight jumping back and forth from d5 and e3 doesn't give White any real chances to press.} 38. Rc1 {[%emt 0:00:38]} Nd5 {[%emt 0:05:54]} 39. Re1+ {[%emt 0:03:04]} Ne3 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 40. Rc1 {[%emt 0:01:39]} Nd5 {[%emt 0:00: 07]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.22"] [Round "5.2"] [White "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C88"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2805"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "107"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,41,19,38,25,16,14,23,25,0,10,12,19,-2,-4,15,-3,3,12,16,6,4,50,-1,26, 30,29,14,0,16,53,5,29,-18,-28,12,12,-14,-8,-9,-21,-15,0,0]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:04: 59]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Bb5 { [%emt 0:00:00]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. Ba4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00] } 5. O-O {[%emt 0:00:13]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 6. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:44]} b5 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 7. Bb3 {[%emt 0:00:04]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:00]} 8. h3 {[%emt 0:00: 39] Grischuk repeats the same line that MVL had played against Ding.} Bb7 { [%emt 0:00:24]} 9. d3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:09] more active.} (9... d6 10. a3 Qd7 11. Nc3 Rfe8 12. Bd2 {is how MVL vs Ding had continued.}) 10. exd5 {[%emt 0:01:06]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 11. Nbd2 {[%emt 0:00:38]} (11. Nxe5 Nd4 {leads to a complex game with a lot of possibilities.}) 11... Qd7 {[%emt 0: 02:11]} 12. a4 {[%emt 0:00:46]} f6 {[%emt 0:07:48]} 13. Ne4 {[%emt 0:01:50]} Na5 {[%emt 0:10:24]} 14. Ba2 {[%emt 0:03:13]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 15. Be3 { [%emt 0:02:26]} Rfc8 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 16. axb5 {[%emt 0:13:45]} axb5 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 17. Nxc5 {[%emt 0:00:42]} Rxc5 {[%emt 0:07:31]} 18. b4 {[%emt 0:00:37]} Rcc8 {[%emt 0:12:24]} 19. bxa5 {[%emt 0:01:31]} Kh8 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 20. Bd2 { [%emt 0:10:40]} Nb4 $1 {[%emt 0:00:22] Ding Liren was very happy to find this in conjunction with Bd5.} 21. Bb3 {[%emt 0:15:06]} Bd5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 22. Bxd5 {[%emt 0:01:35]} Qxd5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 23. Rc1 $1 {[%emt 0:15:12] Ding also felt this was a strong move.} Nc6 {[%emt 0:21:41]} 24. c4 {[%emt 0:10:18]} bxc4 {[%emt 0:00:40]} 25. Rxc4 {[%emt 0:05:19]} Nxa5 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 26. Rxc8+ {[%emt 0:00:22]} Rxc8 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 27. d4 {[%emt 0:01:23]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00: 50]} 28. dxe5 {[%emt 0:01:26]} Nxe5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 29. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:00:13]} fxe5 {[%emt 0:00:00] White has a nominal edge, but at this level, it means nothing. Grischuk had to agree to a draw after a few moves.} 30. Qg4 {[%emt 0: 04:13]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 31. Be3 {[%emt 0:01:35]} Bf6 {[%emt 0:02:23]} 32. Rc1 {[%emt 0:01:16]} Qd7 {[%emt 0:01:32]} 33. Qh5 {[%emt 0:03:58]} Qe8 { [%emt 0:01:11]} 34. Qf3 {[%emt 0:00:54]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:08:12]} 35. Rd1 {[%emt 0: 02:20]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 36. Rc1 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 37. Rb1 {[%emt 0:01:58]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:01:48]} 38. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Qg6 { [%emt 0:01:07]} 39. Ba7 {[%emt 0:01:33]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:04:25]} 40. Qb7 {[%emt 0: 02:08]} Qc2 {[%emt 0:01:54]} 41. Be3 {[%emt 0:51:25]} Qc6 {[%emt 0:50:12]} 42. Qb4 {[%emt 0:00:47]} h5 {[%emt 0:04:45]} 43. Bc1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qc2 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 44. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 45. Qb1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qxb1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 46. Rxb1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 47. g4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} hxg4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 48. hxg4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Rd6 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 49. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kg6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 50. Kf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bg5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 51. Ke4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bxe3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 52. fxe3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Re6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 53. Rb7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Re8 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 54. Ra7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.22"] [Round "5.4"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Wang, Hao"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2762"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%CAl Gh2h4,Gh4h5,Gh5h6]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nf3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:00:36]} d6 {[%emt 0:00: 05]} 4. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 5. d4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} d5 { [%emt 0:00:06]} 6. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Bf5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 7. O-O {[%emt 0: 00:10]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 8. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:16]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:11]} 9. Nbd2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 10. Nf1 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Bxd3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 11. Qxd3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} c6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 12. Bf4 {[%emt 0: 00:11]} Na6 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 13. h4 $146 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Nc7 {[%emt 0:11:22]} (13... Bxh4 14. Nxh4 Qxh4 15. Bxd6 $18) 14. Ng5 {[%emt 0:00:28]} Bxg5 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 15. Bxg5 {[%emt 0:00:55]} f6 {[%emt 0:00:21]} 16. Bf4 {[%emt 0:00:20]} Qd7 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 17. Ng3 {[%emt 0:00:19]} Rae8 {[%emt 0:09:37]} (17... g6 { was the move that would helped Black survive.} 18. h5 Kf7 $1 $11 {Moves like these are never easy to make but if you are able to then you can equalize.}) 18. Bxd6 {[%emt 0:00:27]} Qxd6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 19. Nf5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Qd7 { [%emt 0:00:06]} 20. Qh3 {[%emt 0:00:20]} Kh8 {[%emt 0:06:05]} 21. h5 {[%emt 0: 01:45][%csl Rc7,Gf5] Such symmetrical positions look quite equal in nature, but actually are very difficult for the defending side because to generate counterplay is never easy.} Rxe1+ {[%emt 0:08:47]} 22. Rxe1 {[%emt 0:03:19]} Re8 {[%emt 0:01:26]} 23. Rxe8+ {[%emt 0:04:15]} Nxe8 {[%emt 0:00:51]} (23... Qxe8 24. Nd6 $18) 24. g4 $6 {[%emt 0:15:05]} (24. a4 $1 {The idea is to simply gain space on the queenside and a move like a4 can prove useful in numerous cases.}) (24. Qa3 Kg8 {and now White cannot pick up the a7 pawn because the knight on f5 is hanging. So g4 was played by Nepo.}) 24... a6 {[%emt 0:02:17] we now understand why a6 is played - as a precaution against Qa3.} (24... Kg8 { [%CAl Ge8d6]} 25. g5 (25. b3 Nd6 26. Ne3) 25... Qf7) 25. b3 {[%emt 0:13:41] Nepo was quite unhappy with this move. According to him Kf1 was much stronger. The main point is that the king on g1 is not so well placed in many lines and also b3 shuts down the queen's path to a3 which is often required.} (25. Kf1 $1 Kg8 (25... Qe6 26. Qh2 {The queen is penetrating via the h2-b8 diagonal.}) 26. g5 $1 {Now threatening Nh6+} Kh8 $1 {Not so easy to find these back and forth moves.} (26... Qf7 27. g6 $1 $18 {The additional point of Kf1 becomes clear. The pawn on g6 is no longer hanging with a check.}) 27. Qa3 Kg8 28. Ne7+ Kf8 ( 28... Kh8 29. Nxc6 $18) 29. g6 $16) 25... Qe6 {[%emt 0:16:47]} (25... Kg8 26. g5 Qf7 27. f4 Kf8 $11) 26. Ne3 {[%emt 0:28:06]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:26:04]} (26... h6 {was possible to avoid the king on h8 from being completely cornered.} 27. Nf5 Nd6 (27... Qe1+ 28. Kg2 (28. Qf1 Qd2) 28... Qe4+ 29. Qf3 Qxc2 30. Qe3 Qe4+ 31. Qxe4 dxe4 32. Kg3 Kh7 33. Kf4 g6 34. hxg6+ Kxg6 35. Kxe4) 28. Qe3 Qxe3 29. fxe3 ) 27. h6 {[%emt 0:00:11]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:03][%csl Gh6,Rh8]} 28. c4 $1 {[%emt 0: 00:30] A powerful move by Nepo.} dxc4 {[%emt 0:07:23]} (28... Kg8 29. cxd5 cxd5 30. Qf3 Ne4 31. Qf4 Qd6 32. Qxd6 Nxd6 33. Nxd5 Kf7 $14) 29. bxc4 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00:08]} (29... Nxc4 30. Nxc4 Qxc4 31. Qh2 $1 $18 {There is no perpetual, the queen comes in and the game is over.} Qc1+ 32. Kg2 Kg8 33. Qc7 (33. Qb8+ Kf7 34. Qxb7+)) (29... Nf7 30. c5 (30. Qh2 Qd6) 30... Kg8 (30... Qxa2 31. Qh2 Qa1+ 32. Kg2 Qxd4 33. Qb8+ (33. Qc7 Kg8)) 31. Qh2 $14) 30. Qh2 { [%emt 0:03:46]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:11:47]} 31. c5 {[%emt 0:11:32]} Nb5 {[%emt 0:01: 08]} (31... Ne4 32. Qb8 Qxa2 33. Qxb7+ Kf8 34. Qg7+ Ke8 35. Qh8+ Kd7 36. Qxh7+ Kd8 37. Qh8+ Kd7 38. Qg7+ Kd8 {not so easy for White to make progress.}) 32. Qb8 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Qd7 $2 {[%emt 0:03:27] The key error of the game.} (32... Qe7 33. Qh8 Ke6 34. f4 (34. Nc2 $16) 34... Nxd4 $11) (32... Nxd4 33. Qxb7+ Qe7 34. Qxa6 Qe4 35. Qb7+ Ke8 36. Qxh7 Nf3+ 37. Kf1 Nd4) 33. Qh8 {[%emt 0:06:05]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:00:21]} 34. f4 $1 {[%emt 0:03:17]} (34. g5 fxg5 35. Ng4 $16) 34... Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} (34... Qxd4 35. Qe8#) 35. Qg8+ {[%emt 0:02:18]} Qf7 { [%emt 0:00:34]} 36. Qc8+ {[%emt 0:05:31]} Qd7 {[%emt 0:00:06]} (36... Ke7 37. Qc7+ Ke8 38. Qb8+ Ke7 39. Qd6+ $18) 37. Qg8+ {[%emt 0:01:45]} Qf7 {[%emt 0:00: 03]} 38. Qd8 $1 $18 {[%emt 0:01:08] Sometimes you miss moves like these. Now the queen is coming to d6 and Black is just lost.} Qd7 {[%emt 0:05:08]} (38... Nb5 39. a4 $18) (38... Qe7 39. Qxd4) (38... Ne2+ 39. Kf2 Nxf4 40. Qd6#) 39. f5+ {[%emt 0:00:12]} gxf5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 40. gxf5+ {[%emt 0:00:03]} Nxf5 { [%emt 0:00:06]} 41. Qxd7+ {[%emt 0:52:20]} Kxd7 {[%emt 0:50:03]} 42. Nxf5 { [%emt 0:00:09]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 43. Ne3 $1 {[%emt 0:00:47]} (43. Ne3 f5 44. Kf2 f4 45. Ng4 $18) (43. Nd6 b5 {leads to unnecessary complications.}) 1-0 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.23"] [Round "6.3"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C77"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2805"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,60,36,47,20,24,25,8,13,-12,2,4,15,-4,24,13,22,0,18,23,26,17,27,5,3,12, 3,19,15,19,23,27,27,-9,-14,-5,22,-1,-1,3,3,0,-23,-9,20,-20,2,2,8,28,19,14,23,9, 69,60,89,85,75,28,82,87,99]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} a6 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 4. Ba4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. O-O {[%emt 0:00:01]} Be7 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 6. d3 {[%emt 0:00:34]} (6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3 {is what MVL and Grischuk played against Ding Liren.}) 6... b5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 7. Bb3 { [%emt 0:00:04]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 8. a3 {[%emt 0:00:16]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:30]} 9. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Na5 {[%emt 0:00:57]} 10. Ba2 {[%emt 0:01:14]} Be6 { [%emt 0:00:04]} 11. b4 {[%emt 0:00:16]} Bxa2 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 12. Rxa2 { [%emt 0:00:04]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 13. Bg5 {[%emt 0:00:14]} Qd7 {[%emt 0:03: 44]} (13... Ng4 {is the usual way to equalize.} 14. Bd2 Nf6 15. Re1 Qd7 16. Nd5 Nxd5 17. exd5 Na7 $11) 14. Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 15. Nd5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} a5 $5 {[%emt 0:00:42]} (15... Bd8 16. a4 $14) 16. Rb2 { [%emt 0:00:05][%CAl Gd5f6,Gf3h4] is a new idea by Nepo.} (16. Nxf6+ gxf6 { [%CAl Gg8h8,Gf8g8,Gg8g6]} 17. Nh4 $6 (17. Rb2 axb4 18. axb4 f5 $132) 17... axb4 18. Nf5 Kh8 $15) 16... axb4 {[%emt 0:12:32]} 17. axb4 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Bd8 { [%emt 0:01:59]} 18. c4 {[%emt 0:00:15]} Nd4 {[%emt 0:01:00]} 19. Nxd4 {[%emt 0: 00:15]} exd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 20. Qc2 {[%emt 0:00:15]} Re8 $6 {[%emt 0:10:57]} (20... c6 $1 21. Nf4 Rb8 $11) 21. g3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} bxc4 {[%emt 0:01:57]} ( 21... c6 $14) 22. Qxc4 {[%emt 0:00:30][%CAl Gb4b5] White now aims to stop all of Black's play with b5. Hence, Black has to be quick.} c6 {[%emt 0:01:53]} 23. Nf4 {[%emt 0:00:29]} Bg5 {[%emt 0:00:35]} 24. Ne2 {[%emt 0:01:39][%csl Rd4]} d5 {[%emt 0:09:47]} 25. exd5 {[%emt 0:05:11]} cxd5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 26. Qb3 { [%emt 0:00:09]} (26. Qxd4 Bf6 $19) 26... h5 {[%emt 0:00:11][%CAl Gh5h4,Gh4h3] If Nepo is playing a game, the h-pawn has to be pushed. First against Caruana, then against Wang Hao and now Ding Liren. In all the games, the pawn reached h6 or h3.} 27. b5 {[%emt 0:06:06]} (27. h4 Bxh4 $15 28. gxh4 Rxe2 (28... Qg4+ { [%CAl Gg4h4,Gh5h4]} 29. Ng3 $18) 29. Rxe2 Qg4+ $19) 27... h4 {[%emt 0:02:13]} 28. b6 {[%emt 0:00:44]} h3 {[%emt 0:00:07][%csl Gb6][%CAl Gd7g4,Gg4f3]} (28... Rab8 29. b7) 29. Kh1 {[%emt 0:00:27][%csl Rd5][%CAl Ge2g1,Gg1f3,Gd3e4]} Reb8 { [%emt 0:00:11]} 30. Rfb1 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Bd8 {[%emt 0:08:17]} 31. Qb5 { [%emt 0:02:10][%CAl Gd7f5,Gf5g4]} (31. b7 $1 Ra7 32. Ng1 $1 {[%CAl Ga7b7,Gb3b7, Gb2b7]} g5 33. Qb5 Rbxb7 34. Qxb7 Rxb7 35. Rxb7 Qf5 36. Rb8 g4 37. Rxd8+ Kg7 38. Re8 $16) 31... Qg4 $2 {[%emt 0:00:01]} (31... Qf5 {was more staunch, but White is still better after} 32. Nxd4 Qg4 (32... Qf6 33. b7 Ra7 34. Qxd5 Bb6 35. Nf3 Raxb7 36. Ng1 $18) 33. b7 Ra7 34. Qe8+ Kh7 35. Qxf7 Qxd4 36. Qh5+ Kg8 37. Re2 $18 {[%CAl Ge2e8]}) 32. Qxd5 {[%emt 0:02:15][%csl Rd5][%CAl Gg4f3]} ( 32. Qe8+ Kh7 33. Qxf7 {would have been an easier win.} Rxb6 34. Rxb6 Bxb6 35. Ng1 $18 (35. f3 $1 $18 Qc8 36. Nf4 $18)) (32. Ng1 Rxb6 (32... Bxb6 33. Qxd5 $18 ) 33. Qe8+ $18) 32... Ra5 {[%emt 0:01:26]} 33. Qc6 {[%emt 0:01:58]} (33. f3 $1 {[%csl Rf3][%CAl Gd5a5]} Rxd5 34. fxg4 {[%CAl Ge2f4,Gf4h3]} Rb7 35. Rb5 Rd6 36. Ng1 Rbxb6 37. Nxh3 $18) 33... Rc5 {[%emt 0:00:18]} (33... Rxb6 $3 34. Rxb6 Qxe2 {[%CAl Gd8b6,Gc6b6,Ge2f3,Gb1b6,Ga5a1]} (34... Bxb6 35. Ng1 $18 {[%CAl Gc6e8, Ge8f7]}) 35. Rb8 (35. R6b2 Qxb2) 35... Re5 (35... Qxf2 36. Rxd8+ Kh7 37. Qe4+ g6 38. Re8 $18) 36. Rxd8+ Kh7 {[%CAl Gc6h1,Gb1h1]} 37. Rh8+ (37. Qc1 Qf3+) (37. Rg1 Qxf2 38. Rh8+ (38. Rxd4 Qxd4 $17) 38... Kxh8 39. Qc8+ {[%CAl Gc8h3]}) 37... Kxh8 38. Qc8+ Kh7 39. Qxh3+ Kg6 $11 (39... Kg8 40. Rb8+) 40. Qf1 Qf3+ 41. Kg1 Re2 $11) 34. Qe8+ {[%emt 0:01:43]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:16:11]} 35. Ng1 {[%emt 0:03:50] } Rxb6 {[%emt 0:02:05]} 36. Qxd8 {[%emt 0:17:35]} Rxb2 {[%emt 0:04:02]} 37. Rxb2 {[%emt 0:20:04]} Rc1 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 38. Qh4+ {[%emt 0:03:42]} Qxh4 { [%emt 0:00:01]} 39. gxh4 {[%emt 0:05:49]} Rd1 {[%emt 0:13:45]} 40. f3 {[%emt 0: 00:46][%CAl Gb2b4,Gd1d3,Gg1h3,Gh1g2] Nepomniachtchi,I (2774)-Ding,L (2805) Yekaterinburg 2020 playchess.com [ChessBase]} 1-0 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.23"] [Round "6.1"] [White "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C78"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2842"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "108"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,49,17,10,20,13,18,-2,-2,7,13,7,13,22,22,17,46,36,72,72,72,-52,59,0,12, 39,122,119,18,5,73,-21,-54,-58,8,10,-1,-1,3,6,0,-4,-4,0,-10,-16,7,-16,-13,-13, 21,1]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:01:13]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Nc6 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:18]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. Ba4 {[%emt 0:00: 04]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. O-O {[%emt 0:00:26]} b5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 6. Bb3 { [%emt 0:00:05]} Bc5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 7. a4 {[%emt 0:01:07]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:00:24] } 8. c3 {[%emt 0:00:45]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 9. d4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Bb6 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 10. a5 {[%emt 0:00:54]} Ba7 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 11. h3 {[%emt 0: 01:21]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:34]} 12. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:19]} Re8 $5 {[%emt 0:00:23] This line is pretty rare and has only been played in two games before this.} 13. Ng5 {[%emt 0:14:40]} Rf8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 14. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Re8 { [%emt 0:00:18]} 15. Re1 {[%emt 0:26:51] Grischuk although is not feeling well in the tournament, doesn't agree to a short draw.} (15. dxe5 Bxe3 16. exf6 Bf4 $1 (16... Bh6 $6 17. Qd5 Ne5 18. Nxe5 Be6 19. Nxf7 Qxf6 (19... Bxd5 20. Bxd5 Qxf6 21. Nxh6+ $18) 20. Nxh6+ Qxh6 21. Qd1 $18) 17. Qd5 Re6 $5 (17... Ne5 18. Nxe5 Be6 19. Qc6 dxe5 $14)) 15... exd4 {[%emt 0:00:58]} 16. cxd4 {[%emt 0:03: 43]} Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 17. d5 {[%emt 0:05:05]} Bxe3 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 18. Rxe3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Na7 $1 {[%emt 0:00:18] The only move in the position. Grischuk felt that he was going to win a piece now with Qd4, but he missed Fabi's reply.} 19. Qd4 {[%emt 0:10:26]} Bf5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:35]} 20. Nbd2 { [%emt 0:12:58]} (20. Qxa7 Nc5 $1 21. Rxe8+ Qxe8 22. Qxc7 (22. Bd1 Rb7 $19) 22... Nxb3 23. Ra3 Rc8 (23... Nc5 24. Qxd6 Nb7 $13) 24. Qxd6 Qe2 $11) 20... Nc5 {[%emt 0:00:27]} 21. Rxe8+ {[%emt 0:02:42]} Qxe8 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 22. Re1 { [%emt 0:00:03]} Qf8 {[%emt 0:00:07] Black has an extra pawn, but the pawn on d5 cramps Black's position, so White has good compensation.} 23. Bd1 {[%emt 0: 12:02]} b4 {[%emt 0:04:56]} 24. Be2 {[%emt 0:02:46]} Qd8 {[%emt 0:10:08]} 25. Bf1 {[%emt 0:05:33]} h6 {[%emt 0:08:27]} 26. Re3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} b3 {[%emt 0: 02:49]} 27. Qf4 {[%emt 0:05:38]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:13:31]} 28. Nd4 $14 {[%emt 0:01: 14]} Rb4 {[%emt 0:11:07]} 29. Rg3 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Qe7 {[%emt 0:02:04]} 30. Bc4 {[%emt 0:02:01]} (30. Qxh6 Qe5 $1 $19) (30. N2xb3 Nxb3 31. Rxb3 Rxb3 32. Nxb3 $14) 30... Nb5 {[%emt 0:15:29]} 31. N4xb3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Nxb3 {[%emt 0:02:14] } 32. Rxb3 {[%emt 0:00:29]} Qe1+ {[%emt 0:06:09]} 33. Kh2 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Rxb3 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 34. Nxb3 {[%emt 0:00:30]} Qb4 {[%emt 0:00:47]} 35. Qe4 $6 { [%emt 0:01:18]} (35. Qc1 $11) 35... c5 $1 {[%emt 0:02:13]} 36. Qd3 {[%emt 0:01: 51]} (36. dxc6 Be6 $19) 36... g6 $6 {[%emt 0:02:28]} (36... Kf8 $1 {With the idea of shifting the king to b7 would be very good for Black.}) (36... Nc7 { Black would really like to play this and on the next move go for Bb5. BUt it is met with} 37. Bxa6 Nxa6 38. Qxa6 Qxb3 39. Qxd6 $14 {and it is White who is pressing here.}) 37. g4 {[%emt 0:00:21]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:02:42]} 38. Kg2 {[%emt 0: 00:09]} Nc7 {[%emt 0:01:23]} 39. Qc3+ {[%emt 0:00:01]} Qxc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 40. bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:33] Now it is a draw.} f5 {[%emt 0:11:27]} (40... Bb5 41. Bxb5 $1 axb5 $2 42. Nxc5 $1 $18) 41. Nd2 {[%emt 0:12:02]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:27:57]} 42. Kg3 {[%emt 0:01:20]} Bb5 {[%emt 0:04:47]} 43. Bb3 {[%emt 0:25:11]} Be2 { [%emt 0:00:18]} 44. gxf5 {[%emt 0:03:00]} gxf5 {[%emt 0:02:30]} 45. f4 { [%emt 0:02:11]} Nb5 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 46. c4 {[%emt 0:00:27]} Nc3 {[%emt 0:00: 12]} 47. Bc2 {[%emt 0:01:45]} Bd1 {[%emt 0:04:04]} 48. Bd3 {[%emt 0:01:00]} Na2 {[%emt 0:02:22]} 49. Kf2 {[%emt 0:04:03]} Nb4 {[%emt 0:01:26]} 50. Ke3 { [%emt 0:00:12]} Bc2 {[%emt 0:03:46]} 51. Be2 {[%emt 0:00:36]} Na2 {[%emt 0:00: 58]} 52. Nf1 {[%emt 0:01:09]} Nc1 {[%emt 0:02:25]} 53. Kd2 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Nxe2 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 54. Kxe2 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Ba4 {[%emt 0:00:05] 1/2-1/2 (54) Grischuk,A (2777)-Caruana,F (2842) Yekaterinburg 2020 playchess.com [ChessBase]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.23"] [Round "6.4"] [White "Wang, Hao"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D87"] [WhiteElo "2762"] [BlackElo "2767"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "165"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,56,25,25,29,-3,36,37,64,62,61,61,64,51,50,40,51,43,40,44,38,49,93,18, 12,-7,-7,-2,-10,4,0,-34,10,0,0,0,37,30,31,1,6,5,9,5,10,0,32,42,34,35,45,51,53, 46,48,49,40,34,80]} 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. cxd5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nxc3 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 6. bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 7. Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} c5 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 8. Ne2 {[%emt 0:00:07]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:04]} 9. O-O {[%emt 0: 00:08]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 10. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} b6 {[%emt 0:00:29] This was already seen in the game between Caruana and Nepo.} 11. h4 $5 {[%emt 0:00: 16] Fabi had gone for the move h4 on the 16th move, Wang Hao does it on the 11th move itself. It is not a novelty. It is an idea of Anton Korobov.} e6 { [%emt 0:03:14]} 12. h5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qh4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 13. hxg6 {[%emt 0: 00:13]} hxg6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 14. f3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Bb7 {[%emt 0:06:40]} 15. Qd2 {[%emt 0:00:11]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 16. cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Rfd8 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 17. Rac1 {[%emt 0:00:36]} (17. Bg5 Qh5 18. Bxd8 Rxd8 $19 { Black is better here because the d4 pawn is hanging.}) 17... Qe7 {[%emt 0:03: 34]} 18. Rfd1 {[%emt 0:03:12]} Rac8 {[%emt 0:10:15]} 19. Bg5 {[%emt 0:02:23]} Bf6 {[%emt 0:00:46]} 20. Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Qxf6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 21. Qe3 { [%emt 0:00:04]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:03:21]} 22. Kf2 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Rh8 {[%emt 0:14: 00]} 23. Rh1 {[%emt 0:01:23]} Rxh1 {[%emt 0:11:44]} 24. Rxh1 {[%emt 0:04:55]} Rh8 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 25. Rxh8 {[%emt 0:02:13]} Kxh8 {[%emt 0:00:29]} 26. Qc3 { [%emt 0:06:07]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:07:20]} 27. d5 {[%emt 0:02:34]} Qxc3 {[%emt 0:00: 03]} 28. Nxc3 {[%emt 0:04:48]} Na5 {[%emt 0:00:16]} (28... exd5 29. Bxd5 $16) 29. Bd3 {[%emt 0:09:48]} exd5 {[%emt 0:08:44]} 30. exd5 {[%emt 0:10:24]} Kf8 { [%emt 0:07:49]} 31. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:48]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:02:33]} 32. Kd4 {[%emt 0: 05:58] The position is highly favourable for White who has all his pieces participating very nicely. Especially the king.} Bc8 {[%emt 0:01:50][%CAl Ga5d6]} 33. Nb5 {[%emt 0:00:35]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 34. Nc7 {[%emt 0:00:13]} ( 34. Nc3 b5 (34... Kd6 35. Ne4+ Ke7 36. Ke5 b5 37. g4 Nb7 38. d6+) 35. Kc5 Kd7 36. Kb6) 34... Kd6 {[%emt 0:01:00]} (34... b5 35. Kc5 $18) 35. Nxa6 $18 { [%emt 0:00:52]} Nb7 {[%emt 0:01:01][%csl Gb7]} 36. g4 $6 {[%emt 0:17:14] Maybe this was the main reason why Black could draw the game. After Black's ...g5 the pawns are fixed on the same colour as the bishop.} (36. Nb4 Bd7 (36... Nc5 37. Bb5 Bf5 (37... Bb7 38. Be8 Ke7 39. Bc6 Bc8 40. Nc2 Ba6 41. Ne3 (41. Na3 { [%CAl Gc6b5,Ga3c4]})) 38. g4 {[%CAl Gg4g5,Gb4c2,Gc2e3,Gc2a3,Ge3c4,Ga3c4]}) 37. Nc2 Ke7 38. Ne3 Nd6 39. f4 Be8 40. g4 Bd7 41. g5 Be8 42. Ke5 {[%CAl Ge3c4]}) 36... g5 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 37. Nb4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 38. Nc2 {[%emt 0:00:33]} (38. Nc6 {[%CAl Gd6e7,Gb7d6]} f6 39. Bb5 Be8 (39... Bxc6 40. Bxc6 (40. dxc6 Nc5 41. Ke3 Ne6 42. Ke4 Nc7 43. Bc4 Ke7 44. Kf5 {[%CAl Gc7e8, Gc7a8,Gc7a6,Gc7b5,Gc7d5]}) 40... Nd8 41. Ke4 Nf7 42. a4 Ke7 43. Kf5) 40. Na7 Bg6 41. Bc6 Nd8 42. Nb5+ Ke7 43. Nc3) 38... Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:32]} 39. Ne3 { [%emt 0:05:02]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:08:26]} 40. Nd1 {[%emt 0:05:24]} (40. Nf5+ Nxf5+ 41. Bxf5 Ba4 {[%CAl Ge7d6]}) 40... Ba4 {[%emt 0:06:23]} 41. Nf2 {[%emt 0:53:36] } (41. Nc3 Bd7 42. a4 f6 43. Bb5 Nxb5+ 44. Nxb5 Bc8 {[%csl Rf3,Rg4]}) 41... f6 {[%emt 0:51:08]} 42. Be2 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Be8 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 43. Nd1 { [%emt 0:02:38]} Ba4 {[%emt 0:04:37]} 44. Nb2 {[%emt 0:02:58]} Be8 {[%emt 0:03: 08]} 45. Bd1 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Nb5+ {[%emt 0:02:33]} 46. Kc4 {[%emt 0:01:52]} Nc7 {[%emt 0:01:25]} 47. Bb3 {[%emt 0:01:26]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:00:40]} 48. Kd4 { [%emt 0:00:04]} Nb5+ {[%emt 0:03:04]} 49. Kd3 {[%emt 0:00:52]} Nc7 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 50. Nc4+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kc5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 51. Nd2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bb5+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 52. Ke4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 53. Nf1 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Nb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 54. Ng3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nd6+ {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 55. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} f5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 56. gxf5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bxf5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 57. Nxf5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nxf5+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 58. Ke4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nh4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 59. Ba4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 60. Be8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ng2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 61. Bf7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ne1 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 62. a4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nc2 {[%emt 0:00:38]} 63. Be8 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} Ne1 {[%emt 0:01:24]} 64. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ng2 {[%emt 0:00:56]} 65. Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nh4 {[%emt 0:04:35]} 66. Bf1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kc5 { [%emt 0:03:24]} 67. Bh3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:00:31]} 68. Be6 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} Ng6 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 69. Bf7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nh4 {[%emt 0:02:26]} 70. Be8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ng2 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 71. Bb5 {[%emt 0:01:04]} Nh4 { [%emt 0:04:04]} 72. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Kc5 {[%emt 0:05:07]} 73. Bf1 {[%emt 0: 00:25]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 74. Bh3 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Ng6 {[%emt 0:00:49]} 75. Be6 {[%emt 0:00:37]} Nh4 {[%emt 0:01:41]} 76. Bf7 {[%emt 0:02:23]} Ke7 { [%emt 0:00:48]} 77. Bh5 {[%emt 0:01:57]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:01:47]} 78. Bg4 {[%emt 0: 00:14]} Ng2 {[%emt 0:00:51]} 79. Kf5 {[%emt 0:00:18]} Kxd5 {[%emt 0:03:00]} 80. Kxg5 {[%emt 0:01:08]} Ke5 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 81. Kg6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Nf4+ { [%emt 0:00:09]} 82. Kf7 {[%emt 0:00:52]} Nd3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 83. Ke7 {[%emt 0: 00:03]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.23"] [Round "6.2"] [White "Alekseenko, Kirill"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C54"] [WhiteElo "2698"] [BlackElo "2763"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "196"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,36,48,17,36,5,23,12,7,14,21,17,6,14,13,-23,-5,-27,-18,-34,3,2,-2,-9, -2,-4,3,-2,0,20,2,9,23,3,-2,-2,8,-13,9]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:22]} Bc5 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 4. O-O {[%emt 0:00:51]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. d3 {[%emt 0:00: 11]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 6. c3 {[%emt 0:01:07]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:11]} 7. Re1 { [%emt 0:02:12]} a5 {[%emt 0:00:50]} 8. Nbd2 {[%emt 0:00:56]} Be6 {[%emt 0:02: 37]} 9. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:42]} Ba7 {[%emt 0:08:24] This is a pretty rare move.} 10. Nf1 {[%emt 0:03:31]} Ne7 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 11. Ng3 {[%emt 0:07:17]} c6 { [%emt 0:03:19]} 12. Ba4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Ng6 {[%emt 0:01:45]} 13. h3 $6 { [%emt 0:02:26]} (13. d4 $11) 13... d5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 14. exd5 {[%emt 0:04: 25]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:00:36] Black has a very comfortable position out of the opening.} 15. Bc2 {[%emt 0:03:47]} Qc7 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 16. d4 {[%emt 0:02:19]} exd4 {[%emt 0:07:49]} 17. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:20:57]} Rae8 {[%emt 0:01:08]} 18. Bg5 { [%emt 0:00:44]} (18. Nxe6 Bxf2+ $1 19. Kxf2 fxe6+ $19) 18... Ndf4 {[%emt 0:28: 30]} 19. Qd2 {[%emt 0:09:51]} Bd5 {[%emt 0:14:02]} 20. Rxe8 {[%emt 0:06:24]} Rxe8 {[%emt 0:07:31]} 21. Re1 {[%emt 0:02:08]} Re5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 22. Bxf4 { [%emt 0:00:42]} Rxe1+ {[%emt 0:01:52]} 23. Qxe1 {[%emt 0:05:13]} Qxf4 {[%emt 0: 05:31]} 24. Qe8+ $6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} (24. Ngf5 $11) 24... Nf8 {[%emt 0:00:02] Now dealing with Qc1+ is not easy.} 25. Bb3 {[%emt 0:15:37]} Bxd4 {[%emt 0:00: 02]} 26. cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Bxb3 {[%emt 0:05:38]} 27. axb3 {[%emt 0:00:17] Black has a clear advantage, but converting this into a win is never easy.} Qf6 {[%emt 0:05:10]} (27... h6 $1 $17) 28. Qe4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} g6 {[%emt 0:02:08]} 29. Ne2 {[%emt 0:09:15]} Ne6 {[%emt 0:04:05]} 30. h4 {[%emt 0:03:34]} h5 { [%emt 0:00:30]} (30... Qd8 $1 $17 {With the idea of Qd6 is better. White cannot go Qe5 because the h4 pawn would be hanging!}) 31. g3 {[%emt 0:00:29]} Qd8 {[%emt 0:00:23]} 32. Qe5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Qb6 {[%emt 0:04:30]} 33. d5 { [%emt 0:01:40]} cxd5 {[%emt 0:01:28]} 34. Qxd5 {[%emt 0:00:38] The position is now around equal.} Kf8 {[%emt 0:00:33]} 35. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:31]} Qc7 {[%emt 0: 01:11]} 36. Ne4 {[%emt 0:01:27]} Qc1+ {[%emt 0:01:08]} 37. Kg2 {[%emt 0:02:44]} Qxb2 {[%emt 0:02:24][%CAl Gd5b7,Rd5d7,Yc1b2]} 38. Qd7 {[%emt 0:00:11] Alekseenko sensing Giri's lack of time, tries to play for a win, but this was not a good decision.} (38. Qxb7 $11) 38... b6 {[%emt 0:00:26]} 39. Nd6 { [%emt 0:03:47]} Qf6 {[%emt 0:03:26]} 40. Qe8+ {[%emt 0:01:34]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00: 07]} 41. Qd7 {[%emt 0:51:19]} Kg8 $1 {[%emt 0:50:01]} 42. Qe8+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 43. Qc6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qd8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 44. Nc4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Ne6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 45. Nxb6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nd4 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 46. Qc5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (46. Qb7 $1 Nxb3 47. Nd7 a4 48. Ne5 $1 Qe8 49. Nd7 $11) 46... Nxb3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 47. Qb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nd2 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 48. Qxa5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qd3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 49. Qa1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qe4+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 50. Kg1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf3+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 51. Kf1 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Nxh4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 52. Qa8+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qxa8 {[%emt 0: 03:55]} 53. Nxa8 {[%emt 0:00:00] This endgame is drawn.} Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 54. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ne5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 55. f4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ng4 { [%emt 0:00:09]} 56. Nb6 {[%emt 0:01:10]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:00:44]} 57. Nd5 {[%emt 0: 00:15]} Ke8 {[%emt 0:01:10]} 58. Nc3 {[%emt 0:01:02]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 59. Ne4 {[%emt 0:02:08]} Ne3+ {[%emt 0:00:13]} 60. Kf3 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Nc4 { [%emt 0:03:35]} 61. Ng5 {[%emt 0:15:27]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:15:07]} 62. Ne4+ { [%emt 0:03:13]} Kf5 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 63. Nf2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nd2+ {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 64. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf1+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 65. Kf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nh2+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 66. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ng4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 67. Nh3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} f6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 68. Kf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 69. Ke4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 70. Ng1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kc5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 71. Kd3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nh6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 72. Ke3 { [%emt 0:01:22]} Nf5+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 73. Kf3 {[%emt 0:01:57]} Kc4 {[%emt 0:02: 17]} 74. Nh3 {[%emt 0:00:33]} Nd4+ {[%emt 0:01:47]} 75. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:19]} Nf5+ {[%emt 0:01:29]} 76. Kf3 {[%emt 0:00:18]} Kd4 {[%emt 0:00:50]} 77. Nf2 { [%emt 0:00:04]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 78. Nh3 {[%emt 0:02:23]} Ne4 {[%emt 0:00: 05]} 79. Ng1 {[%emt 0:01:16]} Kd3 {[%emt 0:00:22]} 80. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:27]} Nd2 {[%emt 0:01:06]} 81. Kf2 {[%emt 0:01:12]} Ke4 {[%emt 0:01:58]} 82. Ne2 { [%emt 0:00:37]} Nb1 {[%emt 0:01:03]} 83. Ng1 {[%emt 0:00:09]} h4 {[%emt 0:00: 04]} 84. Nh3 {[%emt 0:00:27]} Kf5 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 85. gxh4 {[%emt 0:00:36]} Kg4 {[%emt 0:01:36]} 86. f5 $1 {[%emt 0:01:21]} gxf5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (86... Kxf5 87. Kf3 $11) 87. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:54]} Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 88. Nf2+ { [%emt 0:00:28]} Kg3 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 89. Nd3 $2 {[%emt 0:00:24] The final mistake of the game.} (89. Nh1+ $1 Kg2 90. Kf4 Kxh1 91. Kxf5 $11) (89. h5 $1 Nd5+ 90. Kd4 Nf4 91. h6 Ng6 92. Nd3 $11) 89... Nd5+ {[%emt 0:00:32]} 90. Kd4 { [%emt 0:00:35]} Nf4 {[%emt 0:00:24]} 91. Nc5 {[%emt 0:00:30]} Kxh4 {[%emt 0:00: 09]} 92. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:38]} Kg3 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 93. Nb3 {[%emt 0:00:41]} Ne6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 94. Nd2 {[%emt 0:00:25]} f4+ {[%emt 0:01:28]} 95. Ke2 { [%emt 0:00:36]} Ng5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 96. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:22]} f3 {[%emt 0:00: 20]} 97. Kg1 {[%emt 0:00:47]} f2+ {[%emt 0:00:08]} 98. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:31]} f5 {[%emt 0:01:53] With this win Giri managed to score his first win at the Candidates!} 0-1 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.25"] [Round "7.2"] [White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C18"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2774"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,83,31,25,41,41,30,31,31,17,34,32,24,23,11,-13,10,-19,3,-11,-3,-12,21, -17,-11,-49,-9,-25,-13,-9,-16,-14,-19,-21,-27,-35,-20,-46,30,11,20,18,26,29,29, 21,22,-47,4,-8,-6,6,0,11,38,28,86,74,74,86,105,91,100,81,95,93,93,115,71,92,92, 20,136,159,191,212,225,256,266,270,339,364,531,582,582,650]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:00] If you have a full point lead over the field, you would think Ian would go for a solid e4 e5 opening. But he sticks to the French that he played in round three against Alekseenko.} 2. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00] } d5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bb4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. e5 { [%emt 0:00:00]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. a3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bxc3+ {[%emt 0:00: 01]} 6. bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ne7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 7. h4 $5 {[%emt 0:00:00] MVL plays the same line that Alekseenko played against Nepo.} Qc7 {[%emt 0:01: 06]} 8. h5 {[%emt 0:00:21]} (8. Nf3 b6 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Be2 Ba4 11. O-O Nd7 12. Be3 h6 13. Ra2 Nf5 14. Bf4 Qc6 15. Rb2 a6 16. dxc5 Qxc5 17. Rb4 b5 18. Bd3 Ne7 19. Bd2 Nc6 20. Qe2 Nxb4 21. axb4 Qc7 22. Re1 Nb8 23. Nd4 Nc6 24. Qg4 Nxd4 25. cxd4 g6 26. h5 gxh5 27. Qxh5 O-O-O 28. f4 Kb8 29. c3 Bb3 30. f5 Bc4 31. Bc2 Rdg8 32. Kf2 a5 33. bxa5 Qxa5 34. Qxf7 Qa2 35. Qxe6 Qxc2 36. Qb6+ Kc8 37. Qc6+ Kb8 38. Qb6+ Kc8 39. Qc6+ Kb8 40. Qb6+ {1/2-1/2 (40) Alekseenko,K (2698) -Nepomniachtchi,I (2774) Yekaterinburg 2020}) 8... h6 {[%emt 0:00:01] Of course, the pawn cannot be allowed to come to h6. It would create unsolvable dark squared weaknesses.} (8... cxd4 9. cxd4 Qc3+ 10. Bd2 Qxd4 11. Nf3 Qe4+ 12. Be2) 9. Rb1 $1 {[%emt 0:02:48] A very nice move which prepares Qg4. Of course with the rook on a1, Qg4 is quite difficult to play as after cxd4, Qc3+ would be a big threat.} (9. Qg4 cxd4 {shows the drawback of the rook on a1.}) 9... b6 {[%emt 0:00:37] Ian goes for the same plan of exchanging the bishop from a6.} ( 9... cxd4 10. cxd4 {[%CAl Gc7c3]} Qc3+ 11. Qd2 {[%CAl Gc3a1]}) 10. Qg4 { [%emt 0:00:59]} Rg8 $5 {[%emt 0:00:08] Nepo finds value in moving his rook to g8 than king to f8.} (10... Kf8 {is one of the main moves in this position.} 11. Rh3 $1 Ba6 12. Rf3 Nf5 (12... Bxf1 13. Qxe6 $18) 13. Ne2 $14) (10... cxd4 11. Qxg7 Rg8 12. Qxh6 Qxc3+ 13. Qd2 $16) 11. Bb5+ {[%emt 0:00:03]} (11. Bd3 { [%CAl Gd3h7]} Kf8 (11... Ba6 12. Bh7 cxd4 13. Bxg8 Qxc3+ 14. Bd2 Qc4 15. Kd1)) 11... Kf8 {[%emt 0:00:18]} (11... Bd7 12. Bd3 Ba4 $2 (12... Bc8 {[%CAl Gc8a6]} 13. Bh7) 13. Bh7 $18 (13. dxc5 $18)) 12. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:56]} Ba6 {[%emt 0:04: 54]} 13. dxc5 $1 {[%emt 0:01:06] I find this move extremely interesting. While it ruins the pawn structure, it is very much in sync with the demands of the position. White opens up the position for his bishop pair.} Bxd3 {[%emt 0:00: 20]} (13... bxc5 14. Nf3 $16 (14. Rxb8+ $2 Rxb8 15. Bxa6 c4 $17) 14... c4 15. Be2 Nbc6 16. Qf4 {[%CAl Gg8h8,Gf8g8,Gg8h7,Gf8e8,Ge8d7]} Rh8 (16... Ke8 17. O-O Kd7 {[%csl Ra6,Ge2]}) 17. O-O Kg8 18. Be3 Kh7 19. Bd4 {[%CAl Gg2g4]}) (13... Qxe5+ 14. Ne2 Bxd3 15. cxd3 Nd7 (15... bxc5 16. Bf4 $18) 16. cxb6 axb6 (16... Nxb6 17. a4 $18) 17. Rh3 $14) 14. cxd3 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Nd7 $5 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 15. d4 {[%emt 0:00:12]} (15. cxb6 Qxc3+ $17) 15... bxc5 {[%emt 0:00:42]} 16. Qd1 $1 {[%emt 0:00:35][%CAl Gg1e2,Gd1c2,Gc2h7] This is a nice move where you bring your queen back to d1 so that you can next continue with Ne2 and all the queenside squares are protected.} (16. Ne2 Rb8 17. Rxb8+ Qxb8 18. O-O c4 { And here White has a powerful plan shown by GM Vidit Gujrathi} 19. Rd1 $1 $14 { The idea is to play Rd2 and take control of the open b-file with Rb2.}) 16... Qa5 {[%emt 0:13:12] Nepo's first think in the game.} (16... Rb8 17. Rxb8+ Qxb8 18. Ne2 $14) 17. Bd2 {[%emt 0:04:32] The a3 pawn is hanging, but White doesn't really care for it.} Rb8 {[%emt 0:06:15]} 18. Ne2 {[%emt 0:16:15]} c4 {[%emt 0: 31:14] Once the structure is determined, it gives White a free hand to play on the kingside and execute his plan with f4-f5.} (18... Rxb1 19. Qxb1 Qa6 $1 { It made sense to keep the tension in the position where Black had the option of whether to take on d4 or push on with c4.} (19... Nb6 20. c4 Qxa3 21. Rh3 $1 $16) 20. f3 (20. a4 Qxa4 21. O-O Qa6 22. Nf4 {[%csl Rg8]}) 20... Nc6 21. Kf2 Rh8 (21... Ke7 22. Qh7 $16) 22. g4 Ke7 23. g5 {With an interesting position. This might well have been the best way for Black to continue though.}) 19. O-O {[%emt 0:25:30]} Rb6 {[%emt 0:00:29]} (19... Qxa3 20. Ra1 Qb3 (20... Qb2 21. Rxa7 Ke8 22. Bc1 Qb6 23. Qa4 Qb5 24. Qa1 $18) 21. Rxa7 $16) 20. Qc2 {[%emt 0: 03:47]} Rh8 {[%emt 0:02:07]} 21. a4 $1 {[%emt 0:01:26] The pawn is saved now and Black has nothing to show for his pain.} Ke8 {[%emt 0:02:35]} 22. Rb4 { [%emt 0:05:16]} (22. Rxb6 Nxb6 23. Ra1 Kd7 24. Bc1 $18 {with the idea of Ba3-b4 is very strong.}) 22... Nc6 {[%emt 0:04:38]} 23. f4 $1 {[%emt 0:01:50] MVL doesn't care abut the rook! f4-f5 is a powerful plan here.} Ne7 {[%emt 0: 05:25]} (23... Nxb4 24. cxb4 Qa6 (24... Rxb4 25. Qc3 $18) 25. b5 Qc8 26. f5 $18 ) 24. Rfb1 {[%emt 0:03:56]} f5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 25. Rb5 {[%emt 0:04:30]} Qa6 { [%emt 0:01:15]} 26. Bc1 $1 {[%emt 0:00:17][%CAl Gc1a3,Ga3e7,Yd2c1] The bishop will reroute itself to a3 and then take the knight on e7. The final piece in White's plan is to open up the kingside with g4 after which the queen will penetrate to g6 and clear up everything!} Kf7 {[%emt 0:01:07]} 27. Ba3 { [%emt 0:01:34]} Rhb8 {[%emt 0:08:57]} 28. Bxe7 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Kxe7 {[%emt 0: 00:31]} 29. g4 $1 {[%emt 0:01:26]} Rxb5 {[%emt 0:00:40]} 30. axb5 {[%emt 0:00: 52]} Rxb5 {[%emt 0:01:08]} 31. gxf5 {[%emt 0:00:50]} Rxb1+ {[%emt 0:07:22]} 32. Qxb1 {[%emt 0:00:37]} exf5 {[%emt 0:00:36] Although the material can be said to be equal (the pawn on f5 is falling), White has a clear advantage because his e5 pawn is very strong.} 33. Ng3 {[%emt 0:00:43]} Qb6 {[%emt 0:02:12]} ( 33... g6 34. Kf2 $18) 34. Nxf5+ {[%emt 0:00:12]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 35. Qa1 $1 {[%emt 0:04:04]} Qe6 {[%emt 0:02:01]} 36. Ng3 {[%emt 0:05:09]} Qg4 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 37. Kg2 {[%emt 0:05:54]} Qxf4 {[%emt 0:01:18]} 38. Qxa7 {[%emt 0:04:46] } Ke7 {[%emt 0:04:42]} 39. Qa3+ {[%emt 0:06:35]} Kd8 {[%emt 0:03:19]} 40. Qd6 { [%emt 0:00:34]} g5 {[%emt 0:02:41]} (40... Qd2+ 41. Kh3 $18) 41. hxg6 {[%emt 0: 50:23]} h5 {[%emt 0:50:11]} 42. g7 {[%emt 0:00:32] A very powerful game by MVL. He deservedly joins Nepo at the top.} 1-0 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.25"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Wang, Hao"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2842"] [BlackElo "2762"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,44,19,28,25,13,55,6,44,27,38,37,39,40,42,17,21,-3,12,20,17,36,34,47, 39,30,41,31,34,11,21,23,23,18,5,1,-6,21,3,0,0,4,34,12,43,0,-12]} 1. e4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00] Wang Hao plays the Petroff which is also one of the main systems in Fabi's opening repertoire.} 3. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. Nf3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nxc3 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 6. dxc3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 7. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:07]} 8. Qd2 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 9. O-O-O { [%emt 0:00:09]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:03] This is all pretty standard.} 10. Bd3 { [%emt 0:00:21]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:24]} 11. Rhe1 {[%emt 0:01:29]} Be6 {[%emt 0:00: 30]} 12. Kb1 {[%emt 0:00:46]} Qa5 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 13. c4 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Qxd2 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 14. Nxd2 {[%emt 0:00:17] Fabiano changes from his world championship game against Carlsen. Magnus had taken here with the bishop.} (14. Bxd2 h6 15. Nh4 Rfe8 16. Ng6 Ng4 17. Nxe7+ Rxe7 18. Re2 Ne5 19. Bf4 Nxd3 20. Rxd3 Rd7 21. Rxd6 Rxd6 22. Bxd6 Rd8 23. Rd2 Bxc4 24. Kc1 b6 25. Bf4 Rxd2 26. Kxd2 a6 27. a3 Kf8 28. Bc7 b5 29. Bd6+ Ke8 30. Bxc5 h5 31. Ke3 Kd7 32. Kd4 g6 33. g3 Be2 34. Bf8 Kc6 35. b3 Bd1 36. Kd3 Bg4 37. c4 Be6 38. Kd4 bxc4 39. bxc4 Bg4 40. c5 Be6 41. Bh6 Bd5 42. Be3 Be6 43. Ke5 Bd5 44. Kf4 Be6 45. Kg5 Bd5 46. g4 hxg4 47. Kxg4 Ba2 48. Kg5 Bb3 49. Kf6 Ba2 50. h4 Bb3 51. f4 Ba2 52. Ke7 Bb3 53. Kf6 Ba2 54. f5 Bb1 55. Bf2 Bc2 {1/2-1/2 (55) Carlsen,M (2835)-Caruana,F (2832) London 2018}) 14... Rad8 {[%emt 0:01:21]} (14... Ng4 15. f4 $14) 15. f3 {[%emt 0:12:06]} b6 {[%emt 0:16:10]} 16. g4 {[%emt 0:27:20] Played after 27 minutes of thought. This is not the safest move to make as it is weakening the structure and the f3 pawn can be weak. But Caruana wanted to create his chances, and when you do that it is quite possible that you would have to give some chances to your opponent!} d5 {[%emt 0:06:11]} 17. g5 {[%emt 0:10:35]} Nh5 {[%emt 0:01:22]} 18. cxd5 {[%emt 0:00:15]} Bxd5 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 19. Ne4 { [%emt 0:01:28]} f5 {[%emt 0:32:57]} 20. gxf6 {[%emt 0:00:22]} Nxf6 $6 {[%emt 0: 00:11]} (20... Bxf6 {it was important to continue with this move.} 21. Nxf6+ Nxf6 22. f4 $11) 21. Bg5 $6 {[%emt 0:05:54]} (21. Ng5 $1 h6 22. c4 $1 {White would have had some edge here.}) 21... Kf7 $1 {[%emt 0:02:50]} 22. Ng3 { [%emt 0:00:28]} c4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} (22... Bxf3 23. Rd2 {The knight is coming to f5 with compensation.}) 23. Bf1 {[%emt 0:09:55]} b5 {[%emt 0:10:03]} 24. a4 {[%emt 0:10:54]} a6 {[%emt 0:03:29]} 25. axb5 {[%emt 0:00:09]} axb5 {[%emt 0: 02:50]} 26. Nf5 {[%emt 0:00:44]} Bc5 $6 {[%emt 0:00:36]} (26... Bb4 $1 27. c3 ( 27. Re5 Bc6) 27... Bc5 28. Re5 {This no longer works due to} Be4+ $1 29. Kc1 Rxd1+ 30. Kxd1 Bxf3+ 31. Kd2 Nd7 $19) 27. Re5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:32] The game is now easily drawn.} Bxf3 {[%emt 0:06:04]} 28. Rxd8 {[%emt 0:08:02]} Rxd8 { [%emt 0:00:39]} 29. Rxc5 {[%emt 0:00:15]} Rd1+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 30. Ka2 { [%emt 0:00:20]} Rxf1 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 31. Rxb5 {[%emt 0:00:16]} c3 {[%emt 0:00: 01]} 32. Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:40]} Kxf6 {[%emt 0:11:29]} 33. Ne3 {[%emt 0:11:52]} Rf2 {[%emt 0:06:34]} 34. Rf5+ {[%emt 0:05:08]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 35. Ka3 { [%emt 0:01:45]} cxb2 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 36. Kxb2 {[%emt 0:00:29]} h5 {[%emt 0:02: 57]} 37. h4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Rxc2+ {[%emt 0:00:48]} 38. Kxc2 {[%emt 0:01:34]} Be4+ {[%emt 0:02:54]} 39. Kd2 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Bxf5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 40. Ke2 { [%emt 0:00:39]} Ke5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 41. Kf3 {[%emt 0:52:41]} Bd3 {[%emt 0:52: 12]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.25"] [Round "7.4"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A20"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2777"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,17,19,-12,-12,-45,3,-9,-28,-3,-3,-3,-4,-10,-7,-15,23,29,34,13]} 1. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:01:52]} 2. g3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c6 {[%emt 0:00:59]} 3. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:36]} e4 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 4. Nd4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} d5 { [%emt 0:00:17]} 5. cxd5 {[%emt 0:00:39]} Qxd5 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 6. Nc2 {[%emt 0: 01:01]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:01:25]} 7. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:51]} Qe5 {[%emt 0:00:37]} 8. Bg2 {[%emt 0:00:39]} Na6 {[%emt 0:01:40]} 9. O-O {[%emt 0:00:00]} Be7 {[%emt 0: 00:08] In this position three moves have been tried d4,d3 and f3. Giri goes for a new idea Ne3!} 10. Ne3 $5 {[%emt 0:00:01] Grischuk thought here for 29 minutes and came up with a very nice solution.} h5 $1 {[%emt 0:29:00]} 11. d4 { [%emt 0:01:25]} (11. Qc2 Nb4 12. Qb1 h4 13. Nxe4 Ng4 $1 {This is an excellent move and the strength of it starts becoming apparent when you spend some time with the position.} 14. Nxg4 Bxg4 $15) 11... exd3 {[%emt 0:04:31]} 12. exd3 { [%emt 0:00:12]} Qd4 $1 {[%emt 0:06:22] A great move stopping the idea of d4-d5. } 13. Nc2 {[%emt 0:04:14]} Qg4 $1 {[%emt 0:03:39] After the queen exchange Black will have not much to worry about. ...h5, ...Qd4 and ...Qg4 completely equalized White's idea.} 14. Bf4 {[%emt 0:29:17]} Qxd1 {[%emt 0:08:46]} 15. Raxd1 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Bg4 {[%emt 0:01:00]} 16. Rd2 {[%emt 0:05:02]} O-O-O { [%emt 0:10:05]} 17. d4 {[%emt 0:04:18]} Nc7 {[%emt 0:12:35]} 18. Ne3 {[%emt 0: 05:31]} Be6 {[%emt 0:09:02] Before Black gets a blockade on d5, Giri decides to liquidate.} 19. d5 {[%emt 0:31:18]} Ncxd5 {[%emt 0:01:38]} 20. Ncxd5 { [%emt 0:00:18]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 21. Nxd5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Bxd5 {[%emt 0: 00:06]} 22. Rxd5 {[%emt 0:00:14]} Rxd5 {[%emt 0:00:17]} (22... cxd5 23. Bh3+ Rd7 24. Rd1 g6 25. Bxd7+ Kxd7 26. Rxd5+ Ke6 $11) 23. Bxd5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} cxd5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 24. Rc1+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kd7 {[%emt 0:00:27]} 25. Rc7+ { [%emt 0:00:07]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 26. Rxb7 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Rc8 $11 { [%emt 0:00:14] Black is completely fine.} 27. Rxa7 {[%emt 0:02:20]} Rc2 { [%emt 0:00:47]} 28. Be3 {[%emt 0:03:32]} Bf6 {[%emt 0:04:33]} 29. Ra4 {[%emt 0: 00:38]} Bxb2 {[%emt 0:01:41]} 30. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:13]} d4 {[%emt 0:01:38]} 31. Bxd4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Bxd4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 32. Rxd4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Rxa2 { [%emt 0:00:03]} 33. Re4+ {[%emt 0:00:01]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 34. Rf4+ { [%emt 0:00:01]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 35. Re4+ {[%emt 0:00:01]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00: 05]} 36. Rf4+ {[%emt 0:00:01]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 37. Re4+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 38. Rf4+ {[%emt 0:00:04]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 39. h4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 40. Re4+ {[%emt 0:00:01]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00: 05]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2020.03.25"] [Round "7.3"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Alekseenko, Kirill"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E08"] [WhiteElo "2805"] [BlackElo "2698"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,45,26,37,30,-9,-10,-17,2,12,8,-7,-7,-4,-4,6,18,18,4,11,8,-19,1,-1,21, 14,25,25,14,1,25,-4,-1,-12,22,32,24,27,43,42,23,-11,14,6,64,3,3,-34]} 1. d4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. g3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bb4+ {[%emt 0:00:27]} 4. Bd2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Be7 { [%emt 0:00:14]} 5. Bg2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:22]} 6. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:14]} 7. O-O {[%emt 0:00:04]} Nbd7 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 8. Qc2 {[%emt 0:00:36]} c6 {[%emt 0:00:28]} 9. Bf4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} b6 {[%emt 0:01:21] } 10. Rd1 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Ba6 {[%emt 0:01:02]} 11. Nbd2 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Rc8 { [%emt 0:09:13]} 12. Rac1 {[%emt 0:00:22]} Nh5 {[%emt 0:05:27]} 13. Be3 { [%emt 0:00:11]} Nhf6 {[%emt 0:02:52]} 14. Bg5 {[%emt 0:00:18]} Bb7 {[%emt 0:17: 32]} 15. Ne5 {[%emt 0:08:23]} Nxe5 $5 {[%emt 0:09:18] A very concrete way too try and equalize the game, which is very typical of the way Alekseenko plays.} 16. dxe5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ng4 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 17. Bxe7 {[%emt 0:01:31]} Qxe7 { [%emt 0:00:02]} 18. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:24]} f6 {[%emt 0:02:26]} (18... c5 { was much better than what Alekseenko did in the game.} 19. cxd5 exd5 20. Qa4 $14) 19. exf6 $6 {[%emt 0:08:46]} (19. Qa4 $1 {It is clear that Ding Liren is not in the best form at the event when he misses moves like these.} Nxe5 20. Nxe5 fxe5 21. Qxa7 Qc7 22. cxd5 $1 Ra8 (22... exd5 23. Bxd5+ $18) 23. d6 $18) 19... Nxf6 {[%emt 0:04:56]} 20. Bh3 {[%emt 0:27:52]} Rce8 {[%emt 0:05:42]} 21. Qa4 {[%emt 0:08:40]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:36] Black is now equal.} 22. b4 {[%emt 0: 11:04]} (22. Qxa7 Qc7 $1 23. Ng5 (23. Qa4 d4 $17) 23... Qc6 $13) 22... cxb4 { [%emt 0:10:33]} 23. Qxa7 {[%emt 0:01:05]} Ne4 {[%emt 0:14:57]} 24. Qxb6 { [%emt 0:00:52]} Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 25. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:04]} dxc4 {[%emt 0:02: 10]} 26. a3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Bd5 {[%emt 0:15:00]} 27. Qxb4 {[%emt 0:04:27]} Qxb4 {[%emt 0:01:15]} 28. axb4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nxe2+ {[%emt 0:01:03]} 29. Rxe2 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Rxf3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 30. Bg2 {[%emt 0:03:58]} Rff8 {[%emt 0: 00:11]} 31. Rd2 {[%emt 0:02:57]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:01:13]} 32. Bxd5 {[%emt 0:00:08]} exd5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 33. Rxd5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Rxb4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 34. Rc2 { [%emt 0:04:59]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 35. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:19]} c3 {[%emt 0:00: 39]} 36. Ke2 {[%emt 0:00:28]} Rb7 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 37. Rd3 {[%emt 0:01:46]} Rb2 {[%emt 0:02:14]} 38. Kd1 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Rb1+ {[%emt 0:00:11]} 39. Ke2 { [%emt 0:00:18]} Rb2 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 40. Kd1 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Rb1+ {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.19"] [Round "8.1"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B97"] [WhiteElo "2820"] [BlackElo "2758"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "147"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,147,36,39,53,44,103,55,77,44,37,22,64,58,77,28,26,4,-3,-3,-2,-21,-32, -29,-37,-37,-51,-100,-132,-155,-88,-99,-109,-83,-75,-104,-104,-239,-298,-261, -190,-160,-189,-66,15,-37,-49,-57,2,8,0,-27,-6,0,-1,-2,-2,0,57,62,33,31,44,25, 63,65,71,46,46,61,61,56,36,61,78,81,74,90,90,84,180,181,192,195,190,193,199, 124,135,134,135,153,236,237,241,155,243,183,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259, 259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,252,247,247,255,255,259,246,255, 243,259,255,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,259,255, 254,254,254,215,391,413] The most exciting game of the round, and perhaps the entire tournament until now! Quite possibly you won't find a game with much great entertainment value than this one!} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 {Both Caruana and MVL believe in their opening preparation. This was the same opening that was played at the Tata Steel Chess 2021 where MVL made an opening error and lost quickly with black. This was his chance to redeem himself.} 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. e5 {The most popular move in the position.} h6 11. Bh4 dxe5 12. fxe5 Nfd7 13. Ne4 Qxa2 (13... Nxe5 14. Nb5 $18) 14. Rd1 {Believe it or not, this has been seen in over 2300 games already!} Qd5 (14... Nxe5 15. Nf5 $18) 15. Qe3 (15. Qf4 $2 g5 $19) 15... Qxe5 (15... Nxe5 16. Nb3 $1 $18 {Stopping Qa5+}) 16. c3 $5 {This has been seen before in 12 games but all of them from Correspondence chess. MVL was taken back a little and spent quite a lot of time on this move.} (16. Be2 Bc5 17. Bg3 Bxd4 18. Rxd4 Qa5+ 19. Rd2 O-O 20. Bd6 Rd8 21. Qg3 Nc6 22. Bc7 Qa1+ 23. Rd1 Qb2 24. O-O {is how many games have proceeded in correspondence chess.}) 16... Bc5 (16... Be7 {is the other option that has to be looked into here.}) 17. Bg3 Qd5 {All correspondence games have continued Bd6 in this position.} 18. Bc4 $3 {The double exclamations are for the sheer effort in preparation. This is not one of the top choices of the engine. It is quite obvious that this was home preparation for Fabi. As he reveals in the post game conference this was work done by Rustam Kasimdzhanov.} (18. Bd6 Bxd6 19. Nb5 Qxd1+ 20. Kxd1 Be5 21. Nbd6+ Ke7 22. Nc4 Rd8 $13) 18... Qxc4 19. Bd6 $1 { The idea now is to take on c5 with the bishop and fork on d6. Meanwhile the black king cannot castle and has to remain in the center which is quite irritating.} Nf6 $1 {Excellent play by Maxime. According to Caruana, this was the move he was quite unhappy that Maxim found.} (19... f5 20. Nxc5 Nxc5 21. Nxf5 Qe4 22. Nxg7+ Kf7 23. O-O+ $18) (19... Ba7 20. Bb4 $1 $18 Qa2 21. Rf1 $1) 20. Nxc5 Nd5 21. Qe5 Rg8 $1 {It is very important to play this move now and not after taking on c3.} (21... Qxc3+ {this is very tempting, but doesn't work as after} 22. Kf2 Rg8 (22... Qb2+ 23. Kf3 Qc3+ 24. Rd3 $36) 23. Rhe1 $1 $18) 22. Ndxe6 fxe6 23. Nxe6 Qxc3+ (23... Nf6 {How difficult or easy it is for these top players to find a move like Nf6? I believe this is almost impossible because the knight is going to move away from e6 with a discovered check. There could also be a double check somewhere waiting, but essentially the position is fine for Black.} 24. Nd8+ (24. Nc7+ Kf7 $19) 24... Be6 $3 25. Nxe6 Kf7 $19) (23... Kf7 {Also leads to a draw, but only after you navigate a sea of extremely complex lines.}) 24. Qxc3 Nxc3 25. Nc7+ {A critical fork in the road. Should the Black king go to d7 or f7?} Kf7 (25... Kd7 $5 26. Rd3 Ne4 27. Bf4+ Kc6 28. Nxa8 $11 {The decision as compared to the game is whether the king is better placed on c6 or on g6. According to the engines, this is much better as the king plays a critical role in defending and helping to advance its queenside pawns. However, for a human it might still feel that the king is slightly misplaced and can fall under the attack.}) 26. Rd3 Ne4 $6 (26... Ra7 $1 {This is what Caruana told Maxime that he should have played (After the game). However, MVL wasn't thinking in this direction during the game.} 27. O-O+ (27. Bc5 b6 28. Bxb6 Rb7 $19) 27... Kg6 28. Rxc3 {In this position it is extremely important to figure out what Black should be doing. When Surya Ganguly was present on the ChessBase India Live commentary stream, he explained why this is a critical position. Black's position is hanging here by a thread, and he has to find the idea of Kh7!} Kh7 $1 {A brilliant waiting + position improving move.} (28... Nc6 $2 29. Bc5 b6 30. Bxb6 $18 {Now the knight on c6 is hanging.}) (28... b5 $6 29. Nd5 Be6 30. Ne7+ Rxe7 31. Bxe7 $16) ) 27. O-O+ Kg6 28. Nxa8 {This position is still within the realms of a draw, but it is not so easy.} Nc6 (28... Rd8 {would have been more accurate.} 29. Rfd1 Nc6 $16) 29. Nb6 Rd8 30. Nxc8 $1 Rxc8 {This position looks much closer to equality that an advantage for White. However, the modern engines seem to disagree. They think that Black's two queenside pawns are not potent and sooner or later will fall. At the same time, the two rooks and bishop can coordinate to launch a decisive attack, especially on the g7 square.} 31. Ba3 ( 31. Re1 $1 Nf6 (31... Nxd6 32. Rxd6+ Kh7 33. Rd7 $18 {This is a decisive edge for White.}) 32. Rb1 b5 33. Rc1 {With precise play White has been able to put Black under a lot of pressure.} Ne7 34. Rxc8 Nxc8 35. Bc5 $18 {The queenside pawns will soon fall.}) 31... Rc7 32. Rf4 Nf6 33. Bb2 Ne7 34. Bxf6 gxf6 35. h4 $6 {Perhaps not the most accurate because after h5, the knight gets a safe spot on f5 square from where it cannot be kicked.} (35. Rd6 Nf5 36. Rb6 $16) 35... h5 36. Rg3+ Kf7 37. Rg5 Rc1+ 38. Kh2 Ng6 39. Rf2 Nxh4 (39... Kg7 { Caruana said he was expecting this move here as after} 40. Rxh5 Ne5 {Followed by pushing the queenside pawns could be quite difficult for White to meet.} 41. Rb2 b5 42. Rb3 Rc4 $16 {Difficult to play for both sides, but the position is quite close to equality.}) 40. Rxh5 Ng6 41. Rh7+ Ke6 42. Rxb7 Ne5 43. Rb6+ Rc6 $5 {Very interesting decision by MVL. One cannot reprimand him for this move, because it does lead to a theoretically drawn endgame.} (43... Ke7 44. Kg3 { The game goes on.}) 44. Rxc6+ Nxc6 45. Kg3 Kf7 46. Rc2 Nb4 47. Rd2 Nc6 48. Kf4 Kg6 49. Rd6 Ne5 50. Rxa6 {We reach a position which is a theoretical draw according to the six-men tablebases. But it is important to understand where is it that we should placing our knight. The right spot for the knight is to be on g7 where it defends the f5 square. But then why not knight on e7. Let's figure it out.} Nf7 51. Ke4 Nh6 52. Ra5 Nf7 53. Ra3 Nd6+ $1 54. Kf4 Nf5 55. Rd3 {The critical moment of the game.} Nh6 (55... Ng7 $1 {The knight is best placed here for several reasons. Firstly the knight and the pawn coordinate perfectly to keep the White king out. But then why not the knight on e7. The reason is that imagine the knight is on e7 and the black king on f7. At this point in order to make a move you would have to play Kf8. While if the knight is on g7 and the king on f7 and a rook checks from a7, you can simply go to g6. From this I believe a good rule of thumb can be that it is important to place your knight closer to the file of the white pawn.} 56. Rd7 Nh5+ 57. Ke4 Ng7 58. Ra7 Ne8 59. Ra3 Ng7 60. Rg3+ Kf7 61. Kf3 Kf8 62. Kg4 Kf7 $11 {One more benefit of the knight on g7 is that the king cannot enter from h5.}) 56. Rg3+ $1 Kf7 ( 56... Kh5 57. Rg7 $18) 57. Ke4 Ng8 58. Kf5 Ne7+ 59. Kf4 Nd5+ 60. Kg4 $5 (60. Kf5 Ne7+ 61. Ke4 {is still winning.}) 60... Kg6 $1 61. Kf3+ Kf7 62. Ke4 { We are once again within the drawing zone, but MVL had to realize that the knight belonged on g7.} Ne7 (62... Nc7 $1 63. Kf5 Ne6 64. Kg4 Ng7 $11) 63. Kf4 Nd5+ 64. Kf5 Ne7+ 65. Ke4 Ng8 66. Rh3 Kg6 67. Ra3 Kf7 68. Kf4 Nh6 69. Rg3 Ng8 70. Kg4 $1 {This is where it gets tricky. The king wants to enter via h5. What does Black do?} Ne7 (70... Kg6 71. Kh4+ {If the knight were on g8, then Kh6 would have blocked the king on h4. However, now the knight would be hanging.} Kf7 72. Kh5 $18) 71. Kh5 Nd5 72. Rf3 $1 Ke6 73. g4 Ke5 74. Kg6 {MVL resigned the game because he is going to lose his f6 pawn. What a great game. Worthy of the stature of the Candidates!} 1-0 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.19"] [Round "8.2"] [White "Wang, Hao"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2791"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,55,19,40,24,36,10,-3,0,0,0,10,10,13,0,0,9,18,-5,-99,16,12,31,24,0,-13, -13,12,12,9,0,0,0,0,0,-3,-3,-25,-25,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 Ba6 9. b3 g6 10. Ba3 Nb4 $1 {Ding Liren knew that this line equalizes easily and goes for it.} (10... d6 {Wang Hao was expecting this move where he had some deep preparation.}) 11. Bb2 Bg7 12. a3 Nd5 13. Nd2 O-O 14. O-O-O Rfe8 15. Qf3 Nb6 16. Ne4 Bxe5 17. Bxe5 Qxe5 18. Nf6+ Kf8 19. Nxe8 Qa1+ {All of this has been seen before in the games Xiong vs Sevian, Chigaev vs Predke, Idani vs Anton Guijarro and many others.} 20. Kc2 Qa2+ 21. Kc1 Qxa3+ $5 (21... Qa1+ 22. Kc2 Qa2+ $11) 22. Kb1 Na4 $5 {Now Wang Hao has to find the most accurate move. Which he does!} (22... Rxe8 23. Qc3 Kg8 24. Kc2 {It is Black who may risk a lot in such positions.}) 23. Qf6 $1 Qxb3+ 24. Kc1 Qa3+ 25. Kc2 Qa2+ (25... Rb8 {There is no time for this move as after} 26. Qh8+ Ke7 27. Re1+ {It's the Black king that has got checkmated.}) 26. Kc1 Qa3+ 27. Kc2 Qa2+ 28. Kc1 { Nothing new was seen in this game. It is one of those draws, where both players tried to test their opponent's memory and preparation. White didn't a new idea up his sleeve and Black's best chance was to equalize with this drawing line.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.19"] [Round "8.3"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2789"] [BlackElo "2776"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,55,36,36,53,53,53,31,27,17,36,39,51,37,37,-11,-11,-19,20,-1,-1,-1,-11, -9,6,5,9,16,14,18,21,1,15,-15,16,8,14,14,31,33,20,16,23,20,17,23,39,27,40,32, 32,28,26,26,30,27,27,27]} 1. e4 {Anish Giri: "I did have one year to find advantage for black after 1.e4 and I have to say that I needed a little bit more time."} c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 {Anish instead of his trusted Najdorf, goes for the Sveshnikov.} 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 {The most popular moves in this positiona re 0-0, Bg5 and Ne7. Rb8 is the 4th most popular move here.} Rb8 12. Nc2 Bg5 13. g3 O-O 14. h4 Bh6 15. a3 {The idea if this move is play your knight to b4. Hence, Anish prevents it on the next move.} a5 16. Qd3 Ne7 17. Nce3 Bxe3 18. Nxe3 Be6 19. Rd1 Rb6 {This is not a very happy move to make for Black.} (19... b4 20. axb4 axb4 21. c4 {is what Anish may not have liked.}) 20. Bh3 Bb3 21. Rd2 Qc7 22. O-O Rfb8 23. Rc1 Rc6 24. Bg4 h6 {It's one of those positions where nothing much is happening. There are no real pawn breaks and both sides are biding their time. Now both the players find a nice way towards a three-fold repetition.} 25. Bd1 Be6 26. Bg4 Bb3 27. Bd1 Be6 28. Bg4 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.19"] [Round "8.4"] [White "Alekseenko, Kirill"] [Black "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C11"] [WhiteElo "2696"] [BlackElo "2777"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "147"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,49,36,36,41,43,43,39,49,56,48,9,9,18,32,29,32,19,60,81,29,29,12,14,14, 9,45,65,81,44,26,28,44,9,9,-5,45,-11,-2,-8,-16,-1,9,1,-9,-4,0,-43,-29,-5,-42, -21]} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 $5 {Grischuk plays the French! This is an opening he had played as a youngster back in the day. Recently he plays the French in blitz and rapid events. So this must definitely have come as a surprise to Alekseenko.} 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Qb6 9. Qd2 Qxb2 10. Rb1 Qa3 11. Bb5 {Nakamura has played this several times with Black. Simen Agdestein once when he was invited to the Norway Chess event in 2014 essayed this opening against three top players, one of them was Grischuk!} Nxd4 12. Bxd4 a6 13. Bxd7+ Bxd7 14. Rb3 Qe7 15. Rxb7 Qh4+ 16. Qf2 (16. g3 Qd8 17. Bb6 Qc8 18. Rc7 Qd8 19. Qd4 {Black could have also reached this position without including Qh4+ and g3. The position is around even.} Ba3 $1) 16... Qxf2+ 17. Kxf2 Be7 18. Nd1 Bd8 19. Ne3 Bc6 20. Rb2 O-O 21. Bc5 Re8 22. c4 f6 23. cxd5 exd5 24. Bd6 fxe5 25. fxe5 d4 26. Nf5 d3 27. Ke3 Bb5 28. Ke4 Rc8 29. Nd4 Bc4 30. Rd1 a5 31. a3 g6 32. Rb7 Bf6 33. Nf3 Bg7 34. Ra7 Rcd8 35. Kd4 Bb3 36. Rxg7+ {This rook sacrifice was more out of necessity than choice.} (36. Rxd3 Rxd6+ $19) 36... Kxg7 37. Rxd3 a4 (37... Bg8 $15) 38. Nd2 Be6 39. Ne4 Bf5 40. Re3 Bxe4 41. Rxe4 Rf8 42. Ke3 Rfe8 {The moment in the game where Alekseenko could have agreed to a draw, but fought on. Shows his fighting spirit.} 43. Kf4 Ra8 44. Rb4 Ra7 45. Ke4 Kf7 46. Rb6 Rc8 47. Bb4 Rac7 48. Kd5 Rc2 49. e6+ Kf6 50. Rb7 g5 51. Rxh7 Rxg2 52. Kd6 Kg6 53. Rh3 g4 54. Re3 Rxh2 55. Kd7 Rhh8 56. e7 Rce8 (56... Kf5 57. e8=Q Rcxe8 58. Rxe8 Rxe8 59. Kxe8 Ke4 60. Kd7 Kd5 61. Bd6 Kc4 62. Kc6 Kb3 63. Kb5 g3 64. Bxg3 Kxa3 $11) 57. Bd6 Ra8 ( 57... Kf5 58. Re5+ Kf4 $11) 58. Bc7 (58. e8=Q+ Raxe8 59. Rxe8 Rxe8 60. Kxe8 Kf5 61. Kd7 Ke4 62. Kc6 Kf5 $1 63. Kb5 (63. Kd5 Kf6) 63... Ke6 $1 64. Bg3 Kd7 65. Kxa4 Kc8 $11) 58... Rag8 $6 (58... Rh3 $11) 59. Re4 Kf5 (59... Ra8 60. Rxg4+ Kf7) 60. Rf4+ Kg5 61. Rxa4 Kh4 62. Re4 Ra8 63. a4 Kg5 64. a5 Rh7 65. Kc6 Rhh8 66. Kd7 Rh7 67. Kc6 Rhh8 68. Re3 Rhe8 69. Kd7 Kf6 70. Re6+ Kf7 71. Re4 Kf6 72. Bd8 Kf5 73. Kxe8 Kxe4 74. Kf8 1-0 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.20"] [Round "9.3"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Wang, Hao"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E05"] [WhiteElo "2776"] [BlackElo "2763"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,77,36,23,22,6,0,6,6,-21,-3,17,-3,1,8,-3,-10,-8,1,-13,-7,-15,0,7,19,16, 17,16,9,3,7,7,16,-5,20,4,31,30,21,21,47,47,47,41,47,47,37,32,49,49,33,36,40,29, 56,29,63,58,61,63,58,63,61,61,40,22,22,111,105,46,244,244,244,244,244,244,521, 527,722,764]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 {Ding Liren goes for the solid Catalan against Wang Hao's QGD.} Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. a4 {a4 has become the preferred way for White players to press for an advantage. Earlier Qxc4 was the main line, but Black has found ways to equalize against it.} (8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 {used to be the main line.}) 8... Bd7 9. Qxc4 Bc6 {This is the main idea in the a4 line. Black gets his bishop from c8 to c6 first. Black keeps the option open to develop the knight on b8. It can go to d7 or it can go via a5 and Na6.} 10. Bf4 (10. Bg5 {is played more often than Bf4.} Bd5 11. Qc2 Be4 12. Qc1 h6 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Rd1 a5 15. Nbd2 Bxf3 16. Bxf3 c6 {This is a typical idea in these structures. To give up the bishop on f3 and then play c6.}) (10. a5 $5 {an interesting idea.} Bd5 (10... b5 $5) 11. Qa4 c5 $11) 10... Bd6 11. Nc3 (11. Qc1 a5 12. Nc3 Na6 13. Rd1 Nb4 14. Bg5 h6 15. Bh4 Be7 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. e4 $13 {is an interesting way to play this opening as well.}) 11... Bxf4 12. gxf4 a5 13. e3 Na6 14. Ne5 $5 {Before Black takes on f3 and puts his pawn on c6, White decides to clarify the situation in the center. This move was played at the Super Juniors Cup between Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin.} Bxg2 15. Kxg2 c6 (15... Nb4 16. Kh1 c6 17. Rg1 g6 18. Rg2 Nbd5 19. Rag1 Kh8 20. Qe2 Rb8 21. h4 Qe7 22. Qf3 Rbc8 23. Nd3 Nb4 24. Nc5 b6 25. N5e4 Nbd5 26. Rh2 h5 27. Ng5 c5 28. Ne2 Ng4 29. Rhg2 Ndf6 30. e4 cxd4 31. Nxd4 e5 32. Nb5 exf4 33. Qxf4 Rcd8 34. f3 Ne5 35. Nc3 Rfe8 36. Nh3 Nd3 37. Qh6+ Nh7 38. Ng5 f6 39. Nxh7 Qxh7 40. Qxg6 Qxg6 41. Rxg6 Re7 42. Rxf6 Nxb2 43. Nd5 Rg7 44. Rh6+ Kg8 45. Rhg6 Rxg6 46. Rxg6+ Kf7 47. Rf6+ Kg7 48. Rxb6 Nxa4 49. Rb7+ Kg6 50. Ra7 Nc5 51. Rxa5 Nd3 52. Ra6+ Kg7 53. Ra7+ Kg6 54. Kh2 Rb8 55. Ra6+ Kg7 56. Kg3 Rb1 57. Ne3 Rg1+ 58. Kh2 Rb1 59. Nf5+ Kf7 60. Rh6 Rf1 61. Kg2 Rb1 62. Rxh5 Nf4+ 63. Kg3 Nxh5+ 64. Kg4 Ng7 65. Nd6+ Kg8 66. Nc4 Rg1+ 67. Kf4 Nh5+ 68. Kf5 Rg3 69. Ne5 Rg2 70. f4 Rf2 71. Ng6 Kf7 72. Ne5+ Kg7 73. Nd3 Rf3 74. Kg4 Rxd3 75. Kxh5 Rg3 76. e5 Rg1 77. f5 Re1 78. e6 Kf6 79. Kg4 Re4+ { 0-1 (79) Erigaisi,A (2559)-Nihal,S (2620) Lichess.org INT 2020}) 16. h3 $5 { [%csl Gh3][%CAl Gg2h2,Yh2h3] While commentating Live on the game Arjun vs Nihal, Anish had mentioned that it was possible to play h3 and have more air for the king. Arjun had gone for Kh1 and Rg1 which had also worked pretty well. } Qb6 17. Qe2 {Even though the computers assess this position as equal, a very good test is to see what active plans does Black have. When you try a few and realize none of them are really great, you start to feel that perhaps this position is not as easy for humans to play as the computer believes it to be.} c5 {[%csl Rb5] A move that weakens the b5 square and is not a great idea. But Black doesn't have too many plans, while White's play is straightforward - the g-file is open and one can think about doubling the rook on it.} (17... Rad8 18. Kh2 Nd7 19. Ne4 $1 $18) 18. Rfd1 (18. Qb5 Qxb5 19. axb5 cxd4 20. Ne2 Nb4 21. Nxd4 $14) 18... cxd4 19. Rxd4 Rad8 20. Rxd8 (20. Qb5 Qxb5 21. axb5 Rxd4 22. exd4 Nc7 23. Rxa5 $14 {How to assess this position? White is a pawn up, but Black has compensation in the form of weakened White structure. White should be slightly better.}) (20. Rad1 {seemed more natural. It would be interesting to know why Anish rejected this move.} Rxd4 21. Rxd4 Rd8 $2 22. Qb5 Qxb5 23. Rxd8+ Qe8 24. Rxe8+ Nxe8 25. Nc4 $18) 20... Qxd8 (20... Rxd8 21. Qb5 {looks very strong.} Qc7 22. Nc4 $16) 21. Rd1 (21. Qb5 Qa8 $1 {Was the deep point of taking on d8 wiht the queen.} 22. Qxa5 (22. Nc4 b6+ 23. Kh2 Qf3 {Black starts to get a lot of counterplay.}) 22... b6+ $1 $19) 21... Qa8 22. Kg1 Nb4 23. Qb5 Nbd5 {Wang Hao has managed to solve the problem of his problem piece on a6, but the positions still remains slightly preferable for White.} 24. Nxd5 Nxd5 25. Rc1 $5 (25. f5 {is something that any player would contemplate but after} Qd8 $1 {the white king is very weak on g1.}) 25... h6 26. Qd7 Nf6 27. Qd6 g6 $2 {The key mistake of the game. At this point Wang Hao had 15 minutes on his clock. He thought for nearly 14 minutes before playing g6.} (27... Qe8 $1 28. b3 b5 29. Qc6 bxa4 30. bxa4 Qb8 {Black will be able to hold this.}) 28. b3 $1 { This was a very cool move. It's a waiting move, at the same time the a1-h8 diagonal is extended and so the queen can very nicely sit on it.} h5 29. Kh2 Kg7 30. Qd4 Rd8 31. Qb2 Qb8 32. b4 (32. Qc3 $1 {With the dual idea of Qxa5 and Qc7 would have been very strong.}) 32... axb4 33. Rc4 {[%mdl 1]} b3 (33... Rd1 $1 {Wang Hao had this defensive possibility but with just a few seconds on his clock he was unable to find it.} 34. Rxb4 {[%mdl 1]} (34. Qxb4 {[%CAl Gb8d8] [%mdl 1]} Qd8 $3 (34... Nd7 35. Nf3) (34... Nd5 35. Qb2) (34... Qh8 35. Rc7 Ng4+ 36. Nxg4 hxg4 37. Qc3+) (34... Ng4+ 35. Nxg4 hxg4 36. Qc3+ {[%CAl Gc4c8]}) (34... Rd5 35. Qc3) 35. Qxb7 Ng4+ $1 36. Nxg4 (36. hxg4 Qh4+ 37. Kg2 Qh1+ 38. Kg3 h4#) (36. Kg2 Nxe5 $17) 36... hxg4 $13) 34... Qd6 $1 (34... Qd8 {will also do. The idea is to come to d5.} 35. Rxb7 Qd5 {transposes to the main line.} 36. Rxf7+) (34... b6 35. Rxb6 Qa8 36. Rb7) 35. Rxb7 Qd5 $1 36. Rxf7+ Kh6 {White is in trouble because it is his king which is coming under attack now.} 37. Kg3 { [%mdl 1]} (37. Rxf6 Rh1+ 38. Kg3 {[%mdl 1]} Rxh3+ (38... Rg1+ 39. Kh4) 39. Kxh3 Qh1+ 40. Kg3 h4+ 41. Kg4 Qg2+ 42. Kxh4 Qh2+ 43. Kg4 Qg2+ $11) (37. Qb7 { [%mdl 1]} Rh1+ 38. Kg3 Rg1+ 39. Kh4 (39. Kh2 Rh1+ 40. Kg3 Rg1+ 41. Kh4 Qxe5) 39... Qxe5 40. fxe5 g5#) 37... Rh1 $1 (37... Ne4+ {[%mdl 1] May seem like the most natural try but it fails to} 38. Kg2 (38. Kh4 Qd8+) (38. Kh2 Nf6) 38... Nxf2+ (38... Nd2+ {[%mdl 1]} 39. f3 $18) (38... Nd6+ {[%mdl 1]} 39. e4 $3 (39. Nf3 Nxf7) 39... Qxe4+ (39... Nxe4 40. Ng4+ hxg4 41. Qh8#) 40. f3 $18) (38... Ng5+ 39. e4 (39. f3 Rd2+) 39... Qxe4+ (39... Nxe4 40. Ng4+ {[%csl Gg7,Gh8] [%CAl Gb2g7,Gg7h8]} hxg4 41. Qh8#) 40. f3) (38... Nf6+ 39. Nf3) 39. Nf3 $18 ( 39. Kxf2 Rd2+) 39... e5 40. Qb7 Qxb7 41. Rxb7) (37... Qh1 38. Rxf6 Rg1+ 39. Kh4 ) 38. Nf3 {[%mdl 1]} (38. Qb7 Rg1+ 39. Kh2 (39. Kh4 Qxe5 $1 40. fxe5 g5#) 39... Rh1+ 40. Kg3 Rg1+ $11) (38. f3 Qd1 39. Nd3 (39. Rh7+ Kxh7 40. Qb7+ Kh6 (40... Nd7 41. Qxd7+ Qxd7 42. Nxd7) 41. Nf7+ Kg7 42. Nd6+) (39. Qf2 Rf1 40. Rxf6 (40. Qg2 Rg1) 40... Rxf2 (40... h4+ 41. Kg2 Rxf2+) 41. Rxg6+) 39... Qg1+ 40. Qg2 h4+ ) 38... Rxh3+ (38... h4+ 39. Kg2 Rxh3 40. Qb7 (40. Qe2 Rxf3 41. Qxf3 h3+ 42. Kg3 Nh5+ 43. Kg4 h2 44. e4)) 39. Kxh3 Qxf3+ 40. Kh2 Ng4+ 41. Kg1 Qd1+ (41... e5 42. Rd7 (42. Qd2 h4 43. e4 {[%csl Gh6][%CAl Gd2h6]}) 42... Nxe3 43. fxe3 Qg4+) 42. Kg2 {[%mdl 1]} Ne5 $3 {[%CAl Rb2h8,Re5f7]} (42... Qd5+ 43. e4 Qxe4+ 44. f3 Ne3+ 45. Kg1) 43. Qxe5 Qg4+ 44. Kf1 Qd1+ 45. Kg2 Qg4+ 46. Kh2 Qh4+ 47. Kg1 Qg4+ $11) (33... b5 34. Rxb4 Qa8 35. Rxb5 Rd1 36. Rb7) (33... Qa8 34. Rc7) 34. Rb4 Qa7 (34... Qd6 35. Rxb7 Qd2 $132) 35. Rxb3 Qxa4 36. Rxb7 Qe8 {Black is too passive and Anish easily recognizes that there is no hurry to sacrifice on f7.} 37. Ra7 $1 Rd5 38. Qb7 Ne4 39. Nxf7 1-0 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.20"] [Round "9.1"] [White "Alekseenko, Kirill"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C54"] [WhiteElo "2696"] [BlackElo "2820"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "118"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,118,28,31,25,15,25,25,14,5,0,0,21,10,26,0,16,-19,16,3,17,16,25,-18,25, -12,-2,-22,-17,-37,-26,-23,-26,-26,-27,-21,-25,-10,44,36,39,-16,54,-18,-31,-55, -94,-95,1,-72,-56,-38,-3,-105,-63,-32,-29,-26,-14,-83,-31,-78,-76,-91,-88,-55, -55,-55,-61,-56,-56,-56,-45,-42,-46,-48,-51,-69,-20,-11,-14,-24,-44,-30,-34, -40,-30,-86,-95,-72,-75,-79,-68,-71,-68,-105,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 h6 6. O-O d6 7. Re1 O-O 8. h3 Bb6 9. Nbd2 Ne7 10. d4 Nc6 11. a4 a5 12. Ba2 exd4 13. Nc4 dxc3 14. Nxb6 c2 15. Qxc2 cxb6 16. Bd2 Be6 17. Bxe6 fxe6 18. Qb3 Qe8 19. Qxb6 Nd7 20. Qe3 e5 21. Qd3 Qe6 22. Nh4 Nc5 23. Qg3 Kh7 24. Rad1 g5 25. Nf3 Rf7 26. Bc1 Raf8 27. Qg4 Qxg4 28. hxg4 Rf6 29. Be3 Nxa4 30. Rd5 Nxb2 31. Rc1 R8f7 32. Rc2 Na4 33. Rc4 Nb2 34. Rc2 Na4 35. Rc4 Nc5 36. Bxc5 dxc5 37. Rcxc5 Re7 38. Nxe5 Nxe5 39. Rxe5 Rxe5 40. Rxe5 Ra6 41. Re7+ Kg6 42. Rxb7 a4 43. f3 a3 44. Rb1 a2 45. Ra1 Kf6 46. Kf2 Ke5 47. Ke3 Ra8 48. Kd3 Kf4 49. Kc4 Kg3 50. e5 Kxg2 51. e6 Kxf3 52. Kd5 Kxg4 53. e7 Kf3 54. Rxa2 Re8 55. Ke6 g4 56. Kf7 Rxe7+ 57. Kxe7 g3 58. Kf6 g2 59. Rxg2 Kxg2 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.20"] [Round "9.2"] [White "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D85"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2789"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,81,35,25,28,6,43,39,76,54,67,57,60,48,48,54,33,46,45,-1,13,27,16,16,5, 16,54,69,37,24,9,9,29,39,29,39,34,44,44,36,51,46,46,34,29,26,16,17,19,30,-19,1, -7,-97,-35,-48,-20,-57,0,-80,0,-80,-24,-22,18,20,20,22,20,0,0,0,0,0,7,0,0,-2,0, -2,0,0,0,0]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Rb1 O-O 9. h3 Nc6 10. d5 Bxc3+ 11. Bd2 Bxd2+ 12. Qxd2 Nd4 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Bc4 e5 15. O-O Qd6 16. f4 Rb8 17. fxe5 Qxe5 18. Qf4 Qxf4 19. Rxf4 Re8 20. Bb5 Rd8 21. Rbf1 Bd7 22. Bc4 Rbc8 23. Bb3 Bb5 24. R1f2 a5 25. d6 Bc4 26. Rxf7 Bxb3 27. axb3 Rxd6 28. e5 Rb6 29. Rd7 Rf8 30. Ra2 Rxb3 31. Rxa5 Re3 32. Rb5 Re1+ 33. Kh2 Rf7 34. Rbxb7 Rxd7 35. Rxd7 Rxe5 36. Rxd4 Re7 37. Kg1 Kg7 38. Kh2 Rf7 39. Kg1 Re7 40. Kh2 Rf7 41. Re4 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.20"] [Round "9.4"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E60"] [WhiteElo "2791"] [BlackElo "2758"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "175"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] {[%evp 0,90,19,31,14,-14,43,-8,1,2,-16,4,3,14,72,40,55,23,48,29,37,16,43,39,17, 13,21,33,37,31,37,3,-4,-4,70,52,46,65,45,1,2,49,47,41,56,23,46,35,40,37,43,24, 36,28,53,113,115,134,135,116,138,140,125,107,119,118,123,90,110,88,122,102,148, 86,104,102,137,50,61,61,65,54,60,69,70,28,51,15,134,42,40,107,56]} 1. d4 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. h4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:55]} 4. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:17]} c5 { [%emt 0:00:02]} 5. d5 {[%emt 0:00:12]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 6. e4 {[%emt 0:00: 20]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 7. Be2 {[%emt 0:00:46]} exd5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 8. exd5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Nbd7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 9. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:47]} Ng4 {[%emt 0:00: 36]} 10. h5 {[%emt 0:01:00]} Qe7 {[%emt 0:07:44]} 11. Bg5 {[%emt 0:21:40]} Bxc3+ {[%emt 0:05:26]} 12. bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} f6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 13. Bd2 { [%emt 0:01:22]} g5 {[%emt 0:03:08]} 14. O-O {[%emt 0:02:19]} Nge5 {[%emt 0:09: 39]} 15. Nd4 {[%emt 0:01:51]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:07:40]} 16. cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} O-O {[%emt 0:07:36]} 17. dxe5 {[%emt 0:23:02]} fxe5 {[%emt 0:00:22]} 18. Be3 { [%emt 0:00:32]} b6 {[%emt 0:00:51]} 19. a4 {[%emt 0:03:24]} Nc5 {[%emt 0:00:18] } 20. a5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:01:03]} 21. Ra3 {[%emt 0:09:12]} h6 { [%emt 0:03:02]} 22. Qd2 {[%emt 0:00:30]} Bf5 {[%emt 0:01:21]} 23. axb6 { [%emt 0:00:49]} axb6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 24. Rfa1 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Rb7 {[%emt 0: 01:16]} 25. Qd1 {[%emt 0:01:24]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:01:29]} 26. R1a2 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Ne4 {[%emt 0:06:24]} 27. Bd3 {[%emt 0:04:11]} Qf7 {[%emt 0:03:04]} 28. Rb2 { [%emt 0:06:35]} Nc5 {[%emt 0:05:07]} 29. Bxf5 {[%emt 0:01:13]} Qxf5 {[%emt 0: 00:06]} 30. Bxc5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} dxc5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 31. Qe2 {[%emt 0:08:19] } e4 {[%emt 0:01:38]} 32. Re3 {[%emt 0:01:22]} Re8 {[%emt 0:00:21]} 33. Rb5 { [%emt 0:06:58]} Qe5 {[%emt 0:05:03]} 34. g3 {[%emt 0:00:36]} Qd4 {[%emt 0:02: 34]} 35. Rb1 {[%emt 0:03:54]} Rf7 {[%emt 0:01:57]} 36. Rd1 {[%emt 0:04:52]} Qf6 {[%emt 0:03:21]} 37. d6 {[%emt 0:01:10]} Re6 {[%emt 0:01:29]} 38. d7 {[%emt 0: 06:45]} Rd6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 39. Rxd6 {[%emt 0:00:19]} Qxd6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 40. Rxe4 {[%emt 0:01:24]} Rxd7 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 41. Kg2 {[%emt 0:13:09]} Qc6 { [%emt 0:04:44]} 42. Kh2 {[%emt 0:06:49]} Qf6 {[%emt 0:02:10]} 43. Kh3 {[%emt 0: 02:56]} Qf5+ {[%emt 0:15:12]} 44. g4 {[%emt 0:02:27]} Qf6 {[%emt 0:01:20]} 45. Re5 {[%emt 0:06:17]} Qd6 {[%emt 0:06:29]} 46. Kg2 {[%emt 0:06:41]} Qc6+ { [%emt 0:06:39]} 47. f3 {[%emt 0:00:41]} Qd6 {[%emt 0:02:16]} 48. Qe4 {[%emt 0: 01:06]} Ra7 {[%emt 0:03:47]} 49. Qe2 {[%emt 0:02:36]} Rd7 {[%emt 0:03:42]} 50. Qe4 {[%emt 0:06:58]} Ra7 {[%emt 0:00:26]} 51. Kh3 {[%emt 0:00:19]} Rf7 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 52. Re8 {[%emt 0:00:38]} Qf6 {[%emt 0:05:05]} 53. Kg2 {[%emt 0: 00:04]} Qb2+ {[%emt 0:00:31]} 54. Kh3 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Qf6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 55. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Qb2+ {[%emt 0:00:06]} 56. Kg3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Qf6 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 57. Qd3 {[%emt 0:07:01]} Qf4+ {[%emt 0:00:35]} 58. Kg2 { [%emt 0:00:02]} Qf6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 59. Kg3 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Qf4+ {[%emt 0:00: 06]} 60. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Qf6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 61. Qe2 {[%emt 0:17:21]} Rd7 {[%emt 0:26:23]} 62. Qe4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Rd2+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 63. Kh3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Qd6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 64. Re5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 65. Rf5+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 66. Re5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 67. Rf5+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 68. Qb7+ { [%emt 0:00:00]} Kh8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 69. Qa8+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 70. Qa7+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kh8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 71. Qa1+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 72. Qa8+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 73. Qa1+ { [%emt 0:00:00]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 74. Re5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qf8 {[%emt 0:00: 10]} 75. Qa3 {[%emt 0:00:53]} Rf2 {[%emt 0:07:11]} 76. Kg3 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Qf4+ {[%emt 0:00:05]} 77. Kxf2 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Qxe5 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 78. Qa8+ {[%emt 0:00:02]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:03:00]} 79. Qb7+ {[%emt 0:00:22]} Kf8 {[%emt 0: 00:07]} 80. Qc8+ {[%emt 0:07:05]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:29]} 81. Qb7+ {[%emt 0:00:12] } Kf8 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 82. Qxb6 {[%emt 0:01:15]} Qh2+ {[%emt 0:00:13]} 83. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Qh1+ {[%emt 0:00:04]} 84. Ke2 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Qg2+ {[%emt 0: 00:06]} 85. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:29]} Qg1+ {[%emt 0:00:05]} 86. Ke2 {[%emt 0:00:42]} Qg2+ {[%emt 0:00:05]} 87. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Qg1+ {[%emt 0:00:05]} 88. Ke2 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.21"] [Round "10.1"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C90"] [WhiteElo "2820"] [BlackElo "2791"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,68,28,40,44,28,21,8,17,7,4,3,24,6,-6,14,18,-7,-7,4,6,17,20,-19,-6,-34, -42,-26,-23,-14,-37,-37,-7,1,2,-12,-4,7,13,16,18,-14,-19,-35,-35,-17,-21,-38, -41,-45,-26,-29,-28,-39,-80,-51,-64,-45,-56,-60,-70,-78,-83,-88,-75,-75,-75, -70,-70,-65,-68]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4 b4 9. a5 d6 10. d3 Be6 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. c3 Rb8 13. Nbd2 Rb5 14. d4 bxc3 15. bxc3 exd4 16. cxd4 Qc8 17. Ba3 Nxa5 18. Qc2 c5 19. e5 dxe5 20. dxc5 Nc6 21. Ne4 Nxe4 22. Rxe4 Rd8 23. Rae1 Bf6 24. h4 h6 25. R4e3 Rd5 26. g4 Qe8 27. Kg2 h5 28. g5 Be7 29. Nxe5 Bxc5 30. Bxc5 Rbxc5 31. Qg6 Qxg6 32. Nxg6 e5 33. f4 Rd2+ 34. R3e2 Rxe2+ 35. Rxe2 Nd4 36. Re4 Rc2+ 37. Kf1 Rc1+ 38. Kf2 Rc2+ 39. Kf1 Rc1+ 40. Kf2 Rc2+ 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.21"] [Round "10.2"] [White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2758"] [BlackElo "2776"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,51,28,32,42,45,48,14,19,12,32,35,36,19,19,14,14,14,45,41,41,31,22,23, 14,19,45,45,19,14,14,14,14,30,20,0,48,48,37,54,67,64,78,67,75,70,72,67,85,85, 100,89,89,89]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Nb8 9. c4 Be7 10. c5 Na6 11. cxd6 Bxd6 12. Bc4 O-O 13. O-O Nc7 14. Nxd6 Qxd6 15. Qf3 b6 16. Rd1 Bb7 17. Bg5 h6 18. Bh4 b5 19. Bb3 Na6 20. Qe2 Nc5 21. Qxb5 Nxb3 22. axb3 Rfb8 23. f3 a6 24. Qa5 Rc8 25. Qa3 Qb6+ 26. Bf2 Qb5 27. d6 Qd7 28. Qa4 Bc6 29. Qh4 Re8 30. Rac1 Rac8 31. Rc4 Re6 32. Bc5 Rg6 33. Qf2 Re8 34. Re1 e4 35. fxe4 Rg4 36. h3 Rgxe4 37. Rexe4 Rxe4 38. Rxe4 Bxe4 39. Qe2 Bb7 40. b4 Qc6 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.21"] [Round "10.3"] [White "Wang, Hao"] [Black "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C11"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2777"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,82,19,28,46,23,46,29,60,65,57,-2,-11,-13,-2,-29,-14,-14,34,24,54,43, 70,53,11,-22,0,0,24,9,55,48,30,37,27,31,60,39,31,22,46,17,58,-30,-27,4,0,-26, -25,-87,-87,-89,-90,-116,-131,-116,-25,-27,-75,-101,-77,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,31, 31,50,50,51,0,0,-30,-21,-18,-20,-20,-17,-17,-15]} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Nce2 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. f4 Be7 8. Nf3 f6 9. Be3 O-O 10. g3 Qb6 11. Qd2 {In this position Grischuk thought for 71 minutes. Yes, you read that right - 71 minutes!} (11. Qb3 {is the main move.}) 11... cxd4 (11... a5 12. Bh3 $16) 12. Nfxd4 (12. Nexd4 fxe5 (12... Ncxe5 13. fxe5 fxe5 14. Nf5 Bc5 15. Bxc5 Nxc5 (15... Qxc5 16. b4 Qb6 17. Ne7+ Kh8 18. Be2 $16) 16. Ne7+ Kh8 17. Nxe5 Ne4 18. Qd4 Qxb2 19. Rd1 Qf2+ 20. Qxf2 Nxf2 21. Rd4 Nxh1 22. N5g6+ hxg6 23. Rh4#) 13. Nxe6 d4 {This move is pretty good for White, maybe the best one in the position.} 14. Bf2 $1 (14. Nxf8 dxe3 15. Bc4+ Kh8 $1 (15... Kxf8 16. Qd5 $18) 16. Qd5 (16. Ng6+ hxg6 17. Qg2 Nf6) 16... Nf6 $19) 14... Re8 $1 {saving the rook.} 15. Be2 $1 Nf8 16. Nxf8 Rxf8 17. O-O $11 {The position is round about even here.}) 12... Nc5 13. exf6 Bxf6 14. Nb3 Ne4 15. Qd3 (15. Bxb6 Nxd2 16. Bc5 Nxf1 17. Bxf8 Ne3 18. Kf2 Ng4+ 19. Kf3 Nge5+ (19... e5 20. Bc5 b6 21. Bg1 Nh6 $15) 20. fxe5 Nxe5+ 21. Kg2 Kxf8 $13) 15... Qc7 16. Bg2 Nd6 17. Bf2 Nc4 18. Qc2 Ne7 19. O-O e5 20. fxe5 Bf5 21. exf6 $5 {Very well spirited!} (21. Qc1 { White is slightly better because the d4 square is weak and the knight can be placed there. However, Wang Hao had some other intentions.}) 21... Bxc2 22. fxe7 Rfe8 23. Nf4 Nb6 24. Nxd5 $2 (24. Bxb6 Qxb6+ 25. Nd4 Be4 26. Nxd5 Bxd5 27. Bxd5+ Kh8 28. Rf7 Qc5 29. Bxb7 $44 {White has excellent coordination and compensation. He should be able to hold the draw without too many difficulties here.}) 24... Nxd5 25. Bxd5+ Kh8 26. Nd4 Qd7 27. c4 Bg6 (27... Bd3 28. Rfd1 Bg6 {Getting the rook out of the f-file before going to g6 would have been more accurate.}) 28. Ne6 Rxe7 29. Rae1 Bf7 $2 {With very little time Grischuk makes an error and once again White is back in the game.} (29... Bf5 $19) 30. Nxg7 Bxd5 $2 (30... Rxe1 $1 31. Bxe1 Kxg7 32. Bxf7 Qxf7 33. Rxf7+ Kxf7 $17 {Only Black can try in this position. There are high chances that he can win this.}) 31. Rxe7 Qxe7 32. Nf5 $1 Qf8 (32... Qe4 33. Bd4+ Qxd4+ 34. Nxd4 Bxc4 35. Rf4 Bxa2 $11) 33. Bd4+ Kg8 34. cxd5 h5 35. d6 {Theknight bishop and the d-pawn provide for ample compensation for the queen.} Kh7 36. Ne7 Qe8 37. Rf6 Rd8 38. Bc3 Rxd6 $1 {A good decision by Grischuk to force the draw here.} 39. Rxd6 Qxe7 40. Rd4 Kg6 41. a3 Qe3+ 1/2-1/2 [Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Date "2021.04.21"] [Round "10.4"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Alekseenko, Kirill"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A13"] [WhiteElo "2789"] [BlackElo "2696"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2020.03.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Tiebreak "Koya+Number of black wins+Number of wins"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,61,16,-24,-2,-44,-20,-62,-21,-30,-20,-11,-13,-36,22,-5,0,0,14,31,31, 29,38,51,25,26,65,31,47,33,34,51,51,51,85,77,129,89,132,124,124,169,169,153, 153,163,340,-62,196,196,164,171,191,226,226,204,204,230,230,189,245,252,245, 239]} 1. c4 Nf6 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 d5 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4 a6 7. Qc2 c5 8. Nc3 $5 (8. O-O {is met with} b5 9. Ne5 Nd5 $11) 8... Be7 $6 (8... Qc7 $1 {It was very important to make this move.} 9. O-O (9. d4 b5 10. Bf4 Qb6 11. Ne5 Bb7 $11) 9... b6 10. d4 Bb7 11. Bf4 Bd6 $11) 9. O-O O-O 10. d4 $1 {White now has a small edge and after the next move it was becomes very clear.} cxd4 $6 ( 10... b5 $5 11. Ne5 Nxe5 12. dxe5 (12. Bxa8 cxd4 $15) 12... Nd5 13. Nxd5 exd5 14. Be3 $14) 11. Nxd4 $16 Qc7 12. Rd1 (12. Be3 {was perhaps more accurate.} Ng4 (12... Rd8 13. Rac1 $16) 13. Nd5 $1 $18) 12... Rd8 13. Be3 Nb6 14. Rac1 { [%csl Gc1,Gc2,Gc3,Rc8,Gd1,Gd4,Ge3,Gg2]} e5 (14... Nc4 15. Na4 $18) (14... Ng4 $5 {This was the move that Ian Nepomniachtchi was afraid about.} 15. Qb3 (15. Bf4 e5 16. Qb3 exf4) 15... Nxe3 16. fxe3 $18) 15. Nf5 Bxf5 (15... Bf8 16. Nxg7 (16. Bg5 {is what Nepo would have done.}) (16. Ne4 $2 Qxc2 17. Nxf6+ gxf6 18. Nh6+ Kg7 19. Rxd8 Qxb2 $19) 16... Bxg7 17. Ne4 $1 (17. Nb5 $1 {is also very strong.} Rxd1+ 18. Qxd1 Qd7 19. Nc7 Rb8 20. Bxb6 $18) 17... Rxd1+ (17... Nc4 18. Rxd8+ Qxd8 19. Qxc4 $18) (17... Qxc2 18. Rxd8+ $18) 18. Qxd1 Qd7 19. Bxb6 $18) 16. Qxf5 Nc4 17. Bg5 $1 Rxd1+ 18. Nxd1 Rd8 19. Bxf6 $1 {Nepo is very alert.} (19. b3 Qa5 20. bxc4 Qe1+ 21. Bf1 Rxd1 22. Qc8+ Bf8 23. Rxd1 Qxd1 24. Qxb7 $18 {was also winning, but the game continuation was very clean.}) 19... Bxf6 20. Be4 {Now g6 is impossible. h7 cannot be defended.} Qa5 21. Nc3 Kf8 22. Nd5 b5 23. Qxh7 (23. Rc3 {would be the engine way to win.} Nxb2 24. Rc6 Qe1+ 25. Kg2 Nd1 26. Nxf6 gxf6 27. Qxf6 $18) 23... Rxd5 24. Bxd5 Qd2 {It seems as if Black is winning back the material?} 25. Rxc4 $1 (25. Qh8+ Ke7 26. Rxc4 Qd1+ $1 27. Kg2 Qxd5+ $19) 25... bxc4 (25... Qd1+ 26. Kg2 Qxd5+ 27. Re4 $18) 26. e4 Qxb2 27. Qh8+ Ke7 28. Qc8 {Very interesting decision. The material is even, but because of the opposite coloured bishops and the queen, the black king is very weak and very soon, Black loses two pawns.} Qb6 (28... c3 29. Qc7+ Ke8 30. Bc6+ Kf8 31. Qc8+ Ke7 32. Qd7+ Kf8 33. Qe8#) 29. Qxc4 Qb5 (29... Kf8 30. Kg2 $1 $18 (30. Bxf7 Qb5 31. Kg2 Qxc4 32. Bxc4 a5 33. Kf3 $18 {should also win.})) 30. Qc7+ Qd7 31. Qc5+ {The a6 pawn is falling and White is winning, that's the reason why Alekseenko resigned.} 1-0