[Event "WCh 2023"] [Site "Astana KAZ"] [Date "2023.04.16"] [Round "6"] [White "Ding Liren"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2788"] [BlackElo "2795"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "87"] [EventDate "2023.04.09"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bf4 {It's nice to see both players hopping around in the openings. It's good for fans, who have a greater likelihood of seeing their favorite openings tested, and makes for more interesting chess in general. As for Ding and the London System, I don't think it's a regular part of his repertoire, though he has played it before. Nevertheless, we can be sure that Nepo has spent plenty of time on this, both in general (so many top players use it on a regular basis, including the outgoing champ) and for this match in particular.} c5 4. e3 Nc6 (4... e6 {followed by ...Bd6 is how Ding handled the position against Magnus Carlsen earlier this year.} 5. c3 Bd6 6. Bb5+ Nc6 7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8. Bxd6 Qxd6 9. Qa4 O-O 10. O-O cxd4 11. cxd4 c5 12. Rc1 c4 13. b3 Bd7 14. Qa5 cxb3 15. axb3 Rfb8 16. Nbd2 Rb5 17. Qc7 Ne8 18. Qxd6 Nxd6 19. Ne5 Be8 20. Nd3 a5 21. f3 Rb7 22. Ra2 Rba7 23. Kf2 a4 24. Rca1 Nc8 25. h4 Kf8 26. g4 axb3 27. Rxa7 Rxa7 28. Rxa7 Nxa7 29. Nxb3 Nb5 30. Nbc5 Ke7 31. Nf4 h6 32. g5 hxg5 33. hxg5 Nc7 34. Nh5 Kf8 35. Nf4 Ke7 36. Nh5 Kf8 37. Nf4 {½-½ Carlsen,M (2859)-Ding,L (2811) Tata Steel-A 85th Wijk aan Zee 2023 (3)}) 5. Nbd2 cxd4 6. exd4 Bf5 {This is the most common move here, but earlier Nepo (and London practitioner Carlsen, too) preferred to move the bishop one square further.} (6... Bg4 7. c3 e6 8. Qb3 Qc8 9. h3 Bxf3 (9... Bh5 10. g4 Bg6 11. Ne5 Be7 12. Nxg6 hxg6 13. Bg2 a6 14. a4 O-O 15. O-O Na5 16. Qd1 b5 17. Qe2 Nc4 18. Nf3 Qb7 19. b3 Nd6 20. Ne5 bxa4 21. bxa4 Qc8 22. Rfc1 Ra7 23. c4 Nxc4 24. Nxc4 dxc4 25. Rxc4 Qd8 26. a5 Nd5 27. Bg3 Qd7 28. Rb1 Rb7 29. Rxb7 Qxb7 30. Rc1 Bf6 31. Qc4 Rd8 32. Kh2 g5 33. Be4 Qb2 34. Rc2 Qxd4 35. Bxd5 Rxd5 36. Qxa6 Qa4 37. Rc8+ Kh7 38. Qa8 Be5 39. Bxe5 Rxe5 40. Rh8+ Kg6 41. a6 Rd5 42. Qb8 Qxa6 43. h4 Qe2 44. Qg3 Rd4 45. h5+ Kf6 46. h6 Rxg4 47. hxg7 Rxg3 {0-1 Gukesh,D (2725)-Carlsen,M (2859) Speed Chess Chess.com INT blitz 2022 (1.23)}) 10. Nxf3 Ne4 11. Bd3 Bd6 12. Be3 Nf6 13. O-O O-O 14. Rae1 Qc7 15. Qd1 Rae8 16. Bg5 Bf4 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. Nh4 Ne7 19. g3 Bg5 20. Qh5 Ng6 21. Nf3 Kg7 22. Nh2 Rg8 23. Kh1 Bh6 24. Ng4 Bd2 25. f4 Qd8 26. Re2 f5 27. Nh6 Bxf4 28. gxf4 Rgf8 29. Rg2 Qf6 30. Rfg1 a6 31. Rg5 b5 32. a3 Rb8 33. Bxf5 exf5 34. Nxf5+ Kg8 35. Qh6 Rfe8 36. Rh5 Qh8 37. Nh4 Qg7 38. Qxg7+ Kxg7 39. f5 Re2 40. fxg6 hxg6 41. Nf3 Rxb2 42. Rxd5 Rc8 43. Rc5 Rxc5 44. dxc5 Rc2 45. Nd4 Rxc3 46. c6 Kf6 47. Re1 Rxa3 48. Kg2 Rc3 49. Re8 b4 50. Kf2 a5 51. Ke2 a4 52. Rb8 b3 53. Kd2 Rc5 54. Kd3 Rc1 55. Kd2 Rc4 56. Kd3 Rc1 57. Rb4 a3 58. Nxb3 Rxc6 59. Ra4 Rc8 60. Nd2 Kf5 61. Ne4 Rc1 62. Rxa3 Kf4 63. Nf2 Re1 64. Kd2 Re7 65. Ra6 Kg3 66. Rf6 Kg2 67. Kd3 Kg3 68. Kd4 Kg2 69. Kd5 Kg3 70. Ne4+ Kxh3 71. Ng5+ Kh4 72. Nxf7 g5 73. Ne5 Ra7 74. Rh6+ Kg3 75. Ke4 Ra4+ 76. Kf5 g4 77. Rb6 Kh3 78. Nd3 Ra5+ 79. Ke4 Ra4+ 80. Ke3 Kg3 81. Rb3 Ra8 82. Nc5 Rf8 83. Ne4+ Kh2 84. Rb2+ Kh3 85. Rb7 Rf3+ 86. Ke2 Ra3 87. Rg7 g3 88. Nxg3 Rxg3 89. Rxg3+ Kxg3 {½-½ Aravindh,C (2576)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2766) Wch Rapid Almaty 2022 (2)}) 7. c3 (7. Bb5 {is a popular alternative.}) 7... e6 8. Bb5 {After all. This line appears to be something of a Kamsky specialty.} Bd6 9. Bxd6 Qxd6 10. O-O O-O 11. Re1 {The position bears a strong resemblance to the Exchange Caro-Kann. It's the same structure, and there too the dark-squared bishops are often swapped off while White looks to plop a knight on e5. A difference is that White's bishop is usually on d3 while Black's has gone to g4. (Sometimes that bishop swaps itself for the knight, sometimes it goes back to g6 to neutralize White's bishop.) Black's major source of counterplay there is to go for the minority attack with ...Rab8, ...b5-b4, but in the London System White has been thwarting this with a4-a5. I'm not sure who first started doing that, but I think it was Carlsen who at least put that plan on the map. (Not in this particular subline, but in these Exchange Caro-Kannish London lines.) We'll see it in this game, and Kamsky has put this plan into practice as well.} h6 (11... a6 12. Bxc6 (12. Bf1 Qc7 13. a4 h6 14. Qb3 Rab8 15. Qa3 Rfe8 16. a5 Ne4 17. Nxe4 Bxe4 18. Nd2 Bg6 19. Qc5 Rbc8 20. Nb3 Bc2 21. Nc1 Qd8 $11 22. Bd3 $2 {Either an oversight or a misjudged sacrifice. (Probably the former, IMHO.)} Bxd3 23. Nxd3 Ne5 24. Rxe5 Rxc5 25. Nxc5 Qc7 $17 {0-1 Kamsky,G (2657)-Martirosyan,H (2633) Titled Tuesday intern op 22nd Feb Early Chess.com INT blitz 2022 (9)} (25... f6 $1 26. Rxe6 Rxe6 27. Nxe6 Qe8 28. Nc5 Qe2 29. Na4 Qb5 30. b4 Qe2 $19)) 12... Qxc6 13. Ne5 Qc7 14. a4 (14. g4 Bg6 15. Re3 {is an interesting alternative.}) 14... a5 (14... b5 $143 15. a5 $14 {followed by Nb3-c5 favors White.}) 15. g4 Bg6 16. h4 Nd7 (16... h6 $1 $11) (16... h5 $1 $11) 17. h5 $14 {1-0 Kamsky,G (2664)-Matlakov,M (2662) Titled Tuesday intern op 28th Feb Late Chess.com INT blitz 2023 (8)}) (11... Qc7 12. Ne5 (12. Qe2 $142) 12... Nxe5 13. dxe5 Nd7 (13... Ng4 $1 14. Nf3 Be4 {gives Black the better half of the roughly equal position.}) 14. Bxd7 Qxd7 15. Nb3 Rac8 16. Nd4 $14 Be4 17. Qg4 Qc7 18. f3 Bg6 19. h4 h6 20. h5 Bh7 21. Re2 Qb6 22. Kh2 Rc4 23. Qf4 Qa6 24. Rd2 Qa5 25. a3 Qc7 26. Re1 a6 27. g4 Qe7 28. Kh3 b5 29. Rg2 f6 30. exf6 Rxf6 31. Qe5 Rxd4 32. cxd4 Rxf3+ 33. Rg3 Rxg3+ 34. Kxg3 Be4 35. Rc1 Qf8 36. Qf4 Qd8 37. Rc6 e5 38. Qxe5 Qf8 39. Qf4 Qe8 40. Rc7 Qe6 41. Qe5 Qxe5+ 42. dxe5 Kf8 43. Kf4 Bg2 44. Rd7 Ke8 45. e6 Be4 46. Rxg7 {1-0 Kamsky,G (2664)-Yuan,Q (2373) Titled Tuesday intern op 21st Feb Late Chess.com INT blitz 2023 (9)}) 12. Ne5 $146 (12. a4 Rfc8 13. a5 Qc7 (13... Ne4 14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Nd2 Bf5 16. Qa4 a6 17. Bf1 Re8 18. Qa3 Qc7 19. Nb3 e5 $1 $11 20. dxe5 Nxe5 21. Qc5 Nc6 22. Nd4 Be6 23. Nxc6 Qxc6 24. Qd4 Rad8 25. Re5 Rd7 26. Rae1 Qc7 27. f4 Rde7 28. Bd3 g6 29. b4 Bc8 30. Kf2 Rxe5 31. Rxe5 Rxe5 32. Qxe5 Qd7 33. h3 Qd8 34. Kf3 Be6 35. Qd4 Qh4 36. Qe3 Qd8 37. Kf2 Qh4+ 38. Kg1 Qd8 39. Kh2 Qc8 40. Qd4 Qc7 41. g4 g5 42. Kg3 Qd6 43. Kf3 Qc7 44. Qe5 Qd7 45. f5 {1-0 Kamsky,G (2672)-Ronka,E (2303) Titled Tuesday intern op 13th Oct Chess.com INT blitz 2020 (1)}) 14. Ne5 $6 (14. a6 $1 $14) 14... Nxe5 (14... Nxa5 $142 $15) 15. dxe5 Ne4 $11 16. Nb3 Qxe5 $6 17. f3 Nxc3 18. bxc3 Qxc3 19. Nd4 $14 Bg6 20. Bf1 Qb4 21. Qa4 Qd6 22. Qa3 Qxa3 23. Rxa3 Rc5 24. a6 bxa6 25. Rxa6 Rc7 26. Nb5 Rb7 27. Rea1 Rab8 28. Nxa7 Kh7 29. Nc6 Rc8 30. Ne5 Rb1 31. Rxb1 Bxb1 32. Nxf7 Rc1 33. Ra1 d4 34. Kf2 Rc2+ 35. Kg3 Rb2 36. Rxb1 {1-0 Kamsky,G (2677)-Marcus,H (2662) Titled Tuesday intern op1 4th Febr Chess.com INT blitz 2020 (6)}) 12... Ne7 13. a4 a6 (13... Qb6 $1 {looks nice, putting a little muscle behind the idea of ...a6.} 14. Nb3 Rfc8 $11) 14. Bf1 Nd7 (14... a5 {is possible (an idea we saw above in one of the Kamsky games) and arguably better, preventing White from clamping down further on the dark squares. The downside, of course, is that it gives up control over b5, and White could even play against this in a very direct way with} 15. Nb1 $1 {, rerouting the knight to that square.}) 15. Nxd7 Qxd7 16. a5 $14 {Now White would like to play Nb3-c5, and then anchor the knight with b4.} Qc7 $1 {Aimed against White's plan. It's important to start with the queen, so that White can't play b4 and then Nb3-c5.} (16... Nc6 17. b4) 17. Qf3 $1 {Renewing the threat of b4 followed by Nb3-c5.} (17. b4 $4 Qxc3 $19) (17. Nb3 Nc6 $1 $11 {stops White's idea.}) 17... Rfc8 {Again stopping it...} (17... Rac8 {looks more natural, so Nepo was probably considering some lines with ...b6/b5.}) 18. Ra3 {And, again, reinforcing c3 to enable b4, etc. However, White still won't be able to play b4 followed by Nb3, as it will hang c3, so the other rook will need to "pitch in".} (18. Rec1 $14 {would have been a more straightforward way to implement the plan.}) 18... Bg6 19. Nb3 Nc6 20. Qg3 Qe7 (20... Qxg3 21. hxg3 $14 {may be objectively better (so says the computer), put it's psychologically harder. It will be sheer torture for Nepo, as White will have a space advantage all over the board. The knight goes to c5, the pawn to f4, and all Black can do is wait while White tries to make progress here and there. (On the queenside, one idea is Rea1 followed by Rb3, Rb6, and maybe b2-b4-b5. On the kingside the ideas are less concrete, but a general advance *could* culminate with f5 someday, either to cramp Black's bishop or to undermine Black's d-pawn [or both].)}) 21. h4 $1 (21. Nc5 Nxa5 $1 22. Nxe6 (22. Rxa5 b6 23. Rxa6 (23. Bxa6 $5 Rxc5 $11) 23... bxc5 24. Rxa8 Rxa8 25. dxc5 Qxc5 $11) 22... Rc6 $3 {This pin on the e-file explains the computer's preference for White's 21st move.} 23. Rxa5 Rxe6 24. Rxe6 Qxe6 25. Qe5 Qb6 $1 26. b4 Qc6 $1 27. Qxd5 Qxc3 28. Qxb7 Re8 $11 {Black's counterplay, both against White's pawns and the White king, is enough for equality. For instance:} 29. Qxa6 Re1 {Threatening ...Bd3.} 30. Re5 Rd1 31. Re3 Qxb4 32. d5 Kh7 33. h3 Rxd5 $11) (21. Raa1 $1 Kh7 22. Nc5 ({A further all-purpose prophylactic move like} 22. h3 $14 {/? might be even better.}) 22... Nxa5 23. Nxe6 {Now there's no pin down the e-file, so White is better after} fxe6 24. Rxa5 $14) 21... Re8 (21... Qc7 $142 {may still be the right decision, but as mentioned above, it's psychologically difficult to go for a position where Black will have no counterplay for the rest of the game.}) 22. Nc5 $16 e5 $6 {Consistent, but when the idea is wrong it means it's consistently bad.} 23. Rb3 (23. b4 $1 e4 24. f3 $18 {Once the a3-rook goes to a2 White's advantage will grow overwhelming. (The rook might go to e2 to pile up on the weakness, or he might play fxe4 dxe4 Bc4 followed by Rf2, or he might put the rook on d2, swap on e4, and push the passed d-pawn, etc.)}) 23... Nxa5 24. Rxe5 $16 Qf6 25. Ra3 Nc4 26. Bxc4 dxc4 27. h5 {Not bad, but it gave Black a tricky alternative to the compliant text.} (27. Nxb7 $142 $16) 27... Bc2 $6 (27... Rxe5 $1 {White must find some precise moves to keep a meaningful advantage after this.} 28. dxe5 (28. Qxe5 $143 Qxe5 29. dxe5 Bxh5 30. Nxb7 Rb8 31. Nd6 Rxb2 $11) 28... Qd8 $1 29. Qf3 $1 (29. hxg6 $2 Qd1+ 30. Kh2 Qh5+ 31. Kg1 (31. Qh3 $143 Qxe5+ 32. Kg1 Qxc5 33. gxf7+ Kf8 $11) 31... Qd1+ $11) 29... Qd2 $1 30. hxg6 Qe1+ 31. Kh2 Qxe5+ 32. g3 Qxc5 33. Qxf7+ Kh8 34. Ra4 Rc8 (34... b5 $2 35. Rxa6 $18) 35. Kg1 $16 {Because Black's king is hiding in a coffin, it will be difficult to survive in the long term. He'll have to worry about back rank problems forever, and there are also tricks like (an eventual) Rxh6+ gxh6 Qf7#/g7+, g8Q# to worry about.}) 28. Nxb7 $16 {/+-} Qb6 29. Nd6 $1 Rxe5 (29... Qxd6 $4 30. Rxe8+ Rxe8 31. Qxd6 $18) (29... Qxb2 $4 30. Nxe8 Qxa3 31. Qxg7#) 30. Qxe5 Qxb2 31. Ra5 $18 {White's attack is more dangerous than it may initially appear. Yes, Black's bishop has the f5 square under control, but White's knight can head for e8 instead. For the moment, this isn't a fatal threat because Black has ...Qb1+ followed by ...Qb8, pinning White's queen, but (a) it's strong anyway and (b) conditions may change so that it *is* a fatal threat. Another problem for Black is that White's d-pawn may prove dangerous.} Kh7 $1 32. Rc5 $2 {Giving Nepo the chance to save the game. He had plenty of time left, but he missed his chance.} (32. Qe1 $1 {was the right move, covering the back rank and protecting c3 while keeping the knight fork in place. Note that the c-pawn can't be defended with} Bd3 {(though this may be the best move in any case) because} 33. Nxc4 $1 Bxc4 $2 34. Qe4+ $18 {picks off the rook.}) 32... Qc1+ $2 (32... Qxc3 $1 {This saves the game.} 33. Nxf7 (33. Rc7 Qd2 $1 34. Rxf7 (34. Nxf7 Re8 $3 $11 {- see 33.Nxf7}) (34. f4 Qd1+ 35. Kh2 f6 $11) 34... Qc1+ $1 35. Kh2 Qg5 36. Nxc4 a5 $11 {The effectiveness of the a-pawn fully compensates for White's extra pawn on the kingside.}) (33. Ne8 Qa1+ 34. Kh2 Rxe8 $8 35. Qxe8 Qxd4 36. Qe3 Qxe3 37. fxe3 Bd1 $1 38. Kg3 c3 $1 39. Rxc3 (39. Kh4 $6 c2 $11 {is only dangerous for White, as Black has the simple plan of pushing the a-pawn until White's rook moves and allows ...c1Q. White has only one way to save the game, and it's by rushing his king to d2. Of course, once the White king leaves h4, Black can play ...Bxh5, so this isn't a winning try for White.}) 39... Bxh5 40. Kf2 Bg4 41. Rc6 g5 42. Rxa6 h5 $11) 33... Bd3 34. Rc7 {It looks terrifying, but there's no followup after} Qc1+ $1 35. Kh2 Re8 $3 36. Qg3 (36. Qxe8 Qf4+ 37. Kg1 (37. Kh3 $4 Bf5+ 38. g4 Bxg4+ 39. Kg2 Bf3+ 40. Kf1 Qc1+ 41. Qe1 Bg2+ 42. Ke2 Qc2+ 43. Ke3 Qd3+ 44. Kf4 Qf3+ 45. Ke5 Qf6#) 37... Qc1+ 38. Kh2 Qf4+ $11) 36... Re1 37. Qg4 Rh1+ 38. Kg3 Qc3 $1 {Again the only move. Nepo would have had to find a lot of moves to prove to himself that this was the drawing line before playing 32...Qxc3.} 39. Ne5 Bg6+ $1 40. f3 Qe1+ $1 41. Kf4 Qd2+ 42. Kg3 Qe1+ $11) 33. Kh2 f6 34. Qg3 $18 a5 35. Nxc4 $1 {Greed is just one aspect of the move. The other is that after Black saves his pawn, getting it a little closer to the queening square, White's knight helpfully shuts Black's queen out of the kingside defense.} a4 36. Ne3 $1 Bb1 (36... a3 37. Rc7 Rg8 38. Nd5 $1 a2 (38... Kh8 39. Ra7 Qb2 40. Ne7 $1 {Black is always a little too late here.} Re8 41. Qc7 {Threatening Ng6+ and Qxg7#.} Qb8 (41... Kh7 42. Nd5 Qb8 43. Nxf6+ Kh8 44. Nxe8 $18) 42. Qxb8 Rxb8 43. Rxa3 $18) (38... Qg5 39. Qxg5 fxg5 40. Nf6+ Kh8 41. Nxg8 Kxg8 42. Ra7 $18) 39. Nxf6+ Kh8 40. Qxg7+ $1 Rxg7 41. Rc8+ Rg8 42. Rxg8#) (36... Rg8 37. Rc7 Kh8 (37... a3 38. Nd5 {- see 36...a3}) 38. Ra7 {Black's pawn is going nowhere (see the following), and in the meantime White threatens 39.Nd5. If Black plays 38...Bb3 it's no problem: White's knight goes to f5 instead.} a3 39. Nxc2 (39. Nd5 $18) 39... Qxc2 40. Rxa3 $18) 37. Rc7 Rg8 38. Nd5 $1 {This is very similar to what we've already seen, and has the same problems. White puts the rook on a7 (both to cope with the passer and to clear c7 for the queen) and plays Ne7. Black will either lose everything or have a catastrophe on g7.} Kh8 39. Ra7 a3 40. Ne7 {Ding was a little short of time (nothing scary though), but now that the time control has been made Nepo's fate has been sealed.} (40. Qf4 {was more precise, but there's nothing really wrong with Ding's move.} Qxf4+ 41. Nxf4 a2 42. d5 Rc8 43. Ne6 $1 Bf5 44. Rxa2 Kg8 45. Ra7 Bxe6 46. dxe6 Kf8 47. Rf7+ Kg8 48. Rd7 Kf8 49. e7+ Ke8 50. Rd8+ Rxd8 51. exd8=Q+ Kxd8 52. Kg3 $18) 40... Rf8 (40... Re8 41. Nd5 Rg8 42. Qf4 Qxf4+ 43. Nxf4 a2 44. d5 $18) 41. d5 a2 (41... Qd1 42. f3 $1) 42. Qc7 $1 Kh7 43. Ng6 Rg8 {As dominant as Ding has been in this game, in this position he has only one winning move, as Black is ready to fight with moves like ...Qb2 and especially ...Qg5. Can you find White's only winning move?} 44. Qf7 $1 {The coup de grace. White's immediate threat is 45.Qxg8+ followed by 46.Ra8+ and mate next move on either f8 or h8. (How wonderful are those pawns on d5 and h5!) If instead 44...Bxg6, then White mates with 45.hxg6+ followed by 46.Qxg8+ and 47.Ra8#. Black has no meaningful defensive ideas against these threats, so Nepo gave up.} (44. Qf7 $1 Bxg6 (44... Qg5 45. Qxg8+ Kxg8 46. Ra8+ Kf7 (46... Kh7 47. Rh8#) 47. Rf8#) 45. hxg6+ Kh8 46. Qxg8+ Kxg8 47. Ra8#) 1-0