[Event "WCh 2023"] [Site "Astana KAZ"] [Date "2023.04.27"] [Round "13.1"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C84"] [WhiteElo "2795"] [BlackElo "2788"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2023.04.09"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {I can't say that I was expecting a Scotch in this match, but now it's official: Nepomniachtchi has dustbinned his old favorite - at least for classical games.} a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 {As in games 5 and 11.} b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 (8. a3 {was played in game 11.}) 8... O-O 9. h3 Bb7 10. Be3 {Extremely rare, and mostly played in extremely low rated games. (Only two players from the 2000-2100 range, and there are several unrateds, a 524, a 1200 and a couple of 1300s, etc.) It's not that the move is terrible--if it were, Nepo wouldn't play it a critical game in the World Championship--but in the Closed Ruy in general it's often unclear what exactly the queen's bishop is supposed to do. That's why White generally makes all the usual useful moves he can first: Re1, Nd2-f1-g3, d4, a4, etc., and only then figures out what if anything can be done with the bishop. All that said, there are two points in its favor. First, its extreme rarity makes it comparatively unlikely that Ding would have spent much time on the move, and because of its rarity the positions may be relatively fresh - Ding will have fewer "instincts" about how to handle it. And second - which somewhat undermines the first point - it is you-know-who/what's top choice. (At least initially, though not by any sort of significant margin.)} (10. a4 {was his choice in game 5, while}) (10. Re1 {is (by far) White's most commonly chosen move.}) 10... Na5 11. Bc2 c5 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. a4 $146 h6 {Both players are following the computer's top line. The moves have been natural, but still, it gives you some idea of how crazy world championship preparation is that Black is even prepared for this sort of absolutely obscure line that had been untouched by professionals or even national masters.} 14. d4 ({White has choices, but I don't see a path to an advantage.} 14. axb5 axb5 15. d4 exd4 16. cxd4 Nc6 17. Rxa8 Qxa8 18. Bd3 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 cxd4 20. Bxd4 Bxe4 21. Nxe4 Nxe4 22. Bxb5 Rb8 23. Bd3 d5 $11) 14... exd4 15. cxd4 cxd4 16. Nxd4 (16. Bxd4 Nc6 17. Be3 Bf8 18. axb5 axb5 19. Rxa8 Qxa8 $11) 16... Nc4 $1 17. Nxc4 (17. Bf4 Nxd2 18. Qxd2 Nxe4 19. Bxe4 Bxe4 20. Rfe1 Bf6 21. axb5 Bxd4 22. Qxd4 axb5 23. Qxd6 $11 {is as dull as dishwater...but nevertheless probably better than the text.}) 17... bxc4 18. f3 $6 {Natural, but a further inaccuracy.} (18. Qe2 Rc8 (18... Nxe4 19. Qxc4 Rc8 20. Qb4 $11 Bd5 (20... Rb8 21. a5 Bf6 22. Qa4 $11) 21. Bxe4 Bxe4 22. Ne6 d5 (22... fxe6 23. Qxe4 Bf6 $11) 23. Qxe4 $8 dxe4 24. Nxd8 Rexd8 25. Rfc1 Rb8 26. Rc4 f5 27. g4 $11) 19. f3 $11) 18... Bf8 $15 19. Bf2 $6 (19. Bf4 d5 20. e5 Nd7 (20... Bc5 21. Kh1 (21. exf6 $4 Qxf6 $19) 21... Nd7 22. Re1 Qh4 23. Qd2 Bxd4 24. Qxd4 Nf8 25. Be3 Qxd4 26. Bxd4 Ne6 27. Rad1 $15) 21. Re1 Bb4 22. Re2 Bc5 $15) 19... d5 $17 20. exd5 Nxd5 21. Be4 Re5 $2 (21... Rb8 22. Bxd5 Bxd5 23. Qc2 Qb6 24. Rab1 Bc5 25. Rfd1 Rbd8 $17 {White is under very unpleasant pressure.}) 22. Rc1 $11 {/?} Rc8 23. Ne2 $6 (23. Qd2 $1) 23... Qe7 (23... Qe8 $1 $15 24. Qd4 $6 Ne3 $3 25. Qxe3 Bxe4 26. fxe4 ({The critical point of 23...Qe8 is seen here:} 26. Bg3 $4 Bc5 $19) 26... Rxe4 27. Qf3 Rxe2 $17) 24. Qd4 $1 $11 f5 (24... Ne3 $6 25. Qxe3 Bxe4 26. Bg3 $1 Re6 $14 {/?}) 25. Bg3 $1 Rxe4 (25... fxe4 26. Qxe5 Qxe5 27. Bxe5 exf3 28. gxf3 Bc5+ 29. Nd4 Nb4 30. Rxc4 Nd3 31. f4 Bxd4+ 32. Rxd4 Rc2 33. Rxd3 Rg2+ 34. Kh1 Rf2+ 35. Kg1 Rg2+ $11) 26. fxe4 Qxe4 27. Qxe4 fxe4 $44 28. Rfd1 (28. Rf5 Nb4 $11) 28... Nb4 $6 {Sure, the d3 square looks nice, but so does d7 for White's rook.} (28... Be7 $11) 29. Rd7 $16 Bc5+ 30. Kh2 Bc6 31. Rc7 Rxc7 32. Bxc7 Bd5 33. Nc3 (33. a5 $1 Nd3 34. Rd1 Be7 35. Bb6 Kf7 36. Bd4 $16 {The bishop is doing a brilliant job on d4, but I don't know if White can make the sort of progress necessary to win. Still, it's a good start.}) 33... Nd3 34. Rc2 Bc6 $14 35. a5 Kf7 36. Re2 (36. Ne2 $142 Bd5 37. Nf4 Nxf4 38. Bxf4 Ke6 $14) 36... Nc1 (36... Ke6 $142 $11) 37. Re1 (37. Rc2 $142 Nd3 38. Ne2 Bd5 39. Nf4 $14) 37... Nd3 38. Re2 Nc1 (38... Ke6 $142) 39. Re1 (39. Rc2 $142) 39... Nd3 40. Re2 1/2-1/2