[Event "2024 FIDE World Championship"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Gukesh D"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Round "12"] [Annotator "Sundararajan Kidambi"] [Result "1-0"] [Date "2024.12.09"] [ECO "A13"] [WhiteElo "2728"] [BlackElo "2783"] [PlyCount "77"] [GameId "2120879121134217"] [EventDate "2024.??.??"] [Source "ChessBase"] [TimeControl "40/7200:1800+30"] {Ding was running out of choices, and many pundits predicted an English in this game where he had to go all in.} 1. c4 e6 $5 {Gukesh varies from the} (1... e5 {played in the eighth game. As he no longer needs to create complex positions. But, would it have been still a good idea to stick with positions suitable to one's style remains a question.}) 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 d4 $5 ({This was already a very interesting decision. If Black's strategy was to remain solid, then a normal} 4... Be7 {was called for. So it seems that Gukesh is sticking to his preparation and not going situation specific which is also understandable.}) (4... dxc4 {was also a less strategically comittal decision than in the game.}) 5. O-O Nc6 6. e3 {Here Ding varies from the Nepo-Carlsen match} (6. d3 Bc5 7. Nbd2 a5 8. Nb3 Be7 9. e3 dxe3 10. Bxe3 Ng4 11. Bc5 O-O {Nepomniachtchi-Carlsen, World-ch Dubai 2021.}) 6... Be7 $5 (6... e5 {is the main move, but Gukesh sticks to exploring lesser played lines throughout the match!}) 7. d3 $5 {White wants to keep his flexibility.} (7. exd4 Nxd4 8. Nxd4 Qxd4 9. d3 O-O 10. Nc3 e5 11. Be3 Qd8 {This is a better version for Black than in the game as the exchange of knights favour Black.}) 7... dxe3 {Gukesh was playing this quickly, evidently still in his preparation, but in a way it loses flexibility.} (7... O-O $5 {This invites White to exchange on d4 after which Black exchanges off his knight on c6. This seems desirable from a positional point of view. There is a game from 2019 between Rapport and Ni Hua, both of whom are Ding's second in this match!}) 8. Bxe3 {The most accurate way of capturing.} e5 {A good move, controlling the center and opening the diagonal for the c8-bishop.} (8... Ng4 {There's always the question of whether this is a good move.} 9. d4 Nxe3 10. fxe3 O-O 11. Nc3 {is very forcing and Black would choose such an idea only when he has prepared it.}) 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Re1 $1 {[#] Ding had already taken almost 40 minutes by this moment after he was surprised by Gukesh. But he has kept control over the position.} (10. d4 exd4 11. Nxd4 Nxd4 12. Qxd4 c6 {does not suit Ding's situation}) 10... h6 {This is the first time Gukesh started to think about the position. He played this after 15 minutes of thought. Anish suggested that perhaps Gukesh could not recall his preparation exactly and played a natural move. But the more Peter Leko and Anish were analysing the position, the more they liked white. Black's moves were harder to think of than White's} ({Magnus opined that a forcing move such as} 10... Ng4 {is what one would expect if the position has been prepared deeply.} 11. Bd2 $1 {was an idea seen in a correspondence game.} Qxd3 12. h3 Nf6 13. Nd5 $1 Bd6 14. Nxf6+ gxf6 15. Bf1 Qf5 16. Nh4 Qe6 17. Bd3 Ne7 18. Qh5 Ng6 19. Nf5 Rd8 20. Rad1 Bf8 21. Bc2 Qc6 22. b3 Bxf5 23. Bxf5 Qa6 24. Bb1 {1-0 Koch,H (2321)-Shubin,V (2096) VW-Cup6 Gr05 email ICCF email 2013}) ({The natural move is} 10... Bf5 {to hit at the weak backward pawn on d3.} 11. Qb3 $1 {But this is the response known from a King's Indian structure and going for active counterplay is White's idea.}) 11. a3 {White threatens b2-b4 to force Black to play a7-a5 and invites him to weaken the b5-square.} a5 {Gukesh decides to prevent b2-b4. A logical decision, but this creates some weaknesses on the queenside.} (11... Ng4 12. Bc1 Bc5 13. Ne4 {does not Black get anywhere}) (11... Re8 12. b4 Bf8 {was an option but not an easy choice as White can drive Black's knight on c6 away to awkward squares.}) 12. h3 $5 {The Rook pawn moves on either side of the board takes away squares from Black's minor pieces and especially the knights!} (12. d4 $5 exd4 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Qxd4 c6 15. Qxd8 Bxd8 {Ding felt Black can manage this} (15... Rxd8 $6 16. Bxh6)) 12... Be6 (12... Bf5 13. d4 $1 exd4 14. Nxd4 Nxd4 15. Qxd4 {White's active pieces create some trouble for black.}) 13. Kh2 $1 {[#] An excellent prophylactic move which Vishy rated quite highly. This move in the spirit of Karpov shows how difficult it is for Black to find normal developing moves, whereas White has several moves of improvement. Anish described an important point,which he recognised quite early. Black's pieces have reached their peak, and it can only go downward from there, but same is not the case with white. He has lot of ideas which improve his pieces and coordination.} Rb8 $6 {Black protects the pawn on b7 to perhaps Nd4. But the a5 pawn loses some support.} (13... Re8 $5 {Black has a choice to keep placing the pieces in the centre. Re8, Bf8, Qd7, Rad8 etc.}) (13... Qd7 $5 {is also a way to begin. Lev Psakhis gave a very good advice- "Boy when you do not know what to do- centralise!"}) 14. Qc2 {It's unclear whether this is the best square for the queen.} Re8 {Gukesh hesitates and refrains from following up with the idea of his previous move.} (14... Nd4 15. Bxd4 exd4 16. Nb5 c5 (16... Bc5 17. Re5 Nd7 18. Rh5 $16 {was a line that Leko and Giri were analysing, showing the dangers that lurk in black's position!}) 17. Re2 $14 {but perhaps this was a better choice for Black, realatively.} (17. Rxe6 fxe6 18. Qe2 {was suggested by Hikaru as not being an easy way out for black!})) 15. Nb5 $1 {Now Black's Nd4 idea is not be possible any more.} Bf5 16. Rad1 Nd7 $6 {Black seemingly goes for an active plan, but once again the other choice was to simply put his pieces on safe squares.} (16... Bf8 17. Qc3 Qc8 {to move the queen away from the d-file, when White is better but the situation still seems to be manageable.}) 17. Qd2 $1 {Removing the queen from the pin and preparing d3-d4.} (17. Qc3 Bf6) 17... Bg6 $6 {Black once again hesitates from going forward with his plan.} (17... Nc5 18. d4 $1 Nd3 19. d5 Nxe1 20. Qxe1 Nd4 21. Nfxd4 exd4 22. Nxd4 Bg6 23. Qxa5 {This was seen by both players and Gukesh was visibly depressed about playing this position. White has surely more than enough compensation. White has two pawns and mobile centre and great minor pieces. Nevertheless this is black's best chance to fight. Not going for this, makes his job of defence altogether insurmountable.} Bg5 $5 $16) 18. d4 $1 e4 (18... exd4 19. Bf4 {As Gukesh admitted he missed this.}) 19. Ng1 $1 {White's position is an excellent show of coordination.His pawns are mobile, Black's pieces lack coordination and Black's e4 and a5 pawn can turn out to be weak.} Nb6 {The Alekhine defence like knights are pretty badly coordinated.} 20. Qc3 $5 Bf6 21. Qc2 {Ding keeps playing simple moves and Black is not even able to pose him any threats.} (21. Ne2 {is natural and good.}) 21... a4 {Preparing counterplay with Na5, but it's not enough.} 22. Ne2 Bg5 $6 {This was supposed to be the final mistake after which black becomes hopeless.} (22... Na5 {is a better chance, though he would not be able to save the game in the long run} 23. c5 {Or} Nbc4 24. Nf4 Bh7 25. Bf1 Nxe3 26. fxe3 $18) 23. Nf4 Bxf4 (23... Bh7 24. c5 Bxf4 25. cxb6 $1 {is another move perhaps Gukesh missed, but the position is bad, and hence the tactics favour white.} Bd6 26. bxc7 Bxc7 27. Nxc7 Qxc7 28. d5 $18) 24. Bxf4 Rc8 25. Qc3 $18 {[#] The position is a picture of complete domination. White has the bishop pair, mobile central pawns, and all of his pieces are better than his counterparts!} Nb8 26. d5 $5 {The positional domination is enough for the win!} ({As Ding admitted he missed} 26. Na7 $18) 26... Qd7 27. d6 $1 c5 28. Nc7 Rf8 29. Bxe4 Nc6 (29... Bxe4 30. Rxe4 Nc6 31. Bxh6 $18) 30. Bg2 Rcd8 31. Nd5 Nxd5 32. cxd5 Nb8 33. Qxc5 Rc8 34. Qd4 Na6 35. Re7 Qb5 36. d7 Rc4 37. Qe3 Rc2 38. Bd6 f6 39. Rxg7+ $1 {One of Ding's best efforts in the past two years!} 1-0 [Event "World-ch33-KK4 Kasparov-Karpov +4-4=16"] [White "Kasparov, Garry"] [Black "Karpov, Anatoly"] [Site "Seville"] [Round "24"] [Annotator "Bulletin"] [Result "1-0"] [Date "1987.12.18"] [ECO "A14"] [WhiteElo "2740"] [BlackElo "2700"] [PlyCount "127"] [GameId "2121219968512864"] [EventDate "1987.10.12"] [EventType "match"] [EventRounds "24"] [EventCountry "ESP"] [SourceTitle "MainBase"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] [SourceVersion "2"] [SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. b3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O b6 7. Bb2 Bb7 8. e3 Nbd7 9. Nc3 Ne4 10. Ne2 $5 {N; 10.cd5; 10.Qe2; 10.Qc2} a5 (10... Bf6 11. d4 $5 c5 12. Nf4) 11. d3 Bf6 12. Qc2 Bxb2 13. Qxb2 Nd6 14. cxd5 Bxd5 (14... exd5 $5 15. d4 c5 16. dxc5 bxc5 $13) 15. d4 $1 (15. Nf4 Bb7 16. Nh5 (16. d4 c5) 16... f6 17. Nf4 Qe7 $13) 15... c5 16. Rfd1 Rc8 $6 (16... Qf6 $2 17. Ne5 Rfd8 18. Bxd5 exd5 19. Nf4 $16) (16... Qe7 17. Nc3 Bb7 18. Na4 $1 $14) (16... c4 $5 17. Nf4 (17. bxc4 Nxc4 18. Qb5 Nd6) 17... b5 18. Nxd5 exd5 19. Ne5 Nf6 $13) 17. Nf4 Bxf3 (17... Be4 $2 18. dxc5 Nxc5 19. Qe5 Ncb7 20. Nh5 $18) (17... c4 $6 18. Nxd5 exd5 19. bxc4 dxc4 20. a4 $1 $16) 18. Bxf3 Qe7 19. Rac1 (19. dxc5 Nxc5 (19... Rxc5 $6 20. Nd3 $1 $14 (20. Qd4 Ne5)) 20. Qe5 (20. b4 Na4) 20... Rfd8 21. Nd5 Qa7 $13) 19... Rfd8 20. dxc5 Nxc5 21. b4 $1 axb4 22. Qxb4 Qa7 23. a3 Nf5 24. Rb1 Rxd1+ 25. Rxd1 Qc7 (25... Qa5 26. Rc1 $14) 26. Nd3 $1 $14 h6 $6 (26... g6 $1) 27. Rc1 Ne7 $6 (27... Nxd3 $2 28. Rxc7 Rxc7 29. Qe4 $1 Rc1+ 30. Kg2 Ne1+ 31. Kh3 $18) (27... Nd6 $1) 28. Qb5 Nf5 (28... Qa7 29. Nxc5 bxc5 30. a4 $16) 29. a4 Nd6 30. Qb1 Qa7 (30... Qd8 $5) 31. Ne5 $1 $16 Nxa4 $2 (31... Qxa4 32. Qxb6 Qa3 $1 33. Rd1 Nf5 (33... Ne8 34. Rd8 Rxd8 35. Qxd8 Qa1+ 36. Kg2 Qxe5 37. Qxe8+ Kh7 38. Qxf7 $16) 34. Rd8+ Rxd8 35. Qxd8+ Kh7 36. Nxf7 Qc1+ (36... Nd3 $2 37. Be4 $1 $18) 37. Kg2 Qb2 $1 38. e4 Ne3+ 39. Kh3 Qxf2 40. Qh8+ Kg6 41. Ne5+ Kf6 42. Qf8+ Kxe5 43. Qxc5+ Kf6 44. Qf8+ Ke5 (44... Kg6 $2 45. Bh5+ $18) 45. Qxg7+ Kd6 46. e5+ Kc5 47. Qf8+ Kd4 48. Qb4+ (48. Qf4+ $2 Kc3 $1 49. Bg4 Qxf4 50. gxf4 Kd4 51. Bxe6 Ke4 52. Kg3 Nf1+ $10) 48... Nc4 (48... Kd3 49. Qe4+ $1 Kd2 50. Bg4 $18) 49. Bg4 Qf1+ 50. Kh4 Kxe5 51. Qc5+ Ke4 52. Qc6+ $16) (31... Nf5 $5) 32. Rxc8+ Nxc8 33. Qd1 $4 (33. Bh5 $2 f6 $1 (33... Nd6 $2 34. Qd1 $18) (33... g6 $2 34. Bxg6 $1 fxg6 35. Qxg6+ Kf8 36. Qf6+ $18) 34. Bf7+ Kf8 35. Bxe6 (35. Qh7 fxe5 36. Qg8+ Ke7 37. Bxe6 Kd6 $13) 35... fxe5 36. Qf5+ Ke8 37. Bxc8 Qc7 $14) (33. Qb5 $1 Kh7 $1 (33... Nd6 34. Qc6 $18) (33... Kf8 34. Nc6 Qa8 35. Qd3 $1 g6 36. Qd4 $1 $18) 34. Nc6 Qa8 35. Qd3+ $1 f5 (35... g6 36. Qd7 Kg7 37. Ne5 $18) 36. Qd8 {? Ne7} Nc5 37. Kg2 (37. Kg2 Qa2 (37... Qb7 38. Ne5 Qb8 39. Nf7 Kg6 (39... Ne4 40. Bh5 $18) 40. Qg8 Kf6 41. Nh8 $1 Qc7 42. Qf8+ $18) 38. Ne5 $1 (38. Qxc8 $4 Nd3 $19) 38... Qb2 39. Nf7 Qf6 40. Qh8+ Kg6 41. Qg8 $1 $18)) 33... Ne7 $4 (33... Nc5 $1 34. Qd8+ Kh7 35. Kg2 $1 (35. Bd1 $2 f5 $1 36. Qxc8 Qa1 $17) 35... f6 $1 36. Nc6 Qd7 37. Qxd7 Nxd7 38. Nd8 Nc5 39. Nxe6 $1 Nxe6 40. Bg4 $10) 34. Qd8+ Kh7 35. Nxf7 (35. Bh5 $6 Nc5 $1 (35... f6 $2 36. Nd7 $1 $18) (35... g6 $2 36. Qe8 $1 Ng8 37. Bxg6+ $18) 36. Nxf7 (36. Bxf7 Qa1+) 36... Ng8 $14) 35... Ng6 36. Qe8 (36. Nd6 $6 Nc5 $1 (36... Qe7 37. Qb8 $16) 37. Nc8 Qd7 $2 (37... Qb8 $1 $13) 38. Qxd7 Nxd7 39. Be4 h5 40. Nd6 (40. Ne7 Ndf8) 40... Ndf8 41. Bc2 $1 Kg8 42. Nc8 b5 43. Na7 b4 44. Nc6 $16) 36... Qe7 (36... Nc5 $2 37. Bh5 Qa1+ 38. Kg2 Qf6 39. h4 $1 $18) 37. Qxa4 Qxf7 38. Be4 Kg8 39. Qb5 (39. Bxg6 Qxg6 40. Qb3 $16) 39... Nf8 40. Qxb6 Qf6 41. Qb5 Qe7 42. Kg2 g6 (42... g5 43. f4 $1 Qf6 44. Kh3 {? 45.fg5 hg5 46.Kg4} gxf4 45. exf4 $16) (42... Qf6 43. h4 g5 {? 44.hg5?! hg5?} 44. h5 $1 $16) 43. Qa5 Qg7 44. Qc5 Qf7 45. h4 h5 $2 {? g6, h5} (45... Kg7) 46. Qc6 Qe7 47. Bd3 Qf7 48. Qd6 Kg7 49. e4 Kg8 (49... Qb7 $5) 50. Bc4 Kg7 51. Qe5+ Kg8 (51... Qf6 52. Qxf6+ Kxf6 53. f4 e5 54. Kf3 Nd7 55. Ke3 Nc5 56. Bd5 {? Kd2-c3-c4+-}) 52. Qd6 (52. f4 $6 Kh7) 52... Kg7 53. Bb5 Kg8 54. Bc6 Qa7 55. Qb4 $1 (55. e5 $2 Qa5 $1 56. Be4 Qe1 $14) 55... Qc7 56. Qb7 $1 Qd8 57. e5 $1 $18 Qa5 (57... Qd3 58. Be8 Qf5 59. Qf3 $1) 58. Be8 Qc5 59. Qf7+ Kh8 60. Ba4 Qd5+ 61. Kh2 Qc5 (61... Nh7 62. Bc2 Qxe5 63. Qe8+) 62. Bb3 Qc8 63. Bd1 Qc5 64. Kg2 (64. Kg2 Qb4 65. Bf3 Qc5 66. Be4 Qb4 67. f3 $1 (67. Bxg6 $4 Nxg6 68. Qxg6 Qb7+ 69. Kh2 Qg2+ $3 $10) 67... Qd2+ 68. Kh3 Qb4 (68... Qh6 69. f4 Qg7 70. Qxg7+ Kxg7 71. Bc6 $18) 69. Bxg6 Nxg6 70. Qxg6 Qxh4+ 71. Kg2 $1 $18) 1-0 [Event "CHN-chT"] [White "Rapport, Richard"] [Black "Ni, Hua"] [Site "China"] [Round "13.3"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Date "2019.08.21"] [ECO "A13"] [WhiteElo "2747"] [BlackElo "2674"] [PlyCount "82"] [GameId "2121221378012143"] [EventDate "2019.04.09"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "22"] [EventCountry "CHN"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2020"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2019.10.17"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.10.17"] [SourceQuality "1"] [WhiteTeam "Chengdu Beilei Youth"] [BlackTeam "Shanghai China Mobil"] [WhiteTeamCountry "CHN"] [BlackTeamCountry "CHN"] 1. c4 e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 d4 5. d3 Nc6 6. O-O Be7 7. e3 O-O 8. exd4 Nxd4 9. Nc3 Nxf3+ 10. Bxf3 Rb8 11. Bf4 a6 12. Qb3 Bd6 13. Be3 e5 14. c5 Be7 15. Rad1 Be6 16. Qc2 Bf5 17. b4 c6 18. Rfe1 Qc7 19. Qe2 Rbd8 20. Bg5 a5 21. a3 axb4 22. axb4 Be6 23. Qxe5 Qxe5 24. Rxe5 Rd4 25. b5 Nd7 26. Re4 Bxc5 27. bxc6 bxc6 28. Rxd4 Bxd4 29. Ne2 c5 30. Nxd4 cxd4 31. Bf4 Rc8 32. Ra1 Nc5 33. Be2 h6 34. Ra3 Nb3 35. h4 Bd5 36. h5 Rc3 37. Ra4 Nc1 38. Bf1 Bf3 39. Rxd4 Ne2+ 40. Bxe2 Bxe2 41. Rd5 Rxd3 1/2-1/2