[Event "Carlsen-Nepomniachtchi 2021 FIDE World Chess Championship"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2021.11.26"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2782"] [WhiteTeam "Russia"] [BlackElo "2855"] [BlackTeam "Norway"] [Annotator "GM Elshan Moradiabadi"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C88"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Closed"] [StudyName "2021 World Championship"] [ChapterName "Round 1 - Notes by GM Moradiabadi"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/1NIB7sSp/nDuokoE5"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,89,25,16,10,25,17,16,31,-6,3,8,22,-14,4,4,11,6,64,45,40,40,23,29,31, 44,44,-1,-8,0,0,0,1,6,6,24,36,15,20,15,18,13,33,12,29,2,22,40,29,18,23,0,0,0,0, 22,0,21,5,2,15,-11,-8,-15,7,0,18,7,0,-5,-14,-78,-81,-58,-64,-54,-65,-57,-6,-10, -11,2,24,24,38,38,38,38,38,33,33,38] } 1. e4 e5 { Here it begins: The 2021 FIDE World Championship between the challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi and World Champion Magnus Carlsen. The players are up for another classical Spanish in a World Championship match. Back in 2018, Carlsen adapted Sveshnikov as his pet line against Caruana. } 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3!? { [#] This is the way elite players try to avoid Marshall attack (Gambit?!). Since its debut at the elite level in a game between Fischer and Spassky at the 1966 Pitagorsky Cup, White's endeavor to put a dent into Black's way of playing has proven futile. So, it is no wonder Nepo decides on something different here. } 8... Na5!? { Carlsen essays a different form of Marshall Gambit. Perhaps we should start teaching kids chess this way: "respond with 1. ..e5 against 1.e4, then deveop your pieces, let go of your e5 pawn and start attacking!" Totally makes sense, right?! } 9. Nxe5 Nxb3 10. axb3 Bb7 11. d3 d5 { OK, it is time to get serious. This gambit has its own merit. Black has won two bishops and has a slight lead in development. The center will be opened very soon. The next few moves are somewhat "forced!" } 12. exd5 (12. Nd2? dxe4 13. dxe4 Nxe4! { And Black wins back the pawn with advantage thanks to his bishop pair. }) 12... Qxd5 13. Qf3!? { When you look at the database, this move has a fantastic statistic -- but the truth sometimes stands taller than the stat. } (13. Nf3 { This move has proven to be even less effective in Correspondence chess. } 13... Rfe8 14. Bf4 c5 15. Nc3 Qd8 (15... Qc6 16. Qd2 b4 (16... Rad8 17. Re2 b4 18. Na4 Bf8 19. Rxe8 Nxe8 20. Qe3 g6 21. Bg5 f6 22. Bh6 Ng7 23. Bxg7 Kxg7 24. Re1 Bd6 25. Qe2 a5 26. Qe6 h5 27. Qe3 Rc8 28. Re2 Rf8 29. Kf1 Rf7 30. Qe8 Qc7 31. Qb5 Bxf3 32. gxf3 Qc8 33. Kg2 Qf5 34. h4 { 1/2-1/2 (34) Koslovska,M-Idrisov,N ICCF email 2010 }) 17. Ne2 Rad8 18. Ng3 h6 19. Nf5 Bf8 20. Ne3 Qc8 21. Ne5 Ne4 22. Qe2 Nd6 23. Bg3 Re6 24. Qf1 Rde8 25. N5c4 Nb5 26. f4 f5 27. Qf2 Nd4 28. Ne5 Bd6 29. N3c4 Bc7 30. Re3 Bd5 31. Rae1 Kh7 32. h4 a5 33. h5 Qa8 34. Rb1 Bb7 35. Ree1 Qd8 36. Bh4 Qa8 37. Bg3 Qd8 38. Rbd1 Qa8 39. Rf1 Ba6 40. Rfe1 Bb7 41. Ra1 { 1/2-1/2 (41) Aksenov,A-Sychov,A (2246) ICCF email 2012 }) 16. Re5 Bf8 17. Bh2 h6 18. Rxe8 Qxe8 19. Qe2 Qxe2 20. Nxe2 g5 { 1/2-1/2 (20) Ilyasov,A (2250)-Sychov,A (2256) ICCF email 2011 }) 13... Bd6 14. Kf1!? (14. Qxd5 Nxd5 15. Bd2 { Has been a choice for a number of players, however the modern engines do not feel any pressure from White in this position. } 15... Ne7! { Another move from a Correspondence game. The knight is headed to f5, from where it eyeballs both Nd4 and Nh4. Any other move would have been a waste of time. } (15... f6?! 16. Nf3 Ne7 17. Nd4 c5 18. Ne2 { 1-0 (42) Korneev,O (2638)-Nataf,I (2592) Evora 2006 And Black's compensation was not tangible enough to capitalize. }) 16. d4 (16. Nf3 Bxf3 17. gxf3 Nc6 { And Black's compensation is beyond any doubt. A similar position occured in the game with these familiar characteristics. }) 16... Nf5 17. c3 f6 18. Nd3 Rfe8 19. b4 h5 20. f3 Bg3 21. Nf2 Kf7 22. Na3 g5 23. Nc2 Bd5 24. Rxe8 Rxe8 25. Re1 Rg8 26. Ra1 Re8 27. Re1 { 1/2-1/2 (27) Demchenko, S-Sychov,A (2246) ICCF email 2012 }) 14... Rfb8! { A very deep and strong prophylactic move. The statistics for White are pretty good in this position (in Correspondence games, of course), and Black needs very accurate moves to not just be a pawn down. This move prevents Nc3 on account of Qxe5! } (14... Qxe5?! { Objectively, this is not a good move -- though it is really eye-catching, and the lines it produces are so entertaining that I just had to share them with you. } 15. Qxb7 Qh2 16. Nc3! (16. Qf3 Rae8 17. Be3 Nh5! 18. Qxh5 f5 { And Black has a clear compensation. }) 16... Rae8 (16... Nh5 17. Be3! (17. g4 Qxh3+ 18. Qg2 Qxg2+ 19. Kxg2 Nf6 20. g5 { is also a pleasant endgame for White. }) 17... Rfe8 { [#] } 18. g4! Qxh3+ 19. Qg2 Qxg2+ 20. Kxg2 Nf6 21. Kf3 { And White has a promising endgame thanks to Black's weak pawn structure on the queenside. }) (16... b4 { This causes less problem for White. } 17. Ne2! (17. Ne4?? Nxe4 18. dxe4 (18. Qxe4 Rae8 19. Qxe8 Qh1+ $19) 18... Qh1+ $19) 17... Qh1+ 18. Ng1 Nh5 19. Be3 Rae8 20. Rxa6 Bh2 21. Ke2 Nf4+ 22. Kd2 Qxg2 23. Qxg2 Nxg2 24. Rf1 Bd6 25. Ra5 $16 { with an extra pawn ending. }) 17. Be3 b4 18. Ne2 Qh1+ 19. Ng1 Nh5 20. Rxa6! (20. Qf3?! { Engines prefer this on lower depth, but with more calculation this move is overtaken by Rxa6. } 20... Bh2 21. Ke2 Nf4+ 22. Kd2 Qxg2 23. Rxa6 { [#] } 23... Rxe3! { So the tempo lost by White on Rxa6 proves important here. } 24. Qxe3 Ng6 25. Ne2 Nh4 26. Nd4 c5 27. Nc6 Nf3+ 28. Ke2 Nxe1 29. Kxe1 Qh1+ 30. Kd2 g6 31. Ne7+ (31. Qxc5 Bf4+ 32. Ke2 Re8+ 33. Ne7+ Kf8 { [#] } 34. Re6! { So beautiful. } 34... fxe6 35. Nxg6+ Kg8 36. Nxf4 Qc1 $13) 31... Kg7 32. Qxc5 Qf3 { and Black maintains the balance. }) 20... Bh2 21. Ke2 Nf4+ (21... Bxg1 { [#] } 22. Raa1 { Cool retreat! } 22... Nf4+ 23. Kd2 Qxg2 24. Qxg2 Nxg2 25. Rxg1 { with a winning endgame for White. }) 22. Kd2 Qxg2 23. Qxg2 Nxg2 24. Rf1 { and we transpose to the line that starts with b4. }) (14... Rfe8? 15. Nc3 $16) (14... Rfd8 15. Nc3 $16) 15. Qxd5 (15. Nc3?? Qxe5 16. Qxb7 Qxe1+ { and now the queen on b7 is hanging. }) 15... Nxd5 16. Bd2 c5 17. Nf3 Rd8 $146 { A novelty for every database! } (17... Nb4 { Although Black loses this Correspondence game, this move seems playable. } 18. Rc1 f5 { Maybe this is too ambitious. } (18... Be7 19. Nc3 Rd8 { would have transposed to something similar to what Carlsen played in the game, where it is hard for White to make so much improvement. }) 19. Nc3 Bxf3 20. gxf3 Be5 21. Nd1 g6 22. d4 Bxd4 23. c3 Nd3 24. cxd4 Nxc1 25. Bxc1 cxd4 26. Bf4 Rd8 27. Be5 f4 28. Bxf4 Rf8 29. Be5 Rxf3 30. Bxd4 Rxh3 31. Bc3 Rh5 32. b4 Re8 33. Kg2 Rg5+ 34. Kh3 Rh5+ 35. Kg3 Rg5+ 36. Kh3 Rh5+ 37. Kg2 Rg5+ 38. Kf1 Rh5 39. Rc1 h6 40. Kg1 Rg5+ 41. Kf1 Rh5 42. Bd2 Rh4 43. Kg2 Rd4 44. Bc3 Rg4+ 45. Kh3 Rg1 46. Kh2 Rg5 47. Ne3 Kf7 48. Kh3 Re4 49. Rd1 Rf4 50. Rd7+ Ke8 51. Rd2 Kf7 52. Re2 Rf3+ 53. Kh2 h5 54. Rc2 Ke6 55. Ng2 Rgf5 56. Kg1 Rd5 57. Re2+ Kf7 58. Ne1 Rg5+ 59. Kf1 Rh3 60. Re4 Rh1+ 61. Ke2 Rf5 62. Nd3 g5 63. Ne5+ Kf8 64. Nd7+ Kf7 65. Ne5+ Kf8 66. f3 Rh2+ 67. Ke3 Rh3 68. Kf2 h4 69. Ng6+ Kf7 70. Ne5+ Ke6 71. Ng4+ Kd7 72. Re3 Rh1 73. Nf6+ Kd6 74. Ne4+ Kd5 75. Kg2 Rc1 76. Rd3+ Kc6 77. Rd2 h3+ 78. Kg3 Rf1 79. Nf2 Rg1+ 80. Kh2 Re1 81. Rc2 Rb1 82. Ng4 Kb7 83. Rf2 Rf4 84. Ne5 a5 85. Nd3 axb4 86. Nxf4 bxc3 87. Nd3 Rd1 88. Nc5+ Kc6 89. Ne4 g4 90. Nxc3 Rd4 91. Ne2 Rb4 92. fxg4 Rxg4 93. Kxh3 Rb4 94. Kg3 Kd5 95. Nc1 Rc4 96. Na2 Ke4 97. Re2+ Kd4 98. Rf2 Kd3 99. Rh2 b4 100. b3 Re4 101. Kf3 Re3+ 102. Kf4 Kd4 103. Nc1 Re8 104. Rc2 Rf8+ 105. Kg4 Ke4 106. Rc4+ Ke3 107. Rxb4 Rc8 108. Na2 Rc2 109. Ra4 Rb2 110. Ra3 Ke4 111. Ra4+ Ke3 112. Ra3 Ke4 113. Ra4+ Ke3 114. b4 Kd3 { 1-0 (114) Millstone,M (2373)-Nitschke,N (1968) ICCF 2018 }) 18. Nc3 { White 'walks the line'. } (18. Ba5 Rdc8 19. Nc3 Nb4 20. Re2 Bxf3 21. gxf3 Nc6 22. Ne4 Be7 23. Nd2 Bd6 24. c3 f5 { White stopped Nd4 but his Bishop is too awkward on a5. Black could even begin to push for advantage here. }) 18... Nb4 19. Rec1 Rac8 20. Ne2 Nc6 { Engines do not like this move. Though if it weren't for the engine, I wouldn't have known otherwise, so I am not going to assign any mark to this move. } (20... Be7 { However, this somehow seems more natural to me. } 21. Ne1 g6 22. Rd1 Rd7 23. Be3 Nd5 24. Nf3 Bf6 25. Rab1 Bg7 { After this non-forcing move where both parties improved their pieces and placed them on the correct squares, it is hard to imagine White could go much further from here to improve his position and make use of his extra pawn. }) 21. Be3 Ne7 22. Bf4 { The engines also despise this move, but any GM out there would definitely consider this as a serious option: White takes out Black's bishop pair and main source of compensation. However, it seems Nepo missed a small tactical nuance in favor of the incumbent world champion. } (22. Ng3 Nd5 23. Bd2 Nb4 { is what the engines prefer -- but again: Where to go from here?! }) 22... Bxf3! { If I cannot have a pair of bishops, I had better shatter my opponent's pawn structure. } 23. gxf3 Bxf4 24. Nxf4 Rc6 25. Re1 Nf5 26. c3 Nh4 27. Re3 Kf8 (27... g6 { Surprisingly, Magnus does not choose this. As Dutch GM Anish Giri stated: "It is surprising that Magnus chose Kf8, as he usually plays such positions with an engine-like accuracy". } 28. Rd1 Rf6 { would have begun to annoy the challenger. }) 28. Ng2 { Timely. Now Black's initiative fizzles, but he manages to win the pawn back. } 28... Nf5 29. Re5 g6 30. Ne1 Ng7! { Class! The knight is much more useful on e6. We are not surprised to see this move from Carlsen. This is after all, his bread and butter. } 31. Re4 f5 (31... Ne6?! 32. b4 { nd now f5 is bad as } 32... f5? 33. Rxe6 Rxe6 34. bxc5 { And White's pawn will start rolling. }) 32. Re3 Ne6 33. Ng2 b4 34. Ke2 Rb8 35. Kd2 bxc3+ 36. bxc3 Rxb3 37. Kc2 Rb7 38. h4 Kf7 (38... a5 { was another way. The pawn on a5 is untouchable. } 39. Re2 (39. Rxa5?? Nd4+ { and Black wins on spot. }) 39... Rcb6 { is at least annoying for White. }) 39. Ree1 Kf6 40. Ne3 Rd7 41. Nc4 Re7 42. Ne5 Rd6 43. Nc4 Rc6 44. Ne5 Rd6 45. Nc4 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2