[Event "FIDE Candidates Chess Tournaments 2024"] [Site "Toronto"] [Date "2024.04.21"] [Round "14"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Gukesh D"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2789"] [BlackElo "2743"] [Annotator "WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D26"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Accepted: Normal Variation, Traditional System"] [StudyName "2024 FIDE Candidates and Women's Candidates Annotations Part II"] [ChapterName "Nakamura, Hikaru - Gukesh D"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/1tCLzmR6/ksCBR6of"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova } 1. d4 { Hikaru deviates from his usual 1. e4, but Gukesh was the one ready with a surprise. } 1... d5 2. c4 dxc4 { This choice already seemed to catch Nakamura a bit off-guard. } 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 Be7!? { An extremely rare move that gets Hikaru thinking on his own. } 6. Nc3 c5 7. a3 { This move took Gukesh out of his preparation. Presumably, Gukesh mostly looked at } (7. O-O O-O 8. e4 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Qc7 { and here White has many possibilities including the creative } 10. Ncb5!?) 7... O-O 8. O-O a6 9. Qe2 b5 10. Ba2 cxd4 { An interesting decision to change the structure. Gukesh probably did not want to get into positions after } (10... Bb7 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. e4 { and with e4-e5 coming, Black has to be very careful. Instead, here was an unusual opportunity to play }) (10... b4! 11. axb4 cxb4 12. Na4 a5 { and Black is having no problems whatsoever. However it is difficult to play 10. ... b4 when it is not a known idea. }) 11. exd4?! { Natural, but misses Gukesh's idea. } (11. Rd1! { is a deep prophylactic move against ... b5-b4. } 11... Nc6 { If } (11... b4 { then } 12. axb4 Nc6 13. Nxd4) 12. exd4 b4 { and now the difference is White hasn't taken on b4 and can play } 13. d5! bxc3 14. dxc6 Qc7 15. Rd3!? { with good chances. } (15. Ne5!?)) 11... b4! { Gukesh was probably aiming for this position when he chose to take on d4. } 12. Ne4?! { A very curious decision. It was difficult to understand the idea, as Black gets good development and a clamp on the d5-square. Afterwards, Hikaru was on the defensive, and never got any winning chances. It was better and more natural to simply take on b4 and retain attacking potential. } (12. axb4 Nc6 13. Rd1 Nxb4 14. Bb1 { and White still has plenty to play for with Nf3-e5 and Ra1-a3 potentially. }) 12... bxa3 13. bxa3 (13. Nxf6+ Bxf6 14. Qe4 Ra7 { doesn't help. }) 13... Bb7 { Gukesh has a comfortable position, and it's not easy to suggest any good moves for White. } 14. Nc3 (14. Nc5 Bd5) (14. Nxf6+ Bxf6 15. Rd1 Bd5) 14... Nd5 (14... Nbd7 { is also good. }) 15. Bd2 Nxc3 16. Bxc3 Nd7 { Black has no problems and is looking to take over. In the span of a few moves, disaster has struck for Nakamura. } 17. Bb1 Rc8 18. Bd2 Nf6 19. Bd3 Bxf3 20. Qxf3 Qxd4 21. Rfd1 Qa4 22. Qb7 Bc5 23. Be1 (23. Qxa6? Qh4 24. g3 Qh3 25. Bf1 Bxf2+! $19 { is a winning attack. }) 23... a5 24. Qb5 Qxb5 { Gukesh doesn't look for more, and instead pragmatically chooses to play for two results. } (24... Qf4 { , keeping pressure on White's king, was strong. } 25. g3 Qe5 26. Qxa5 Ng4 27. Qd2 Qh5 28. h4 f5!) 25. Bxb5 Bb6 26. Rac1 Nd5 27. Kf1 Rfd8 28. a4 Kf8 29. g3 Ke7 30. Ke2 f5 31. Rc4 Rxc4 32. Bxc4 Nb4 33. Rb1 { Hikaru keeps rooks on and fights until the bitter end. Remarkable fighting spirit to keep the game going, but a draw was never in doubt for Black. } 33... Bc5 34. Rc1 Nc6 35. Bc3 g5 36. Bb5 Ba3 37. Rc2 Nd4+ 38. Bxd4 Rxd4 39. Rc7+ Kf6 40. Rxh7 Bb4 41. Bd3 e5 (41... Bf8! { may scare White. } 42. Bb5 Bg7 { and the rook is almost trapped, but White is fine after } 43. Rh5 Re4+ 44. Kf1 Rb4 45. f3) 42. f3 e4 43. fxe4 fxe4 44. Bb5 Be7 45. h4 gxh4 46. gxh4 Rb4 47. Rh5 Kg7 48. Bd7 Rd4 49. Be8 Bd8 50. Rf5 Bxh4 51. Rxa5 Kf6 52. Ra8 Bg5 53. Bh5 Rd2+ 54. Kf1 Ra2 55. a5 Ra1+ 56. Kg2 Ra2+ 57. Kf1 Ra1+ 58. Ke2 Ra2+ 59. Kd1 Rd2+ 60. Ke1 Rd5 61. Ke2 Bd2 62. a6 Rxh5 63. a7 (63. Kxd2 Ra5 64. Ke3 Ra4 65. a7 Kg7) 63... Ra5 64. Rf8+ Ke5 65. a8=Q Rxa8 66. Rxa8 e3 67. Ra4 Kd5 68. Kd3 Kc5 69. Re4 Kd5 70. Rxe3 Bxe3 71. Kxe3 { A few inaccuracies in the early stages of the game meant Hikaru was on the back foot for most of the game, and Gukesh smartly steered the game towards safety for himself. As it turned out, a draw turned out to be enough to qualify for the World Championship match without even needing to play a tiebreak match. } 1/2-1/2