[Event "FIDE World Championship 2023"] [Site "Astana, Kazakhstan"] [Date "2023.04.26"] [Round "12.1"] [White "Liren, Ding"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2788"] [BlackElo "2792"] [Annotator "AL"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D04"] [Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Colle System"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/46lbOGuJ/bjIPsiyU"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by FM Alice Lee With only three games remaining in the match (and Ding due the white pieces twice), and Nepo up 6-5, this was almost a must-win situation for Ding. Because of the pressure on this game, there were a lot of psychological factors involved. In addition to the psychological factors, this was perhaps one of the most chaotic and interesting games of the match. } 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 c5 4. Nbd2 cxd4 5. exd4 Qc7!? { This is an interesting move. Although it has gained popularity in the past few years, it is still not the main line. The more popular move of 5. ... Nc6 gives White the option of 6. Bb5 (with the idea of c2-c4), so playing 5. ... Qc7 allows black to meet Bf1-b5 with ... Bc8-d7. This also forces White to make a move, and any of the options will weaken White's idea of Bf1-b5 and c2-c4. } (5... Nc6 6. Bb5 Bg4 (6... Qb6 7. c4 dxc4 8. a4 { is a nice example of what White has in mind, recapturing the c4-pawn with the knight rather than the bishop. White has a nice position after } 8... a6 9. Nxc4 Qc7 10. Bxc6+ Qxc6 11. Nce5 { . }) (6... a6 { only forces matters, since now c2-c4 is even more effective without the light-squared bishop around. } 7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8. c4) (6... Bd7 { is not bad here, but it also does not stop White's plan of playing } 7. c4 { . }) 7. O-O (7. c4 dxc4 8. O-O (8. Qa4? Bd7 9. Ne5 Nxe5 10. dxe5 Bxb5 (10... a6 11. Bxd7+ Nxd7) 11. Qxb5+ Qd7 { Carlsen – So, Chess.com, 2017, lichess.org/W502i0Nz }) 8... Rc8 9. Nxc4 Qd5 10. Bxc6+ Qxc6 11. Nce5 Bxf3 12. Nxf3 e6 13. Bg5) 7... e6 8. h3 Bh5 9. c4 $14) 6. c3 (6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. Bd3 Bg4 8. c3 Nc6 9. O-O { This is similar to the game, except Black is a tempo up. }) 6... Bd7?! (6... Nc6 { This move is good now. Note that with White playing c2-c3, it weakens the idea of Bf1-b5 followed by c2-c4 as it would waste a tempo for White. } 7. Bb5 (7. Bd3 Bg4 8. O-O e6) 7... a6 8. Bxc6+ bxc6 9. c4 g6) 7. Bd3 (7. Ne5!? Nc6 8. Ndf3 e6 9. Bd3 Bd6 10. Qe2 O-O 11. O-O $16 { This position is very good for White. It's the ideal Carlsbad structure, with White having a very good knight on e5, while Black's bishop on b7 is stuck inside the pawn chain. }) 7... Nc6 8. O-O { In order to continue developing, Black has to play ... e7-e6 and ... Bf8-d6. However, if Black were to play ... e7-e6 in this position, the bishop on d7 would be very unhappy, stuck inside the pawn-chain. Although it wastes a tempo here, ... Bd7-g4 is necessary for Black. } 8... Bg4 { Of course this is worse than if Black had played Bg4 immediately instead of ... Bc8-d7-g4. However, although Black lost a tempo, this position is rather slow, so Black still has a fine position. } 9. Re1 e6 10. Nf1 Bd6 11. Bg5 O-O { In this position, Ding spent 28 minutes. There are certainly a lot of options, although the two main moves in this position are 12. Bxf6 and 12. Ng3. } 12. Bxf6!? (12. Ng3 Nh5 { would now be necessary as h2-h3 was threatened. } 13. h3 (13. Nxh5 Bxh5 14. h3 f6 15. Be3 Rae8 $15) 13... Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Nxg3 15. fxg3 Bxg3 16. Re3 Bd6 { Ding mentioned this variation in his post-game interview. However, it does not seem as though White has adequate compensation for the pawn. } 17. Qh5 g6 18. Qf3 e5 19. Qxd5 exd4 20. cxd4 Bf4 21. Bxf4 Qxf4 $15) 12... gxf6 { Interestingly enough, Nepo also played 12. ... gxf6 in a different critical position in game two of the match, which he went on to win. } 13. Ng3 f5 14. h3 Bxf3 15. Qxf3 Ne7 { Black also prevents Ng3-xf5 threats. } (15... Kh8 { Another move recommended by the engine. However, there is a very interesting variation here for White. } 16. Nxf5! (16. Nh5 Ne7 { this would transpose to the game }) 16... exf5 17. Qxf5 f6 18. Re6 (18. Qxd5 Ne7 19. Qf3) 18... Rad8 19. Rxf6 Rxf6 20. Qxf6+ Qg7 21. Qe6 $13) 16. Nh5 Kh8 17. g4 Rg8 18. Kh1 Ng6! { This is a very good move. White was threatening previously to play g4xf5, and the knight on g6 here prevents g4xf5 due to ... Ng6-h4 ideas. In addition, this move is an idea in almost any position. This now starts Black's kingside attack. } 19. Bc2?! (19. Rg1! { Black's plan is to play ... Ng6-h4 followed by ... Rg8-g6 and ... Ra8-g8. With this move, White prevents any ideas of Black infiltrating the g-file after White plays g4xf5. This enables g4xf5 to be a possibility for White in the future, unlike in the game. } 19... Bh2 (19... Nh4 20. Qe2 Rg6 21. Rae1 Rag8 22. gxf5 exf5 23. Rxg6 Rxg6 24. Qe8+ Rg8 25. Qe2) 20. Rg3!? (20. Rgf1 Bd6 (20... Nh4 21. Qe3 Bd6 22. f4)) 20... Bxg3 21. fxg3 { There is no stopping White from playing g4xf5 next. Although Black has won an exchange, White has very good compensation. } 21... Ne7 22. gxf5 e5 23. dxe5 Qxe5 24. Qf2 Nc6 25. g4) (19. gxf5? Nh4! { The point of ... Ne7-g6. } 20. Qe3 exf5 21. f4 Ng2 22. Qf2 Nxe1 23. Rxe1 Qd8) 19... Nh4 20. Qe3 Rg6 21. Rg1 f4 22. Qd3 Qe7 23. Rae1 Qg5 24. c4?! { Objectively, this is a mistake. However, this is a very good practical try for White, and better than passive defense where Black would almost certainly win without counterplay. } 24... dxc4 25. Qc3 (25. Qxc4? Nf3 $19) 25... b5! { Defending the c-pawn with a winning position. Note that Bc2xg6 is not possible here. } 26. a4 (26. Bxg6?! hxg6 { White's knight on h5 is trapped! } 27. d5+ e5 $19) 26... b4?! (26... a6! { A very good move. Black prevents White from breaking the pawn chain, and White has no counterplay. } 27. axb5 axb5 28. Be4 Rag8 29. f3 f5! 30. Bc6 fxg4 31. hxg4 Rh6 $19) 27. Qxc4 Rag8? { Nepo played this move in less than a minute. This was a mistake as there was a winning variation for Black. However, it was not easy to see from far in advance, and Black is still slightly better here (although it does allow White a chance). } (27... Nf3! { This is necessary for Black to gain an advantage, } 28. Qc6 { This is probably what Nepo was worried about. } 28... Nxe1 29. Qxa8+ Rg8 30. Qe4 Nxc2 31. Qxc2 Qh4 32. Qd3 f5! 33. Qf3 fxg4 34. Rxg4 Rxg4 35. Qxg4 Qxg4 36. hxg4 b3! { This is the only winning variation for Black, and not easy to calculate from ten moves in advance. Here, Black should be winning with ... Bd6-a3 to come next. }) 28. Qc6? (28. Bxg6! { This move works now, even though the h5-knight is still trapped, because White is able to get tempo on one of Black's loose pieces. } 28... hxg6 29. Qc6 gxh5 (29... Bb8? { Perhaps the most intuitive move for Black, saving the bishop while White's knight is still trapped. However, now White has a very nice win. } 30. d5! Qxd5+ (30... exd5 31. Nf6 Rd8 32. Re8+ Rxe8 33. Qxe8+ Kg7 34. Qg8+ Kxf6 35. Qd8+ $18) (30... gxh5 31. dxe6 fxe6 32. gxh5 { Here, the open g-file was more than worth the knight! } 32... Qxh5 33. Rxg8+ Kxg8 34. Qxe6+ Kh8 35. Qf6+ Kg8 36. Rg1+) 31. Qxd5 exd5 32. Nf6 $18) 30. Qxd6 Nf3 31. Qc5 hxg4 32. Qxg5 Rxg5 33. hxg4 Nxg1 34. Rxg1 { Black might be slightly better. }) 28... Bb8?? (28... Nf5! { Not an obvious move to see, but this is very effective for Black. The key idea involves a queen sacrifice for a mating net! } 29. gxf5 (29. Rd1 Qh4 30. Qf3 b3 31. Be4 Ng3+ 32. Rxg3 fxg3 33. Bxg6 Qxh3+ 34. Kg1 Rxg6 35. fxg3 Qxg4 $17) 29... Qxg1+ 30. Rxg1 Rxg1+ 31. Kh2 f3+ 32. Ng3 (32. Qxd6?? R8g2#) 32... Rg2+ 33. Kh1 Bxg3 34. fxg3 R8xg3 { and White can resign. }) 29. Qb7?? (29. Bxg6! { This transposes to variations we looked at earlier if 28. Bxg6 hxg6 29. Qc6 Bb8? was played. This is winning for White. } 29... hxg6 30. d5 exd5 (30... Qxd5+ 31. Qxd5 exd5 32. Nf6) (30... gxh5 31. dxe6 Qf6 32. Qd7) 31. Nf6) 29... Rh6?! (29... Nf5! { Again, this very nice idea works here. } 30. Rd1 Qh4 31. Qf3 Ng3+ 32. Rxg3 fxg3 33. Bxg6 Qxh3+ 34. Kg1 gxf2+ 35. Kxf2 Qxf3+ 36. Kxf3 hxg6 $15) 30. Be4 Rf8?! (30... f3 31. Qxf7 Ng2 32. Qxf3 Nxe1 33. Rxe1 Qh4 34. Rg1 Qg5 35. Rf1 Qh4 36. Rg1 $10) 31. Qxb4 Qd8 32. Qc3 { White has successfully managed to mediate Black's attack, and is up a pawn in a slightly more pleasant position. } (32. d5!? e5 { Now, Black threatens the dangerous ... f7-f5 with a continued attack. White wants to be able to meet this thrust with Qb4-b7, threatening mate on g7. To do this, a prophylactic move is required. } 33. Rc1! { This is the only way to keep an advantage. } 33... a5 34. Qb7 { Only now, when the c7-square is under White's control. } 34... Rb6 35. Qa8) 32... Ng6 33. Bg2 (33. Re2 Qh4 { transposes to the game. }) 33... Qh4 (33... Bd6 { does not gain anything. } 34. Re4 Qg5 35. d5+ e5 36. Rc4 f5 37. Bf3 fxg4 38. hxg4 Nh4 39. Rc8 Nxf3 40. Rxf8+ Bxf8 41. Qxf3 e4 42. Qc3+ Kg8 43. Qc4 { when the computer insists the game is drawn, showing how any attempts from White to push will be met by a perpetual check: } 43... Kf7 44. d6+ Re6 45. Qc7+ Be7 46. dxe7 Qh4+ { with perpetual check. }) 34. Re2 f5?? { Perhaps Nepo saw this idea in advance and decided to play it here. However, this just hangs the e6 pawn. } (34... Rg8 { allows White to begin pushing the extra pawn with } 35. b4 Qg5 36. Qc5 Qd8 37. Qc3 Qg5 38. d5+ e5 { Now, a key difference with Black's bishop being on b8 instead of d6 is that White can return the pawn to open the central file. } 39. d6 Bxd6 40. Rd1 f3 41. Qxf3 Bxb4 42. Re4 Bc5 { White should have a small, but enduring, edge. }) 35. Rxe6 { With d4-d5 and checkmate threatened next, there is no defense for Black now that there is no e-pawn ready to block with ... e6-e5. } 35... Rxh5 { Played after seventeen minutes, most of which Nepo spent not looking at the board. } 36. gxh5 Qxh5 37. d5+ Kg8 38. d6 { An unfortunate result for Nepo, and an excellent result for Ding. Now, the match is tied at 6-6 with the two games remaining sure to be good fights. } 1-0