[Event "FIDE Candidates 2024"] [Site "Toronto, Canada"] [Date "2024.04.21"] [Round "14"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2803"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteFideId "2020009"] [BlackElo "2758"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "4168119"] [TimeControl "40/7200:1800+30"] [Annotator "Zaven Andriasyan"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D35"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/4cmeeRC9/nNBAnlPr"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 { Caruana chooses the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit, aiming for a positional play. However, the game quickly takes a sharp turn. } 4... exd5 5. Bg5 Bb4 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3 Ne4 9. Qc2 h5 10. f3 Nxg3 11. hxg3 Be6 12. Bd3 c6 13. O-O-O Nd7 14. f4 $146 { A new move. Previously, 14. Nge2 was played in the game S. Mamedyarov vs A. Motylev (2019). } 14... Bg4 15. Nf3 Qe7 16. e4 Bxc3 { Keeping the bishops would have been better, but Nepomniachtchi chose to stabilize the position knowing Caruana had prepared this line. } 17. Qxc3 Bxf3 18. gxf3 dxe4 19. Bxe4 gxf4 20. g4! { Exploiting the pin of the h pawn. } 20... O-O-O?! (20... h4! { was the correct move! Instead, by hastily castling queenside, Black allows White to organize an attack. }) 21. d5! { Immediately, Black faces some serious problems. } 21... h4? { It's too late for h4 now! } (21... Kb8 { It was much better to move the King away from the C-file. }) 22. dxc6 $18 Nc5 23. Bf5+ Kb8 24. Kb1 b6 25. Rd7! { Caruana has played a brilliant game so far. At this stage, it seemed almost certain that he would convert his advantage into a full point! } 25... Rxd7 26. cxd7 Rd8 27. Qd4 Nxd7 28. Rd1 Qc5 29. Qxf4+ Qc7 30. Qd2 h3 31. Be4 a5 32. Qd5 Ka7 33. Qxf7 h2 34. Qh7 Kb8 35. a3 Qe5 36. Qh6 Qc7 37. g5 Rg8 38. Rh1 Nc5 39. Bh7?! { Allows Black to sacrifice the exchange and somewhat stabilize the position. } (39. Bc2! { Was the move with 40.g6 to follow }) 39... Rxg5 40. Qxg5 Qxh7+ 41. Ka1? $14 (41. Ka2 { would prevent a perpetual check in the future; it ensures the Black Knight cannot jump to b3 with a check. } 41... Qc2 42. Qg3+ Ka7 43. Qxh2 Qb3+ 44. Ka1 Qxf3 45. Qh5 $18) 41... Qc2 42. Qg8+ Ka7 43. Ka2 a4 44. f4 Nb3? $18 { This allows White to get a winning chance. It would be better to play Ka6. } (44... Ka6 45. Qa8+ Kb5) 45. Qg7+ Ka6 46. Qc3 Qg2 47. Qc4+ Kb7 48. Re1 Nc5 49. Qf1 Qd5+ 50. Kb1 Qf5+ 51. Ka1 Qc2 52. f5 Nd3 53. Rb1 Nc5 54. f6 Nb3+ 55. Ka2 Nd2 56. Qh1+ Ka7 57. Rc1 Qb3+ 58. Ka1 Qe6 59. Rc7+? { And the position immediately becomes equal. Surely, it was hard to find, but the correct continuation would be } (59. Re1! Nb3+ 60. Ka2 Qc4 61. Rd1 Nd2+ 62. Ka1 Nb3+ 63. Kb1 Qg4 64. f7 Qf5+ 65. Ka2 Qxf7 66. Qxh2 Nc5+ 67. Kb1 Qf5+ 68. Ka1 Ka6 69. Qe2+ b5 70. Rd6+ Ka7 71. Qe7+ Nb7 72. Qd7 $18) 59... Ka6 60. f7 Nb3+ 61. Kb1 Qf5+?? { Mistakes are made by both sides, which is understandable given the position. } (61... Nd2+! 62. Kc2 Qf5+ 63. Kxd2 Qf4+ 64. Kd3 Qd6+) 62. Ka2 Nc5 63. Qa8+ Kb5 64. Qc6+? (64. Qe8+! { Yet another chance missed! } 64... Ka5 65. Qe1+ Ka6 66. Qe2+ Nd3 67. Qxh2 Qe6+ 68. Kb1 Qe1+ 69. Kc2 Qe4 70. f8=Q $18) 64... Ka6 65. Qa8+ Kb5 { 66.Qe8+ would still win. } 66. Qc6+ Ka6 67. Re7 Qf1 68. Qa8+ Kb5 69. Qe8+ Ka6 70. Qa8+ Kb5 71. Qe8+ Ka6 72. Re4 Nxe4 73. Qxa4+ Kb7 74. Qxe4+ Ka7 75. Qa4+ Kb7 76. Qd7+ Ka6 77. Qc8+ Ka7 78. f8=Q Qxf8 79. Qxf8 h1=Q 80. a4 Qd5+ { The game drags on mainly because Caruana struggles to come to terms with his missed opportunities. Winning is no longer possible in this position. } 81. Ka3 Qd3+ 82. b3 Qd4 83. Qf7+ Kb8 84. Qe8+ Ka7 85. Qe7+ Kb8 86. Qe1 Qd6+ 87. Qb4 Qf6 88. Qd2 Qe7+ 89. b4 Qe6 90. Qd3 Ka7 91. Qc3 Kb8 92. Qb3 Qf6 93. Qe3 Qd6 94. Kb3 Qd5+ 95. Kb2 Qd6 96. Qe8+ Ka7 97. Qf7+ Kb8 98. Kc3 Qe5+ 99. Kd3 Qd6+ 100. Kc4 Qc6+ 101. Kb3 Qd6 102. Qf3 Qd4 103. Qe2 Qd5+ 104. Ka3 Qd6 105. Qb5 Qd4 106. Kb3 Ka7 107. Qe2 Qd5+ 108. Ka3 Qd4 109. Kb3 { Nepomniachtchi defended the Queen and Pawn endgame accurately, not allowing any chances for a breakthrough. Eventually, a draw was agreed upon, dashing the hopes of both players... Gukesh D emerged as the tournament winner. } 1/2-1/2