[Event "Checkmate: USA vs India 2025"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2025.10.05"] [Round "01-03"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Gukesh D"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2838"] [BlackElo "2628"] [TimeControl "60"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A00"] [Opening "Polish Opening"] [StudyName "Checkmate: USA vs India"] [ChapterName "Nakamura, Hikaru - Gukesh D"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/CMl7gcnF/rUFQFnpC"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. b4 { It's a shame that all the buzz about the end of this game overshadowed how it started... with the Polish! } { [%clk 0:01:00] } 1... e6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 2. Bb2 { [%clk 0:00:59] } 2... Nf6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 3. a3 { [%clk 0:00:59] } 3... d5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 4. e3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 4... Bd6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 5. c4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 5... O-O { [%clk 0:00:00] } 6. Nf3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 6... c6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 7. d4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 7... Nbd7 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 8. Nbd2 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 8... a5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 9. c5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 9... Bc7 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 10. b5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 10... cxb5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 11. Bxb5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 11... b6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 12. c6 { White has gotten a deadly c-pawn out of the unconventional opening gamble. } { [%clk 0:00:00] } 12... Nb8 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 13. a4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 13... Na6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 14. O-O { [%clk 0:00:00] } 14... Nb4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 15. Ne5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 15... Bd6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 16. Rc1 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 16... Ne8 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 17. Nd3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } (17. e4 { was even more pressing. After } 17... Nc7 18. Qe2 { Black is cramped. }) 17... Nc7 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 18. Nxb4?! { [%clk 0:00:00] } 18... axb4 { With the a-file, Black has more play. } { [%clk 0:00:00] } 19. Bd3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 19... Ba6! { [%clk 0:00:00] } 20. Bxa6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 20... Rxa6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 21. e4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 21... Qa8 { The a-file changes everything, and now Black's outside passed b-pawns will be the most pressing force on the board. } { [%clk 0:00:00] } 22. exd5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 22... Nxd5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 23. Ne4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 23... Bf4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 24. Rc4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } (24. Ra1? Qxc6) 24... Rc8 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 25. g3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 25... Bb8 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 26. Qc2 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 26... Rxa4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 27. Ng5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 27... g6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 28. Rc1 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 28... Bd6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 29. Qe2 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 29... b5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 30. R4c2 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 30... b3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 31. Rd2 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 31... Rxc6 $19 { Now, White just has no play whatsoever. But, somehow, Nakamura envisions a plan of opening the a1-h8 diagonal and playing for mate tricks and actualizes it over the next dozen or so moves: } { [%clk 0:00:00] } 32. Rcd1 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 32... Rac4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 33. Qf3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 33... Qb7 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 34. Qxb3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 34... Rb4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 35. Qf3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 35... Rbc4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 36. Ne4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 36... Be7 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 37. Nc5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 37... Qc8 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 38. Nd3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 38... Bd6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 39. Nc5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 39... b4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 40. Ra1 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 40... Bxc5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 41. dxc5 { Mission accomplished! White is still down two pawns and worse, but there's something resembling counterplay! } { [%clk 0:00:00] } 41... R6xc5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 42. Rdd1 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 42... Rc2 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 43. Bd4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 43... R5c4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 44. Be5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 44... h5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 45. h4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 45... Qd7 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 46. Kh2 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 46... Kh7?? { Black misses it! } { [%clk 0:00:00] } (46... Rc8 { holds it together. }) 47. Rxd5! { [%clk 0:00:00] } 47... exd5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } (47... Qxd5 48. Qxf7+ { wins, of course. }) 48. Qf6 $18 { Black has to sac too much material to avoid mate. } { [%clk 0:00:00] } 48... Rxf2+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 49. Qxf2 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 49... Qe6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 50. Bf4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 50... b3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 51. Rc1 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 51... Rxc1 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 52. Bxc1 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 52... Kg8 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 53. Bb2 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 53... Qe4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 54. Qf6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 54... Qc2+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 55. Kh3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 55... Kf8 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 56. Qd8# { 1-0 White wins. } { [%clk 0:00:00] } 1-0