[Event "FIDE Candidates 2022"] [Site "Madrid ESP"] [Date "2022.06.27"] [Round "9.3"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2766"] [BlackElo "2783"] [Annotator "Speelman,Jonathan"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C42"] [Opening "Russian Game: Classical Attack, Staunton Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/E5069VUJ/n4hx3LQ1"] [Orientation "white"] { The fame of the round and indeed arguably the tournament this was close to a must win moment for Fabiano as he trailed Nepo by a full point. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 c6 9. Re1 Bf5 10. Qb3 Qd7 { Here Fabi hit Nepo with a massively complicated novelty which forced him onto the back foot for many moves. } 11. Nh4! Be6 12. Qc2 (12. Qd1 { I thought he might have intended Qd1 but Qc2 is extremely poisomous. } 12... Bc7 (12... Nf6 13. c5 Bc7 14. Nc3)) (12. Bxe4 dxe4 13. Rxe4 b5 14. Nd2) 12... Na6 { There will be huge screeds of analysis in the next few days. Na6 is decent but requires immense accuracy from Black later. } 13. a3 f5 (13... Rae8 { was probably easier. If } 14. Nc3 (14. f3? Qd8! (14... dxc4 15. Bxe4 f5 16. Nxf5 Bxf5 17. Qxc4+)) 14... Nxc3 15. bxc3 dxc4 16. Bxh7+ Kh8 17. Bg5) 14. cxd5 cxd5 15. Nc3 Rac8 16. f3 Be7! (16... Nxc3 17. bxc3 Be7 18. g3 { gives White an edge. }) 17. g3! (17. Nxf5 { leads to a forced liquidation } 17... Bxf5 18. fxe4 dxe4 19. Bxe4 Qxd4+ 20. Be3 Qxe4! 21. Qxe4 Bxe4 22. Nxe4 Nc5 { and its dead equal. }) 17... Nd6 { A very human reaction but in fact Bf6 seems to be stronger according to our lords and masters: } (17... Bf6! 18. fxe4 fxe4 19. Bxa6 Bxd4+ 20. Be3 Bxe3+ 21. Rxe3 bxa6 22. Rd1 Qf7 23. Ree1 Bg4 { and there are two main engine lines both finishing in equality } 24. Rd4 (24. Rd2? e3) (24. Ra1 d4 25. Rxe4 Bf5 26. Nxf5 Qxf5 27. Qb3+ Kh8 28. Rf4 Qd3 29. Qb7 Qe3+ 30. Kg2 dxc3 31. Raf1 Qe2+ (31... Rg8? 32. Qxc8) 32. R1f2 c2 33. Rxe2 c1=Q { having defended c8 Black is apparently OK! } 34. Ref2) 24... Qf6 25. Qd2 e3 26. Qxe3 Rce8 27. Qxe8 Qf2+ 28. Kh1 Bf3+ 29. Nxf3 Qxf3+ 30. Kg1 Qf2+) 18. Qa4! { The engine move and I suspect the end of Fabi's magnificent preparation though he had to spend a quite a long time remembering and checking it. } (18. Qe2 Nc7 19. Nxd5! Nxd5 20. Qxe6+ Qxe6 21. Rxe6 Rcd8 22. Ng2 Bf6 { is also better for White but maybe less so. }) 18... Bf6 (18... Rc6! { is apparently the best but hard to see for a human and even a super grandmaster. } 19. Bxa6 Bxh4 20. gxh4 Rxa6 21. Qxd7 Bxd7 22. Bf4 Nb5) (18... Qxa4 19. Nxa4 Kf7 20. Bxa6 bxa6 21. Nc5 Rxc5 22. dxc5 Nc4 $16) 19. Qxd7 Bxd7 20. Nxd5 Bxd4+ 21. Kg2 (21. Be3 Bxe3+ 22. Rxe3 Rce8 23. Rd1 Rxe3 24. Nxe3 Nc7 25. Bc2 Nce8 { is aldo mucghc better for White. }) 21... Rce8 22. Bf4 (22. Ne7+ Kf7 23. Bf4 Nc5! { transposes }) 22... Nc5 23. Ne7+ Kf7 { While streaming I found this position with so many pieces en prise extremely confusing and after a while had recourse to engines. Despite getting a big lead on the clock early on, Fabi was now marginally behind with about 38 minutes to 40. here he spent nearly twenty of those minutes before choosing the less promising path. } 24. Bxf5?! (24. Bf1! Nc8 25. Bc4+ Be6 26. Rxe6! Nxe6 27. Nhxf5 Kf6 { is strong due to the vicious trick } 28. Nd5+! { and if } 28... Kxf5 (28... Kg6 29. Nxd4 Nxd4 30. Rd1 { with more than enmough for the exchange. }) 29. Bd3#) 24... Nxf5 25. Nhxf5 Bxf5 26. Nxf5 Rxe1 27. Rxe1 Nd3! (27... Bxb2 28. Bd6 Rc8 29. Re7+ Kf6 30. g4 { gave White very decent chances but after Nd3 Nepo has escaped. }) 28. Re4 (28. Re7+ Kf6 29. Bd6 Rd8 30. Nxd4 (30. Re4 Bc5 31. Bxc5 Nxc5 32. Rd4 Rxd4 33. Nxd4 Ke5) 30... Rxd6 31. Rxg7 Rxd4 32. Rxb7 { shouldn't be dangeorus for Black with decebnt play. }) 28... Bxb2 29. Be3 Bxa3 30. Bxa7 Ra8 31. Bd4 Bf8 { Now Black is finally beautifully coordinated. } 32. Re2 g6 33. Ne3 Rd8 34. Bb6 Rd6 35. Nc4 Rc6 36. Re4 Bg7 37. f4 Re6 38. Kf3 Ne1+ 39. Ke3 Nc2+ 40. Kf3 (40. Kd2 { then there is } 40... Na3!) 40... Ne1+ { The end of an epic battle. } 1/2-1/2