[Event "FIDE World Championship 2024"] [Site "Singapore, Singapore"] [Date "2024.11.27"] [Round "3"] [White "Gukesh D"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2783"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteFideId "46616543"] [BlackElo "2728"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "8603677"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/RealDavidNavara"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D02"] [Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation"] [StudyName "World Championship 2024: Annotated Games"] [ChapterName "Gukesh D - Ding, Liren (Navara)"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/LF4x850G/lA3hZn0P"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 { This time Gukesh plays his most common first move. } 1... Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. cxd5!? { This continuation has become popular recently. It looks odd to open the road for Black's queenside bishop, but more natural moves do not bring White anything, either. } (4. Nc3 { Black has many decent moves, including } 4... c6 (4... Bb4) (4... Nbd7) (4... Be7) (4... c5) (4... dxc4 { . Especially the last two can be very forcing and it makes sense to avoid them. })) (4. g3 { . Black has numerous good continuations here. }) 4... exd5 5. Nc3 c6 { The most logical move. Black makes a useful move and prepares 6...Bf5. } (5... Bb4 { was also possible. }) (5... Bf5 { allows } 6. Qb3 { . While } 6... Nc6! 7. Bg5 (7. e4!? Nxe4 (7... dxe4 8. Ne5) 8. Qxb7 Bd7 9. Qb3) (7. Qxb7? Nb4 { is bad for White. It is not as simple as it looks, but not overly relevant, either. }) 7... Na5 8. Qa4+ c6 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. e3 Qb6 11. O-O-O { is not clear, White's position is easier to play. He wants to play 12.Bd3, consolidate his king and then play against Black's weaknesses. }) 6. Qc2 { White prevents 6...Bf5 for the time being. Black would be happy to develop his bishop. } 6... g6 7. h3 (7. Bg5 Be7 (7... Bg7 8. e3 Bf5 { is also good }) 8. e3 Bf5 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nbd7 { leads to an equal position. }) 7... Bf5 { The most natural move, although not the only one. } (7... a5 { . }) (7... Qc7 { , preventing 8.Bf4. I wonder whether Gukesh prepared } 8. g4!? { or something more restrained. }) 8. Qb3 Qb6 (8... Qc7 { here, but White has various options. While } 9. Bf4!? { is not the best one, it might be the most challenging one. I would not like to play this with Black against a prepared opponent. If Black does everything right, he will get slightly better chances. If not, he can easily end up in a worse position. } (9. Bg5 Nbd7 10. e3 h6 11. Bf4 Qb6 12. g4 g5! 13. Bxg5 hxg5 14. gxf5 g4 15. Nd2 Bd6 $44) (9. g4 Be6 10. Ng5 Bc8 { is good for Black. }) (9. g3!? Qb6 (9... Nbd7!? 10. Bf4 Bd6 { , and after } 11. Bh6 { he can choose between } 11... Ne4 (11... Bf8) (11... Qb6 { . })) 10. g4 { would have transposed to the game. }) 9... Qxf4 10. Qxb7 Qd6! { Not the most natural move, but probably the best one. } (10... Nfd7?! 11. e3 Qd6 12. Qxa8 Qc7 (12... Qb4? 13. O-O-O! Qb6 14. g4 Qc7 15. Ba6! $16) 13. Ba6! Bd3! (13... Nb6? 14. Qb7 $16) 14. Bxd3 Nb6 15. Qxb8+ Qxb8 16. O-O $14 { looks better for White, who has a compact position with no weaknesses. }) (10... Be7 11. e3! { gives White a vital tempo, and } 11... Qd6 12. Qxa8 Qb4 13. Be2! Qxb2 14. O-O O-O 15. Qxa7 Bb4 16. Nh4!? { looks promising then, e.g. } 16... Bxc3 17. Nxf5 Qxe2 18. Ng3 Qb5 19. Rab1 Qa5 20. Rb7! Qxa7 21. Rxa7 $14 { , when White's a-pawn might become very dangerous. }) 11. e3 (11. Qxa8?! Qc7 { leaves White's queen trapped. }) 11... Qb4 12. Bb5!? (12. Ba6!? Nfd7 13. Qxa8 Qxb2 14. O-O Qxc3 15. Bc8 Bd6! 16. Bxd7+ Bxd7 17. Qxa7 O-O $36 { is also good for Black. }) 12... cxb5 13. O-O Bd6 14. Qxa8 O-O 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Qxd5 Rd8 17. Ne5 Be6 $36 { . Perhaps the threat was better than its execution and Gukesh would not play 9.f4 at all, 9.g3 looks similar to the game. My point is that when not being ready for 9.f4, it makes sense not to play 8...c7. }) 9. g4 Qxb3 { Ding Liren spent 15 minutes on this move. } (9... Be6) (9... Be4 10. Bg2 h6 { should lead to equality here. }) 10. axb3 Bc2 { This was played instantly. } (10... Be4 11. Bg2 h6 12. O-O Bxf3 13. Bxf3 Nbd7) (10... Be6 { were also more solid. Especially in the latter looks just equal. That said, both of these continuations look even safer without the preliminary exchange on b3, which activates White's queenside rook. }) 11. Bf4! { It turns out that Black's bishop can also be exposed on c2. } 11... h5!? { Black had a wide choice here. His move is logical. Ding Liren played this move and the next one quickly. } (11... Ne4 { looks good. } 12. Bg2 (12. Nd2 Nxd2 13. Kxd2 Bxb3 14. Be5 Rg8 15. Bxb8 Rxb8 16. Rxa7 Bb4) (12. Nxe4?! Bxe4 { can only be better for Black, who has solved problems with his exposed bishop without making any concessions. }) 12... Bb4 13. O-O O-O 14. Bd2!? { leads to a lively position which should not be too dangerous for Black. } (14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Ra4 Be7)) (11... Bb4 { might transpose to 11...e4, but White also has an additional option } 12. Nd2!? Ne4 13. Ncxe4 dxe4 14. Bg2 { . }) (11... h6 12. Bxb8 (12. Nd2 g5) 12... Rxb8 13. Rxa7 Ne4 (13... Bb4 { first }) 14. Bg2 Bb4 15. O-O Bxb3 { , again with equality. That said, some positions with Black's bishop on b3 might also look dangerous. }) 12. Rg1! (12. g5 Ne4 { would have given Black's bishop a retreat square f5. White would have full compensation for a pawn after } 13. Bg2 Bb4 14. O-O Bxc3 15. bxc3 Nxc3 16. Rfe1 { , but not more. }) 12... hxg4 13. hxg4 Nbd7! $146 { This seems to be a novelty, and a good one. Black spent 33 minutes on this move. } (13... Bxb3? 14. Nd2! Bc4 (14... Bc2? { loses a piece to } 15. Rc1 Be4 16. f3 $18) 15. Nxc4 dxc4 16. e3 Bb4 (16... b5? { loses to } 17. Nxb5!? cxb5 18. Bg2 $18) 17. Bxc4 $16 { happened in a rapid game Kramnik - Erigaisi, Düsseldorf 2023. White was better throughout the game and winning at various points, but Black eventually saved a draw with a tenacious defense. }) 14. Nd2! { Gukesh spent 4 minutes on his previous 13 moves taken together, and 12 minutes on this move. Black's bishop is in real danger now. } 14... Rg8! { The only good defense against 15.Rc1. Ding played this in 9 seconds. } 15. g5?! { White spent over 16 minutes on this move. This advance looks too radical. One can understand Gukesh, who was trailing by a point, but it was better to keep control of the f5-square. } (15. Rc1 g5 16. Be3 { instead. } (16. Bxg5?! Rxg5 17. Rxc2 Rxg4 18. Rxg4 Nxg4) 16... Be4 (16... Bh7 17. Nf3 Ne4 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Nxg5 Bb4+ 20. Kd1 Bg6 21. Nh3 $14 { does not offer Black enough compensation for the sacrificed pawn. }) 17. Ndxe4 (17. f3?! Bh7 { White could no longer attack the g5-pawn with his knight. }) 17... Nxe4! (17... dxe4?! 18. Bg2 Nxg4 19. Bd2! { , as the exchanges would open diagonals and files for White's bishops and rooks. After } 19... e3!? (19... f5?! 20. Bxe4! $16) (19... Ngf6 20. Nxe4 Nxe4 21. Bxe4 Nf6 22. Bf5 Rd8! $14) 20. fxe3 { the doubled pawns are not weak at all, as Black can neither block them, nor attack them. }) 18. f3 { Here White might be slightly better due to the bishop pair, but it is not much: } 18... Nef6 (18... Nd6 19. Bf2 $14 { I would be tempted to continue with e2-e4, but it might be better to start with e2-e3, improve the pieces and then search for more. }) (18... Nxc3 19. bxc3 a5! { is also only marginally worse for Black. }) 19. Kf2) 15... Nh5 { The knight on the rim is not dim here. } 16. Bh2 Rh8 { Black's position might already be very slightly better. } 17. f3 (17. Bh3!? { was a relevant move, but it gives Black a pleasant choice between various solid continuations, including } 17... Ng7 (17... Nhf6 18. Rg3 Bf5!? 19. Bxf5 gxf5 20. Rg2 Ne4) (17... f5 18. gxf6 Nhxf6 19. Bxd7+ Nxd7 20. Bf4 Kf7 { . }) 18. Bxd7+ Kxd7 19. Be5 Rh7) 17... Ng7! { Ding Liren spent 18 minutes on this move. If anyone is better now, it is Black. He controls the h-file and does not have weaknesses. With one exception which will eventually cost him the game. } 18. Bg3 Rh5? { This is the turning point of the game. Ding Liren spent 4 minutes on the move, getting from 31 minutes to 27. The move looks logical, but it has a hidden flaw. } (18... Be7! { was the right way to attack the g5 pawn, as now } 19. e4 (19. Bf2 Bf5 20. e4 Be6 21. Be3 a6 $15 { leaves White with many pawn weaknesses }) (19. Rc1 Bf5 20. e4 Be6 $15) 19... Bxg5! { This is much simpler than 19...Ne6. } (19... Ne6 20. Rc1 dxe4! { is also good for Black, but unnecessarily complicated: } 21. d5! (21. Rxc2 Nxd4 22. Kd1! e3 23. Nde4 Nxf3 { White has to find } 24. Rcg2! $15 { to stay in the game } (24. Rgg2? { loses to } 24... Rh1 25. Ke2 Nd4+ 26. Kxe3 Nxc2+ 27. Rxc2 Rxf1 $19 { . })) 21... cxd5 (21... Nd4 22. Bf2 c5 23. fxe4 Ne5 $13 { is even more complicated, with many pieces hanging. }) 22. Rxc2 Nd4 (22... Rc8!?) 23. Kd1 Nxc2 (23... Rc8!?) 24. Kxc2 Rc8 25. Bb5 { with immense complications. If you do not understand these lines, there is no reason to worry. One can still reach ELO FIDE 2700 without understanding this. }) 20. exd5 (20. Rc1?! Bxd2+ 21. Kxd2 Bxb3 22. exd5 Nf5! $17 { leaves Black a healthy pawn up, e.g. } 23. Re1+?! Kf8) 20... Nf5 21. dxc6 bxc6 22. Bf2 Bxd2+ 23. Kxd2 Bxb3 { White still needs to prove that he has full compensation. }) (18... Bf5 19. e4 Be6! { is the right continuation for you. Black remains solid, wants to play 20...e7, a7-a6 and then start caring about White's weak pawns g5, b3 or d4. } 20. exd5 Bxd5 (20... cxd5 21. Nb5 { looks dangerous for Black, it is actually White who should be careful after } 21... Rc8! { A sample line } 22. Rxa7 Nf5 23. Bf4 Bg7 24. Rxb7 Rc1+ 25. Kf2 Nxd4 $36 { shows how quickly can Black pieces become active. }) 21. Bc4 (21. Nxd5 cxd5 22. Ra5 Nb6 23. Be5 Rh7 { is also good for Black. White enjoys temporary activity, but Black should be able to neutralize it, after which weak pawns and squares might become more important. }) 21... Bxc4 22. Nxc4 (22. bxc4?! Nf5 $15) 22... Nf5 23. Kf2 Bg7 { might look dangerous for Black, but it is White who should care about maintaining equality: } (23... Be7 { might be less accurate, it is very solid and good for equality. }) 24. Nd6+ Nxd6 25. Rge1+! Ne5! 26. Bxe5 (26. dxe5 Nf5) 26... Bxe5 27. dxe5! Nf5 28. e6 { and from Black's point of view this a great version of the Berlin endgame. White equalizes after } 28... Rh2+ (28... Ke7!?) 29. Kg1 Rxb2 30. Rad1! Rxb3 31. Ne4 { due to his piece activity, but it is not a problem. Let's return to the game. }) 19. e4! { The bishop is suddenly trapped. The variations are complicated, but work for White. Gukesh spent 12 minutes on this move and it was a good investment. } 19... dxe4?! (19... Ne6! 20. Rc1 Nxd4 21. Bf2 Bc5 (21... Bg7 22. Rg2! $16 { is similar }) 22. Rg2! { , but } (22. Bxd4?! Bxd4 23. Rg2 Bxc3 24. bxc3 Bxb3 25. Nxb3 dxe4 26. fxe4 Rh4! { , when Black should hold. The presence of the dark-squared bishops changes a lot, as we will see. }) 22... Nxf3+! 23. Nxf3 Bxe4 24. Nxe4 dxe4 25. Bxc5 exf3 26. Rg3 Nxc5 27. Rxc5 f6! 28. Rxf3 Rxg5 29. Rxg5 fxg5 $14 { would have given him excellent drawing chances. When in doubt, castle! }) 20. fxe4 Ne6 21. Rc1! Nxd4 (21... Bg7 22. Bf2! (22. Rxc2 Nxd4 23. Rc1 Rxg5 { , but it is better to keep the g5-pawn alive. }) 22... Nxd4 (22... Rh2!? { , White has a pleasant choice: } 23. d5!? { might be the best move, but the variations are complex. Feel free to skip them, I do not want to steal your precious time. } (23. Rxc2 Rxf2 24. Kxf2 Bxd4+ 25. Kg2 Bxg1 26. Kxg1 Nxg5 27. Kf2 $16 { is simple and good. }) 23... Nd4 (23... Bd4 24. Bxd4 Nxd4 25. Ne2! $16) 24. Rg4! (24. Ne2 Rxf2! 25. Kxf2 cxd5 26. exd5 Bxb3 { is not the worst scenario for Black, but White is clearly better even here. }) 24... Rxf2 25. Kxf2 Bxb3 26. e5! Bxe5 27. Re1 O-O-O 28. Bh3! f5 (28... Kc7 29. Rxe5 Nxe5 30. Rxd4 Bxd5 31. Ke3 $16 { Black has three pawns for the piece, but White's pieces are more active and better coordinated. } 31... Bh1 32. Rxd8 Kxd8 33. Kd4 Nd7 34. Bxd7! Kxd7 35. Ke5 { should be winning for White due to his active king. The knights will take care of Black's pawns. }) 29. gxf6 Bxf6 30. Nce4! Bh8 31. Nxb3 Nxb3 32. Rg3! Nd4 33. Nd6+ Kb8 34. Re8! Rxe8 35. Nxe8 Nc5 36. d6!? { works for White, as } 36... Ne4+ { loses to } 37. Kg2! Nxg3 38. d7! Bf6 39. Nxf6 Kc7 40. Kxg3 $18 { , when White's pieces support the passed pawn. But we are way too far... }) 23. Ne2 { transposes to the game. }) 22. Bf2 Bg7 (22... Bc5 23. Na4! Nxb3 24. Rxc2 Nxd2 25. Rxd2 $16 { also leads to a sad endgame. }) 23. Ne2! { I guess that Ding Liren missed or underestimated this move or move 25 from afar. } 23... Nxb3 (23... Bxe4 24. Nxd4 { . }) 24. Rxc2 Nxd2 25. Kxd2! { The smoke has cleared. White enjoys an extra piece for two pawns. What is even more important, there are still many pieces on the board and White also has a bishop pair. Black's pawns are not advanced. White is technically winning, although the proof can still be complicated against the best defense. } (25. Rxd2 Ne5 { , as the fork on f3 is hard to parry: } 26. Rg3 (26. Nd4 c5 27. Bb5+!? Kf8! (27... Ke7?? { loses to } 28. Nf5+! gxf5 29. Bxc5+ Ke6 30. Rd6+ Ke7 31. Rh6+ (31. exf5! { is even stronger, as } 31... Nf3+ 32. Kf2 Nxg1 33. Rd5# { leads to a mate. }) 31... Kd8 32. Rxh5 $18 { . }) 28. Be2 cxd4 29. Bxh5 gxh5) 26... Rxg5! 27. Rxg5 Nf3+ 28. Kd1 Nxg5 { and Black should hold this endgame. In the game there was an extra pair of rooks and the g5-pawn stayed alive. }) 25... Ne5?! { The knight stands well there, but cannot get any further. } (25... a5!? 26. Nf4 (26. Kc1!? a4 27. Kb1! a3 28. b3 $16) 26... Rh2 27. Rg2 Rh1! $16 { , trying to generate some counterplay with a5-a4. White's b2-pawn might then become weak. While a4-a3 might be questionable, in some lines this allows Black to activate his other rook quickly. }) 26. Nd4 Rd8 27. Ke2 Rh2 28. Bg2 (28. Nf3 Nxf3 29. Kxf3 { , but there is no hurry. It makes sense to protect the d1-square and to block the second rank first. By the way, } 29... Bd4 30. Rg2 Rxg2 31. Bxg2 Bxf2 32. Rxf2 Rd3+ 33. Kf4 $18 { is lost for Black, as White will sooner or later attack f7 or another backward pawn. }) 28... a6 29. b3 Rd7 30. Rcc1 Ke7 31. Rcd1 Ke8 { Black spent almost 5 minutes on this move, keeping less than 2 minutes till move 40. } 32. Bg3 Rh5 33. Nf3 Nxf3 (33... Rxd1 34. Rxd1 Nd7! { looks dismal as well and should be lost in the long run. } (34... Nxf3?! 35. Bxf3 Rxg5 36. Bh4 $18 { loses an exchange, as } 36... Rb5?! { allows } 37. Rd8# { . })) 34. Kxf3 Bd4 (34... Rxg5 35. Rxd7 Kxd7 36. Rd1+ Ke6 37. Bh3+ f5 38. Re1! Kf7! 39. exf5 gxf5 40. Kf4 Bh6 (40... Bf6 41. Bxf5) 41. Bxf5 $18 { Black could hope to exchange the remaining pawns, but it would not save him, as White's extra piece would allow a decisive attack. Black would need to exchange a pair of bishops, but there is no way to do that. And discovered checks do not help either. }) 35. Rh1 Rxg5 { This hastens the end, but the game was already beyond saving. Black spent almost a minute on this move, keeping 9 seconds for his remaining 5 moves till the time control. When mentioning time consumptions in the first game, I made some slight inaccuracies as I had forgotten that there were no 30-second increments before move 41. It seems that I was not the only one to forget about this. There are many different time controls which make sense, but nowadays we play almost always with increments from move 1, and then it becomes very easy to forget that there are no increments and realize it too late. Time somehow runs quicker in bad positions, especially against strong opponents. } (35... Rxh1 36. Rxh1!? { is technically lost for Black, now more than ever before. }) 36. Bh3! { Black loses an exchange. } 36... f5 (36... Rxg3+ 37. Kxg3 { would not change much, Black's pawns are too slow, too weak. } 37... Rd6 (37... Rd8 38. Kf4 c5 39. e5 $18) 38. Bc8!? $18) (36... Rd8 37. Bh4 $18) 37. Bf4! Rh5 { and Black lost on time. } (37... fxe4+ 38. Kxe4 $18 { was no better, with all Black's pieces hanging. Gukesh has levelled the score and the match starts anew, with 11 games left. It will be interesting to see which opening will be played tomorrow. I expect Ding to choose a solid opening, playing for a slight edge with little risk. This looks like the most likely scenario. One can also imagine Gukesh going for something wild, trying to exploit his current match initiative, but with Black pieces this is often connected with serious risks. Thank you for your attention! }) 1-0