[Event "FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament 2024"] [Site "Toronto"] [Date "2024.04.07"] [Round "4"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Gukesh D"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2803"] [BlackElo "2743"] [Annotator "WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C54"] [Opening "Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo"] [StudyName "2024 FIDE Candidates and Women's Candidates Annotations"] [ChapterName "Caruana, Fabiano - Gukesh D"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/1BKsGSpw"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 a6 7. a4 Ba7 8. h3 O-O 9. Nbd2 Re8 { Nothing out of the ordinary yet, as Black can still transpose back to the mainline with ... h7-h6 followed by ... Bc8-e6. } 10. b4 (10. Ng5 { is not dangerous } 10... Re7 11. b4 h6 12. Ngf3 Be6) 10... Be6 11. Bxe6 Rxe6 12. Qc2 Re8 { However this is peculiar. After considerable thinking, Gukesh strays away from the mainline with ... h7-h6 and chooses an unappetizing alternative. } (12... h6 { would be another good option }) 13. Re1 h6 14. Nf1 d5 15. Ng3 b5?! { A strategic error. White has not released the tension in the center yet, so this move puts even more pressure on Black's position. Now he has to contend with a possible a4xb5 as well as e4xd5. } (15... Qd7! { was better } 16. exd5 (16. b5 { is harmless due to } 16... axb5 17. axb5 Bxf2+! 18. Qxf2 Rxa1 19. bxc6 Qxc6 { when Black's active pieces guarantee equality. }) 16... Qxd5 17. Be3 Bxe3 18. Rxe3 b5 { And here ... b7-b5 is good since Black stops b4-b5 from White and White has already made a decision in the center. }) 16. Nf5 dxe4 17. dxe4 Ne7 18. Nxe5?! { Fabi grabs the pawn, but as we'll see the extra doubled f-pawn proves to be symbolic. } (18. N3h4! { or }) (18. Ng3! { and White keeps the pressure on Black. There was even an ingenious sacrifice }) (18. Nxg7!? Kxg7 19. axb5 Ng6 (19... axb5 20. Nxe5 { White has two pawns, but Bc1xh6 is in the air as well as a fork on c6 and possible ideas of c3-c4 followed by Bc1-b2, opening up the diagonal as well as rook swings via the third rank. }) 20. Rxa6 { with three pawns and Black's damaged king position, White's for choice. }) 18... Nxf5 19. exf5 c5 (19... Nd5 20. Bd2 Qh4 { was more direct. }) 20. Bf4 (20. axb5 axb5 21. Bf4 Bb6 { is not much. }) 20... bxa4! 21. Nc6 (21. Qxa4 cxb4 22. cxb4 Bxf2+! 23. Kxf2 Qd4+ 24. Kf3 Qd5+ 25. Kf2 Qd4+ { is one way to end the game. It's likely why Caruana chose 21. Nc6. }) 21... Qd7 22. Rxe8+ Rxe8 23. Nxa7 cxb4! 24. cxb4 Qd4! { It is more precise to force the white queen to c1. } 25. Qc1 Qxa7 26. Rxa4 Qb7 { A few precise moves have resulted in mass exchanges, and it's easy to see that the extra white pawn is not very valuable. The game ended in a draw without too many difficulties for Black. } 27. Qd2 Nd5 (27... Qb5?! 28. Ra5) (27... Re4) 28. Bg3 f6 29. Bd6 Qc6 30. Ra5 Qxd6 31. Rxd5 Re1+ 32. Qxe1 Qxd5 { and the game ended in a draw } 33. g4 Kh7 34. Qc3 Qe4 35. Kh2 Qf4+ 36. Kg2 Kg8 37. f3 Kh7 38. Qe1 h5 39. Qe4 Qd2+ 40. Kg3 Qc1 41. Qe2 hxg4 42. hxg4 Qg1+ 43. Kf4 Qc1+ 44. Ke4 Qb1+ 45. Ke3 Qxb4 46. Qxa6 Qc5+ 47. Ke2 Qc2+ 48. Kf1 Qd1+ 49. Kf2 Qd4+ 50. Kg2 Qd2+ 51. Kh3 Qd1 52. Kg2 Qd2+ 53. Kf1 Qd1+ 54. Kf2 Qd4+ 55. Ke1 Qc3+ 56. Ke2 Qc2+ 57. Ke3 Qc1+ 58. Kf2 Qc5+ 59. Kg2 Qc2+ 60. Kg3 Qc7+ 61. Kh3 Qc1 62. Qe2 Qh1+ 63. Kg3 Qg1+ 64. Qg2 Qe1+ 65. Qf2 Qe5+ 66. f4 Qc3+ 67. Qf3 Qe1+ 68. Kg2 Qd2+ 69. Kh3 Qc1 70. Qf2 Qh1+ 71. Kg3 Qc1 72. Kh2 Kg8 73. Qg3 Kh7 74. Qf2 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2