[Event "FIDE Candidates Chess Tournaments 2024"] [Site "Toronto"] [Date "2024.04.09"] [Round "5"] [White "Tan, Zhongyi"] [Black "Salimova, Nurgyul"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2521"] [BlackElo "2432"] [Annotator "IM Robert Shlyakhtenko"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B12"] [Opening "Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Botvinnik-Carls Defense"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/FepH3jVq"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by IM Robert Shlyakhtenko } 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5 e6 5. Nf3 Bxc5 6. Bd3 Ne7 7. Nbd2 Nbc6 8. Nb3 Bb6 9. O-O { Tan had played this line several times before, but Salimova appeared to be out of preparation already. } 9... Qc7!? { I think Black should reserve this square for the bishop. } 10. Bf4 Nb4!? 11. a4 a6 (11... Nxd3 12. cxd3 a5 { was better. }) 12. Qd2 Nxd3 13. cxd3! { White has a clear positional advantage due to the c-file and Black's misplaced dark-squared bishop. Salimova's next move is an attempt to confuse things. } 13... d4!? 14. a5 Ba7 15. Nfxd4?! { Played instantly, but in my opinion, a missed chance. Now White is a up a pawn, but Black's position start to make sense: the bishop on a7 plays a role in the game, the d5-square serves as a base for counterplay on the light squares, and White's minor pieces do not coordinate well. } (15. Rfc1! Qd8 16. Rc4! { was stronger. White will capture the d4-pawn under significantly better circumstances. }) 15... O-O { Black's position is still worse, but Salimova defends exceptionally well. } 16. Rfc1 Qd7 17. Be3 (17. Ne2!? Qd5 18. Ra3 { is a better attempt to coordinate the pieces. }) 17... Qd5! 18. f4 Bd7 19. Rc4 Rfd8 20. Rac1 Bb5! { Making the right trades. Black is close to equality. } 21. R4c3 (21. Nxb5 Bxe3+ 22. Qxe3 Qxb5) (21. Rc7 Nc6 22. Nxb5 Qxb5 23. Rc3 Nxa5 24. Nxa5 Bxe3+ 25. Qxe3 Qxa5 26. Rxb7 Rab8 { White's extra pawn is meaningless. }) 21... Nc6 (21... Rac8!? { is more accurate. }) 22. Nxc6 Bxe3+ 23. Qxe3 Bxc6 24. Qf2 Qb5! { Freeing the d5-square for the rook. } 25. Qc5 h6 26. Qxb5 axb5! { White's a5-pawn becomes weak as well. } 27. d4 Bd5 28. Kf2 b4 29. Rd3 Rdc8 30. Rc5 Rxc5 31. dxc5 Bc4 32. Re3 Rd8 33. Ke1 Rd5 34. g3 Kf8 35. Nd2 (35. Re4!? { This wild piece sacrifice would not change the outcome of the game. } 35... Bxb3 36. Rxb4 Bc2 37. c6 bxc6 38. Rb8+ Ke7 39. a6 Rd1+! 40. Ke2 Rd7 { Because of the threat of ... Bc2-d3+, White doesn't have time for Rb8-b7. } 41. Ke3 Rd3+ 42. Kf2 Rd2+) 35... Rxc5 36. Nxc4 Rxc4 37. Rb3 g5! { Now Black easily achieves a draw. } 38. Kd2 gxf4 39. Kd3 Rc5 40. gxf4 Rxa5 41. Rxb4 Rd5+ 42. Rd4 Rc5 43. b4 Rc1 44. Rd8+ Kg7 45. Rb8 Rf1 46. Ke3 Rh1 47. Rxb7 Rxh2 48. f5 exf5 49. e6 Rh4 50. Kd3 Re4 51. exf7 h5 52. b5 h4 53. b6 Rb4 54. Kc3 Rb1 55. Kd4 h3 56. f8=Q+ Kxf8 57. Rh7 Rxb6 58. Ke5 f4 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2