[Event "FIDE Candidates 2024"] [Site "Toronto, Canada"] [Date "2024.04.04"] [Round "2.2"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2789"] [BlackElo "2727"] [Annotator "WGM Tatev Abrahamyan"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C65"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/JJUfYCjb"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by WGM Tatev Abrahamyan } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 { The anti-Berlin. Nakamura was in no mood for any theoretical discussions in the Berlin endgame. } 4... Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. h3 Ne7 8. d4 c6 $146 (8... Bb6 9. Re1 Ng6 { this set-up has been played several hundred times, including by Carlsen himself. }) 9. Bd3 Bb6 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Nxe5 { Clearly feeling uncomfortable facing preparation so early on, Nakamura decides to take the bait after a long think. } 11... Bxh3! { The whole idea behind the pawn sacrifice. Vidit later thanked his seconds for the idea. White really has to anticipate this move, otherwise there is no justification for Black for giving up a central pawn. } 12. Nc4 { Vidit was unfamiliar with this move and from this point on, both players are on their own. } (12. gxh3 Qb8! 13. Bf4 (13. Nf3? Qg3+ 14. Kh1 Qxh3+ 15. Nh2 (15. Kg1 Ng4 16. Bf4 Ng6 $19) 15... Rad8 16. f3 Nh5 { and White is in deep trouble. }) 13... Bc7! { This is why the queen went to b8, as to leave the c7-square available for the bishop! } 14. Bh2 (14. Bh6) 14... Bxe5 { Still, the position is playable. } 15. f4 Bc7 16. Qf3 Ng6 $13) 12... Bg4 13. Qc2 Bc7 14. e5 Nd7 15. Bxh7+ Kh8 16. Bd3 (16. Qe4 f5 17. Bxf5 { In order to find such ideas, White has to have a good sense of danger and understand the trouble that is headed his way. Even so, I am not sure how natural it is for a human to find this sequence. } 17... Bxf5 18. Qh4+ Kg8 19. Bg5 Rf7 20. Nd6 Nxe5 21. Bxe7 Qd7 22. Nxf7 Ng6 23. Ne5 Bxe5 24. Qc4+ Be6 25. Qe4 Bf7 $13) 16... b5 17. Ne3 Nxe5 18. Be2 f5 19. f4 Bb6!! { The move begs to be played. The white king is extremely vulnerable and he also has no development. It was Vidit's chance to take and he didn't miss it. } 20. Kf2 (20. fxe5 { is similar to what happened in the game }) 20... Nd5 21. Rh1+ Kg8 22. fxe5 Qg5 23. Ke1 Bxe3 24. Bxg4 Qxg4 25. Bxe3 Nxe3 { White's position is very sad, with the king castling then uncastling. Black is not even down any material and is just attacking for free. } 26. Qe2 Qg3+ 27. Kd2 Rad8+ 28. Kc1 Qg5 29. b3 Nf1+ { Superb game by Vidit! } 0-1