[Event "Candidates"] [Site "Toronto"] [Date "2024.04.13"] [Round "8.3"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2789"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [BlackElo "2803"] [BlackTeam "USA"] [Annotator "GM Eugene Perelshteyn"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C77"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/KMzKOm3x"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by GM Eugene Perelshteyn } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 { Caruana recently published a big course on his pet opening: The Archangel Variation of the Ruy Lopez where Black plays 5. ... b5 first then 6. ... Bc5. In this game he varies a bit, but the ideas are similar. } (5... b5 6. Bb3 Bc5) 6. O-O (6. Bxc6 dxc6 { This structure is totally fine for Black as it also arises from the early d2-d3 Anti-Berlin line. The pawn on e5 is a taboo as } 7. Nxe5?? Qd4 { and White loses. }) 6... d6 7. c3 O-O 8. Re1 Ne7 { A standard idea in these structures: the knight transfer to g6. Caruana tries to save a tempo by not playing ... b7-b5, as to not weaken his queenside. } 9. Nbd2 Ng6 10. Nf1 d5 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Bb3 c6 { We have an interesting imbalance: Black has more space and a nice central presence with a bishop on c5, knight on d5, and a pawn on e5. However, with the weird pawns on a6 and c6, it feels like White may be able to apply some pressure here. } 13. d4?! { This loses all of White's edge. } (13. Bg5!? { is a promising idea to induce some weaknesses. For example: } 13... f6 14. Bd2 Kh8 15. d4! { Now that Black has played ... f7-f6, this makes more sense. } 15... exd4 16. Nxd4 { with some pressure. }) 13... exd4 14. Nxd4 { The position is very symmetrical, and it is hard to believe that White has any chances for an edge. } 14... Nf6 15. h3 Bxd4 16. cxd4 Nd5 { Black gave up the bishop pair but at the same time created a classic IQP weakness and set up a beautiful blockade with the knight. At this point Caruana was confidently walking around the playing hall. } 17. Bc2 Be6 18. Ng3 Ndf4 19. Re4 Nd5 20. a3 Re8 21. Bd2 { Both sides haven't made much progress, the game is about even. } 21... Nf6 { This is fine but Black has many moves to maintain equality: } (21... Qd7) (21... Qd6) (21... Qb6) 22. Bg5 h6 23. Bxf6 Qxf6 24. Qd2 { All of a sudden, Black's position is a bit difficult as White is starting to have some attacking ideas. } 24... Qg5 (24... Bd5 25. Rg4 { Perhaps Fabi underestimated this idea. Now the threat of Ng3-h5 is quite serious, and Black needs to step on the brakes with } 25... Be6! 26. Nh5 Qd8 27. Rg3 Qh4! 28. Bxg6 fxg6 29. Nf4 g5 30. Nxe6 Rxe6 { with rough equality }) 25. Re3 { This allows Black to simplify with a long forcing line. However, Fabi — after thinking for 20 minutes (!) — goes a different route. } (25. Qc3!? { A bit more accurate. }) 25... Nf4?! (25... Rad8 26. Rae1 c5! 27. Ne4 { Probably this is what Fabi calculated, but I'm not sure why he didn't go into this line as after } 27... Qd5 { , the engine gives Black many moves but this is the simplest. } 28. Nxc5 Qxc5 29. dxc5 Rxd2 30. Bxg6 Rxb2 { with an equal endgame. }) 26. h4! { Probably, this is the move that was missed by Fabi! } 26... Qd5 (26... Qxh4 27. Re4! g5 28. Rae1 { with a big initiative as Black's pieces are tangled up and his king is wide open. }) (26... Qd8! { The only way to maintain the balance, but it's not that easy with approaching time pressure. }) 27. Re4! Ng6 28. Rae1 { White is now clearly better with pressure on the e-file and the h4-h5 pawn push coming soon. } 28... Nf8 { Too passive, but it's already hard for Black to come up with decent moves. } (28... Rad8 29. f4! Qd6 30. Qf2! { with a big attack. }) (28... Qd7 29. h5 Nf8 30. Re5 Rad8 31. Nf5 Bxf5 32. Bxf5 Ne6 $14 { White is still better, but at least Black is solid here. }) 29. Re5! { By now it's quite clear that Black messed up badly. He would rather have the knight on d5 than the queen. Remember kids, queens are terrible blockaders! } 29... Qd8 30. h5 { Simple and strong. White just plays reasonable moves as Fabi approaches time pressure. } (30. Qf4! { Apparently, White is close to winning after this as Black is utterly paralyzed. }) 30... Bd7 { A logical idea to trade off a pair of rooks, but it will invite the knight to f5 with a deadly attack. } 31. Rxe8 Bxe8 32. Nf5! { A monster knight. Black is already lost. } 32... Qf6 33. Qb4! { Hikaru plays quickly and strong. Now the threats are 34. Ne7+ and 34. Qxb7. } 33... b5? { This loses to a beautiful tactic, but, objectively, Black is close to losing anyways as the b7-pawn falls. } (33... Bd7 34. Qxb7 $18) 34. Ne7+ Kh8 35. Nd5 { And just like that, Hikaru defeats his countryman and edges closer to the leaders Nepo and Gukesh in the standings, being only half a point behind. } 1-0