[Event "Candidates"] [Site "Toronto"] [Date "2024.04.15"] [Round "10.2"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Abasov, Nijat"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2789"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [BlackElo "2632"] [BlackTeam "AZE"] [Annotator "GM Eugene Perelshteyn"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C42"] [Opening "Russian Game: French Attack"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/VfsYzoHI"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by GM Eugene Perelshteyn } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d3 Nf6 6. d4 d5 7. Bd3 c5 8. c3 { Hikaru mentioned in his recap that he barely prepared for this game. However, this is a very good idea to prepare a retreat for the bishop on c2 in case of ... c5-c4. } (8. O-O { Nepo played this move earlier versus Abasov and was able to apply some pressure. I'm sure Abasov had studied this line carefully since then. }) 8... c4 9. Bc2 Bd6 10. O-O O-O 11. h3 { Restricting the c8-bishop. These structures are quite common from an Exchange French as well. } 11... Nc6 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 b5!? { Black goes for an interesting plan of ... a7-a5 and ... Ra8-a6 to defend laterally on the sixth rank. Yet, this feels too artificial to me. } (13... g5 14. Bg3 Bxg3 15. fxg3 { leads to an interesting position. The engine claims that after } 15... Nh5! { Black is fine. However, it's a tough line for a human to enter as his kingside is severely weakened. For example: } 16. Ne5!? Nxg3 17. Nxf7! Rxf7 18. Rxf7 Kxf7 19. Qf3+ Nf5 20. Bxf5 Bxf5 21. Qxf5+ Kg7 22. Na3 $14 { with some small pressure. }) 14. Re1 a5 15. Ne5! { Simple and strong. I would rather take White here. Yet, Abasov shows an interesting defensive plan. } 15... Ra6! 16. Nd2 Bc7 17. Qf3 Ne7 { The rook guards the f6-knight and Black is able to regroup. Yet, I still think White is a bit better. } 18. b3! { Excellent play from Hikaru! The ability to play on the entire board is a common sign among top chess players. I remember Capablanca's famous games where he would suddenly start play on the other side. Hikaru understands that his pieces are better coordinated. } 18... a4! { Black is up to the task as well! } (18... Re8? 19. a4! { was Hikaru's idea. }) 19. bxa4 bxa4 20. Nf1 (20. Rab1 { was more accurate. }) 20... a3 (20... Ba5 { was a bit better. }) 21. Rab1 Re6 22. Ng4 Nxg4 23. hxg4 Qe8 24. Bg3 Ba5 25. Rxe6 Bxe6 26. Rb7 Nc8 { The critical moment, will Hikaru find the killer blow? } 27. Bf4?! { Too slow, which allows Black to regroup. } (27. g5! { This leads to a winning attack, for example: } 27... hxg5 (27... Qc6 { is a better try, but after } 28. Rb8 Bc7 29. gxh6! Bxb8 30. hxg7 Kxg7 31. Bxb8 $18 { White's strong bishop will prove fatal for Black's weak king. }) 28. Qh5 g6 (28... f5 29. Rxg7+ Kxg7 30. Be5+ $18) 29. Bxg6 fxg6 30. Qh7#) 27... Qc6 28. Rb8 Ne7 29. Rb1 { Hikaru mentioned that he wanted to keep the rooks on the board and avoid trades, but he missed an intermezzo in a nice and long forced sequence. } (29. Bh7+ Kxh7 30. Rxf8 Ng6 31. Rb8 Nxf4 (31... Bxc3! { is best, maintaining complex equality }) 32. Qxf4 Bc7 { It seems as though White just loses the rook, but... } 33. Qc1! Bxb8 34. Qb1+ { reveals amazing tactical geometry! } 34... g6 35. Qxb8 Bxg4 36. Qa7 { White is a bit better, but objectively Black should hold. }) 29... Qd7 30. g5 Bg4 31. Qg3 h5 { Things have turned bad for the American. Hikaru has less time and lost all his advantage. } 32. Qe3 Ng6 33. Bh2 Re8 34. Qd2 Re2 35. Rb8+ Kh7 36. Qc1 Qe7? { Abasov had plenty of time but played too quickly and missed a very powerful idea. } (36... Bc7! { Simple chess. Black trades White's strong bishop and has a large edge, for example: } 37. Bxc7 Qxc7 38. Ra8 Qe7 { with a big threat of ... Re2-e1, White is in trouble. }) 37. Be5! { Hikaru traps the enemy rook in his camp. } 37... Qe6? { They say mistakes come in pairs, and here Abasov wasn't able to adjust to new reality: he's much worse. } (37... Bxc3 { the engine thinks it's the best move, but I agree with Hikaru the entire line is not very human. } 38. Bxg6+ Kxg6 39. Qxc3 Qxg5 40. f4! { White should be crushing here! And indeed the engine now changes her mind :) } 40... Qh4 41. Ng3!! $18 { The point is that the knight is taboo due to f4-f5+ with a discovery. }) 38. Ng3 (38. Ne3 { is even stronger, but Hikaru makes the practical decision in time pressure. }) 38... Rxe5 39. dxe5 Qxe5 40. Rb5! Bxc3 41. Qe3 Qxe3 42. fxe3 { The dust has settled and it's clear that White is close to winning. The knight on g6 is badly pinned, the d5-pawn falls and White should convert the Exchange. } 42... d4 43. exd4 Bxd4+ 44. Kf1 h4 45. Ne2 Be3 46. Ra5 Kg8 47. Rxa3 Bxg5 48. Ra8+ Nf8 49. a4! { Now, the a-pawn decides the game. } 49... f5 50. Nd4 h3 51. gxh3 Bxh3+ 52. Kf2 Bh4+ 53. Kf3 Bg4+ 54. Kg2 f4 55. Bf5 f3+ 56. Kf1 Bxf5 57. Nxf5 Bg5 58. a5 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0