[Event "FIDE Candidates Chess Tournaments 2024"] [Site "Toronto"] [Date "2024.04.11"] [Round "7"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2789"] [BlackElo "2758"] [Annotator "IM Robert Shlyakhtenko"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C42"] [Opening "Russian Game: Classical Attack, Staunton Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/XVKOGGcN"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by IM Robert Shlyakhtenko } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 c6 9. Re1 Bf5 10. Qb3 Qd7 11. c5 Bc7 12. g3!? { A rare but dangerous move introduced in over-the-board practice by Yu Yangyi. The idea is that White can now consider capturing on b7 in some cases. } 12... a5!? { Nepomniachtchi spent some time on this move, probably to recall his lines. The idea is to prepare ... Nb8-a6 in some cases. } 13. Nbd2 Be6 { Defending the e4-knight tactically. Now the players enter a long, forced variation. } 14. Qxb7 (14. Nxe4?! dxe4 15. Qxb7 exd3 16. Qxa8 Bd5 { is too risky for White, despite his extra material. }) 14... Nxf2! 15. Bxh7+! Kxh7 16. Qxa8 Nh3+ 17. Kg2 { My impression is that Nepomniachtchi's preparation ended at this moment. I imagine that Nakamura was happy to play this position: he is one of the best players in the world in such chaotic positions with a material imbalance. } 17... Bg4 (17... Qc8!? { was another interesting try, aiming to keep the queen trapped on a8. }) 18. Qb7 { The first order of business is to extract White's queen from its position on the edge of the board. } 18... Re8 { Again logical; Black trades off White's active pieces. } (18... f5 { is worse due to } 19. Ne5 { and White forces an endgame. }) 19. Qb3 Rxe1 20. Nxe1 Qe6 21. Qd3+ Bf5?! { Somehow, this move makes things easier for White. It turns out that having the disruptive move ... Bg4-e2 as a resource is very important in various lines. } (21... Kg8 22. Nef3 Nd7 23. Ng1 (23. Nf1 { was mentioned by Nakamura in his video analyzing the game. Black makes a draw by sacrificing a piece with } 23... Nf6 24. Ng5 Qe1! 25. Nxh3 Ne4 26. Ng1 Qf2+ 27. Kh1 Qf5 { and White must repeat moves. }) 23... Nxg1 24. Kxg1 { is one example. White is about to consolidate his position with Nd2-f1, so Black must play } 24... Be2! 25. Qc3 Nf6 26. Nf1 Bxf1 27. Kxf1 Qh3+ 28. Kg1 Ng4 29. Qc2 Bxg3 30. hxg3 Qxg3+ 31. Kf1 Qf3+ 32. Ke1 Qg3+ { with a draw. Of course, this is just a sample variation. }) 22. Qf1! Nd7 23. Nef3 Nf6 (23... Nf4+? { fails to } 24. gxf4 Bh3+ 25. Kf2 Bxf1 26. Ng5+! $18) 24. Ng1! { Eliminating the annoying knight on h3 and preparing Nd2-f3. } 24... Kg8 25. Qe2? { A poor decision, which essentially forces Black to make the moves that save the game. I will make no claims that the alternative 25. Ndf3 is objectively better — the position is much too complicated to assert that — but it would have posed much more difficult practical problems for Black. } (25. Ndf3! Ne4 26. a4 { is a better choice. It's very hard to judge the extent of White's advantage here (possibly, he is only slightly better), but to me Black's counterplay seems much less obvious than in the game. }) 25... Ne4 26. a4 (26. Nxh3 Bxh3+ 27. Kg1 { Nakamura said that he invested most of his time on calculating this position. Initially, this looks very good for White, but Black survives thanks to the trick } 27... Bg4 28. Qe3 Nxc5! { It turns out that the position if White chooses to trade queens is not clear at all. On the other hand, after } 29. Nb3 Ne4 30. Bd2 f5! { (as given by Nakamura) Black has significant counterplay. }) (26. Ndf3 Bg4!? 27. a4 f5! { is also highly unclear. Note that White cannot capture on h3 twice: } 28. Nxh3 Bxh3+ 29. Kxh3? Ng5+!) 26... Bxg3! { Nepomniachtchi calculates his way to a drawn position. The following sequence is completely forced. } 27. hxg3 Nf4+! 28. gxf4 Qg6+ 29. Kf1 Ng3+ 30. Ke1 Nxe2 31. Nxe2 Bg4! { Trading off White's best defender. } 32. Ra3 Bxe2 33. Kxe2 Qg1 { Black's counterplay comes before White's rook and two minor pieces are able to coordinate. White has nothing better than allowing a perpetual check. On the other hand, Black should not try for a win either, since formally speaking White has a significant material advantage. A draw is the fair result. } 34. Nb3 Qg2+ 35. Kd1 Qf3+ 36. Kc2 Qe4+ 37. Kc3 Qf3+ 38. Kc2 Qe4+ 39. Kc3 Qf3+ 40. Kc2 Qe4+ { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2