[Event "FIDE Candidates Chess Tournaments 2024"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2024.04.17"] [Round "11"] [White "Praggnanandhaa R"] [Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2747"] [BlackElo "2789"] [Annotator "Annotations by WGM Tatev Abrahamyan"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D02"] [Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/Xz2vJzqH"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by WGM Tatev Abrahamyan } 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c5 { In the postgame interview, Nakamura shared that he had this prepared against Abasov, but decided not to play it because it's too drawish. } 4. cxd5 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Qxd5 6. Nc3 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 a6 8. g3 e5 9. Nb3 Nc6 (9... Bd7 10. Bg2 Bc6 11. O-O Bb4 12. Bd2 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 Nc6 14. a3 Bxc3 15. Bxc3 Nd5 16. Rac1 f6 17. Rfd1 O-O-O { was a Titled Tuesday game by Nakamura from 2022 that he also went on to win in Albornoz Cabrera – Nakamura, Chess.com, 2022. }) 10. Bg2 a5 11. Nb5 { The first new move in this position. } (11. Bg5 { has been played a few times before, including: } 11... a4 12. Nd2 a3 13. bxa3 Bxa3 14. Nb5 O-O 15. O-O Bg4 16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. Nxa3 Rxa3 18. Nc4 Ra4 19. Nxe5 Bxe2 20. Rfc1 Ne4 21. Be3 f6 22. Nxc6 Rfa8 23. Nd4 Bc4 24. a3 Bd5 25. Nf5 Be6 26. Nd4 Bh3 27. Nb5 R8a5 28. Rab1 Bd7 29. Nd4 Rxa3 30. Rb7 Bh3 31. Rcc7 Ra1+ 32. Bc1 Nd6 33. Rb8+ Nc8 34. Rbxc8+ Bxc8 35. Rxc8+ Kf7 36. Nb3 { when Black resigned in Bai – Aryan, Bhubaneswar, 2018. }) 11... Bb4+ 12. Bd2 Ke7 13. a3 Bxd2+ 14. Nxd2 a4 15. Nc4 Be6 16. Rc1 Ra6 { A nice move that defends both the b6-square and the c6-knight. Although the position is objectively equal, it is starting to feel that the flow of the game favors Nakamura. } 17. O-O Rd8 18. Ne3 Ra5 19. Bxc6 { Praggnanandhaa started to play for a win with this move. } (19. Nc3 Nd4 20. Rfd1 b6 { looks like a slight edge for Black. }) (19. Nc7!? { This is not an easy move to play, but it is the computer's top choice. } 19... Nd4 (19... Bd7 20. Ncd5+ Nxd5 21. Nxd5+ Ke8 22. e3) 20. Nxe6 Nxe2+ 21. Kh1 fxe6 (21... Kxe6? 22. Rc7 $16 { with the additional threat of Bg2-h3 }) 22. Rc7+ Rd7 23. Rxb7 Rxb7 24. Bxb7 Rb5 25. Bc6 Rxb2 26. Bxa4!!) 19... bxc6 20. Nc3 Bb3 { The change of the structure gives each side a chance to play for more than a draw. Nakamura now has a weak isolated pawn, but he does have a well-placed bishop that helps control the open file. Praggnanandhaa's knights are not impressive, and Black's rook entering the second rank can prove to be a huge problem for White. } 21. Nb1 Ra6 22. f4 e4 23. Kf2 Rb6 24. Nc3 g6 { Praggnanandhaa was struggling to find what to do here. It is not easy to come up with ideas for White here, as his pieces are poorly placed. } 25. Rb1 Nd5 26. Rbc1 (26. Nxe4 { is a critical move, as it forces the matters a bit. } 26... Nxe3 27. Kxe3 Bc2 28. Rbc1 Rxb2 29. Nd2 Bf5 30. Nc4 Rb3+ 31. Kf2 Kf8 { Side-stepping the Nc4-a5 threat. The position still looks somewhat worrisome, as the a3-pawn is extremely weak. However, to win the pawn, Black will need to liquidate to a rook endgame and most likely his c6-pawn would fall in the process. }) 26... f5 27. g4 fxg4 28. Nxg4 Nxf4 29. Ke3 { The most natural move happens to be the losing one! } (29. Ke1 { would have still kept the balance. } 29... Ne6 (29... Ng2+ 30. Kf2 Nf4 31. Ke1 { is just a repetition. }) 30. h4 { This is the computer's top choice, but I just don't understand this move at all. If Black "passes," with some rook move, for instance, then White has } 30... Rd6 31. h5 gxh5 32. Ne3 { keeping the balance. But 31. Ke1 combined with h4-h5 is such an unnatural way of playing in a position where Praggnanandhaa was feeling under pressure for some time. Trying to win the pawn back is the more human way of playing. }) 29... Nd5+ 30. Kxe4 { The white king is poorly placed. Even though it's an endgame, there are still too many pieces on the board for the king to be out and about. } 30... Nxc3+ 31. bxc3 c5 { Opening the rank for the b6-rook. } 32. Rf4 Bd5+ 33. Ke3 h5 34. c4 Ba8 35. Nh6 { The knight is not going to find his way back. This is why bishops are often considered better than knights. The bishop on a8 is a dominating piece, whereas the knight on h6 is completely helpless. } (35. Ne5 Re6 { winning the knight. }) 35... Re6+ 36. Kf2 Rf6 37. Kg3 Rh8 { The knight is trapped. The rest is just a matter of time. } 38. Rxf6 Kxf6 39. Rf1+ Kg7 40. Nf5+ gxf5 41. Rxf5 Rc8 42. Rxh5 Bb7 43. Kf4 Ba6 44. Ke5 Kg6 45. Rh4 Kg5 46. Rh3 Bxc4 47. Rg3+ Kh6 48. e4 Rc6 49. Kf5 Bf7 50. Ke5 c4 51. Kd4 Rd6+ 52. Kc5 Rd3 53. Kb4 Rb3+ 54. Kxa4 Rxg3 { A very nice win by Nakamura. } 0-1