[Event "FIDE Candidates 2024"] [Site "Toronto, Canada"] [Date "2024.04.05"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Gukesh D"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2743"] [BlackElo "2758"] [Annotator "WGM Tatev Abrahamyan"] [FEN "8/1b1r1kpp/pBn1pp2/1p6/4PP2/P3K1P1/1P2B2P/2R5 w - - 0 30"] [Variant "From Position"] [ECO "?"] [Opening "?"] [StudyName "2024 FIDE Candidates and Women's Candidates Annotations"] [ChapterName "Gukesh D - Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/g4unigqh"] [FEN "8/1b1r1kpp/pBn1pp2/1p6/4PP2/P3K1P1/1P2B2P/2R5 w - - 0 30"] [SetUp "1"] [Orientation "white"] { [Annotations by WGM Tatev Abrahamyan] White enjoys a nice advantage due to the bishop pair, but at some point needs to create some targets he can actually attack. This was the key moment in the game. } 30. Rd1 (30. a4! bxa4 31. Bc4 { Going after the e6-pawn. If White manages to create a passed pawn, it will be very difficult for Black to deal with due to the presence of the two bishops. } 31... Nd8 (31... Ke7 { doesn't help. } 32. Bc5+ Kf7 33. f5 Nd8 34. Ba3 { followed by Bc4-a2. Black is paralyzed and will eventually run out of comfortable moves. } 34... h6 35. Ba2 h5 36. Rc2 g6 37. fxe6+ Nxe6 38. Rc5 { Black can't get out of this pin. The rook will collect the a4-pawn then invade on the b-file. }) 32. b4!! { What a fantastic idea to take advantage of Black's poorly placed pieces. The point is that after Black captures } (32. Ra1 { keeps White's comfortable edge }) 32... axb3 (32... g6 33. b5 { with the same idea of trapping the rook }) 33. Bxb3 { , the threat is not only trading on d8 and winning a piece with Rc1-c7, but also Bb3-a4, when the rook is out of squares that defend the knight. What a spectacular concept! } 33... Kg6 34. Ba4 Rd6 35. Bc7 { The rook is trapped! }) 30... Rxd1 31. Bxd1 g6 32. Bc5 h5 33. b3 Bc8 34. a4 e5 35. axb5 axb5 36. f5 Kg7 37. fxg6 Bg4 38. Bc2 Be6 39. Kd2 b4 40. Bd1 Kxg6 { A draw was agreed here. } 1/2-1/2