[Event "Candidates"] [Site "Toronto"] [Date "2024.04.13"] [Round "8.2"] [White "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"] [Black "Gukesh D"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2727"] [WhiteTeam "IND"] [BlackElo "2743"] [BlackTeam "IND"] [Annotator "GM Eugene Perelshteyn"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C55"] [Opening "Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/nrYECuCB"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by GM Eugene Perelshteyn } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 a6!? { A fresh idea from Gukesh and his team! I was watching the game live on-site with a few GM friends and we were trying to guess the point. It will be clear in a few moves ... } 5. O-O h6!? { Another waiting move from Black, stopping the aggressive Bc1-g5 pin setup. The point is also to wait and see which plan White will choose (6. a4 or 6. c3) and decide where to put the bishop based on that (6. ...Bc5 to meet 6. a4 or 6. ... Be7 to meet 6. c3, avoiding the impending d3-d4). } 6. a4 (6. c3 Be7 { is probably what Gukesh prepared. The point is that he will meet 7. d4 with ... d7-d6 and a solid structure. }) 6... Bc5! { The point! Gukesh transposes to a well-known Italian Game setup which is known to be good for Black. } 7. Be3?! { Vidit is clearly out of book as he burnt about 40 minutes on his previous moves. But this plan is totally harmless, and Black should have no problems. } (7. c3 { is the standard reaction, with complex play. }) 7... d6 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. c3 (9. Bxc5 dxc5 { leads to a roughly even position with a slightly better structure for White. }) 9... Re8 { A bit of a risky decision from Gukesh, which ultimately paid off. } (9... Bxe3 10. fxe3 Ne7 { is a standard plan for these positions, Black is regrouping the knight to g6, followed by ... c7-c6 and ...d6-d5. }) 10. b4?! { This push is more common with the bishop still on c1, as here Black wants to take on e3 anyways. } (10. Qb3!? { is an interesting idea to push for pressure on f7, for example: } 10... Re7 11. Bxc5 dxc5 12. Qc2 { with a slightly better structure for White, but Black is solid. }) 10... Bxe3 11. fxe3 Be6 { Black has obtained easy equality and Vidit, being lower on time, should start to be careful now. } 12. b5? { Vidit was in a fighting mood today, but unfortunately this play will only create more weaknesses, and White overextends. } (12. Bxe6 Rxe6 13. Qc2) 12... Nb8 13. Bxe6 Rxe6 14. Qc2 Nbd7 15. d4 { This was probably Vidit's idea to fight for the center, but White's pawn mass is totally harmless. } 15... Qe8 16. Rae1? { Giving up the a-file is a big strategic concession, but it is already hard to come up with an active plan. } (16. d5 { is the engine recommendation, but to me it feels like a strategic suicide as you give up the c5-outpost. } 16... Re7 17. c4 Nc5 (17... b6!?) 18. Nh4! { with counterplay. }) 16... axb5 17. axb5 Ra5 18. c4 Qa8 19. h3 Re8 { Black's simple regrouping gives him a nice edge. White is still struggling to come up with a plan. } 20. Kh2 b6 21. Rf2 Ra2 22. Qd3 Ra3 23. Qb1 Qa4 24. Nh4 { White's last hope of counterplay is to put the knight on f5, but in reality the knight on f5 is just a paper tiger. Gukesh continues with straightforward play on the queenside. } 24... Ra8! (24... g6 25. Ref1 Kg7 $15 { is the more prudent approach, but Black is still clearly better. }) 25. Nf5 Kf8! { An amazing move. The idea is simple: Black stops any Nd5-e7+ counterplay and is ready to invade with ... Ra3-a1 next. } 26. Ref1 Ra1 27. Qd3 Qb4 28. Rxa1 Rxa1 29. c5? { A desperation that speeds up the end, but it is hard to give White good advice here. } 29... bxc5 30. Nc4 Qe1! { All of a sudden, White's king finds himself in a mating net. There's no defense from ... Qe1-g1+ and ... Nf6-h5+ with a huge attack. } 31. Re2 Qg1+ 32. Kg3 Nh5+ 33. Kh4 Ndf6 { White is totally lost here. } 34. Nxh6 Qh2! { The most direct win, but there is nothing wrong with taking the knight. } 35. Nf5 Rf1 36. g4 (36. dxe5 { gives Black a choice on which mate to execute: } 36... Rf4+ (36... Rxf5 37. exf5 Qg3#) 37. g4 Rxg4#) 36... Rxf5! 37. exf5 (37. Rxh2 g5# { is a pretty mate! Perhaps if Vidit was a streamer like Hikaru, he would allow the chess fans a joy of seeing this mate played on the board! }) 37... Qg3+ 38. Kg5 Nh7+ { This game puts the 17-year old Gukesh back in a two-way tie for first with Nepo! } 0-1