[Event "Clutch Chess The Champions"] [Site "https://lichess.org/broadcast/2025-clutch-chess-champions-showdown/round-8--game-2/RjL56pS3/xhGoQOb2"] [Date "2025.10.29"] [Round "16.2"] [White "Gukesh D"] [Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2693"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteFideId "46616543"] [BlackElo "2737"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "2016192"] [TimeControl "10+5"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B38"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind"] [StudyName "Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown"] [ChapterName "Gukesh D - Nakamura, Hikaru"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/QEB7F2Xl/eANw6Pgm"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 0:10:09] } 1... c5 { [%clk 0:10:09] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 0:10:12] } 2... g6 { [%clk 0:10:12] } 3. d4 { [%clk 0:10:16] } 3... cxd4 { [%clk 0:10:17] } 4. Nxd4 { [%clk 0:10:19] } 4... Bg7 { [%clk 0:10:21] } 5. c4 { [%clk 0:10:23] } 5... Nc6 { [%clk 0:10:25] } 6. Be3 { [%clk 0:10:27] } 6... Qb6 { [%clk 0:10:29] } 7. Nb3 { [%clk 0:10:27] } 7... Qd8 { [%clk 0:10:32] } 8. Qd2 { [%clk 0:10:31] } 8... Nf6 { [%clk 0:10:35] } 9. Nc3 { [%clk 0:10:34] } 9... Ng4 { [%clk 0:10:32] } 10. Bf4 { [%clk 0:10:38] } 10... d6 { [%clk 0:10:34] } 11. h3 { [%clk 0:10:33] } 11... Nf6 { [%clk 0:10:29] } 12. Bh6 { [%clk 0:10:06] } 12... Bxh6 { [%clk 0:10:22] } 13. Qxh6 { [%clk 0:10:09] } 13... a5 { [%clk 0:10:26] } 14. Qe3 { [%clk 0:09:17] } 14... a4 { [%clk 0:09:36] } 15. Nd2 { [%clk 0:09:13] } 15... Qa5 { [%clk 0:08:22] } 16. Be2 { [%clk 0:08:49] } 16... Qc5 { [%clk 0:08:10] } 17. Qxc5 { [%clk 0:08:40] } 17... dxc5 { [%clk 0:08:12] } 18. f4 { [%clk 0:08:42] } 18... Nd4 { [%clk 0:07:47] } 19. Kf2 { [%clk 0:07:40] } 19... Bd7 { [%clk 0:05:49] } 20. e5 { [%clk 0:06:26] } 20... Nh5 { [%clk 0:05:53] } 21. Bxh5 { [%clk 0:05:37] } 21... gxh5 { [%clk 0:05:57] } 22. Nde4 { [%clk 0:05:41] } 22... b6 { [%clk 0:04:40] } 23. Nd5 { [%clk 0:05:29] } 23... Rb8 { [%clk 0:04:44] } 24. b3 { [%clk 0:05:31] } 24... Bf5 { [%clk 0:03:10] } 25. Ng3 { [%clk 0:04:58] } 25... e6 { [%clk 0:03:07] } 26. Nxf5 { [%clk 0:04:26] } 26... Nxf5 { [%clk 0:03:08] } 27. Nf6+ { [%clk 0:04:29] } 27... Ke7 { [%clk 0:03:12] } 28. Nxh5 { [%clk 0:04:24] } 28... Nd4 { [%clk 0:02:31] } 29. Nf6 { [%clk 0:04:13] } 29... Ra8 { [%clk 0:02:32] } 30. Rhd1 { [%clk 0:03:51] } 30... Rhd8 { [%clk 0:02:37] } 31. Nxh7 { [%clk 0:03:36] } 31... Nc2 { [%clk 0:02:24] } 32. Rab1 { [%clk 0:03:08] } 32... a3 { [%clk 0:02:29] } 33. Nf6 { [%clk 0:01:52] } 33... Nb4 { Until here, Gukesh had been playing fantastically. Black has no compensation for the two pawns after } { [%clk 0:02:30] } 34. h4?? { With a rook still on the a8-square, Black is threatening to trade rooks then win the key a2-pawn. What's worse, Gukesh spent all but eight of his remaining 112 seconds on this blunder! } { [%clk 0:00:08] } (34. Rxd8 Rxd8 (34... Kxd8 35. Rd1+ Kc7 36. Rd7+ Kc8 37. f5 $18) 35. h4 { , as } 35... Nxa2 { just returns the pawn after } 36. Ra1 $18) 34... Rxd1 { [%clk 0:01:30] } 35. Rxd1 { [%clk 0:00:12] } 35... Nxa2 { Compared to the variation beginning with 34. Rxd8, now Rd1-a1 will not win the a3-pawn. } { [%clk 0:01:34] } 36. h5 { [%clk 0:00:15] } 36... Nc3 { [%clk 0:01:23] } 37. Rd7+?? { This tempting check is the losing move. There is no way to push the h-pawn through, so abandoning the a1-square is a grave error. } { [%clk 0:00:10] } (37. Ra1 { was passive, but best. }) 37... Kf8 { [%clk 0:01:27] } 38. h6 { [%clk 0:00:14] } 38... a2 { [%clk 0:00:51] } 39. Nh7+ { [%clk 0:00:11] } 39... Kg8 { [%clk 0:00:55] } 40. Nf6+ { [%clk 0:00:14] } 40... Kh8 { [%clk 0:00:50] } 41. Rxf7 { White is threatening mate-in-one, but must have missed Black's rejoinder at some point in his calculations: } { [%clk 0:00:13] } 41... Ne4+ { Buying just enough time to promote. } { [%clk 0:00:54] } 42. Nxe4 { [%clk 0:00:15] } 42... a1=Q { [%clk 0:00:58] } 43. Ng5 { [%clk 0:00:12] } 43... Ra2+ $19 { Black's attack is quick enough to stop White from ever playing Rf7-f8 mate. } { [%clk 0:00:40] } 44. Kg3 { [%clk 0:00:16] } 44... Qe1+ { [%clk 0:00:41] } 45. Kg4 { [%clk 0:00:15] } 45... Rxg2+ { [%clk 0:00:25] } 46. Kh5 { [%clk 0:00:18] } 46... Qe2+ { [%clk 0:00:16] } 47. Kg6 { [%clk 0:00:16] } 47... Qe4+ { [%clk 0:00:20] } 48. f5 { [%clk 0:00:16] } 48... Rxg5+ { [%clk 0:00:23] } 49. Kxg5 { [%clk 0:00:20] } 49... Qxe5 { [%clk 0:00:25] } 50. Rf8+ { [%clk 0:00:11] } 50... Kh7 { [%clk 0:00:30] } 51. Rf7+ { [%clk 0:00:12] } 51... Kg8 { [%clk 0:00:34] } 52. Kg6 { [%clk 0:00:10] } 52... Qg3+ { [%clk 0:00:33] } 53. Kf6 { [%clk 0:00:14] } 53... Qh4+ { [%clk 0:00:33] } 54. Kxe6 { [%clk 0:00:17] } 54... Qe4+ { [%clk 0:00:37] } 0-1