[Event "FIDE World Cup 2023"] [Site "Baku"] [Date "2023.08.19"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Praggnanandhaa R"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2782"] [BlackElo "2707"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C54"] [Opening "Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/QLPThvQV/97Buebng"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 a6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 d6 8. Nbd2 Ba7 9. O-O Qe7 10. b4 Be6 11. a4 O-O 12. Re1 Bxc4 13. Nxc4 Qe6 14. b5 Ne7 15. Rb1 Nd7 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. d4 Qe6 18. Qd3 Rab8 19. bxa6 bxa6 20. Rxb8 Rxb8 21. Na5 exd4 22. Nc6 Nc5 23. Qxd4 Ra8 24. a5 Qe8 25. Qd5 Nd3 26. Ne7+ Kh8 27. Qxd3 Qxe7 28. g3 Bc5 29. Nd4 Qd7 30. Qc4 Kg8 31. Kg2 Ra7 { White has been pushing out of the opening, with the queen-knight tandem greatly outshining the queen-bishop duo here. But trading minor pieces only improves White's center, so Black is stuck being passive. That said, there is no obvious winning plan for White. } 32. Rb1 Qe8 33. Qd5 Bxd4 { It's time. The knight can't come to c6. } 34. cxd4?! (34. Qxd4 { Shockingly, only this move holds an advantage. } 34... Ra8 (34... Qa8?! 35. h4! g6 36. Rb3 $16 { and White is just asking questions. }) 35. Rb7 { Well, now that you put it this way, it makes sense. } 35... Rb8 36. Rxc7 Rb5 37. Rc4! Rxa5 38. Qxd6 { leaves White with an edge. }) 34... g6?! { Prophylaxis against Qd5-f5, even though Black's position was fine after pushing the c-pawn and allowing the queen to reroute, as its mobility would still be hindered by its lasting defense of the e-pawn. } (34... c6! { Of course, if a move as natural as c3xd4 is wrong, the reason is going to come down to a concrete variation rather than any sort of abstract principles. Here, how does White save the e-pawn? } 35. Qf5 { is forced, but after } 35... c5 { what happened to White's big center? } 36. dxc5 dxc5 37. Rc1 Rc7 38. Qd5 Kh7 { and suddenly White's e-pawn is a vulnerability while Black's c-pawn might break free. } 39. f3?! { would be the only way to insist that White has an advantage, but after } (39. Kf3 { is similarly no longer prudent here with the more open position. } 39... Qa4 { gives Black enough counterplay to claim equality. }) 39... Qb5 { Black can even play for a win. }) 35. e5 { White goes for the direct route, lest Black have time for ... c7-c6. } (35. Kf3 $16 { is a very nice refinement from the engine, observing the passivity of Black's pieces and suggesting that White can keep the center in tact while also defending the e4-pawn. }) 35... dxe5! 36. dxe5 Qa8 { Black is right to be optimistic about the rook-and-pawns endgame. } 37. Qf3 c5 38. Rb6 Qxf3+ 39. Kxf3 c4 40. Rc6 { This obvious move only further clarifies the situation. } (40. Ke3!? { was a more ambitious way to keep the pressure on. } 40... Rc7 41. Kd2 Rc5 42. e6! { A nice finesse, creating more weaknesses in Black's camp. } 42... fxe6 43. Rxa6 Kf7 44. Ra8 Kf6 45. Kc3 { when the game is likely still going to be a draw, but at least one where White has more imbalances to play off of. }) 40... Rd7 41. Rxa6 c3 42. Rc6 Ra7 43. a6 c2! 44. Rxc2 Rxa6 45. Rc8+ Kg7 46. Rc7 Kg8 47. Rd7 Ra3+ 48. Ke4 Ra1 49. h4 h5 50. f3 Ra4+ 51. Rd4 Ra3 52. Kf4 Kg7 53. g4 hxg4 54. fxg4 Ra5 55. h5 gxh5 56. gxh5 f6 57. h6+ Kxh6 58. Rd6 Kg7 59. Rxf6 Ra1 { We have reached a theoretical draw. Even though White will be able to play Kf5-e6 in the near future, it will not be enough to reach a Lucena. } 60. Kf5 Ra2 61. Rb6 (61. Ke6 Ra6+ 62. Kf5 (62. Ke7 Ra7+ 63. Ke6 Ra6+ 64. Kd7 Rxf6 65. exf6+ Kxf6) 62... Ra2 { is the point. }) 61... Kf7 62. Rb7+ Kf8 63. Kf6 Rf2+ { An important theoretical position. } 64. Ke6 Re2 65. Rb8+ Kg7 66. Re8 Ra2 { Checks from the long side! } 67. Rd8 Re2 68. Rd1 Kf8 69. Rf1+ Ke8 70. Ra1 Kf8 71. Ra5 Re1 72. Ra8+ Kg7 73. Kd6 Kf7 74. Ra5 Rd1+ 75. Rd5 Rxd5+ 76. Kxd5 Ke7 77. Kc4 Ke6 78. Kb3 Kxe5 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2