[Event "FIDE World Cup 2023"] [Site "Baku"] [Date "2023.08.17"] [Round "6.5"] [White "Erigaisi Arjun"] [Black "Praggnanandhaa R"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2704"] [BlackElo "2707"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C22"] [Opening "Center Game: Berger Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/QLPThvQV/kyWyi7Tp"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 Nf6 5. Bd2 Be7 6. c4 Ng4 7. Qe2 d6 8. Nc3 Bh4 9. g3 Bf6 10. h3 Nge5 11. O-O-O Nd4 12. Qe3 c5 13. Nd5 Be6 14. f4 Nec6 15. Bc3 O-O 16. Nxf6+ Qxf6 17. Nf3 Qe7 18. Bxd4 cxd4 19. Nxd4 Nxd4 20. Qxd4 b5 21. Kb1 Bxc4 22. Bxc4 bxc4 23. Qxc4 a5 24. Rh2 a4 25. a3 Rfc8 26. Qd3 h6 27. Rc2 Rxc2 28. Qxc2 Qe6 29. g4 Qf6 30. f5 Rb8 31. Ka2 Rb5 32. Rd2 Rb3 33. Rd3 Rb6 34. Rc3 Qd4 35. Qd3 Qe5 36. Qc4 Qh2 37. Rc2 Qxh3 38. Qxa4 Rb8 39. Rc7 Qxg4 40. Qc4 Rf8 41. a4 h5 42. a5 h4 43. a6 d5 44. Qxd5 Qe2 45. Qc4 Qxc4+ 46. Rxc4 Ra8 47. b4 Rxa6+ 48. Kb3 h3 49. b5 Rh6 50. Rc8+ Kh7 51. Rc1 g5 52. fxg6+ fxg6 53. b6?? (53. e5!! { A remarkable move. Of course, the b-pawn is vulnerable when it advances to the sixth rank, allowing Black a "multi-purpose" move advancing the g-pawn while attacking the enemy b-pawn. But the reason why this move is better is far from obvious. } 53... g5 54. Rc7+! Kg8 (54... Kg6 { This draw is also instructive. White uses the e-pawn as a decoy to make sure the b-pawn promotes with check before Black can execute the aforementioned skewer. } 55. Rc6+ Kh5 56. Rxh6+ Kxh6 57. e6! (57. b6?? h2 58. b7 h1=Q 59. b8=Q Qb1+ $19) 57... Kg7 58. e7 Kf7 59. b6 Kxe7 (59... h2 60. b7 h1=Q 61. e8=Q+! Kxe8 62. b8=Q+ $10) 60. b7 h2 61. b8=Q h1=Q $10) 55. Rc6 { Amazingly, the b-pawn was better on b5, allowing for this intermezzo. Importantly, if Black trades, White promotes a pawn on the c-file rather than the b-file, meaning there is no threat of skewers on ... Qh1-b1+. }) 53... g5 54. Rc7+ Kg8 55. Rc8+ (55. b7 Rb6+ 56. Ka4 h2 57. Rc8+ Kg7! (57... Kf7 58. Rh8 { is still winning for Black after } 58... Rxb7 59. Rxh2 { because White's king is cut off by so many files, but there is more work to do here. }) 58. Rc7+ Kf6 59. Rc6+ Rxc6 60. b8=Q h1=Q 61. Qd8+ Ke5 62. Qd5+ Kf4 63. Qxc6 Qxe4+ $19) 55... Kf7 56. Rc7+ Ke8 57. b7 Rb6+ 58. Kc4 g4! { No other move wins! } (58... h2? 59. Rc8+ Kd7 60. Rh8 Rxb7 61. Rxh2 $10) 59. Rh7 (59. Rc8+ { is similar to the game. } 59... Kd7 60. b8=Q Rxb8 61. Rxb8 g3 { and, as is well known, connected passed pawns on the sixth beat the rook: } 62. Rh8 g2 63. Rxh3 g1=Q $19) 59... Rxb7 60. Rxb7 h2 61. Rh7 g3 62. Kd5 g2 63. Rxh2 g1=Q 64. Rb2 Qg8+ 65. Kc5 Qg5+ 66. Kc4 Qc1+ 67. Kb3 Qe3+ 68. Kc4 Qxe4+ 69. Kc3 Kd7 70. Rb4 Qe1+ 71. Kb3 Kc6 72. Rd4 Kc5 73. Rd8 Qg3+ 74. Kc2 Qg6+ 75. Kd1 Kc4 76. Rc8+ Kd3 77. Kc1 Qg4 78. Rc2 Qa4 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1