[Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/dfRDZs7P/YQuBa5cT"] [Date "2022.10.05"] [Round "10.5"] [White "Yoo, Christopher"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2563"] [BlackElo "2763"] [Annotator "Hansen,Carsten"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A35"] [Opening "English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/dfRDZs7P/YQuBa5cT"] [Orientation "white"] 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. d4! { A somewhat annoying line to face as Black as White gets a small but stable advantage, but what's worse, Black has almost no chances to win the game unless White overpresses. } 5... cxd4 6. Nxd4 dxc4 7. Nxc6 Qxd1+ 8. Nxd1 bxc6 9. Bg2 Nd5 10. Ne3 e6 11. Nxc4 Ba6 12. b3 Bb4+ { In my database, this position has been reached in almost 100 games, and Black has yet to win in one of them. } 13. Bd2 Ke7 14. Rc1 Rac8 15. Bxb4+ Nxb4 16. a3 Nd5 17. Na5 c5 18. O-O Rhd8 19. Rc2 Rd7 20. Rfc1 Rdc7 21. e4 Nb6 22. Bf1 Bxf1 23. Kxf1 g5 24. Ke2 h5 25. h3 f5 26. Ke3 (26. Nc4!? { would have been very unpleasant for Black even if Black objectively should be able to save a draw after } 26... Rb7 (26... Nxc4 27. Rxc4 a5 28. exf5 exf5 29. Ra4 Rb7 30. Rc3 Rb5 31. Kd2 { with continued pressure for White }) 27. Nd2 (27. Na5 Rbc7) 27... Rbc7 28. Nf3 { and White has a small but clear advantage in the game. }) 26... Kf6 27. f4 gxf4+ 28. Kxf4 fxe4 29. Kxe4 Ke7 30. g4 hxg4 31. hxg4 Kf6 32. g5+ Kg6 33. Rf1 Rd7 34. Rf6+ Kxg5 35. Rxe6 Rd4+ 36. Kf3 c4 37. Nxc4 Nxc4 38. bxc4 Rcxc4 39. Rxc4 Rxc4 { Now the endgame is completely drawn, but the game carries on a lot longer. We have seen several of these endgames that would under normal circumstances have been agreed drawn but continued until stalemate or two kings remained alone on the board. } 40. Ra6 Kf5 41. Ke3 Ke5 42. Rxa7 Kd6 43. Kd3 Rh4 44. Ra5 Kc6 45. Kc3 Kb6 46. Rg5 Kb7 47. Kb3 Rf4 48. Rb5+ Ka6 49. Rb4 Rf5 (49... Rxb4+ { is a trivial draw. }) 50. Ra4+ Kb6 51. Rc4 Ka6 52. Rc3 Kb6 53. a4 Rf4 54. Rh3 Rg4 55. Rh6+ Ka5 56. Rh5+ Kb6 57. Rb5+ Ka6 58. Rb4 Rg3+ (58... Rxb4+ { Why Caruana didn't exchange here as well is somewhat surprising. }) 59. Kb2 Rg2+ 60. Ka3 Rg3+ 61. Rb3 Rxb3+ 62. Kxb3 Ka7 63. a5 Ka8 64. Kb4 Ka7 65. Kb5 Ka8 66. Kb6 Kb8 67. a6 Ka8 68. a7 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2