[Event "Champions Chess Tour Airthings Masters"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.02.07"] [Round "2"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2766"] [BlackElo "2768"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C65"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense"] [StudyName "Airthings Masters"] [ChapterName "So, Wesley - Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/f5OBDjty/jM4QqYDg"] [Orientation "white"] { After four draws in their semi-final match, including a dreaded Berlin draw in the final game, Nakamura successfully outbid So to play with draw odds. So had an extra six minutes to win, but it was not enough against the speedster. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. O-O Qd6 7. Nbd2 Be6 8. b3 a5 9. a4 Nd7 10. Ng5 f6 11. Nxe6 Qxe6 12. Qh5+ Qf7 13. Qg4 Nf8 14. Nc4 Ne6 15. Kh1 h5 16. Qd1 g5 17. Be3 b6 18. c3 Rd8 19. Qc2 h4 20. Rad1 O-O 21. Bxc5 Nxc5 22. d4 exd4 23. cxd4 Ne6 24. Qc3 c5 25. dxc5 (25. d5 { In a must-win position, the resulting dynamics should make White feel a little more in control. } 25... Nd4 26. Rde1 f5 { Without this move, Black is simply waiting for White to consolidate around e4-e5 and d5-d6. } 27. h3 fxe4 28. Rxe4 Qg7 (28... Rxd5?! 29. Ne5 { is the sort of variation that could give White a genuine attack. })) 25... Nxc5 26. f3 h3 27. g3 Qe6 28. Kg1 f5 29. exf5 Qe2 30. Ne3 Rde8 31. Qc4+ Qxc4 32. Nxc4 Rxf5 33. g4 Rf7? (33... Rf4 $19) 34. Rd5 { Black presumably allowed this move as it was the clearest and fastest way to a draw, and there was no need to give his crafty opponent chances to complicate things if the game ran on. } 34... Rg7 35. Nxa5 Re2 36. Nc6 Nxb3 37. a5? (37. Rf2) 37... bxa5 (37... Nd2 { should be winning. }) 38. Rf2 $17 Re1+ 39. Rf1 Re2 40. Rf2 { But this is clearly a draw, no "should be" qualifier needed. } 40... Re1+ 41. Rf1 Re2 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } (41... Rxf1+ $17) 1/2-1/2