[Event "FIDE Candidates Tournament"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/fhBzjnqz/5OoUHu49"] [Date "2022.06.23"] [Round "6.3"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2760"] [WhiteTeam "United States"] [BlackElo "2806"] [BlackTeam "China"] [Annotator "Aagaard"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C54"] [Opening "Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/fhBzjnqz/5OoUHu49"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,84,32,34,34,34,15,15,17,14,10,-3,20,20,24,-19,-6,-15,6,-19,-6,-17,-8, -22,-11,-1,2,3,-6,-4,5,-42,-47,-37,-75,-57,-49,-44,-52,-87,-61,-42,-58,-50,-58, -42,-55,-65,-68,-54,-37,-43,-16,-17,10,6,-17,-22,-26,-43,-48,-48,-4,-19,-85, -85,-83,-118,-128,-93,-122,-206,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0] Today's best played game was a strong strategic effort by Nakamura and Ding Liren. The game is overshadowed by other results, but no criticism of the players for making a draw is appropriate. This falls entirely on the opening position. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d6 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 a5 8. h3 h6 9. Nbd2 Be6 10. Bb5 Qb8 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. d4 exd4 13. cxd4 Bb6 14. a4 Re8 15. Ra3 Qa7 16. Nf1 d5 17. e5 Ne4 18. N1d2 Bf5 19. Re2 Rad8 20. Nb3 c5 21. dxc5 Bxc5 22. Nxc5 Qxc5 23. Nd4 Bd7 24. Bf4 Qe7 25. Nb5 Bxb5 26. axb5 Ng5 27. Rxa5 Ne6 28. Bd2 d4 29. Ra3 Qc5 30. Rg3 d3 { Both players have tried to make things happen. The game reaches a concrete phase. } 31. Re1 { I like active play better. It makes White's position looks best. } (31. Re4! Qxb5 32. Bxh6 d2 33. Kh2! (33. Bxg7? { does not work. } 33... Nxg7 34. Reg4 Qxe5 $19) 33... g6 (33... Qxb2? 34. Bxg7 $18 { and mate. The lack of a check after queening the d-pawn is important. }) 34. Bxd2 Qxb2 35. Bc1 { With a likely draw. } 35... Rxd1 36. Bxb2 Rd2 { and Black regains the pawn. }) 31... Qxb5 32. Qh5 (32. Kh2! { would be a classic Kasparov reaction. }) 32... Qxb2 33. Bxh6 d2 (33... Qb4 34. Rd1 Qe4 { would give White ever so slightly problems to solve. }) 34. Rd1 Rd5 35. Bxg7! { Sensibly forcing a draw. } 35... Nxg7 36. Rxg7+ Kxg7 37. Qg5+ Kf8 38. Qh6+ Kg8 39. Qg5+ Kf8 40. Qh6+ Ke7 41. Qf6+ Kf8 42. Qh6+ Kg8 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2