[Event "FIDE Candidates Tournament"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/fhBzjnqz/LKBo86kr"] [Date "2022.06.22"] [Round "5.2"] [White "Radjabov, Teimour"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2753"] [WhiteTeam "Azerbaijan"] [BlackElo "2806"] [BlackTeam "China"] [Annotator "Aagaard"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E00"] [Opening "Catalan Opening"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/fhBzjnqz/LKBo86kr"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,100,31,34,28,-20,1,-37,19,-19,-16,-13,-14,-1,-6,-1,-4,-17,-5,6,5,14, 25,-15,20,-5,-14,-10,14,5,7,14,20,14,11,28,10,9,32,-12,-20,12,12,-40,8,21,10, 18,0,0,16,0,0,-7,-5,-13,-9,-23,-5,-9,-22,-21,-19,-21,-19,-19,-29,-32,-8,-24, -32,-36,-30,-69,-44,-64,-40,-64,-20,-7,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0] Ding Liren has disappointed. He lost with White against Nepomniachtchi and failed to convert a winning position against Rapport. But the idea that he would come out of isolation after two and a half years confinement in China and do amazingly well... it was perhaps too optimistic. I was slightly pessimistic about his chances, but also worried to say that he would fail. Which is funny, as no dent has appeared in my confidence of saying that Nepomniachtchi will not qualify, because of a predicted poorer performance in the second half of the tournament. The game against Radjabov with black had to be won for Ding to remain within a reasonable chance of qualifying. +3 has most often been enough to win the tournament, +2 could. Getting back to 50% would be a desirable start. This is the reasoning behind a lot of the "unforcing" moves by Black in the opening. Rather than seeking equality, Ding looks for a position to play. It is an old strategy that to win with Black, often you don't need to play sharper, but you need the game to be longer, so the opponent has additional chances of making mistakes. } 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+! { Ding is well aware that Radjabov is looking to make as many draws as possible - and quite able to do so, if he gets a decent position. } 4. Nd2 (4. Bd2 { is more flat. Perhaps Ding was planning to play } 4... a5!? { , to somehow create some structural imbalance. }) 4... O-O 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 b6!? (6... dxc4 { is the theoretical move, where Black tries to equalize. }) 7. O-O Bb7 8. b3 Nbd7 9. Bb2 Rc8 10. Rc1 Qe7 11. e3 (11. a3 { is a funny attempt to exploit Black's relaxed opening play, but after } 11... Bxa3 12. Bxa3 Qxa3 13. Ra1 Qd6 14. Rxa7 { , there is no permanent invasion of the seventh rank on account of } 14... Ra8! { . }) (11. cxd5 exd5 12. Ne5!? { looks natural. The knight belongs on f4 in this structure and usually gets there via d3. }) 11... c5!? 12. cxd5?! { Radjabov is releasing the tension. This is awfully unambitious... } (12. a3 { was the right move. Probably Ding would have played } 12... Ba5!? $14 { , but the position is a bit shaky. }) 12... Bxd5 13. Qe2 cxd4 14. Nxd4 Bxg2 15. Kxg2 Ne5 16. e4 { I don't think this helps White. It only loses control over some central squares. } (16. N4f3! { would have been stronger. Removing the active knight and bringing the d2-knight into the game. }) 16... Rfd8 17. Rxc8 Rxc8 18. f4?! { Objectively this is fine, but visually it is outrageously committal. White weakens a lot of squares both in the center and around his king, and for little reason. } 18... Ng6 19. Nc4? { White already had to show accuracy to achieve equality. } (19. f5! e5 (19... Ne5!? 20. fxe6 fxe6) 20. fxg6 exd4 21. gxf7+ Qxf7 22. Nf3 Bc3 23. Nxd4 Bxb2 24. Qxb2 Qb7 { and the draw is near. }) 19... Qb7! $15 20. a3 Bc5 21. Re1 b5 22. Nd2 a6 23. N2f3 Ne7 (23... b4!? 24. a4! $15) 24. Qd3 h6!? (24... Rd8! $15) 25. Re2 Bb6 26. h3? { Weakening the king for no absolutely reason. } (26. b4 $15) 26... Rd8 27. Qc2 Rc8 28. Qd3 Rd8 29. Qc2 h5! $17 30. h4 Ng4 31. Qc3 Nf6 32. Qc2 Rc8 33. Qd3 Ng4 34. b4 Qd7 { Somehow Ding sets up a drawish combination for his opponent. } (34... Nc6 35. Nb3 Qa7 $17) 35. Rd2 Rc4? { A tactical mistake. } (35... Qa7 $17) 36. Qe2? { Radjabov misses a chance to escape into a holdable endgame. } (36. Nf5! Qxd3 37. Nxe7+ Kf8 38. Rxd3 Rc2+ (38... Kxe7 39. Bd4!) 39. Rd2 Ne3+ 40. Kh3 Kxe7 41. Rxc2 Nxc2 42. f5! { and Black's pressure will not be enough to create serious concerns. }) 36... Qb7 37. Qd3 f6!? (37... Ng6! { was more natural. }) 38. Kh3 Qc8! 39. e5!? { A desperate searche for counterplay. } (39. Kg2 { is the computer's move, but after } 39... e5 40. fxe5 fxe5 41. Nb3 Ne3+ 42. Kf2 { , Ding would have enough time to work out that as long as the knight comes to c4, White's position collapses. } 42... Rc6! (42... Qh3? { But not the blunder } 43. Qd8+!! $18) 43. Nc5 Nc4 44. Rc2 Rxc5 { with a winning attack. }) 39... fxe5 (39... f5!? { was also strong and would prevented future counterplay. But the text move is good too, as it gives Black the f5-square. }) 40. fxe5 { Ding had 5 minutes and 20 seconds at this point and spent most on a ridiculous move. } 40... g6?? (40... Bxd4! { would eliminate the knight and leave White with a bad bishop. The black pieces would invade on the light squares and Black would win. Making the correct exchanges is difficult! } 41. Bxd4 Qc6 { and ...Ne7-f5 with a completely winning position. White is left with the bad bishop and nowhere to go... The only reason not to play this is if you are afraid of something with } 42. Bc5 { , but after } 42... Nf5 43. Qd8+ Kh7 44. Ng5+ Kg6 { , White can only resign. }) 41. Ng5! Bxd4 42. Bxd4 Qa8 (42... Qc6? 43. Qf1! $16 Nf5 44. Bc5) 43. Qf3! { White is out of trouble and Radjabov got away from the board one more time with half a point saved. } 43... Qxf3 44. Nxf3 Nc6 45. Bc5 Ncxe5 46. Nxe5 Nxe5 47. Re2 Nd3 48. Rxe6 Nxc5 49. bxc5 Kf7 50. Rxa6 Rxc5 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2