[Event "Madrid"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/OFBh"] [Date "2022.06.18"] [White "Jan-Krzysztof Duda"] [Black "Hikaru Nakamura"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Aagaard"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E47"] [Opening "Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Bishop Attack"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/fhBzjnqz/Ngal7B98"] [Orientation "white"] { Duda got a real advantage from the opening and was unable to exploit it. The difference between top 10 players and those languishing just below is real. } 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 c5 6. Ne2 d5 7. cxd5 cxd4 8. exd4 Nxd5 9. O-O Nc6 10. a3 Bd6 11. Re1 Nce7 12. Bc2 Bd7 13. Qd3 f5 14. Bb3 $14 Qb6 (14... Bc6 15. Bg5! Qd7 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Nxd5 exd5 18. Qf3 $14 { is perhaps a marginally more unpleasant version of the same type of position. }) 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 exd5 17. Bf4 Rae8 { I would argue that the opening has been a moderate fiasco for Black. The resulting endgame with good knight against bad bishop is definitely operating in the borderland between the solid and the unpleasant. Nakamura might have had the impression that Duda would not be the one to outmaneuver him in such a position and thus felt it was a reasonable way to play. It is hard to argue with success. } 18. g3 $146 (18. Bxd6 Qxd6 19. g3 { ½-½ Isigkeit - Hyldkrog, email 2010. Black should play } 19... h6 $14 { . }) 18... Bxf4 19. Nxf4 Re4! 20. Red1 Bc6 21. h4 $14 Rfe8 22. Qc3 g6? { A disgusting move. Against Carlsen I would now be seriously worried about Black's position. But Duda, despite his many qualities, is not the man to squeeze the life out of Black patiently from such a position. } 23. b4? (23. a4! { with the idea b4-b5 and most importantly to restrict the movement of the black bishop. } 23... a5 24. b3 $16 { This would have given White a strong structure. He would have to play Re1, Ng2 and f3 to repel the rook from e4, well-timed of course. And White would make serious advancement. Sometimes White could take on e4, changing the structure. The strategic depth needed to convert such a position would be great. If you want to understand chess on a deeper level, I would strongly recommend you to analyze positions like this deeply. }) 23... Ba4! 24. Rd2 Qc6! { The endgame is safer for Black than the middlegame. Look at the kings. } 25. Qc5 Re1+ 26. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 27. Kg2 Qxc5 28. bxc5 Bc6 29. Re2 Rd1 30. Ne6 Bd7 31. Nd8 Rxd4 32. Re7 Bc6 33. Nxc6 bxc6 34. Rc7 Ra4 35. Rxc6 Rxa3 36. Rd6 Rc3 37. Rxd5 a5 38. c6 a4 39. Ra5 a3 40. c7 Rxc7 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2