[Event "Madrid"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/OFBh"] [Date "2022.06.18"] [White "Richard Rapport"] [Black "Ian Nepomniachtchi"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Aagaard"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C42"] [Opening "Russian Game: Classical Attack, Staunton Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/fhBzjnqz/gQ5xRUd1"] [Orientation "white"] { This is the silliest game of the tournament so far. Nepomniachtchi is ahead and would be quite happy to end the first half of the tournament with an effortless draw with Black. So, the Petroff it is and good preparation leading straight to a perpetual. But Rapport cannot get himself to agree with reality and decides to play on and loses without effort. A friend of mine speculated if Nepomniachtchi was going to end with more time on the clock than he begun. We need a photo finish investigation into this, as the clock stands at 2 hours. .. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 c6 { This solid variation is a reasonable choice when things are going swimmingly well. } 9. Qb3 Bg4 10. Bxe4 dxe4 11. Ng5 Be7 12. Nxe4 Qxd4 13. Qxb7 (13. Nbc3 { was played in Kofidis - Patrici, Argentina 1996. Simplest is } 13... Qb6 { with full equality and the two bishops as a cushion. }) 13... Qxe4 14. Qxa8 Bh3 $146 { Technically this move, forcing a draw, is a novelty. } (14... Bd6 15. Qxa7 Bh3 16. gxh3 Qe5 { ended with a draw after another 10 or so postcards in Duhrssen - Batik, corr 1928. White could have tried for an advantage, but it is not there. Both players would have to show accuracy. } 17. Kg2!? Qxh2+ 18. Kf3 Qxh3+ 19. Ke2 Re8+ 20. Be3 Nd7 21. Kd2 Bc5! 22. Rh1!! (22. Bxc5? { is too dangerous. } 22... Nxc5 23. Qxc5 Rd8+ 24. Ke1 Qd3 25. f4 Qc2! 26. Qh5 Re8+ 27. Qe5 Rxe5+ 28. fxe5 Qxb2 $19) 22... Bxe3+ (22... Qxh1? 23. Qxd7! { and White is a piece up. }) 23. Qxe3 Rxe3 24. Rxh3 Rxh3 { The endgame looks interesting, but is quite equal none the same. }) 15. gxh3 Qg6+ 16. Kh1 Qe4+ 17. Kg1 Qg6+ 18. Kh1 Qe4+ 19. f3!? { Rapport is playing with fire. Taking the draw is the wise thing to do. } 19... Qd3 20. Kg2 Qg6+ 21. Kh1 Qd3 22. Nd2?? { Of course Rapport understood that his queen would be trapped. But for some reason he believed that he had reasonable chances in the late stage middlegame/early stage endgame that follows. I cannot follow this at all. There are no weaknesses to attack in the black position and the white kingside is frail and damaged. The white minor pieces are not effective and there is no obvious way to get the rooks into play. It just seems nuts. I follow the games live on my phone and then check them with the engine later. I was honestly showed that the evaluation of the computer was only "much better for Black". } 22... Qd7 23. Ne4 Na6 24. Qxf8+ Bxf8 25. Bf4 Qxh3 26. Rad1 h6 27. Bg3? (27. a3 { In practice the position is lost. But in practice Stockfish 15 insists that there still are chances after } 27... f5 28. Ng3 g5 29. Be5 f4 30. Ne4 Nc5 $17 { . }) 27... Nc5 28. Rfe1 (28. Nxc5 Bxc5 29. a3 a5 $19 { White can only sit an wait for Black to advance. }) 28... Ne6 (28... Nxe4 29. Rxe4 Bc5 { was easier, but the position is totally winning no matter what. }) 29. a3 h5 30. Rd3 Qf5 31. b4 h4 32. Bb8 Ng5 33. Rde3 Nxe4 34. fxe4 Qf2 35. h3 Be7 36. Bh2 Bg5 37. Bg1 Qd2 38. R3e2 Qd3 39. Be3 Bf6 40. Bxa7 { This loses badly. But so does everything else. } 40... Qxh3+ 41. Kg1 Qg3+ 42. Kf1 h3 43. Bg1 Bh4 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1