[Event "86th Tata Steel Masters"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2024.01.23"] [Round "9.6"] [White "Wei, Yi"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2740"] [BlackElo "2769"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C24"] [Opening "Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense"] [StudyName "2024 Tata Steel"] [ChapterName "Wei, Yi - Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/jonbbAZH/AvAKJ1fk"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 c6 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bb3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Bxd2+ 7. Nbxd2 a5 8. a4 Nbd7 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1 Re8 11. exd5 cxd5 12. Nb1 b6 13. Nc3 Bb7 14. Nb5 Qb8 15. d4 e4 16. Nd2 Bc6 17. c4 Bxb5 18. axb5 Qf4 19. g3 Qf5 20. cxd5 Rad8 21. f3 exf3 22. Qxf3 Qg5 23. Nc4 $16 { Fans of the Bishop's Opening rejoice! Wei Yi has established a very nice position while avoiding theory altogether. Black now tries to strike on the kingside, but White's pieces are too organized. } 23... h5 24. d6 Kf8 (24... h4 { did not change the plan: } 25. Re7 Rxe7 26. dxe7 Re8 27. Re1 hxg3 28. Qxg3 Qxg3+ 29. hxg3 Nd5 30. Nd6 Rxe7 31. Rxe7 Nxe7 32. Bxf7+ $18) 25. Re7! Rxe7 26. dxe7+ Kxe7 27. Re1+ Kf8 28. Nd6 Qd2 29. Qc3 Qxc3 30. bxc3 g6 31. h3 (31. Bxf7 { was of course fine, and is the winning upshot of White's brilliant 25. Re7! idea, but White takes a considerably more artistic, yet equally effective, path befitting of Wei Yi's nickname as the Chess Poet. }) 31... a4 32. Ba2 a3 33. Kg2! Ra8 34. Kf3! Ra5 35. Kf4! Ra8 36. Kg5! Rd8 37. Bxf7 { It's not just the f7-pawn, is it? Shades of Short's famous king walk, although this is not to give mate. } 37... Nb8 38. Kxf6 Rxd6+ 39. Be6 Nd7+ 40. Kxg6 Ne5+ 41. Kf6 { 1-0 White wins. } (41. Rxe5 a2 42. Rf5+ Ke8 43. Rf1 Rxe6+ 44. Kxh5 { was still winning, funnily enough, but White's move essentially forces resignation now that the time control has been reached. }) 1-0