[Event "Candidates Tournament 2020: Round 6 Gam"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/1sG"] [Date "2020.03.23"] [Result "*"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/BlueRepublik"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C50"] [Opening "Italian Game: Giuoco Piano"] [StudyName "2020-21 Candidates Tournament Analysis - by GM Marian Petrov"] [ChapterName "Alekseenko Kiril - Giri Anish 0-1"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/ldhgOlvJ/hwgcP3WM"] [Orientation "white"] { The day cometh } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 O-O { Italian is one of the most popular openings in the last few years } 7. Re1 a5 { we're still well into theory here } 8. Nbd2 Be6 9. Bb5 Ba7 10. Nf1 Ne7 11. Ng3 c6 12. Ba4 Ng6 13. h3 d5 { now Giri seizes on the chance to break in the center, as White has opted not to play d4 himself } 14. exd5 Nxd5 15. Bc2 Qc7 16. d4 exd4 17. Nxd4 { this is still a symmetrical position, although Black's pieces are a bit more coordinated, and his rooks are better. It's a slight but pleasant edge, especially with the black pieces } 17... Rae8 18. Bg5 Ndf4 19. Qd2 Bd5 20. Rxe8 Rxe8 21. Re1 { the computer wants to trade rooks and play Kf1 for an edge, a very weird line for any human to do } 21... Re5 (21... Rxe1+ 22. Qxe1) 22. Bxf4 Rxe1+ 23. Qxe1 Qxf4 24. Qe8+ Nf8 25. Bb3 { but now Giri takes a chance to double White's pawns } 25... Bxd4 26. cxd4 Bxb3 27. axb3 Qf6 (27... Qxd4 28. Nf5) 28. Qe4 g6 29. Ne2 Ne6 { In a worse position, White tries to do what many others have done this tournament: push the h-pawn and hope for counterplay... } 30. h4 h5 { Giri stops this idea } 31. g3 Qd8 32. Qe5 Qb6 { White is able to trade off his weak d5 pawn now though } 33. d5 cxd5 34. Qxd5 Kf8 35. Nc3 Qc7 36. Ne4 Qc1+ 37. Kg2 Qxb2 { Alekseenko is able to win either pawn, but instead plays to attack the king - either for checkmate, or for a perpetual. } 38. Qd7 b6 39. Nd6 { Now black must be very careful here, but Giri defends accurately. Both are under mutual time pressure, but right at time control } 39... Qf6 40. Qe8+ Kg7 41. Qd7 Kg8 42. Qe8+ Nf8 43. Qc6 Qd8 { Alekseenko will be winning his pawn back, but some lines allow black more activity than others. } 44. Nc4 { now with Qd7, Black has the following line which is hard to see } 44... Ne6 45. Nxb6 Nd4 46. Qc5 Nxb3 47. Qb5 Nd2 48. Qxa5 Qd3 { And the position should be drawn, but Black, despite having given back material, has the better pieces and safer king. } 49. Qa1 Qe4+ 50. Kg1 Nf3+ 51. Kf1 { Now, Giri has a clever way to get his pawn back: } 51... Nxh4 52. Qa8+ (52. gxh4 Qh1+) 52... Qxa8 53. Nxa8 { Now, it's time for a long grind. It's holdable, but not pleasant. } 53... Nf3 54. Kg2 Ne5 55. f4 Ng4 56. Nb6 Kf8 57. Nd5 Ke8 58. Nc3 Ke7 59. Ne4 Ne3+ 60. Kf3 Nc4 61. Ng5 Kf6 62. Ne4+ Kf5 63. Nf2 Nd2+ 64. Ke3 Nf1+ 65. Kf3 Nh2+ 66. Kg2 Ng4 { notice that the king and pawn endgame is losing for white } 67. Nh3 (67. Nxg4 Kxg4) 67... f6 68. Kf3 Ke6 69. Ke4 Kd6 { now Giri is using a known idea in king and pawn endings - you cut off the king and square him out } 70. Ng1 Kc5 71. Kd3 Nh6 72. Ke3 Nf5+ 73. Kf3 Kc4 74. Nh3 Nd4+ 75. Ke3 Nf5+ 76. Kf3 Kd4 77. Nf2 Nd6 { and as long as White can keep the g pawn safe, it's hard to Black to make progress. and if Black strays too far, White can trade off the pawns and sacrifice his knight for the last pawn, and draw the game with insufficient material } 78. Nh3 Ne4 79. Ng1 Kd3 80. Kg2 Nd2 81. Kf2 Ke4 82. Ne2 Nb1 83. Ng1 h4 84. Nh3 Kf5 { By now, both players have only a few minutes left on the clock. It's hard to calculate endgames under such pressure, but this is part of what Giri wanted: slight pressure over the board with time pressure creeping in. From this position to the end of the game, neither player would have more than 3 minutes on the clock } 85. gxh4 Kg4 86. f5 { brilliant concept by Alekseenko, knowing the Knight can't be taken, as the pawn will queen } 86... gxf5 87. Ke3 Nc3 (87... Kxh3 88. h5 Kg3 89. h6 f4+ 90. Kd4 f3 91. h7 f2 92. h8=Q f1=Q 93. Qg7+ Kh2 94. Qh7+ Kg2 95. Qg6+ Kh2 96. Qh5+ Kg2 { notice that if the king moves to the f-file: } 97. Qg4+ Kf2 98. Qf4+ Ke2 99. Qxf1+ Kxf1 { and White can easily draw }) 88. Nf2+ Kg3 89. Nd3 { and this move will haunt alekseneko. Giri now can throw in a check, and after remaneuvering the knight, steal the pawn. } 89... Nd5+ 90. Kd4 Nf4 91. Nc5 Kxh4 92. Ke3 { and now it's a matter of technique: since the pawns are doubled, White can't sacrifice for the pawn and draw. the game ended soon after } 92... Kg3 93. Nb3 Ne6 94. Nd2 f4+ 95. Ke2 Ng5 96. Kf1 f3 97. Kg1 f2+ 98. Kf1 f5 { black wins } *