[Event "Champions Showdown - The Kings 2025"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2025.03.05"] [Round "03-01"] [White "Robson, Ray"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2623"] [BlackElo "2769"] [TimeControl "180+2"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D38"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense"] [StudyName "Champions Showdown: The Kings"] [ChapterName "Robson, Ray - Caruana, Fabiano"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/nVekuyCm/fiC5LQP2"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 { [%clk 0:03:02] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 0:03:02] } 2. c4 { [%clk 0:03:03] } 2... e6 { [%clk 0:03:03] } 3. Nf3 { [%clk 0:03:03] } 3... d5 { [%clk 0:03:04] } 4. Nc3 { [%clk 0:03:02] } 4... Bb4 { [%clk 0:03:04] } 5. Bg5 { [%clk 0:03:01] } 5... h6 { [%clk 0:03:01] } 6. Bxf6 { [%clk 0:03:00] } 6... Qxf6 { [%clk 0:03:01] } 7. Qb3 { [%clk 0:02:58] } 7... Bxc3+ { [%clk 0:02:47] } 8. Qxc3 { [%clk 0:02:37] } 8... c6 { [%clk 0:02:47] } 9. g3 { [%clk 0:02:29] } 9... O-O { [%clk 0:02:41] } 10. Bg2 { [%clk 0:02:30] } 10... Nd7 { [%clk 0:02:40] } 11. O-O { [%clk 0:02:17] } 11... dxc4 { [%clk 0:02:36] } 12. Qxc4 { [%clk 0:01:59] } 12... e5 { [%clk 0:02:37] } 13. Rfd1 { [%clk 0:01:42] } 13... Nb6 { [%clk 0:02:34] } 14. Qd3 { [%clk 0:01:01] } 14... exd4 { [%clk 0:02:22] } 15. Qxd4 { [%clk 0:00:59] } 15... Qe7 { [%clk 0:02:20] } 16. Qe5 { [%clk 0:00:43] } 16... Qxe5 { [%clk 0:02:11] } 17. Nxe5 { [%clk 0:00:44] } 17... Re8 { [%clk 0:02:12] } 18. Nf3 { [%clk 0:00:34] } 18... Rxe2 { [%clk 0:02:02] } 19. Rd8+ { [%clk 0:00:34] } 19... Kh7 { [%clk 0:02:03] } 20. a4 { [%clk 0:00:13] } 20... Rxb2 { [%clk 0:01:45] } 21. a5 { [%clk 0:00:11] } 21... Be6 { [%clk 0:01:37] } 22. Rxa8 { [%clk 0:00:06] } 22... Nxa8 { So far, Caruana has outplayed Robson in the blitz game both on the board and on the clock. But now things get interesting. } { [%clk 0:01:38] } 23. a6 { [%clk 0:00:07] } 23... Bd5?! { [%clk 0:00:56] } (23... bxa6 24. Nd4 Ba2! 25. Nxc6 Nc7 $17 { and Black's a-pawns are dangerous despite being doubled. }) (23... b5!? 24. Nd4 Rb4 25. Nxc6 Ra4! $17) (23... b6? 24. Nd4?! $15) 24. Ne5 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 24... Bxg2 { [%clk 0:00:17] } 25. Kxg2 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 25... c5 { [%clk 0:00:12] } 26. Nxf7?? { Trying to regain a pawn was the losing move! } { [%clk 0:00:04] } (26. Nd3! { Despite being down two pawns, White has full compensation thanks to Black's weak knight on a8-. } 26... Rb5 (26... Rc2?? 27. axb7 $18 { is the point. }) 27. axb7 Rxb7 28. Nxc5 Re7 29. h4 $10 { and the lone a-pawn will have a hard time advancing. }) (26. Nc4!?) 26... b5! $19 { Black's knight re-enters the game quickly and the connected passers prevent White from quickly targeting the a7-pawn. } { [%clk 0:00:06] } 27. Ne5 { [%clk 0:00:05] } 27... c4 { [%clk 0:00:04] } 28. Nc6 { [%clk 0:00:04] } 28... b4 { [%clk 0:00:06] } 29. Ra4 { [%clk 0:00:03] } 29... c3 { [%clk 0:00:04] } 30. Nxb4 { [%clk 0:00:04] } 30... c2 { [%clk 0:00:05] } 31. Nd3 { [%clk 0:00:05] } 31... Rb3 { [%clk 0:00:06] } 32. Nc1 { [%clk 0:00:05] } 32... Rb1 { [%clk 0:00:07] } 33. Nd3 { [%clk 0:00:04] } 33... Rd1 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 34. Rc4 { [%clk 0:00:05] } 34... Rxd3 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 35. Rxc2 { [%clk 0:00:06] } 35... Ra3 { This seals it. } { [%clk 0:00:07] } 36. Rc6 { [%clk 0:00:05] } 36... Nb6 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 37. h4 { [%clk 0:00:07] } 37... Rxa6 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 38. g4 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 38... Ra4 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 39. Kg3 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 39... Nd5 { [%clk 0:00:07] } 40. g5 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 40... Ne7 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 41. Rc5 { [%clk 0:00:07] } 41... hxg5 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 42. hxg5 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 42... Kg6 { [%clk 0:00:10] } 43. f4 { [%clk 0:00:10] } 43... Ra1 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 44. Rc7 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 44... Nf5+ { [%clk 0:00:08] } 45. Kg4 { [%clk 0:00:10] } 45... Rg1+ { [%clk 0:00:08] } 46. Kf3 { [%clk 0:00:11] } 46... Rg3+ { [%clk 0:00:09] } 47. Ke4 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 47... Re3+ { [%clk 0:00:10] } 48. Kd5 { [%clk 0:00:10] } 48... Re7 { [%clk 0:00:10] } 49. Rc1 { [%clk 0:00:05] } 49... Kh5 { [%clk 0:00:10] } 50. Rg1 { [%clk 0:00:04] } 50... g6 { [%clk 0:00:11] } 51. Kc5 { [%clk 0:00:03] } 51... Re4 { [%clk 0:00:11] } 52. Rf1 { [%clk 0:00:04] } 52... Kg4 { [%clk 0:00:12] } 53. Kb5 { [%clk 0:00:05] } 53... Rxf4 { [%clk 0:00:13] } 54. Rg1+ { [%clk 0:00:07] } 54... Kh4 { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:00:13] } 0-1