[Event "TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament"] [Site "Malmo, Elite Plaza Hotel, Sweden"] [Date "2023.05.08"] [Round "5.4"] [White "Gukesh, D"] [Black "Mishra, Abhimanyu"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2732"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteFideId "46616543"] [BlackElo "2550"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "30920019"] [TimeControl "90 minutes for 40 moves and then 30 minutes for the remaining moves with 30 seconds cumulative inc."] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B90"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation"] [StudyName "TePe Sigeman & Co 2023"] [ChapterName "Gukesh, D - Mishra, Abhimanyu"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/saUXwgsa/8swpbSqV"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%eval 0.36] [%clk 1:30:57] } 1... c5 { [%eval 0.32] [%clk 1:30:56] } 2. Nf3 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 1:31:17] } 2... d6 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 1:31:21] } 3. d4 { [%eval 0.25] [%clk 1:31:41] } 3... cxd4 { [%eval 0.13] [%clk 1:31:45] } 4. Nxd4 { [%eval 0.27] [%clk 1:32:06] } 4... Nf6 { [%eval 0.3] [%clk 1:32:04] } 5. Nc3 { [%eval 0.21] [%clk 1:32:32] } 5... a6 { [%eval 0.39] [%clk 1:32:26] } 6. Nb3 { [%eval 0.0] } { The 11th most popular move, as White usually waits for Black to commit to ... e7-e5 before making this retreat. } { [%clk 1:32:57] } 6... e6 { [%eval 0.2] } { Black follows Giri's recommendation, keeping a more flexible Scheveningen structure. } { [%clk 1:31:57] } 7. g4 { [%eval 0.13] [%clk 1:33:21] } 7... b5 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 1:31:50] } 8. a3 { [%eval -0.01] [%clk 1:33:44] } 8... Bb7 { [%eval 0.19] [%clk 1:30:43] } 9. Bg2 { [%eval -0.29] [%clk 1:34:07] } 9... Nfd7 { [%eval -0.06] [%clk 1:28:55] } 10. h4 { [%eval -0.16] [%clk 1:34:31] } 10... Nc6 { [%eval -0.09] [%clk 1:24:35] } 11. Bg5 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 1:34:52] } 11... Be7 { [%eval 0.34] [%clk 1:15:55] } 12. Bxe7 { [%eval 0.32] [%clk 1:35:16] } 12... Qxe7 { [%eval 0.33] [%clk 1:15:44] } 13. Qd2 { [%eval 0.36] [%clk 1:35:41] } 13... Nc5 { [%eval 0.49] [%clk 1:07:06] } 14. O-O-O { [%eval 0.23] [%clk 1:31:42] } 14... Rd8 { [%eval 0.58] [%clk 1:03:27] } 15. Kb1 { [%eval -0.04] [%clk 1:27:53] } (15. f4 { The engine suggests that, given Black's passive rook placement, the prophylactic Kc1-b1 was unnecessary and there was a small chance for more energetic play here. }) 15... O-O { [%eval 0.2] [%clk 1:00:10] } 16. f4 { [%eval -0.21] [%clk 1:26:23] } 16... b4! { [%eval -0.19] } { Black is in time with the counterplay. } { [%clk 0:47:50] } 17. axb4 { [%eval -0.13] [%clk 1:25:54] } 17... Nxb3 { [%eval -0.16] [%clk 0:47:49] } 18. cxb3 { [%eval -0.15] [%clk 1:26:18] } 18... Nxb4 { [%eval -0.27] [%clk 0:41:20] } 19. Qe3 { [%eval -0.57] [%clk 1:13:07] } 19... Qc7?! { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 0:37:32] } (19... f5! { This is a nice motif, more familiar to Kan players. But Black never committed to placing the e-pawn on e5, so these 'roadblock' measures remain available. } 20. gxf5 exf5 21. Qd4 (21. Qb6!? Rb8! { allows Black to play for some complications instead of passively defending the d-pawn. }) 21... a5 $17) 20. h5 { [%eval 0.09] [%clk 1:05:57] } 20... Qc5 { [%eval 0.24] [%clk 0:23:44] } 21. Qd2 { [%eval 0.2] [%clk 0:54:45] } 21... Bc6?! { [%eval 1.18] [%clk 0:19:17] } (21... h6 { was simple enough, although presumably Black did not want to create a "hook" for } 22. g5 { when Black must play } 22... hxg5 23. fxg5 a5 { and hope that White is not able to successfully open anything too dire. } 24. g6 fxg6 25. hxg6 Rf2 { keeps Black in the game, but it is understandable why calculating this from afar seemed too dangerous even for a Najdorf diehard like Mishra. }) 22. g5?! { [%eval 0.42] [%clk 0:40:40] } (22. h6! g6 23. Na2 a5 24. Rc1 Bb5 25. Bf1 Bxf1 26. Rhxf1 Qb6 27. Qc3 $16 { This is an interesting idea: by preserving more flexibility with regards to kingside breaks, White has to be less worried about Black's play on the queenside. }) 22... d5 { [%eval 0.73] [%clk 0:12:51] } 23. h6 { [%eval 0.51] [%clk 0:33:51] } 23... g6 { [%eval 0.7] [%clk 0:12:52] } 24. Qd4 { [%eval 0.44] [%clk 0:31:37] } 24... Qxd4 { [%eval 0.4] [%clk 0:13:13] } 25. Rxd4 { [%eval 0.34] [%clk 0:32:04] } 25... a5 { [%eval 0.37] [%clk 0:05:14] } 26. Rhd1 { [%eval 0.27] [%clk 0:32:06] } 26... f6! { [%eval 0.42] } { Down to five minutes to his opponent's 32, with 14 moves to reach the time control, Mishra displays impressive resilience and resourcefulness. } { [%clk 0:05:02] } 27. gxf6 { [%eval 0.22] [%clk 0:24:06] } 27... Rxf6 { [%eval 0.15] [%clk 0:05:22] } 28. Bh3 { [%eval 0.2] [%clk 0:19:49] } 28... Re8 { [%eval 0.18] [%clk 0:04:22] } 29. e5 { [%eval 0.36] [%clk 0:17:36] } 29... Rf7 { [%eval 0.06] [%clk 0:03:44] } 30. Rc1 { [%eval -0.07] [%clk 0:17:23] } 30... Bd7 { [%eval -0.01] [%clk 0:02:25] } 31. Na4 { [%eval -0.31] [%clk 0:13:29] } 31... Nc6 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 0:01:22] } 32. Rd2 { [%eval -0.23] [%clk 0:13:58] } 32... Rxf4 { [%eval -0.12] [%clk 0:01:25] } 33. Nc5 { [%eval -1.08] [%clk 0:11:43] } (33. Rxd5! { was the critical line. } 33... exd5 34. Bxd7 Rxe5 35. Bxc6 Kf7 { The engine claims this is equal, and the rook pair on the open board does look dangerous. That said, asking Black to play an unequal position was likely the better practical choice given the time disparity. }) 33... Nb8 { [%eval -0.9] } { An important point from Mishra: Black is happy to trade off the bad bishop! } { [%clk 0:01:09] } 34. Rdc2 { [%eval -0.96] [%clk 0:08:43] } 34... Rh4 { [%eval -1.11] [%clk 0:00:42] } 35. Nxd7 { [%eval -0.77] [%clk 0:03:51] } 35... Nxd7 { [%eval -0.82] [%clk 0:01:08] } 36. Rc8 { [%eval -0.73] [%clk 0:04:16] } 36... Rxc8 { [%eval -0.21] [%clk 0:00:44] } 37. Bxe6+ { [%eval -0.15] [%clk 0:04:42] } 37... Kf8 { [%eval -0.21] [%clk 0:01:10] } 38. Rxc8+ { [%eval -0.2] [%clk 0:05:07] } 38... Ke7 { [%eval -0.15] [%clk 0:01:36] } 39. Bxd5 { [%eval -0.2] [%clk 0:05:15] } 39... Nxe5 { [%eval -0.2] [%clk 0:01:14] } 40. Ra8 { [%eval -0.17] [%clk 0:04:47] } 40... Rxh6 { [%eval -0.18] [%clk 0:01:20] } 41. Rxa5 { [%eval -0.12] [%clk 0:04:57] } 41... Rh2 { [%eval -0.13] [%clk 0:23:40] } 42. Ka2 { [%eval -0.09] } { A fair outcome once the time control was reached. } { [%clk 0:27:30] } 1/2-1/2