[Event "Olymp 2026 Open"] [Site "Samarkand, Uzbekistan"] [Date "2026.09.21"] [Round "6.185"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Christiansen, Johan-Sebastian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2789"] [WhiteTeam "United States of America"] [BlackElo "2656"] [BlackTeam "Norway"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C63"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Schliemann Defense"] [StudyName "46th FIDE Olympiad"] [ChapterName "Caruana, Fabiano - Christiansen, Johan-Sebastian"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/ulKC991v/2hh7MsJA"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. d3 fxe4 5. dxe4 Bb4+ (5... Nf6 { is almost universally played. }) 6. Bd2 (6. c3 { While the engine gives White a sizable edge after this move, Fabi likely suspected some home-cooking from his opponent. Black's approach was last seen in 2011, so there has been ample time to find improvements. }) 6... Bxd2+ 7. Qxd2 d6 8. Nc3 Nf6 9. O-O-O Bg4 10. Qd3 Bxf3 11. gxf3 O-O 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. Qc4+ Kh8 14. Qxc6 Rc8 15. Kb1 Nh5 16. Nb5 a6?! (16... a5 { was better. There was no need to give up the pawn. }) 17. Qxa6 Qd7 18. a4 Nf4 19. Qb7 Qh3 20. Na7?! (20. Rhg1 { Now, White threatens Nb5xd6 due to the mate threat on g7. While } 20... Ne6 { is the most active way to defend mate (rather than pacifying a queen or rook), now } 21. f4! { , preventing Black from ever getting his knight back to the outpost on f4, secures a major advantage. After } 21... exf4 22. e5 dxe5 23. Qe4 Qf5 24. Rge1 { , the passed a-pawn will win the endgame. }) 20... Ra8 21. Qxc7?! { Fabi gets too greedy. } (21. Nb5 { returns a pawn, but keeps an advantage. For instance, } 21... Rxa4 (21... Qxf3 22. Qxc7 { is similar. }) 22. Qxc7 { introduces a veritable threat on the d6-pawn now that White's knight is no longer en prise. } 22... Qxf3 23. Qxd6 Ng6 24. b3 Rxe4 25. Qd5 $16 { White remains up a pawn and has winning chances due to the outside passed pawns. }) 21... Ne6! { White has no time to capture the d6-pawn as the knight is still en prise. } 22. Qb6?! { Maybe giving up the knight was still preferable. } (22. Qxd6 Rxa7 23. b3 { With the e5-pawn being hard to defend, this becomes a game where all three results are possible. }) 22... Qxf3 23. Nb5 Rxa4 24. Nc3 Rd4 25. Rhf1 Nc5? (25... h6 { White cannot move much, so Black can slowly improve the position by creating luft. Black will likely win back the missing pawn soon and retain the more active pieces, securing an advantage. } 26. Qa7 (26. Rxd4?? exd4 27. Nd5 (27. Qxd6 { looks to be following a similar plan to the one in the game by exchanging loose knights, but } 27... Qh3! $19 { defends the knight with tempo on White's loose f1-rook. } (27... dxc3 28. Qxe6 Ra8 { also feels much better for Black than the game variation. })) 27... Qe2 $19 { , for instance, wins material. } { [%csl Rf1,Rf2,Re4][%cal Gd4d3] }) 26... Kh7 $17 { White is still struggling to find sensible moves. }) 26. Rxd4! { Fabi finds a way to force simplifications. } 26... exd4 27. Qxd6 dxc3 28. Qxc5 Rb8 29. Qc7 { Forcing the issue. } 29... Rxb2+ 30. Kc1 h5 31. Rg1 Rxc2+ 32. Kxc2 Qxf2+ 33. Kxc3 Qxg1 34. Qf4 Qc5+ { The players agree to a draw. } 1/2-1/2