[Event "WR Chess Masters"] [Site "Dusseldorf, Germany"] [Date "2023.02.23"] [Round "7.2"] [White "Esipenko, Andrey"] [Black "Gukesh, D."] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2675"] [BlackElo "2718"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E11"] [Opening "Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation"] [StudyName "WR Masters"] [ChapterName "Esipenko, Andrey - Gukesh, D."] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/wy4VAHLx/nKuZu6Ek"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. b3 b6 10. Nc3 Ba6 11. e4 dxc4 12. Rfe1 e5!? (12... Re8 { has only been tried once, but appears to be the engine's preference. There are underexplored complications, for instance after } 13. h4 h6 14. e5 Nd5 15. Ne4 Nb4?! { White's best bet is snapping off the dangerous knight and allowing Black to "win" an Exchange. } (15... c3! 16. Nxc3 Nb4 17. Qd1 c5) 16. Bxb4! (16. Qd1?! Nd3 17. Re3 c5 18. Nh2 c3 19. Rxd3 Bxd3 $19 { 0-1 (35) Ivic,V (2553) -Kozak,A (2516) Cala Gonone ITA 2022 }) 16... Bxb4 17. bxc4 Bxe1 18. Nxe1 $16 { with a significant edge to White due to the control of the d6-square. }) 13. Ne2 Ng4 (13... cxb3 14. axb3 Bxe2 15. Rxe2 Qc7 16. Bc3 Bd6 17. dxe5 Nxe5 18. Nd4 Rfd8 19. Rd1 Bf8 20. Red2 a5 21. Nf5 { ½- (35) ½ (35) Panjwani,R (2436) -Lee,M (2377) Charlotte USA 2022 }) 14. bxc4 exd4 15. Nexd4 Nde5 16. Nxe5 Nxe5 17. Bc3 Bc5 18. Rad1 Qc7 19. f4!? { Objectively, the position is still balanced. But it is hard to believe that the space White gains in the center can offset the damage done by opening the diagonals towards White's king. } 19... Nxc4 20. Kh1 Rad8 21. Nf5 f6 22. Rxd8 Qxd8 23. Qe2 { This move alows Black to consolidate and control the center. } (23. Bf1! g6? 24. Bxf6! Qxf6 25. Bxc4+ Bxc4 26. Qxc4+ Kh8 27. Nh4 $16) 23... g6 24. Nh6+ Kg7 25. Ng4 Bd4 26. Rd1 c5 27. Qf3 h5 28. Nf2 Ne3 29. Rd2 Qc7 30. Bxd4 cxd4 31. Rxd4 Qc3 32. Rd7+ Rf7 33. Rxf7+ Kxf7 34. h4 Bc4 35. Bh3 f5 36. Kh2 Qd2 { A gorgeous final position. Black turned central control into utter domination of the entire board. White's pieces are nothing more than petrified wood. } 0-1