[Event "World Chess Championship"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/GnRCQlP4/0fGC1lzt"]
[Date "2021.12.01"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Abasov"]
[BlackElo "2855"]
[ECO "C88"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez: Closed, Anti-Marshall"]
[UTCDate "2021.12.01"]
[UTCTime "21:39:30"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[WhiteElo "2782"]

1. e4 { Another 1. e4 from the Challenger. I'm curious if Ian is planning to change the first move in any later game? It reminds me of the match of Kasparov against Kramnik held in London in 2000, where Kasparov tried to outplay his opponent with 1. e4 in all his games with White and later after the defeat admitted that the reason he lost the match was he only prepared one opening move (1. e4) for the match. He should have had wider repertoire in his arsenal. Caruana played 1. e4 in all his games too, Karjakin switched once (if I recall correctly). But Carlsen always tries different moves. He has already shown that here, playing both 1. d4 and 1. e4. Does it mean changing the first move is key for success? No guarantee. Time will tell. } 1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4 { Another Ruy Lopez and again Nepo tries his luck with Anti-Marshall. Has the challenger come up with a better and more challenging idea this time? } 8... Rb8 $5 { No! Magnus is the first to deviate from Game 3. In fact, this move should not be a total surprise for Ian, since it has already been played once by Magnus. If you read the annotations in Game 3, you must remember his game against Duda. } 9. axb5 ( 9. c3 { was the choice of Polish number 1 chess player. } 9... d5 $5 ( 9... b4 { Now, checking the database I'm surprised to see Duda himself has tried it with Black, even though it was only a rapid game. } 10. d4 d6 11. h3 Bb7 12. Nbd2 Qd7 13. Nf1 ( 13. a5 { looks wrong for Black } ) 13... h6 14. Ng3 { 1-0 (53) Psyk,R (2313)-Duda,J (2724) Zgierz 2018 } ) 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. axb5 axb5 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. Rxe5 c6 14. d4 Bd6 15. Re1 Qh4 16. g3 Qh3 17. Re4 { preventing ...-Bg4 } 17... g5 18. Qf1 ( 18. Bxg5 { loses to a simple double-attack } 18... Qf5 $1 $19 ) 18... Qxf1+ 19. Kxf1 Bf5 20. Nd2 $5 { sacrifices an exchange for activity } ( 20. Re1 Rfe8 { and Black has decent compensation } ) 20... Bxe4 ( 20... Rfe8 { not taking the exchange immediately might be a better approach } 21. f3 Bxe4 22. Nxe4 Ra8 $5 $132 ) 21. Nxe4 Be7 ( 21... Ra8 $5 22. Rb1 $36 ) 22. Bxg5 Bxg5 23. Nxg5 Ra8 24. Rd1 { looks pleasant for White } 24... Nb6 25. Re1 Nc4 26. Bxc4 bxc4 27. Nf3 Rfb8 28. Ne5 Rxb2 29. Nxc4 Rc2 30. Re3 Ra1+ 31. Kg2 Rac1 32. Re8+ Kg7 33. Ne5 Rxc3 34. Re7 R3c2 35. Rxf7+ Kg8 36. Rc7 h5 37. Nd7 Rd1 38. Nf6+ Kf8 39. Nxh5 Rdd2 40. h4 Rxf2+ 41. Kh3 Rf7 42. Rc8+ Ke7 43. Nf4 Kd6 44. h5 Rd2 45. Kg4 Rg7+ 46. Kf3 Rxd4 47. h6 Rh7 48. Rd8+ Ke5 49. Re8+ Kd6 50. Rd8+ Ke5 51. Re8+ Kd6 52. Re6+ Kd7 53. Rg6 Ke7 54. Rxc6 Rd6 55. Ng6+ Kd7 56. Ne5+ Ke6 57. Rxd6+ Kxd6 58. Kf4 Ke6 59. Ng4 Ra7 60. Kg5 Kf7 61. Ne3 Kg8 62. g4 Kh7 63. Kh5 Ra3 64. Nf5 Ra5 65. Kg5 { 1/2-1/2 (65) Duda,J (2738)-Carlsen,M (2847) Krasnaya Polyana 2021 } ) 9... axb5 10. h3 { Quite a rare quiet waiting move. The main idea of delaying 10. c3 is: White keeps the -c3 square vacant for the Knight in case of a Marshall Attack-style pawn sacrifice with ...-d5 } ( 10. c3 d5 ( 10... d6 11. d4 { significant difference with regular Ruy Lopez is that after } 11... Bg4 { which would be one of the best moves in the closed variation of the Ruy Lopez, Black's Knight gets trapped here } 12. d5 $18 ) 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Nxe5 { transposes to Duda-Magnus game } ) 10... d6 ( 10... d5 { is being met with } 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. Rxe5 c6 { and here White can play witty } 14. Re1 $5 { preparing Nc3. White is better } ) 11. c3 { Now we are back to the normal track in the Ruy Lopez, but with one significant difference. The a-file has been opened and it's entirely under White's hegemony. Does that mean White is now much better? The answer is: No. It's because Black eventually plans to open the b-file by first advancing the b-pawn and later trading it off to a c3-pawn. Then, both sides will dominate over one open file. } 11... b4 12. d3 ( 12. d4 { looked like a more aggressive continuation, however, Black should be in a safe zone after } 12... bxc3 13. bxc3 exd4 14. cxd4 d5 15. e5 ( 15. Nc3 dxe4 16. Nxe4 Nxe4 17. Rxe4 Bf5 { followed by ...-Bf6 attacking the -d4 pawn looks solid for Black } ) 15... Ne4 { position doesn't look any worse for Black either } ) 12... bxc3 ( 12... d5 { a move in true Magnus style was once played by the winner of FIDE World Chess Championship 1999 - Alexander Khalifman against a very strong Russian GM, Dmitry Jakovenko. Game continued with } 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. Rxe5 Be6 { and here White should have played } 16. c4 { a bit anti-positional looking move, that limits the mobility of the b3-Bishop, however, after this White manages to stabilize and keep the extra pawn. a bit anti-positional looking move after which White gets control over the situation } 16... Nb6 17. Rea5 $14 ) 13. bxc3 d5 $146 { And here comes the official novelty. Magnus doesn't betray his strategy and is keen to drop the central pawn again. But, it's never for free! } 14. Nbd2 { was played instantly! } ( 14. exd5 Nxd5 15. Nxe5 Nxe5 16. Rxe5 Be6 { could happen in the game, had Nepo accepted Magnus' sacrifice, but here Black has a number of different threats such as taking on -c3 with the discover attack on b3-Bishop, or simply by playing ...-Bf6 put pressure along the long diagonal. [%csl Rc3][%cal Gd5c3,Re6b3,Be7f6] } 17. Bxd5 Bxd5 18. d4 Bf6 19. Re1 Ra8 $44 { The Bishop pair is strong. } ) 14... dxe4 { There is not much to recommend Black here. Simplifications in the center seem to be the only making sense continuation simplifications in the center should be fine for Black } ( 14... d4 $2 { is a typical mistake here } 15. Nc4 dxc3 16. Ncxe5 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 $18 ) 15. dxe4 Bd6 { World Champion frees the -e7 square for future Knight maneuver to g6. } 16. Qc2 ( 16. Nc4 { is met by } 16... Be6 { and now the -b3 Bishop is being pinned } ) ( 16. Ba4 $5 { was most likely not played due to the pin along the a-file } 16... Ra8 { but now White Bishop on b3 doesn't get pinned after } 17. Nc4 $5 Be6 18. Nxd6 Qxd6 19. Qe2 { looked like a plan for White, where Ian gets Bishop pair and a powerful threat of winning an exchange after Ba3 [%cal Gc1a3] } ) 16... h6 { Useful move, covering the g5-square and to never have back-rank issue anymore. } 17. Nf1 Ne7 18. Ng3 Ng6 { Both sides successfully redeployed the Knights to standard Ruy Lopez squares. } 19. Be3 Qe8 20. Red1 { White takes another open file. } ( 20. c4 { with the idea of grabbing some space looked not bad for Ian either. [%cal Gc4c5] } 20... c5 { trying to prevent c4-c5 of White. } 21. Ba4 Qd8 ( 21... Bd7 { doesn't look good for Black as it overloads the pieces and now -f5 is weaker } 22. Qd2 $5 { attacking both -d6 and -h6 looks too strong } ( 22. Nf5 $5 $16 ) 22... Qe7 ) 22. Bc6 { bringing Bishop to an outpost -d5 looks really nice! [%cal Gc6d5] } ) 20... Be6 { Offering the Bishop trades. } 21. Ba4 Bd7 22. Nd2 ( 22. Bxd7 Qxd7 23. c4 Qc6 24. c5 $36 { looked like the last small chance White could try. } ) 22... Bxa4 23. Qxa4 Qxa4 24. Rxa4 { Position gets drastically simplified and Black is totally comfortable now. } 24... Ra8 { Offering Rook trades. } 25. Rda1 Rxa4 26. Rxa4 Rb8 { Each side controls one open file whilst even material and symmetrical pawn structure. This means the position is totally equal. } 27. Ra6 Ne8 28. Kf1 Nf8 { Magnus illustrates he can draw this position even by taking all pieces back :) } 29. Nf5 Ne6 30. Nc4 { White puts some pressure on Black's Bishop. [%cal Gc4d6,Gf5d6,Ga6d6] } 30... Rd8 { Black defends it. } 31. f3 f6 { Now Black wants to get closer to the center with the King. [%cal Gg8f7] } 32. g4 Kf7 33. h4 { White tries his last chance by advancing the kingside pawns to create some weaknesses. } 33... Bf8 { -d6 square was left for the Knight for some more exchanges! } 34. Ke2 Nd6 35. Ncxd6+ Bxd6 36. h5 Bf8 37. Ra5 Ke8 38. Rd5 Ra8 39. Rd1 Ra2+ 40. Rd2 Ra1 41. Rd1 Ra2+ 42. Rd2 Ra1 43. Rd1 { Another game ends by threefold repetition. Well, in fact it should not surprise us. Both players do their best and we are witnessing nearly a flawless chess. It shows how well they are prepared for the match! We can't expect one side to make a huge blunder in a 'best player in the world' deciding match. Tomorrow is the second rest day, I'm excited to see more quality chess after! } 1/2-1/2