[Event "World Championship Match"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/GnRCQlP4/IEThMSyG"]
[Date "2021.12.10"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/AbasovN"]
[BlackElo "2855"]
[ECO "C53"]
[Opening "Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo"]
[UTCDate "2021.12.10"]
[UTCTime "23:23:05"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[WhiteElo "2782"]

{ Game 11 today. Magnus has 3 point lead and needs only 1 point in the remaining 4 games for retaining his World Championship title. It's very unlikely any miracle happens after now. However, Nepo, who has the White pieces today will try to extend the match as long as possible. } 1. e4 { No English Opening today. After the defeat in Game 9, Nepo is back to 1.e4. } 1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 { But no Ruy Lopez this time. Ian chooses Giuoco Piano or Italian opening for the first time in the match. It usually leads to a quiet game. } 3... Nf6 { Usually, this move order is being played in order to avoid c3-d4 concepts which became fashionable the recent years. } ( 3... Bc5 4. c3 ( 4. b4 { or Evan's Gambit was what Magnus was concerned about?! :) } ) 4... Nf6 5. d4 { is the trend of recent years } 5... exd4 6. e5 ( 6. b4 $5 { is what Carlsen's main idea-producer second, Daniil Dubov tried against former challenger Sergey Karjakin in the final round of the Russian Superfinal 2020. Later, this game was chosen as the best game of 2020! By the way, due to this masterpiece, eventually Nepo became the sole winner of the event! } 6... Bb6 7. e5 Ne4 8. Bd5 Nxc3 9. Nxc3 dxc3 10. Bg5 Ne7 11. O-O h6 12. Bh4 O-O 13. Re1 Qe8 14. Bb3 a5 15. Bf6 $3 a4 16. Bc4 Ng6 17. Qd3 d5 18. exd6 Be6 19. Qxg6 $3 fxg6 20. Rxe6 Qf7 21. Bxc3 $1 Kh8 22. Re4 Qf5 23. Re7 Rg8 24. Bxg8 Rxg8 25. dxc7 Qc2 26. Be5 Bxf2+ 27. Kh1 { and soon Karjakin resigned. Phenomenal game! } ) 6... d5 7. Bb5 Ne4 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3 { happened in the last classical game between Ian and Magnus before the match. } 9... O-O 10. Be3 Bg4 $132 ) 4. d3 ( 4. Ng5 { is of course, what Black should be ready facing against in case of playing 3...-Nf6 } 4... d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3 Nd5 $132 { Black sacrifices a pawn for the initiative. Just the way how Magnus played the entire match. } ) 4... Bc5 { Now we are back to the main line. Black avoided both c3-d4 concepts and the Evan's Gambit. } 5. c3 d6 6. O-O ( 6. d4 { is too early } 6... exd4 7. cxd4 Bb4+ 8. Bd2 Nxe4 9. Bxb4 Nxb4 10. Qb3 d5 $17 ) 6... a5 { Typical idea. In addition to seizing the queenside, Black also prevents b4 move by White and frees the a7-square for the Bishop. } 7. Re1 Ba7 { The reason Black delays short castling I assume is to be having an option of advancing the kingside pawns in the case of Bg5. } ( 7... O-O 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Nxg5 hxg5 11. Bxg5 ) 8. Na3 { White develops the Knight via -a3. Why? I assume in order to keep the option of playing Bg5! } ( 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Bg4 ( 10... h5 $5 $132 ) 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Qe7 { eventually followed by castling queenside?! } ) 8... h6 { Black prevents the Bg5 possibility. } ( 8... O-O 9. Bg5 h6 10. Bh4 g5 11. Bg3 $132 { looks like a position rich in play! } ) 9. Nc2 ( 9. h3 { is often met by } 9... g5 { but I am not quite sure if the given position is good enough for playing so aggressively for Black! } ( 9... O-O { would be a logical follow up and what, by the way, also happened in an online game between Nepo and Grischuk last year. } 10. Nb5 Bb6 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. Rxe3 Re8 13. d4 $2 ( 13. Qb3 Be6 14. Bxe6 Rxe6 { would lead to somewhat similar to what happened in today's game. } ) 13... exd4 14. cxd4 Rxe4 15. Rxe4 Nxe4 16. Qb3 Qd7 17. Re1 Nf6 $17 { and Sasha eventually won the game. } ) 10. Nb5 Bb6 ( 10... g4 11. Nxa7 Nxa7 12. hxg4 Bxg4 13. d4 $14 { followed by Qd3, White looks totally stable } ) 11. Nh2 $1 { is a really nice prophylactic move, preventing ...-g4 and if Black's keen to play on the kingside with } 11... Rg8 12. Be3 { dark-squared Bishops get swapped after what Black's attack on White's King looks loose. } 12... Bxe3 13. Rxe3 $16 ) ( 9. Nb5 Bb6 10. d4 O-O 11. d5 Ne7 12. Be3 Bxe3 13. Rxe3 Ng6 ) 9... O-O 10. Be3 $146 ( 10. d4 { is bad here due to small tactical shot } 10... exd4 11. cxd4 $2 Nxe4 $1 12. Rxe4 ( 12. d5 $2 Nxf2 $19 ) 12... d5 13. Bxd5 Qxd5 $17 { Black has got the Bishop pair in addition to White's d4-isolated pawn. } ) 10... Bxe3 ( 10... Bb8 $5 { might look absolutely insane, but sometimes this is also a way of playing! Black's idea is to maneuver the Knight to -g6 via -e7 and play ...-c6 } 11. h3 Ne7 12. d4 Ng6 ) 11. Nxe3 Re8 { preparing ...-Be6 } ( 11... Be6 { the immediate 11...-Be6, however, was also possible, since } 12. Bxe6 { is not giving White much } ( 12. Bb5 { Happened in a blitz game between MVL and Fabi back in 2018. } 12... Ne7 13. Ba4 Ng6 14. Bc2 Re8 15. d4 c6 16. Qd2 Qc7 17. Nf5 Rad8 { Despite the fact that the game was eventually won by White, Fabi had an absolutely problem free position out of the opening. } ) 12... fxe6 13. Qb3 Qd7 $36 { and Black is totally comfortable, since } 14. Qxb7 $4 { is not possible due to } 14... Rfb8 $19 { and the majesty of Queen gets trapped. } ) 12. a4 Be6 13. Bxe6 ( 13. Bb5 Bd7 ) 13... Rxe6 { Bishops are off the board. The position has simplified and is close to equality, yet White's spatial advantage usually give them slight hopes for the initiative. } 14. Qb3 b6 ( 14... Ne7 $5 { can also be played } 15. Qxb7 Rb8 16. Qa6 ( 16. Qa7 $2 { with the try of provoking Knight to -c6, so it will hang at the end of the aforementioned (16.Qa6) line } 16... Nc6 ( 16... Rb6 $1 $17 { is what Black plays first, and the Queen is getting almost trapped. } ) 17. Qa6 Rb6 18. Qc4 $18 ) 16... Rb6 17. Qc4 ( 17. Qxa5 $4 ) 17... Rxb2 { and Black seems to be totally OK } ) 15. Rad1 ( 15. Nd5 Ne7 ) 15... Ne7 16. h3 { preparing Nh2-Nhg4 manoeuvre. } 16... Qd7 17. Nh2 Rd8 18. Nhg4 Nxg4 19. hxg4 d5 $1 { Black meets the flank play of White with the play in the center! } 20. d4 exd4 21. exd5 Re4 $1 ( 21... Nxd5 22. Rxd4 $18 ) 22. Qc2 Rf4 $1 { The Rook is placed perfectly on f4. } 23. g3 $4 { The final blunder of the match. } ( 23. Rxd4 { is what Ian had to play instead } 23... Rxd4 24. cxd4 Nxd5 25. Nxd5 Qxd5 26. Qxc7 Qxd4 27. b3 { and the game would have ended in a draw. } ) 23... dxe3 $1 { You never ask Magnus twice. } 24. gxf4 Qxg4+ { Now White's King is exposed and pieces way too far from guarding its King! } 25. Kf1 Qh3+ 26. Kg1 ( 26. Ke2 exf2 27. Rf1 Nf5 $19 ) 26... Nf5 { is still totally winning. however, after spending 10 minutes in this position, I was almost sure that Magnus is going to continue with 26...-exf2. } ( 26... Rd6 $4 { misses the win } 27. Rxe3 Rg6+ $4 28. Qxg6 $18 { and suddenly White wins:) } ) ( 26... exf2+ 27. Qxf2 ( 27. Kxf2 Qh2+ $19 ) 27... Rd6 $19 { bringing Rook to -g6 } 28. f5 Nxf5 29. Re8+ Kh7 $19 { looked the most elementary. } ) 27. d6 Nh4 { threatening Mate in 1. } 28. fxe3 Qg3+ 29. Kf1 Nf3 30. Qf2 ( 30. Qg2 Qxg2+ { is the same what happened in the game } ) 30... Qh3+ 31. Qg2 Qxg2+ 32. Kxg2 Nxe1+ 33. Rxe1 Rxd6 { It's often said that "All the Rook endings are drawn". Well, not this one. Black has an extra pawn which additionally is an outside passer. Also, they control the central open file. } 34. Kf3 Rd2 35. Rb1 ( 35. b4 axb4 36. cxb4 Ra2 { loses the second pawn. } ) 35... g6 { The most precise! } ( 35... h5 { could have been met by } 36. f5 g5 37. fxg6 fxg6 38. b4 { and White may get tiny hopes for saving the game, but frankly speaking, this should also be totally winning for Black. } ) 36. b4 axb4 37. Rxb4 Ra2 $1 { Rook is best placed behind a pawn - Siegbert Tarrasch } ( 37... h5 { was bad due to } 38. Rc4 c5 39. a5 $1 bxa5 40. Rxc5 { and now I assume White's close saving the game. } ) 38. Ke4 h5 { Outside passed pawn takes the course all the way to promotion } 39. Kd5 Rc2 ( 39... h4 40. Kc6 h3 41. Kxc7 h2 42. Rb1 f6 43. Kxb6 g5 44. fxg5 fxg5 $19 { was another way of converting the advantage. } ) 40. Rb3 h4 41. Kc6 h3 42. Kxc7 h2 43. Rb1 Rxc3+ 44. Kxb6 Rb3+ $1 { distracting the Rook from h1-square and promoting the h-pawn into a Queen. The Game is over. } ( 44... Rxe3 $2 { one bad move and the advantage is gone! } 45. a5 Rb3+ { now fails to win! } 46. Rxb3 h1=Q 47. a6 Qa8 48. a7 { and White's a-pawn is too strong. } ) 45. Rxb3 h1=Q 46. a5 Qe4 47. Ka7 ( 47. a6 Qe6+ $19 { and the f3-Rook falls } ) 47... Qe7+ 48. Ka8 Kg7 49. Rb6 ( 49. a6 Qe6 $19 { and again double attack from -e6 finishes the game. } ) 49... Qc5 { On his Facebook account, the Director-General of FIDE Emil Sutovsky posted the following: "Respect to Magnus. We can say that Ian has beaten himself, and in many respects, this will be true, but in order for a player of Ian's caliber to beat himself, such a great Champion as Carlsen must sit opposite." The King is alive, long live the King! On my behalf, I hope you found something informative and helpful for yourself in the annotations and generally enjoyed the commentary! Thanks to everyone who followed the match with us! Play Chess! } 0-1