[Event "World Championship Match"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/GnRCQlP4/AXy2cGoF"]
[Date "2021.12.07"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Abasov"]
[BlackElo "2855"]
[ECO "A13"]
[Opening "English Opening: Agincourt Defense"]
[UTCDate "2021.12.07"]
[UTCTime "22:49:13"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[WhiteElo "2782"]

{ In all his previous 4 games with the White pieces, Nepo tried his luck in the Anti-Marshall. Thanks to the open a-file he would have slightly more comfortable play in objectively equal positions. This strategy overall was not bad when the score in the match was a tie. However, the score is no longer even. The current situation, two points behind, clearly demands from the challenger radical changes if he wants to keep the intrigue in the match. Today is the day. It's time for a Plan B. It's now or never. } 1. c4 $1 { English Opening. Novelty in the match Although, something new was spotted before the first move was made. Ian with a new haircut looked refreshed and determined! } 1... e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 { Ian plays Neo-Catalan (Catalan without d4). He is up for big fight! } 3... d4 $5 { Unexpectedly, so Magnus is! He chooses the most principled continuation. } ( 3... Nf6 { is considered to be more calm } ) 4. Nf3 Nc6 $5 { again Magnus picks the trickiest continuation. } ( 4... c5 { is the main move that often leads to reversed-Benoni structures. } 5. e3 Nc6 6. exd4 cxd4 7. O-O Nf6 8. d3 $132 ) 5. O-O Bc5 { This totally amazed me. I've never seen this move in the given position. } ( 5... Nf6 { is considered to be the main move } ) ( 5... Nh6 $5 { Is another move that I remember seeing some while ago. Knight is being routed to f5 without closing the diagonal for the Bishop. } 6. e3 { is met by } 6... Nf5 { and if White goes for } 7. e4 $5 { Black simply retreats with the Knight. } 7... Nfe7 { With the last couple of moves Black has provoked e4, thus White no longer can challenge the center. The position remains closed and double-edged. } 8. d3 Ng6 9. h4 h5 $132 ) 6. d3 Nf6 7. Nbd2 a5 { typical move, a try of seizing the queenside } ( 7... O-O 8. Nb3 Be7 9. e3 dxe3 10. Bxe3 a5 { leads to the same as what happened later in the game } ( 10... Ng4 11. Bc5 { and again Black has nothing more better than } 11... a5 { what happened in the game } ) ) 8. Nb3 Be7 9. e3 dxe3 10. Bxe3 Ng4 { With attacking the e3-Bishop Magnus tries to challenge Ian, so the challenger doesn't enjoy the comfort zone. } ( 10... O-O 11. Nbd4 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 $36 ) ( 10... e5 { trying to fight for the center doesn't really work well for Black } 11. d4 exd4 ( 11... a4 12. dxe5 Qxd1 13. Raxd1 axb3 14. exf6 Bxf6 15. axb3 Bxb2 16. Rfe1 O-O 17. Bc5 $18 ) 12. Nfxd4 Nxd4 13. Nxd4 O-O 14. Qf3 $14 { with the idea of playing Nf5 followed by Rad1. White's position look dominating. } ) ( 10... a4 11. Nbd4 $1 { is being met by powerful } ( 11. Nc5 a3 $132 ) 11... Nxd4 12. Bxd4 $1 { and Bishop transfers to -c3 followed by Re1, d4 and Ne5. Black runs out of space. } 12... O-O 13. Bc3 $16 ) 11. Bc5 { Best try } ( 11. d4 O-O { and it's not really obvious how to proceed with White } 12. Bf4 a4 { and no good square for the Knight } 13. Nc5 $2 e5 $1 $17 ) 11... O-O { Next moves seem to be the most natural } 12. d4 a4 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Nc5 a3 ( 14... e5 $5 { was looking extremely risky as it runs under } 15. Re1 { however concrete analysis show Black is totally fine in all the lines. } 15... Rd8 { Now Black threatens ...-Nxd4, Nxd4-Qxc5. } 16. b4 $1 { defending -c5 Knight additionally is never a bad idea! } ( 16. h3 $2 Nxd4 $1 17. hxg4 Bxg4 $19 { with so many pins and hanging pieces White collapses. } ) 16... axb3 17. Nxb3 ( 17. axb3 Rxa1 18. Qxa1 Nxd4 $19 ) 17... e4 18. h3 Nh6 $5 ( 18... Nf6 19. d5 Na5 20. Nxa5 Rxa5 21. Nd2 { attacking e4-pawn } 21... Bf5 ( 21... Nxd5 $4 { with a hope of pinning the d2-Knight; doesn't work due to } 22. Rxe4 $1 ( 22. cxd5 $6 Raxd5 23. Re2 Qg5 $17 ) 22... Qf6 ( 22... Qd6 23. Rd4 $18 ) 23. Qe1 $18 ) 22. g4 Bg6 23. f4 Nxd5 24. f5 { leads to total mess. It's hard to even understand what's going on - on the board! } ) 19. Ne5 $1 Nxd4 $5 ( 19... Nxe5 20. Rxe4 f6 21. Qe2 Nhf7 22. dxe5 fxe5 23. Re3 $16 ) ( 19... f5 20. Nxc6 bxc6 21. a4 Nf7 22. a5 $14 { White's outside passer look powerful. } ) 20. Nxd4 Qxe5 21. Rxe4 Qc5 { followed by ...-Nf5 looks totally acceptable for Black. } ) 15. bxa3 $6 { This move loses the speed that Ian gained with early moves. } ( 15. b4 $1 { was the critical and most ambitious continuation for Ian. } 15... Nxb4 16. Rb1 b6 { is what Magnus calculated during the game and assessed as a totally acceptable position. } ( 16... Nc6 17. Nxb7 Rb8 { is not good due to a beautiful tactical resource } 18. Na5 $1 ( 18. Nc5 $2 Rxb1 19. Qxb1 Nxd4 $17 ) 18... Rxb1 ( 18... Bd7 { is the best try for Black but after } 19. Nb3 $16 { thanks to solid center, harmonized position of the pieces - White's positional advantage is clear. } ) 19. Nxc6 Rxd1 { and } 20. Nxe7+ { comes with the check! } 20... Kh8 21. Rxd1 { and the end of the variation White remains with an extra piece. } ) 17. Rxb4 bxc5 18. Rb5 { and now the question arises, how to proceed? } 18... Ra6 { is the best continuation according to the engines } ( 18... cxd4 $4 { loses the game after simple } 19. Nxd4 $18 { not only the a8-Rook is hanging, but also the g4-Knight is in the air! } ) 19. Rxc5 Bb7 20. Qb3 $14 { looks pleasant for White. } ) 15... Rd8 { Black threatens ...-Nxd4 } ( 15... Rxa3 $132 { could have also been played } ) 16. Nb3 { White returns the Knight which has already done it's job on -c5 and additionally defends the d4-pawn. } 16... Nf6 ( 16... Nh6 $5 { with the idea of redeploying the Knight to -f5 is some idea that we have already discussed earlier. } 17. Re1 Nf5 18. d5 Qxa3 19. Qb1 $1 { getting out of the pin along the d-file and eyeing h7-square } 19... exd5 20. cxd5 Nce7 21. g4 $1 Nh6 22. Ng5 Ng6 23. h3 $36 { looks promising for White. } ) 17. Re1 Qxa3 18. Qe2 h6 { calm, position-improving move. } 19. h4 Bd7 { It doesn't feel like ... -Bd7 is a developing move, however, it definitely improves the position of the Bishop, now it is going to be transferred to -e8 from where it's gonna defend the -c6 Knight as well as strengthen f7-square in case of Ne5 jump. } 20. Ne5 Be8 { The position has stabilised. White looks more active but Black is super-solid. Position is equal. } 21. Qe3 Qb4 22. Reb1 Nxe5 23. dxe5 Ng4 24. Qe1 { This was a total shocker as Carlsen admitted after the game. He didn't see this move coming. However, he stated a very unique thought after, saying "As it happens pretty often that, good positional moves tend to work out well even if you have missed something. Even though it (Qe1) was technically a blunder still the plan was sound in itself and it turned out that I had a good compensation". } 24... Qxe1+ 25. Rxe1 { Now Black faces some trouble. Except Bxb7 winning the pawn, White also threatens to trap the Knight by playing f3. } 25... h5 { freeing the h6-square for the Knight. } ( 25... Rd3 26. Bxb7 Ra3 $44 { threatening ...-Nxe5 looks also decent for Black. } ) 26. Bxb7 Ra4 { Coincidentally or not, as in most of the games of the match, Magnus is down some material but playing for compensation. I'd assume such an approach was in general Magnus' strategy for the match. Once you try to think what's the idea behind it, suddenly it all starts to make perfect sense! Look. As we already have mentioned a lot, Ian's main weapon is his plucky play. He is extremely dangerous in positions where he has the initiative. However, with the chosen strategy by Magnus - playing for the activity of the pieces by sacrificing some material, we get the scenario where Ian's pieces accordingly are less mobile. Thus, he fails to get the initiative he is so eager of getting. This illustrated how deeply Magnus prepared for the match. He didn't simply prepare chess-wise, he carefully analyzed Ian's personality, character, and manner of play. He found the key of how to dictate in the match. Ian didn't. That's what makes him different from others. } 27. c5 $4 { First, Ian surprised Magnus with 1.c4, then, shocked with 27.c5. Another pawn move on c-file turn to be deciding the game. } ( 27. f3 Nh6 28. Be4 { was what Ian suggested he could try instead in his post-game commentary } ( 28. Rec1 { funny lines appear in case of } 28... c6 ( 28... Nf5 $1 { is in fact a  much stronger continuation } 29. Kf2 c6 30. Nc5 Ra3 $15 { and the occured position looks better for Black } ) 29. Nc5 Ra5 30. a4 $5 { With sacrifices the Knight on f5 but brings the little force into action! } 30... Rxc5 31. a5 { There's no way to stop the a-pawn! But Black has something different in mind! } 31... Rxe5 $1 32. a6 Rd2 { It turns out White's King is not having too much guard! } 33. a7 Ree2 34. Rc3 { has to be played in order to control the third rank. } ( 34. a8=Q $4 { loses the game! } 34... Rg2+ 35. Kf1 Nf5 $3 36. Qxe8+ Kh7 { White is Queen up but can't prevent ...-Ne3/Ng3 followed by either Rook checkmating from -e2! } ) 34... Rg2+ 35. Kh1 ( 35. Kf1 Nf5 36. f4 Nh6 $3 { what an impressive maneuver! After f4 being played by White, -g4 became vacant. Now the Knight is taking the course to -g4! } 37. a8=Q Ng4 38. Qxe8+ Kh7 { and again Black's threat cannot be parried. } ) 35... Nf5 36. f4 Rh2+ 37. Kg1 Nd4 38. Re3 $1 { Again, strictly the only move to stay in the game. } ( 38. a8=Q $4 Rdg2+ 39. Kf1 Rf2+ 40. Ke1 ( 40. Kg1 Ne2# ) 40... Re2+ 41. Kf1 Rh1# ) 38... Rdg2+ 39. Kf1 Nc2 $5 { last try } 40. Re5 $1 { other moves are worse } ( 40. Rc3 $4 Rd2 41. Kg1 Nxa1 42. a8=Q Rdg2+ 43. Kf1 Rb2 44. Kg1 Rhg2+ 45. Kf1 Rbf2+ 46. Ke1 Nc2+ 47. Rxc2 Rxc2 48. Kf1 Rgd2 49. Ke1 Rh2 50. Kd1 Ra2 $19 ) ( 40. Rd3 $6 Rh1+ 41. Kxg2 Rxa1 { and the issue is, a8=Q does not win the game } 42. Rd8 ( 42. a8=Q $4 Rxa8 43. Bxa8 Ne1+ $19 ) 42... Rxa7 43. Rxe8+ Kh7 44. Bxc6 Ne3+ 45. Kf2 Nxc4 $15 ) 40... Rf2+ 41. Kg1 Rfg2+ ) 28... Rxc4 ( 28... Nf5 $5 ) 29. Rec1 Rxc1+ 30. Rxc1 $16 { looks wonderful for White } ) 27... c6 $19 { After the game Ian admitted he didn't see the move until it was played on the board. Now White's Bishop has been caged and there's no way out. The game (match?) is over. } ( 27... Bb5 ) 28. f3 Nh6 29. Re4 { Rook comes to b7-Bishop's help. } 29... Ra7 $1 ( 29... Rxe4 { leaves a6-square uncontrolled. } 30. fxe4 ) 30. Rb4 Rb8 { Bishop is being attacked twice while defended once. There's just no second piece in White's arsenal to join the reinforcement. } 31. a4 ( 31. Bxc6 { could have at least maintain the material balance... If not } 31... Rxb4 32. Bxe8 Rxb3 $1 $19 { everything works for Black and falls apart for White... } ) 31... Raxb7 { Any other day Ian would have resigned already, but it was extremely difficult for him to accept the defeat. } 32. Rb6 Rxb6 33. cxb6 Rxb6 34. Nc5 Nf5 35. a5 Rb8 36. a6 Nxg3 37. Na4 c5 38. a7 Rd8 39. Nxc5 Ra8 { Something disappointing happened in Dubai today. With 5 games to go the intrigue in the match has died. I don't believe even the strongest engine in the world can nullify 3 points gap in 5 games against Magnus. Especially Magnus having White pieces in 3 games. What are we going to see in the next games? Three quick draws? Ian trying to fight back? Or Magnus - trying to take the advantage of his opponent's bad shape push more in the next games? We are going to have an answer soon. Stay tuned and play chess! } 0-1