1.c4
e5
2.Nc3
Nf6
3.g3
d5
4.cxd5
Nxd5
5.Bg2
Nb6
6.e3?!
A shocking move. Only chipmunks make holes like this one. Human chessplayers are not supposed to do it after developing the light bishop on the long diagonal. Even the computer programs began hissing. They didn't like it at all. But a quick check of the databases reveals that the hole was not created by a chipmunk, but by a Latvian master Fricis Apsenieks at the chess olympiad in Munich in 1936.
6...c5
Navara is making sure the white d-pawn stays put. [The blitzkrieg idea 6...Nc6
7.Nge2
Bf5
to secure the square d3 and at the same time go after the rook on a1 or the white queen, is simply met by 8.d4
for example 8...Nb4
9.0-0
Bc2
10.Qe1
(10.Qd2
Nc4
11.Qe1
Nd3
wins the queen.) 10...Nc4
threatening 11...Nd3. But unfortunately white can calmly play (10...Bg6
11.f4!?
) 11.Bxb7
Nd3
12.Bc6+
Ke7
13.Nd5+
Kd6
14.Qc3
winning.; A natural development 6...Nc6
7.Nge2
Be7
8.0-0
0-0
makes sense, but after 9.f4
played successfully by Apsenieks and last year by the Russian GM Vadim Zvjaginsev, white's play is directed through the open f-file. Nakamura obviously knew the idea.]
7.Nge2
Nc6
8.0-0
Be7
9.f4!?
Opening the f-file is the only play white has left after Navara clamped down on the center, but it is a strong plan.
9...exf4N
[This is, in fact, a new move. In the game Soffer-Greenfeld, Tel Aviv 2011, black tried 9...0-0
,but white was able to strike in the center 10.fxe5
Nxe5
11.d4
and after 11...Ng4
12.h3
Nf6
13.d5
Nc4
14.b3
Ne5
15.Bb2
Bd6
16.Nb5
Re8
17.Rc1
b6
18.Nec3
a6
19.Nxd6
Qxd6
20.Rc2
Bb7
21.Rcf2
Nfd7
22.Ne4
Qg6
23.Rf5
a5
24.Rg5
black resigned.; Black can't waste time to fortify the center with 9...f6
because of 10.fxe5!?
fxe5
(10...Nxe5
11.d4
) 11.d4
cxd4
12.exd4
Nxd4
13.Nxd4
Qxd4+
14.Qxd4
exd4
15.Nb5
and black is in trouble.]
10.Nxf4
Suddenly the hole on d3 is not a big deal. White controls more squares in the center.
10...0-0
11.b3
Bf5
12.Bb2
Qd7
13.Ne4
Rad8
14.Rf2
Nb4
15.Qf1!
Generating great pressure from a distance, the queen disrupts the normal development 15...Rfe8 because of 16.Nh5 Bxe4 17.Rxf7! and the attack goes through.
15...Bxe4
[15...Rfe8
16.Nh5
Bxe4
17.Rxf7!+-
]
16.Bxe4
White's bishop pair is threatening and black makes the first major slip.
16...N6d5?!
[Black should have neutralized the power of white's bishop pair with 16...f5
17.Bg2
Bf6
18.Bxf6
Rxf6
19.a3
and white's edge is minimal.]
17.Nh5!
Nakamura crosses into Navara's space for the first time, weakening the position of the black king.
17...g6
[Black wants to combine this move with 18...f5, but doesn't have time. Still, it is the right answer since after 17...f6
18.a3
Nc6
19.Bf5
Qd6
(19...Qe8
20.Qh3+-
) 20.Qb1
h6
21.Bh7+
Kh8
22.Qg6
white wins.]
18.a3!?
[A sensible human move, pushing black's cavalry back. The computers dive into the fantasy world with an unbelievable rook move 18.Rf5!?
preventing f7-f5, for example: 18...h6
(18...gxf5
19.Bxf5
Qd6
20.Qh3
h6
21.Qg4+
Bg5
22.h4+-
; 18...f6
19.Qf3
Rf7
(19...Nb6
20.Rxf6!
) 20.a3
gxf5
21.Bxf5
Qd6
22.Qg4+
Kf8
23.axb4
Nc7
24.bxc5
Qxd2
25.Bd4+/-
) 19.Qf3
Qd6
20.Qg4
Bg5
21.h4
gxf5
22.Bxf5
Qe7
23.Rf1
Nc6
24.e4+-
; On the other hand, 18.Bg7
can be met with 18...Rfe8!?
19.a3
Qe6!
for example 20.Bf5
gxf5
21.axb4
f4
22.gxf4
Qg4+
23.Rg2
Qxh5
24.Bh6+
Kh8
and white has only a perpetual check.]
18...Na6?
[Black would like to support the knight on d5 with Na6-c7, but he does not have the time. The move gives away material. The other knight retreat was somehow better: 18...Nc6
19.Qd3
f5
20.Bxd5+
Qxd5
21.Qc3
Qe5
22.Qxe5
Nxe5
23.Bxe5
gxh5
24.Raf1
Rd5
25.Bc3+/=
; The road to safety may as well be 18...f5!?
19.Bxf5
Rxf5
20.Rxf5
Qxf5
21.Qxf5
gxf5
22.axb4
Nxb4
23.Rxa7
Rxd2
24.Rxb7
Rxb2
25.Rxe7
Nc2
with good chances to draw.]
19.Bxd5
Qxd5
20.Bf6!
Qd6
21.Bxe7
Qxe7
22.Nf6+
Kg7
23.Qc4!
The queen jumps out decisively and threatens to land on the long diagonal a1-h8 or on the kingside. At the same time the square f1 is free for the other rook.
23...Qe5
(Preventing 24.Qc3, but leaving the pawn on f7 without adequate defense.)
24.Raf1
h5
[After 24...Nc7
25.Ng4
Qe7
26.Qc3+
f6
27.Nxf6
Nb5
28.Qa1
Kh6
29.g4+-
; 24...Rd6
25.Nh5+!
gxh5
26.Rxf7+
Rxf7
27.Qxf7+
Kh6
28.Rf5
Qa1+
29.Kg2
Rg6
30.d4!
and there is no good defense to 31.Qf8+ Rg7 32.Rf6+.]
25.Nxh5+!
(The last blast, a pretty knight sacrifice that spells the end. Nakamura would not let the win slip away. The calculation is not difficult.)
25...Qxh5
[25...gxh5
26.Rxf7+
Rxf7
27.Qxf7+
Kh8
28.Rf5
wins.]
26.Rxf7+
Rxf7
27.Rxf7+
Kh6
[27...Kh8
28.Qc3+
Rd4
29.exd4
wins.]
28.Qf4+
g5
[28...Qg5
29.Rh7++-
]
29.Qf6+
[29.Rf6+
Kg7
30.Qe5
also wins.]
29...Qg6
30.Qf1
Qh5
[30...Rxd2
31.Qh3+
Qh5
32.Rh7++-
]
31.Rxb7
[The alternative 31.h4
opens up the black king, threatening 31...Nb8
32.Qf6+
Qg6
33.hxg5+
Kh5
34.Qf3+
Kxg5
35.Qf4+
Kh5
36.Qh4#
]
31...c4
32.Qf6+
Qg6
33.Qxd8
Qb1+
34.Kf2
1-0