Grivas World Championship wrap-up

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Game fourteen

Ding, Liren2788

½–½

Nepomniachtchi, Ian2795

GM

FIDE-Wch Astana29.04.2023[Efstratios Grivas]

GM

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 (D)

5.Bd2 White deviated again early (in game 8 he chose 5.a3 ), playing an off-beat line, or at least a line that is not often met in top level. 5...d5 5...c5 , is of course, quite playable as well: 6.a3 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 Ne4 8.Ne2 b6 9.d5 Re8 10.h4 exd5 11.Qxd5 Nc6 12.Rd1 Qe7 13.h5 h6∞ Carlsen,M-Nakamura,H Internet 2023. 6.a3 (D)

6...Be7 This retreat is probably best. White gained a small advantage after 6...Bxc3 7.Bxc3 b6 8.Nf3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Van Foreest,L-Ohanyan,E Kragero 2023. 7.Nf3 (D)

7...c5 7...b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Rc1 c5 10.dxc5 bxc5 11.Bd3 Bg4 12.h3 Bh5 13.Ne2 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nbd7 15.Bc3∞ Ding,L-Praggnanandhaa,R Internet 2022, is probably what D.Liren would like to play... 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Qc2 (D)

9...dxc4! This natural novelty is Black's best. After 9...Nc6 10.Rd1 Qe7 11.b4 Bd6 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Be2 Be6 14.Nb5 Bb8 15.Bc3 Donchenko,A-Wojtaszek,R Terme Catez 2021, White stands preferably. 10.Bxc4 Nbd7 11.Rd1 Be7?! 11...b6 , seems to be best here: 12.Ne4 Bb7 13.Nxc5 Nxc5 14.Bc3 Qe7∞ . 12.Ng5?! But the text misses the point. White should have opted for 12.e4 Qc7 13.Nb5 Qb8 14.Be2 , when Black faces problems. 12...h6 (D)

13.h4?! A second inaccuracy in a row. White should accept the failure of his previous move and opt for safety: 13.Nge4 b6 14.0-0 Bb7 15.Nxf6+ Nxf6 16.Bd3 Qc7 17.Ne2 Qxc2 18.Bxc2= . 13...Qc7! Of course, Black didn't bite the decoy: 13...hxg5? 14.hxg5 Qb6 15.Ne4!+- . 14.Be2 (D)

14...Rd8? Again, 14...hxg5? 15.hxg5 g6 16.Qa4!+- , would play in White's hands, as his queen will come to h4 with lethal threats. 14...b6! , was strong: 15.Rc1 Qb8 16.Nge4 Bb7 17.0-0 Rc8 18.Nxf6+ Bxf6 19.Rfd1 Nc5 20.h5 a5 . 15.Rc1! Nf8 Safety above all. Of course, Black should avoid 15...hxg5? 16.hxg5 Qc5 17.gxf6 Nxf6 18.e4!± , but he could think of 15...Qb8 , although White can opt for enforcing his attack by 16.g4∞ (D)

A sample variation could go as 16...b6 17.Nxf7 Kxf7 18.g5 Bb7 19.gxf6 Bxf6 20.Rh3 Kg8 21.Ne4∞ . 16.Nge4 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 17.Qxe4 , is more complex: Qd6 18.Nb1! Bf6 19.Bb4∞ . 17...Qxc2 18.Rxc2 Bd7 (D)

The opening phase has ended in approximately equality. 19.Bb4?! The text is a bit weird. Natural was 19.Rc7 Rab8 20.h5 Rdc8 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.Nc3 Bc6 23.0-0 Rd8 24.Nb1 Bf6 25.Bc3 Bxc3 26.Nxc3 Rd2 27.Rb1 Nh7 28.Kf1= . 19...Bxb4+ 20.axb4 Bc6 (D)

As Black's pawn structure is better and his pieces coordinated, he holds a small plus. 21.Nc5?! Good or bad, White had to opt for 21.Bf3 Ng6 22.Nc3 Bxf3 23.gxf3 Rac8 24.Ke2 h5 and suffer. 21...Bxg2 22.Rg1 Bd5?! (D)

Stronger was 22...Bc6! 23.b5 Bd5 24.Rg4 24.e4 b6! 25.exd5 bxc5 24...b6 . 23.e4! Bc6 24.b5 Be8 25.Nxb7 White regained his pawn but his position is full of weaknesses. Rd4! 26.Rc4 Rd7! 27.Nc5 Rc7 28.Rc3! Going for the kingside... Rac8 29.b4?! Natural, but White should think of the weird but fair 29.Nb7! Rxc3 30.bxc3 Rxc3 31.Kd2 Rc7 32.Nd6 Bd7 33.Bh5 . 29...Nd7 (D)

30.Rcg3? White had an interesting option here; to play a bishop ending with a pawn down: 30.Kd2! Nxc5 31.bxc5 Rxc5 32.Rgc1! Rxc3 33.Rxc3 Rxc3 33...Rb8 34.Rc5 Bd7 35.Kc3 Kf8 36.f4 Ke7 37.e5 Kd8 38.Kc4 34.Kxc3 Kf8 35.Kb4 Ke7 36.e5 f6 37.Ka5 fxe5 38.Ka6 Kf6 39.Kxa7 Bxb5! 40.Bxb5 g5 41.h5 41.hxg5+ Kxg5 42.Kb6 h5 43.Kc6 h4 44.Kd6 Kf4 45.Kxe6 Kf3= 41...g4 42.Kb6 Kg5 43.Be8 e4 44.Kc5 Kf4= . 30...Nxc5?! I.Nepomniachtchi tries to be active, but after the simple 30...g6! , White would be in huge troubles... 31.bxc5 Rxc5 31...g6 32.c6 a6 33.bxa6 Rxc6 34.f4= , cannot be to Black's taste... 32.Rxg7+ Kf8 (D)

Black won a pawn, but White has gained activity on the kingside. 33.Bd3! Rd8 (D)

34.Ke2? 34.Kd2 Bxb5 35.Rg8+ Ke7 36.Rxd8 Kxd8 37.Bxb5 Rxb5 38.Rg8+ Ke7 39.Ra8 a5 40.Ra6 , should be equal, despite Black's extra pawn - his rook is badly placed, compared to White's. 34...Rc3! Now the permanent threat of ...Rxd3 and ...Bxb5, will be always looming... 35.Rg8+ Ke7 36.R1g3 (D)

36...e5? And, as it has become customary in this match, Black blows his chances! After 36...Rb3! 37.Kd2 Rd4! , he would be quite near to cash the point and gain the World Champion title. 37.Rh8! Rd6 (D)

An equal pawn ending arises after 37...Rdxd3 38.Rxe8+! Kxe8 39.Rxd3 Rxd3 40.Kxd3 Kd7 41.Kc4 Kd6 42.h5= . 38.b6! A good and effective combination, which practically saves White. Rxb6 39.Rxe8+ Kxe8 40.Bb5+ Rxb5 41.Rxc3 (D)

The rook ending is drawn, despite Black's extra and outside passed pawn. And this is because he cannot place his rook in his ideal position; behind the a-pawn! 41...Kd7 42.Rf3 Ke7 43.Rc3! a5 44.Rc7+ Kf6 45.Rc6+ Kg7 46.Ra6 White's rook is ideally placed, behind the passed pawn and it's also preventing the black king from becoming active. Rb2+ 47.Kf3 Ra2 (D)

48.Kg3?! Easier and logical was 48.h5! a4 49.Kg3 a3 50.Kf3 Ra1 51.Kg4! a2 52.Kf3 52.Kf5? Rg1-+ 52...Kf8 53.Ra7= . 48...h5! 49.Ra8 Ra1 50.Kg2 a4 51.Ra5 f6 51...Kf6 52.Ra6+ Kg7 , is not achieving much. 52.Kf3 a3 53.Ra6 Kf7 54.Ke3 Ke8 (D)

Nothing is gained by 54...a2 55.Kf3 Ke7 56.Ra7+ Kd6 57.Ra5= . Although the position remain drawish, Black will try his chances, hoping for a wrong white idea... 55.Ke2 Ke7 56.Kf3 Ra2 56...Kd8 57.Rxf6 Kc7 58.Ra6= , or 56...a2 57.Kg2= . 57.Ke3 Ra1 58.Ke2 Kf7 59.Kf3 Ra2 60.Ke3 Ke7 (D)

61.Kf3 White should preserve his f-pawn on his initial square. If 61.f3? , then he is losing: Kd7 62.Rxf6 Ra1 63.Ra6 a2 64.Kf2 Rh1-+ . 61...Kd7 62.Rxf6! White must take this pawn, so he can create his counterplay. Rb2 62...Ra1 , now, is gaining nothing after 63.Ra6 Kc7 64.Ra8 Kb6 65.Ke3 Kb5 66.Kd2 66.f4? a2 67.Kf2 Rh1-+ 66...Kb4 67.Rb8+ Ka4 68.Ra8+ Kb3 69.Rb8+ Ka2 70.Rb5= . 63.Ra6 Rb3+ 64.Kg2 Kc7 (D)

65.f4! The only way to draw. The passive 65.Ra4? , would lose to Kc6 66.Ra8 Kc5-+ . 65...exf4 66.e5! Now the white passed e-pawn will keep Black's king busy, stopping his intentions/penetration on the queenside. Kb7 67.Ra4 Kc6 68.Ra6+ Kb5 69.Ra7 Kb6 70.Ra8 Kc5 71.Ra6 Kb5 72.Ra7 Kb6 73.Ra8 Kc6 74.Ra6+ Kd7 (D)

75.Kf2 Ke7 76.Kg2 76.e6 , draws as well: Rh3 77.Kg2 Rg3+ 78.Kf2 Kf6 79.Ra5 Kxe6 80.Rxh5 Rh3 81.Ra5= . 76...Re3 77.Kf2 Rg3 77...Rxe5 78.Kf3 Re3+ 79.Kxf4 Rc3 80.Kg5= . 78.Kf1 Rc3 79.Kf2 Re3 80.Kg2 Kd7 80...Rxe5 81.Rxa3 Kf7 82.Kf3= . 81.Kf2 Kc7 (D)

82.e6! Kd8 83.Ra7 Ke8 84.Kg2 Rxe6 Black has tried his tests and as White has reacted correctly, he resigned himself to the draw. 85.Rxa3 Rg6+ 86.Kf2 86.Kf3? Rg3+-+ , would make I.Nepomniachtchi the new World Champion! 86...Rg4 87.Ra5! Rxh4 88.Kf3 Ke7 89.Rf5 Ke6 90.Rxf4 Rxf4+ 90...Rxf4+ Draw agreed without playing something like 91.Kxf4 h4 92.Kg4 h3 93.Kxh3 . Well, the general impression was that Black lost a number of good chances to be crowned as the new World Champion. The Chinese gave him a lot of chances, not only in this game, but in a good number of games during this match. But somehow, I.Nepomniachtchi succeeded to waste most of them… As the match was ended in a draw (7-7), the new World Champion will have to be decided in quick-play games, as most of the previous matches for the last 10 years or so. It seems that 10, 12 or 14 games, not changed much… ½–½

Power Play 16 - Test Your Rook Endgames

The aim of this DVD is to provide you with the practical skills and knowledge that you will need to play a rook and pawn endgame. Based on his own playing experience, Grandmaster Daniel King reveals what is essential knowledge, saving you time in your studies. The Power Play series is suitable for anyone looking to improve their chess, but also provides ready-made lessons and exercises for a trainer.
Running time: 5 hours

Playoff

Here are all the games of the playoff. You can maximize the replay app and start an engine to help you follow the analysis – to answer all residual "what if" and "why not" questions.

Watch the two players in the final playoff game, which ended in...

Ding winning the trophy!

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Born in the former German Democratic Republic Stev later grew up in Sweden during his teenage years and fell in love with photography shortly after he dropped out of school at the age of 17. With over 15 years of experience and taking great pride in his journey and work, Stev has somehow accomplished to work for some of the biggest brands and magazines in the world. Specialised in portrait, action-sport, editorial, reportage, travel and event photography he has created the work you look at today.

And now watch the spectacular closing ceremony in Astana:

Links

• Efstratios Grivas ChessBase page
• Wikipedia page
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