World Championship: Game 5 annotated by Anish Giri

12/1/2021 – On Wednesday, Ian Nepomniachtchi got the white pieces for a third time in the World Championship match against Magnus Carlsen. The Russian got an advantage out of the opening but could not make the most of his chances. Super-GM Anish Giri annotates the game with instructive insights and pertinent variations. | Photo: Alina l’Ami

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Rules for reader comments

Krazykamsky 12/3/2021 01:21

Honest, human commentary from Giri.

Frits Fritschy 12/2/2021 06:22

So engines nowadays also have an algorithm for establishing difficulty? If so, for who is something more or less difficult, for the engine, for players in general or for Carlsen in particular?
I looked at lines where a black knight on f4 sacrifices itself and found them quite difficult to assess. I would say: typically the kind of lines in which Nepomniachtchi is supposed to have a chance against Carlsen.

rakerchess 12/2/2021 05:58

The Beast comments:
1 Frits Fritschy's suggestion of 20 c4 Qe6 21 Ba4: 21....Rd8 22 c5 Bf8 23 Ra3 Bd7 24 Bb3 Qe8 25 Ra7 Rdc8=
2 Frits Fritschy's suggestion of 20 c4 Qe6 21 Ra7: 21....Nf4 22 Rb1 c5 (22....Ng2!? 23 Kg2 Qh3+ 24 Kg1 Nh5 25 c5 Be7= is also possible) 23 Ne1 Bd7 24 Kh2 Rfd8 25 Ba4 Bf8=
3 Frits Fritschy is incorrect to suggest that Line 2 above is more difficult for Black than Line 1 above. Black needs to tread more carefully in Line 1 above.
4 The "main line" of 20 c4 Qe6 21 Reb1 c5 continues 22 Ba4 Rb1+ 23 Rb1 Be7 24 Ne1 Rd8 25 Nd3 Qa6=
5 Frits Fritschy is correct to suggest that Line 1 above is more difficult for Black than Line 4 (the main line) above.

Frits Fritschy 12/2/2021 10:36

Even stronger (I mean, more difficult for the opponent) may be 20 c4 Qe6 21 Ra7, leaving Ba4 and c5 for later.

Frits Fritschy 12/2/2021 10:19

Rakerchess, it's not just about getting a clear advantage; one should also try to make things as difficult as possible for the opponent, something the 'beasts' don't care about. After 20 c4! Qe6 you still have 21 Ba4, and black has to reckon with both c5 and Bc6(-d5). Trading pieces in this position maybe won't change the engine evaluations, but it makes it easier for the opponent.

bentong143 12/2/2021 08:53

I feel the FINALE - This world championship will go on blitz.

rakerchess 12/2/2021 02:29

The Beast (Fat Fritz 2 running on 3 Ghz 48 cores @ 1 minute/move) tells me that this was the fourth "perfect" game in the match. At no time did the evaluation deviate from equality. Even 20 c4 recommended by Giri (who went so far as to give this move an exclamation mark!) does not change this evaluation: 20 c4 Qe6 (pinning the c4 pawn) 21 Reb1 c5= (blocking the c4 pawn).