World Championship: Game 9 annotated by Wesley So

by ChessBase
12/8/2021 – After blundering in game 8 of his World Championship match against Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi also blundered and lost in game 9. Carlsen now leads 6-3 and with five games to go the match is practically over. Wesley So took a close look at game 9 and concludes: "Ian was playing very well early on in the match but ... game 6 was clearly the turning point in this match as before that both players were playing equally well and it seems that Ian was no inferior to Magnus. ... Ian is a great player and even the greatest players make mistakes. Unexpected and miserable stuff happens to us all, and we hope Ian will be able to move on and get his mojo back asap!" | Photo: Wesley So (Archive) | Photo: Lennart Ootes

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World Championship match 2021, Game 9: I. Nepomniachtchi - M. Carlsen

 
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This game (number nine) was very crucial for Ian. He needed to make use of his White games and start winning somehow. Coming to the board with a new hair cut and a new look was hopefully a good sign. He also came with a new move today in a must win situation. 1.c4!? Ian finally decided to change his first move; the time had finally come to avoid 1.e4 e5 openings. I expected Ian to try something else. Magnus is very solid in the Ruy Lopez openings, and even when he gets slightly worse positions there, he is able to defend them very well. Not many players can defend slightly worse positions as accurately and cooly as Magnus. In my view Ian hade been getting good positions in the arising Ruy Lopez lines after the opening, but he just couldn't convert them into the much needed win. So maybe 1.c4 is a good try to see what Magnus intends to play against it. e6 A surprise reply against the English. Normally 1...e5 and 1...c5 are the main lines, or Black can also play flexibly with 1...Nf6 first. The issue with 1...e6 is after 2.Nc3, Black either has to allow the line 2...Nf6 3.e4, which is incredibly complex or go for the Queen's Gambit variations by playing 2...d5 3.d4. 2.g3 2.Nc3 is considered slightly more challenging as now both Nf6 and 2...d5 3.d4 here Black has many options such as ...c6, ...a6, or ...Nf6 etc but in all honesty he has some problems to solve. 3.e4 forces Black to play accurately in the opening at least. 2...d5 3.Bg2 Ian goes for the same line which he used against Alekseenko in the Candidates earlieir this year. He won that game very convincingly. Black has many different possibilities here and a wide choice between solid and more aggressive moves. d4!? A very brave decision by Magnus. Or maybe a well-prepared one, as he clearly knew what he was doing later on. Not a lot of players would push the d-pawn here with a serious lead in the match. Normally the position becomes double-edged now, Black had safer ways to approach the opening. Alekseenko chose the natural 3...Nf6 4.Nf3 but later he played inaccurately in the opening and got a worse position after dxc4 4...Be7 is a very solid choice here, inviting White to go for the main line Catalan after 5.d4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 a6 7.Qc2 c5 8.Nc3 Be7?! 9.0-0 0-0 10.d4 4.Nf3 4.b4 is an interesting option here. Black cannot take on b4 due to Qa4+, but he is okay after e5 4...Nc6!? A very interesting rare option. Normally Black plays ...c5, but Magnus prioritizes his development and piece activity first and foremost. I haven't checked this line for a long time; this knight move looks very suspicious, but Magnus makes it work. Normally Black plays 4...c5 5.e3 Nc6 6.exd4 cxd4 7.0-0 Nf6 8.d3 Bd6 and this is one of the main lines here. I've played this myself and Black usually equalizes although in a very complicated position. 5.0-0 Bc5 The bishop firmly controls the dark-squares from this position.Black can also start first with 5...Nf6, and then ...Bc5, but this is slightly more accurate, as in some lines Black can develop his knight on e7. 6.d3 6.e3 gives Black the extra option of Nge7 7.Re1 0-0 when later the knight can come to f5. 6...Nf6 7.Nbd2 Ian played this very quickly. At the moment he is playing the most ambitious and critical line. The knight is coming to b3 in order to fight for control of the central dark-squares. Black is doing okay after 7.e3 0-0 8.exd4 Nxd4 9.Nc3 Nxf3+ 10.Qxf3 c6 followed by ...Bd4. 7...a5 Black controls the dark-squares on the queenside and prepares ...a4 later on to kick the knight away from b3. There had been some games where Black castled first, but clearly Magnus knows what he is doing. 8.Nb3 Be7 9.e3 dxe3 10.Bxe3 Ng4!? This forces the play and was his plan all along. Black is willing to spend a tempo in order to harass the enemy bishop and force a trade of minor pieces. The other logical choice is 10...0-0 11.Nbd4 Bd7 when White can play 12.Nb5 or 12.Qe2, with a small advantage for White in both cases. 11.Bc5 This is necessary, in order to maintain control over the central dark-squares. 0-0 Just continuing the development. The text is slightly more precise than 11...a4 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Nbd4 when White has a lead in development and a slightly better position. 12.d4 The alternative was 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.a4 securing the position of the knight on b3. After Rd8 14.Re1 Qb4 15.Qc2 Qb6 16.d4 Bd7 Black's position is slightly worse, but no more. 12...a4 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nc5 Ian is playing the opening confidently and quickly so far.He probably has this position prepared at some point and his play seems very logical. The next move seemed to caught him offguard though. a3!? A nice and very solid move, dealing with the problem of the a-pawn and creating some counterplay on the queenside. The computer first recommends 14...e5 which I assume is what Ian had prepared maybe. After 15.Re1 Rd8 16.b4! 16.Nxa4 is another complicated possibility. 16...axb3 17.Nxb3 Black has some problems with the pin along the e-file, and the play is very concrete. e4 18.h3 Nh6 19.Ne5 White is better here and it demands some very accurate play by Black. I think Magnus made the right decision by playing 14...a3, instead of going for very complicated play. 14...Rd8 loses a pawn due to 15.Nxa4 15.bxa3 This allows Black to get good breathing space. Now there is always counterplay on White's vulnerable queenside pawns. Ian played this very quickly, and now he has a big lead in the clock. Very strong for White is 15.b4! which is clearly the most challenging move here. White fights for the initiative and takes advantage of his lead in development. Probably Magnus still has this position prepared on his files, and is ready to defend a slightly worse position after Nxb4 15...Rd8 16.Rb1 16.Rb1 16.h3 b6 17.Nd3 Nxd3 18.Qxd3 Nf6 19.Ne5 Ra4 this gives White a good initiative for the pawn, but it remains double-edged. 16...b6 16...Nxa2? leaves the knight trapped after 17.Qb3 17.Rxb4 bxc5 18.Rb5 Ra6 18...cxd4? 19.Nxd4 wins a piece, as the knight on g4 is hanging. 19.Rxc5 Bb7 and White is definitely better. I think Magnus prepared this and was ready to defend, but at the same time what are the chances your opponent can find all the best moves in the opening? 15.b3 doesn't pose Black any problems after Rd8 when there are some problems with the d4-pawn and the dark-squares for example 16.Na4 Nh6! 17.Re1 Qf6 this gives Black good counterplay on d4. 15...Rd8 Black can also take on a3 right away 15...Rxa3 16.Re1 Nf6 17.Nb3 and get a very solid position, for example Qb4 followed by ...Na5. 16.Nb3 Nf6 The knight feels a bit shaky on g4, therefore Magnus brings it back home. 17.Re1 Maybe 17.Qe2 followed by Rfd1 looks more natural and it forces Black to defend a bit more accurately. 17...Qxa3 Black always has counterplay thanks to his total control over the a-file. This compensates for White's control over the center. 18.Qe2 h6 19.h4 Bd7 Magnus brings his last undeveloped piece in the game. He actually already has a comfortable choice here for example: 19...Na5 looks very solid. If the White knight moves Black play ...Nc6 back to attack the d4-pawn and if 20.Nxa5 Rxa5 Black has no problems. 20.Ne5 Be8 21.Qe3 21.Nxc6 Bxc6 22.Bxc6 bxc6 can only be good for Black. 21...Qb4 Black has a very comfortable position and is totally out of danger. With this move he protects b7 and is ready to take on e5 next. 22.Reb1 Nxe5 It's a good idea to clarify the position and simplify when the position calls for it. There are plenty of other solid options here, such as 22...Ra3 with good counterplay along the a-file. 23.dxe5 Ng4 Magnus chooses the most active square for his knight, and at the same time gains time attacking the enemy queen. At the same time, totally fine is 23...Nd7 24.Nd4 Qc5 25.Rxb7 Nxe5= 24.Qe1 According to Magnus he totally missed this move. It forces the trade of queens, thanks to the threat of f3, trapping the knight. But at the same time Black still has no problems whatsoever. He was expecting 24.Qc5 Qxc5 25.Nxc5 Nxe5= 24.Qf4 leads nowhere after h5 24...Qxe1+ 25.Rxe1 h5 This frees up h6 as a retreat square for the knight. Also simple is 25...Rd3 26.Bxb7 Ra3 when Black equalizes easily after 27.Be4 Or 27.f3 Nxe5 28.Rxe5 Rdxb3= 27...Rc3 26.Bxb7 White wins a pawn, but Black has full compensation. All his pieces are well placed, and his rooks are active. Ra4 Now Ian had more than 50 minutes of time left on the clock, but after thinking for only a couple of minutes he lashed out Any rook move is good as well, for example 26...Ra3= followed by ...Rb8, when there is no way for White to make use of his extra pawn. 27.c5?? and immediately stood up. This just blunders a piece! As the commentators were saying during the live feed Ian spent almost as much time away from the board than in front of it today! White has to play 27.f3 Nh6 28.Be4 Nf5= when even though he is a pawn up at the moment, I don't think White has any realistic winning chances. 27...c6 White was planning to go c5-c6 but this move was clearly missed by Ian. Many things happen in chess, especially in a World Championship match. 28.f3 Nh6 there is no way to rescue the bishop as Black's rooks control too many squares. 29.Re4 Ra7 30.Rb4 Rb8 31.a4 31.Bxc6 Rxb4 32.Bxe8 Rxb3-+ 31...Raxb7 White's passed a-pawn does not have enough support to be a threat. 32.Rb6 Rxb6 33.cxb6 Rxb6 34.Nc5 Nf5 Black brings his knight back into the game and Magnus gave his opponent absolutely no chances after the blunder. 35.a5 Rb8 36.a6 36.Kf2 Rb2+ followed by ...Nxg3 wins. 36.Kg2 Ne3+ 37.Kf2 Nc4-+ also wins as the knight grabs another pawn. 36...Nxg3 37.Na4 c5 38.a7 Rd8 the bishop comes to c6 and Black remains with too many pawns up. 39.Nxc5 39.Rb1 Ra8 40.Rb8 Rxa7 41.Rxe8+ Kh7 42.Nxc5 Nf5-+ 39...Ra8 A huge turn of events. Ian was playing very well early on in the match but today it's possible the pressure has got to him. The win in game 6 was clearly the turning point in this match as before that both players were playing equally well and it seems that Ian was no inferior to Magnus. But after game 6, it became clear that the momentum had shifted totally to the other side and Magnus took full advantage of any mistakes that Ian made. Never be too critical of elite players in an elite event. Ninety nine percent of the people watching and making useles comments will never in their lives play in an event of this magnitude and intensity. Ian is a great player and even the greatest players make mistakes. Unexpected and miserable stuff happens to us all, and we hope Ian wil be able to move on and get his mojo back asap! 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nepomniatchi,I-Carlsen,M-0–12021A139

Wesley So published two new opening DVDs: 1.b3, the so called Nimzo-Larsen-Attack, for White and his black secrets in the modern Italian. Get them in a package and save money!

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