Nightmare before Valentine

Fabiano Caruana – Hikaru Nakamura
4th edition of the “Zürich Chess Challenge”; Zürich, February 14, 2015
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e5 7. Nde2 h5 8. g3 Nbd7 9. Bg5. For 9. Bg2 b5 see Sax – Tatai, Bratto 2007. 9. ... Be7 10. a4 Nc5 11. Bg2 Be6 12. a5 b5 13. axb6 Qxb6 14. b3 0-0 15. 0-0 a5 16. Qd2 Rfc8 17. Rfd1 a4 18. bxa4 Bc4 19. a5 Qd8 20. Bxf6 Bxf6 21. Qxd6 Qxd6 22. Rxd6 Nb7 23. Rd2 Rxa5 24. Rb1 Nc5 25. Nd5 Bd8 26. h4 Ra3 27. Nec3 Rca8 28. Rdd1 Ba5 29. Nb5 Ra2 30. Bf3 g6 31. Ne7+. “31. Nd6 Bxd5 32. Rxd5 Rxc2 33. Bd1 Rd2 34. Rxc5 Rxd6 35. Rxe5 gives White an extra Pawn, and although sometimes having opposite-colored Bishops can increase the advantage (the weaker side’s Bishop can’t defend against its opponent’s attacks) it looks like Black’s drawing chances are better than White’s chances for a full point. Still, it’s a two-result position that White will never lose”, Dennis Monokroussos wrote. 31. ... Kg7 32. Nc6. “Not yet fatal, but a first misstep on the way to disaster. Caruana wants more than the position has to offer. To be fair, it seems hard to believe that in just five moves White will be mated by force, doesn’t it? 35. Nxf7 Nc5 36. Rb5 Bxf7 37. Rxa5 Rxa5 38. Nxa5 is another safe position that White can never lose, though after 38. ... Ne6 Nakamura’s also extremely unlikely to lose it”, Monokroussos wrote. 32. ... Na4 33. Nd6 Be6 34. Rb7 Rxc2 35. Nxe5 Nc5 36. Re7 Kf8 37. Nc6. Very interesting, and probably better, is 37. Rxe6! Nxe6 38. Ndxf7 Bc3 39. Nh8! with a somewhat unclear situation. 37. ... Nb3 38. e5 Bb6

39. Rb7? With 39. Rxe6! fxe6 40. Nd4! White would have retained some drawing chances; for example: 40. ... Bxd4 41. Bxa8 Bxf2+ 42. Kh2 Bd4+ 43. Bg2 Bxe5 44. Ne4 (Monokroussos’ analysis). 39. ... Bxf2+ 40. Kg2 Bc5+ 41. Kh1 Raa2 0 : 1.

Fabiano Caruana vs. Hikaru Nakamura
Photo: Zürich Chess Challenge 2015