The Way Back Home

Akshat Chandra – Fabiano Caruana
60th U.S. Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 25, 2016
Spanish C88

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 b4 9. d4 0-0 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Nbd2 Bc5 12. a5. For 12. Qe2 Bg4 13. h3 Bh5 14. c3 Na5 15. g4 Bg6 16. Bc2 bxc3 17. bxc3 Nd5 18. Nb1 Nf4 see Grischuk – Caruana, Makedonia Palace Grand Prix (4th stage), Thessaloniki 2013. 12. ... h6 13. Bc4 Bb7. For 13. ... Be6 14. Qe2 Nd4 15. Nxd4 Bxc4 16. Nxc4 Bxd4 17. Be3 Re8 18. f3 Nh5 19. g3 Qg5 20. Kf1 Qf6 21. Rad1 Rad8 22. Rd2 g5 23. Red1 see Howell – M. Adams, PokerStars IoM Chess Tournament, Douglas 2014. 14. c3 Qd6 15. Qe2 Rad8 16. Nf1 Ne7 17. Ng3 Ng6 18. Be3 bxc3. I wonder if the immediate 18. ... Bxe3 19. Qxe3 Qc6 was safer – the answer depends upon the groundness of next remark. 19. bxc3. The zwischenzug 19. Rad1! appears more embarassing for Black, since after 19. ... Qc6 20. Bxf7+! Kxf7 21. Qc4+ Qe6 22. Qxc5 White should win at least a Pawn. 19. ... Bxe3 20. Qxe3 Qc6 21. Bf1 Bc8 22. h3 Be6 23. Reb1 Nd7 24. Rb4 Kh7 25. Rab1 Qc5 26. Bxa6 Qxa5 27. Bf1 Qc5 28. Qxc5 Nxc5 29. Bc4. Here 29. Rb5 probably gave White better chances of survival.

29. ... Nd3! Caruana immediately jumps to his young opponent’s feet. 30. Ra4 Ngf4 31. Ne1 Nxe1 32. Rxe1 Rd2! Fabi is biting hard; Black is about to invade his opponent’s second rank with both Rooks. 33. Bf1. After this White’s spaces become more and more cramped, but 33. Nf1 Rc2 would be hardly better. 33. ... Rb8 34. Rb4 Ra8 35. Rb7 Raa2 36. Nh1. Alas, it’s not the Knight of Aron Nimzowitsch! 36. ... c5 37. Rc7 Ra5 38. Ng3 Rc2 39. c4 g6 40. Rb1 Kg7 41. Rcb7 Raa2. The cat and mouse play. 42. Nh1 Bxc4 43. Bxc4 Rxc4 44. Re7 Rb4 45. Rd1 Rd4 46. Rb1 Ne6 47. Rbb7 Nd8 48. Rbc7 Kf6 49. f4 Rd1+ 50. Kh2 exf4 51. e5+ Kg5 52. Rxc5 Ne6 53. Rc3 Rdd2 0 : 1.

Fabiano Caruana has finally come back home!
Photo: Lennart Ootes