Little Longnose

Fabiano Caruana – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
4th Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 12, 2016
Spanish Game C93

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Re8 10. d4 Bb7 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. Bc2 h6 13. d5 Nb8 14. b3 c6 15. c4 Nbd7 16. Nf1 Qc7 17. Be3 a5!? A novelty, aimed to improve on 17. ... Rec8 18. Rc1 Qd8 19. Ng3 cxd5 20. cxd5 g6 21. Qd2 Kh7 22. a4 Nc5 23. axb5 axb5 24. b4 Na4 25. Bd3 Qd7 26. Rxc8 Bxc8 27. Ne2 Qb7 28. Qc2 Bd7 29. Nd2 Be7 30. Nb3 Bd8 31. Qd2 Ng8 32. f4 with the initiative, Karpov – Balashov, München 1979. 18. Rc1 Ba6 19. cxb5 Bxb5 20. Bd3 Qb7 21. Bxb5 cxb5 22. Ng3 Rec8 23. Qd3 h5. As Carlo Salvioli used to say, the Spanish Game can be regarded as the cornerstone of positional chess understanding. Here White obtained his usual slight edge, but Black’s position is, as always, fundamentally sound, and, without a deep plan – which usually involves pyrotechnics Knights’ tours – the first player won’t achieve more than a draw.

24. Rc3. Fabi’s idea appears a bit too schematic, but, of course, don’t take me too seriously. 24. ... b4 25. Rxc8 Rxc8 26. Rc1 Rxc1+ 27. Bxc1 Nc5 28. Qc4 g6 29. Bg5 Nfd7 30. Nd2 a4. Now, or maybe never. 31. Kh2 Qb6 32. Ne2 axb3 33. axb3 Qa5. 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) is not very interested in exchanging Queens (by ... Qb6-a6), probably because he feels that in a more complicated position his time advantage (at this point Black has 34 minutes left to White’s 17 minutes) might play its part. 34. Ng1! Nb6 35. Qe2 Nc8 36. Ngf3 Be7 37. Be3 Nb6 38. Ne1. After hours of play on the magic carpet, the situation hasn’t changed: White has a somewhat better position, but no evident way to break down Black’s defence. 38. ... Nbd7 39. Nc2 Qa6. It’s time to accept facts as they are. 40. Qxa6 Nxa6 41. Kg1. Now Black must think about his future, because White has all intentions to nail him down to his weaknesses, as His Majesty is heading for the c4-square via f1-e2-d3. 41. ... Kf8 42. Kf1 Bd8 43. Ke2 Bb6 44. Bh6+ Ke7 45. f3 Ndc5 46. Be3 f5 47. g4!? Caruana plays on quickly and apparently increasing Black’s drawing chances. This was a critical point for most chess engnes, which advocated the taking of the Knight with the Bishop, followed by the march of the King till to c4, eventually winning the b-Pawn. Caruana, however, must not have been convinced that this was enough to win. 47. ... hxg4 48. hxg4 fxg4 49. fxg4 Nd7 50. Bg5+ Ke8 51. Nc4 Bc7 52. Be3 Ndc5 53. Nd2 Ba5 54. Ne1 Bb6 55. Bxc5. White does not want to leave nothing untried. 55. ... Bxc5 56. Nef3 Nc7 57. Ng5 Ke7 58. Kd3 Kf6 59. Ndf3 Bf2 60. Nh3 Bg3 61. Nhg1 Na6 62. g5+ Ke7 63. Nd2 Kd7 64. Kc4 Kc7 65. Kb5 Nc5 66. Ngf3 Nd3 67. Kc4 Nf2 68. Kxb4 Bf4 69. Kb5 Nh3 70. b4 Nxg5 71. Ka6 Nxf3 72. Nxf3 g5 73. b5 g4. Wake up for the show! Simpler was 73. ... Be3 74. b6+ Bxb6 75. Nxg5 Bf2 with an easy and plain draw, but also 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)’s move makes the goal, even though a bit more unbalancedly. 74. b6+ Kb8 75. Nh4 g3 76. Nf5 g2 77. Ne7 g1=Q 78. Nc6+ Kc8 79. b7+ Kd7 80. b8=Q Qf1+ 81. Kb7 Qb5+ 82. Ka8 Qa4+ 83. Qa7+ Qxa7+ 84. Nxa7 Kc7 85. Nb5+ Kb6 86. Nxd6 Kc5 87. Nf5 Bg5 88. Kb7 Kc4 89. d6 Kd3 90. Ng3 Ke3 91. d7 Kf3 92. Nh5 Kxe4 93. Kc6 Kf3 94. Ng7 e4 95. Nf5 ½ : ½.

Fabiano Caruana (R.) vs. 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) (L.)
Photo: Grand Chess Tour (@GrandChessTour)