The Easy Day Was Yesterday

Fabiano Caruana – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
6th Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, August 24, 2018
Nimzo-Indian Defence E20

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. g3 0-0 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 dxc4 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. Qa4 Bd7 9. Bg5 a5 10. Bxf6 Qxf6 11. a3 Bxc3 12. bxc3 Qd8 13. Qxc4 a4 14. Nd2 Na5 15. Qb4 Ra7 16. Rab1 b6 17. e3 Bc6 18. Bxc6 Nxc6 19. Qb5 Qa8 20. c4 Rd8 21. Rfc1. Caruana has achieved the better game by simple means, so no wonder Karjakin — who is not performing at his best in Saint Louis — shows some signs of impatience: 21. ... e5? 21. ... h6(!) 22. Qb2 Na5 (Stockfish) seems to be quite sound. 22. d5 Nb8

23. c5± Ra5. If 23. ... bxc5 then 24. Qxc5 Nbd7 25. Qc6 with a pleasant ending. 24. Qb2 Qxd5. Of course, 24. ... bxc5 25. Ne4 would not be better. 25. cxb6 cxb6 26. Nc4 Rc5 27. Qxb6. Threatening Nc4xe5. 27. ... f6?? A huge blunder which loses on the spot. After 27. ... Rf8 28. Qxb8! Rxc4 29. Rxc4 Qxc4 30. Qxe5 Qd3 31. Qa1 Black should have been suffering in a Queen and Rook endgame one or probably two Pawns down (in view of Rb1-b4xa4). 28. Rd1. Sic et simpliciter. 28. e4 was the “dual”. 28. ... Qxd1+ 29. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 30. Kg2 1 : 0.