A Place in the Sun

Sugar Gan-Erdene – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi
8th Chess World Cup; match game 1; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 10, 2019
Sicilian Defence B90

The Chess World Cup 2019 has started today (September 10) in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia with very few surprises. Wow, lots of theory going on! 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. h3 Be6 9. Qf3 0-0 10. 0-0-0 b5 11. g4 b4 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. exd5 Bc8 14. Bd3 Nd7 15. Rhg1 a5 16. Nd2!?TN (16. Kb1 Ba6 17. Bxa6 Rxa6 18. Qe2 Ra8 19. Nd2 Qc7 20. Ne4 Rfc8 21. g5 a4 22. Rd3 Kh8 23. Rg4 Rab8 24. Ng3 g6 25. Ne4 f5 26. gxf6 Nxf6 27. Nxf6 Bxf6 28. Re4 Rb7 29. h4 Qd7 30. Qg4 Qc7 ½ : ½ Gulamali – Gopal, 14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2016) 16. ... Qc7 17. Bb5 Ba6 18. Bc6 Rac8 19. Kb1 Bb7 20. Nc4 Bxc6 21. dxc6 Nb8 22. Qd5 Nxc6 23. Nxd6? This is White’s first serious mistake — and the very one that made Black’s initiative almost irresistible. 23. b3!∞ was nearly mandatory. 23. ... b3!→ 24. c3 bxa2+ 25. Kxa2? And, after this, White is lost, though also after 25. Ka1 Rcd8 26. Bc5 a4! no better outcome is to be expected. 25. ... Bxd6 26. Qxd6

26. ... Nb4+! This devastating blow may have come unexpected to Gan-Erdene. 27. cxb4. 27. Ka1 Qc4 28. cxb4 axb4 merely transposes into the game. 27. ... Qc4+ 28. Ka1 axb4 29. Qd5 Qc2! 30. Qa5 Ra8 31. Ba7 b3! Black “nails” the enemy King into a mating net. 32. Qa3 Rfc8 33. Rge1 h6 34. f3 Rc7 35. Bc5 Rxa3+ 36. Bxa3 Ra7 37. Rd8+ Kh7 0 : 1.