Neoclassicism

Fabiano Caruana – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi

1st World Fischerandom Chess Championship; Final for Third Place; match game 1; Høvikodden, October 31, 2019

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Position 294

Time control for the first four finals games is “slow rapid” (45 minutes for first 40 moves, 15 minutes for the rest of the game). 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. cxd5 exd5 4. Nc3 Ng6 5. Ng3 c6 6. e3 Nd7 7. Bd3 Nf6 8. 0-0 Bd6 9. Qb1 0-0 10. b4. Curiously enough, White starts a minority attack to which Black opposes — consistently with the most “classical” strategy’s theory and practice — a h-side (idem to say Kingside) initiative. 10. ... a6 11. a4 b5 12. Bd2 Qb8 13. Rc1 Rfe8 14. Nce2 Bd7 15. a5

15. ... Nh4? A natural attacking move which is actually very unhelpful, as it allows White a crushing breakthrough in the centre — the most classic of classical chess! Black’s best was 15. ... h5! for after 16. Bxg6 fxg6 17. Qxg6 h4 18. Nf5 Bxh2+ 19. Kh1 Bxf5 20. Qxf5 Ne4!⇄ White has hardly anything better than 21. Rxc6!? Nxd2 22. Rh6 gxh6 23. Qg6+ drawing by perpetual check. 16. f3! h6 17. e4! dxe4 18. fxe4 Bg4 19. e5 Bxe2. The immediate 19. ... Bxe5 20. dxe5 Qxe5 does not make too much difference after all, as 21. Rc5 Qd6 22. Nc1 likewise leaves Black with insufficient compensation for the Bishop. 20. Nxe2 Bxe5 21. dxe5 Qxe5 22. g3. After “winning” the centre, White classically launches his final h-side (idem to say Kingside) assault. 22. ... Qd6 23. Nf4 g5 24. gxh4 gxf4 25. Rf3 Qd4+ 26. Kh1 Ne4 27. Rg1+ Kf8 28. Bxf4 Nf2+ 29. Rxf2 Qxf2 30. Bxh6+ Ke7 31. Bg5+ Kf8 32. Bh6+ Ke7 33. Bg5+ Kf8 34. Bxd8 Qf3+ 35. Rg2 Rxd8 36. Be2 Qf4 37. h5 Re8 38. Qb2 Re6 39. Qg7+ Ke8 40. Qg4 Qd6 41. Bf3 c5 42. bxc5 1 : 0.

Caruana and Nepomniachtchi won a game each on first day of their consolation final for third place. Photo © Lennart Ootes.