Ticket to Ride

Alexander Anatolyevich Donchenko – Fabiano Caruana
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 17, 2021
Slav Defence D12

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Be4 7. f3 Bg6 8. Bd2 Be7 9. Nxg6 hxg6 10. Qc2 Nbd7 11. 0-0-0 a6. Deviating from 11. ... Nb6 12. c5 Nbd7 13. Kb1 Qb8 14. h4 g5 15. Be1 g4 16. e4 gxf3 17. gxf3 b6 18. exd5 exd5 19. cxb6 axb6 20. Ne2 Qa7 21. b3 Nh5 22. Ng3 g6 23. Nxh5 Rxh5 24. f4 Kf8 25. Be2 Rh8 26. Bd3 c5 27. Bc3 cxd4 28. Bxd4 Bf6 29. Bxf6 Nxf6 30. f5 gxf5 31. Bxf5 b5 32. Rh2 Rh5 33. Re2 d4 34. Re5 Ng4 35. Rc5 Ne3 36. Rc8+ Rxc8 37. Qxc8+ Ke7 38. Rc1 Nd5 39. Re1+ Ne3 40. Rc1 Nd5 41. Re1+ Ne3 42. Rc1 ½ : ½ Giri – Caruana, Candidates Tournament 2020, Yekaterinburg 2020. 12. g4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 b5 14. Be2. Interesting seems 14. Bxe6!? fxe6 15. g5, after which there might follow: 15. ... Nh5 16. Qxg6+ Kf8 17. Qxe6 Bxg5 18. Qf5+ Kg8 19. Qe6+ with a draw by perpetual check. 14. ... c5 15. d5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 exd5 17. f4. White should have considered 17. Kb1 here — as well as in the next few moves. 17. ... b4 18. e4 (18. Kb1) 18. ... d4 19. e5? (19. Kb1) 19. ... Nb6 20. e6? Consistent and wrong. 20. Qe4 Qd5∓ should be the “less worst”. 20. ... Qd5 21. exf7+ Kf8

22. h4. White should have moved his King to b1 earlier, but he didn’t. And now it’s too late: 22. Kb1 c4−+ with devastating threats. Likewise, 22. b3 a5−+ can’t give any hope at all. 22. ... Qxa2 23. Qxg6. In sheer desperation, White hopelessly moves towards his doom. 23. ... b3 24. Be1 c4! (Δ ... c4-c3) 25. Rxd4 Na4 26. Qb1

26. ... Ba3! 27. Qxa2 (27. bxa3 b2+−+) 27. ... bxa2 28. Kc2

28. ... Rb8! 29. Rd8+ Rxd8 30. bxa3 c3! 31. Bg3 (31. Bxc3 Rc8−+) 31. ... Rd2+ 32. Kb3 Nc5+ 0 : 1.

Caruana’s deep opening preparation and tactical alertness gave him today the most satisfaction. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.