Window on the Seine

Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Levon Grigori Aronian

6th Grand Chess Tour; 2nd stage; Paris Rapid; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Paris, June 19, 2021

English Opening A13

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qxc4 c5 7. Ne5 Qc8 8. b3 Nc6 9. Nxd7 Qxd7 10. Bb2 Be7 11. 0-0 Rc8 12. Rd1 0-0 13. Nc3 a6!?TN (13. ... Rfd8 14. Ne4 Nxe4 15. Qxe4 b6 16. Rac1 Bg5 17. h4 Bh6 18. Bc3 g6 19. e3 Bg7 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. d4 Ne7 22. Bf3 cxd4 23. Rxc8 Qxc8 24. Rxd4 Rxd4 25. Qxd4+ Kg8 26. h5 Qc7 27. Qf6 Nf5 28. Kg2 Ng7 29. hxg6 hxg6 30. Be4 Ne8 31. Qd4 Nd6 32. Bf3 Nf5 33. Qd2 Qe5 34. a4 Kg7 35. Qd3 Qc5 36. Qd2 a5 37. Qb2+ Kf8 38. Qf6 Ke8 39. Qh8+ Ke7 40. Qb8 Qd6 41. Qc8 Qb4 42. Qc7+ Kf6 43. Qd8+ Kg7 44. Qd3 Qc5 45. Qd2 Nd6 46. Qd3 Kf6 47. Qd2 Ke7 48. Qd3 Ne8 49. Qe4 Nf6 50. Qb7+ Kf8 51. Qb8+ Kg7 52. Qd8 Qb4 53. Qd3 Ne8 54. Kf1 Kf8 55. Qc2 Nf6 56. Kg2 Qd6 57. Qc8+ Kg7 58. Qc3 Qd8 59. b4 axb4 60. Qxb4 Kg8 61. Qc3 Nd7 62. Kg1 Nc5 63. a5 Qc7 64. axb6 Qxb6 ½ : ½ Harika – L. van Foreest, 80th Tata Steel Challengers Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2018) 14. Rac1 b5 15. Qf4 h6 16. d3 Rfd8 17. Qd2 Qa7 18. e3 Qb6 19. Qe2 Nb4 20. a3 Nbd5 21. Nxd5 Nxd5 22. d4 Nf6 23. dxc5 Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 Bxc5 25. Bxf6 gxf6 26. Qh5

26. ... Bxa3? It’s hard to say what Aronian may have been thinking as he captured such a poisoned Pawn. Instead he should give up a Pawn by 26. ... Be7 27. Qxh6 (now Black can reply to 27. Rd7 with 27. ... Rc7) 27. ... Rd8 with good chances for defence. 27. Rd7! Rf8 28. Be4! f5 29. Qxh6 fxe4. Or 29. ... Qc5 30. Qg5+ Kh7 (if 30. ... Kh8 then 31. Qf6+ Kg8 32. Bf3 and the threat of Qf6-g5+ followed by Rd7-d4 costs Black a heavy price) 31. Rd5! Qc6 (not 31. ... exd5 on account of 32. Bxf5+ followed by mate in two) 32. Qh4+ Kg7 33. Rxf5! winning handily.

30. Rd5! The Rook joins the mating attack, thanks to the pin on the 6th rank. After that there is nothing for Black to do but leave the stage: 30. ... Qxe3 31. Qxe3 exd5 32. Qg5+ Kh8 33. Qxd5 f5 34. Qd4+ Kg8 35. b4 Bc1 36. Qb6 Rf7 37. Qxa6 e3 38. Qc8+ 1 : 0.

Of course, there is at least one obvious reason why Nepomniachtchi is interested in showing that he is in pretty good form. Photo © Lennart Ootes.