Roadrunner

Fabiano Caruana – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
Candidates Tournament 2022; Madrid, June 30, 2022
Spanish Game C88

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. a4 Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. Bd2 Qd7 11. Nc3 Na5 12. Ba2 b4 13. Ne2 c5 14. Ng3 Rab8 15. Nh4 g6 16. Bh6 Rfe8 17. Nhf5 Bd8 (17. ... gxf5? 18. Nxf5 b3 19. Qf3!+−) 18. Ng7 Rf8 19. h3. Caruana courageously refuses the draw by repetition and instead goes all out for a win. 19. ... b3! 20. Bxb3 (20. cxb3 Nc6!) 20. ... Nxb3 21. cxb3 Bc6 22. Rc1 Kh8. Black threatens both ... Rf8-g8 and ... Nf6-g8.

23. Ne6 Qxe6 24. Bxf8 Ba5 25. Bh6 Bxe1 26. Qxe1 Rxb3 (26. ... Qxb3!? 27. Qxa5 Qb6) 27. Qa5 Ng8 28. Be3 Bb7 29. Qd2 f6 30. f4 exf4 31. Bxf4 g5 (31. ... Rb4 32. a5⩲) 32. Be3 Qe5

33. Nf5! Ne7 (33. ... Rxb2? 34. Nxd6!+−) 34. Nxe7 Qxe7 35. Qc2 Rb6 36. Rf1 Kg7 37. a5 Rc6 38. Bd2 Rc8 39. Bc3 Rf8 40. Qf2 h6 41. h4 Bc8 42. b4 Bd7 43. bxc5 dxc5 44. Rb1 Bb5 45. hxg5 hxg5 46. Qf5 Kg8 47. d4 Bd3 48. Re1 cxd4 49. Bxd4 Qh7 50. Qf3 Bb5 51. e5. If 51. Bxf6 then 51. ... Qa7+ drawing by perpetual check. 51. ... Qd7 52. Bc5 Rc8 53. Qb3+ Qf7 54. e6 Qc7 55. e7+ Kg7 56. Bd4 Qf4

57. Be3?! Caruana is running short of time and yet insists on disdaining the eventuality of a draw: 57. Bb2 Rh8 58. Qe6 Qh2+ 59. Kf2 Qf4+ with perpetual check. 57. ... Qg3 58. Qb4 Rh8 59. e8=Q Qh2+ 60. Kf2 Rxe8

61. Qg4. 61. Bxg5! was good enough for at least a draw, but once again Caruana says no. What follows is drama, too. 61. ... Qe5 62. Qd4 Qf5+ 63. Kg1 Kg6 64. Qd2 Bc6 65. Bf2 Qg4 66. Qd3+ Be4 67. Qg3 Qxg3 68. Bxg3 f5 69. Bc7 Kh5 70. Kf2 Kg4 71. Rc1 Re7 72. Rc3? (72. Rc5!) 72. ... Rd7? (72. ... Bd3!−+) 73. g3 Bd3 74. Bb8 Bb5 75. Bc7? (75. Ke1) 75. ... Re7!−+ 76. Bd8 Re2+ 77. Kg1 Rd2 78. Be7 Bd3 0 : 1. For after 79. Bd6 Kh3 80. Rc8 Rg2+ 81. Kh1 Be4 it’s all over for White.

After three wins in a row, nothing seems impossible for 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) to achieve. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.