On Second Thought

Hikaru Nakamura – Jan-Krzysztof Duda
Candidates Tournament 2022; Madrid, July 3, 2022
4r1k1/2qn2p1/4p1Np/pp1Pp1bP/8/BP1R4/P1r1QPP1/3R2K1 w - - 1 35

Position after 34. ... Rc6-c2

One can hardly imagine that White may pull a win out of the position in the diagram. And yet... 35. Bd6! Otherwise there follows ... b5-b4. 35. ... Rxe2 36. Bxc7 Nc5 37. d6!?

37. ... Nd7? In his YouTube commentary, Nakamura recommended 37. ... Nxd3! 38. d7 Ra8! 39. Rxd3 Rxa2 40. d8=Q+ Bxd8 41. Bxd8 a4 42. bxa4 bxa4 43. Rd7 a3 44. Ne7+ (44. Bc7?? Ra1+ 45. Kh2 Re1−+) 44. ... Kh7 45. Ng6 Ra1+ 46. Kh2 a2 47. Bf6! Rh1+ 48. Kg3! (48. Kxh1?? a1=Q+ 49. Kh2 Ra7−+) 48. ... Rg8 49. Nf8+ Rxf8 50. Rxg7+ with a draw by perpetual check. 38. Bxa5 Rxa2 39. Bb4 Bd8 40. Rc3 Bb6

41. Kh2! Kh7 (41. ... Rxf2 42. Rc7! Rf7 43. Rb7+−) 42. f3 Ra7 43. Rc6 Be3 44. Bd2 Bd4 45. Bc3 Be3 46. Rc7 Rea8 47. Kh3 b4 48. Bxb4 Rb8 49. Bc3 Rxb3 50. Rc8 Rb8 51. Rxb8 Nxb8 52. d7 1 : 0.

The grand race for second place has begun. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.