Simplicity in Complexity

Wesley So – Hjörvar Steinn Grétarsson

2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship Group A; match game 2; time control: 25 minutes for the first 30 moves, plus 5 minutes for the rest of the game, plus 5 seconds per move starting from move 31; Reykjavík, October 25, 2022

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Position #629

1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 c6 3. e4 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bb6? (⌓ 4. ... f5 5. Nc5 Bb6)
5. c3. 5. Qe2 Nd7 6. c3 Bc7 transposes into the game.
5. ... Nd7 6. Qe2 Bc7 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Nhg3

8. ... h5? This seems a velleitary Pawn sacrifice, but Black’s situation was very difficult in any case. Perhaps he could try 8. ... Bg4 9. f3 Bd7 followed by ... 0-0-0 (a-side castling).
9. Nxf6+ gxf6 10. Nxh5. With the incidental threat of Nh5xf6+.
10. ... Kd8 11. Bf4 Ng6 12. Bxc7+ Kxc7 13. Qe3 Be6

14. Bb3! Bxb3 15. axb3 Rh8 16. Qg3+ Kb6? The Black King goes for a journey with no return, but after 16. ... Kd7 17. Ra5! White still holds a powerful grip on the game.
17. c4! a6 (17. ... Rxh5 18. c5++−)
18. c5+ Ka7

19. Rxa6+! 1 : 0. Mate follows after 19. ... Kxa6 (19. ... bxa6 20. Qc7#) 20. Ra1+ Kb5 21. Qd3+ Kb4 22. Qc4#.