Baccarat

Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
World Chess Championship 2023; match game 9; Astana, April 21, 2023
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 0-0 6. 0-0 d5 7. Nbd2 dxe4 8. dxe4 a5 9. a4 Qe7 10. Qc2 Nb8 11. Re1 Rd8 12. h3 h6 13. Nf1 c6 14. Bc4 Na6 15. Ng3 Qc7 16. Ba2 b5 17. Qe2

17. ... Rb8 18. Nh4 Bf8 19. Qf3 bxa4 20. Bxh6 Nc5 21. Ng6 Rxb2 22. Nxf8 Rxf8 23. Bg5 Nh7 24. Bc1 Rb5 25. Ba3 Re8 26. Bc4 Be6

27. Bxe6 Nxe6 28. Nf5 c5 29. Qe2 Rb3 30. Qc4 Qc6 31. Bc1 Nf6 32. Qxa4 Qxa4 33. Rxa4 Rxc3 34. Bb2 Rb3 35. Bxe5 Rb4 36. Rxa5 Rxe4 37. Rxe4 Nxe4 38. Ra4 Nd4 39. Bxd4 cxd4 40. Rxd4 g6 41. Ne3 Kg7 42. Rb4 Ng3 43. Rb7 Nf5 44. Ng4 Re7 45. Rb5 Re1+ 46. Kh2 Re2 47. Rb7 Nd6 48. Ra7 Kf8 49. Kg3 f5 50. Kf3 Re7 51. Ra8+ Re8 52. Rxe8+ Kxe8 53. Ne5 g5 54. h4 gxh4 55. Kf4

55. ... h3! “I thought it was an easy draw but then I realised it was not so simple. I could easily get a lost position. So, I thought that maybe ... h4-h3 is the only move to save the game”, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) said eventually.
56. gxh3 Ke7 57. Nc6+ Kf6 58. Nd4 Ne4 59. f3 Nf2 60. h4 Nd3+ 61. Kg3 Kg6 62. Ne6 Kf6 63. Nf4 Nb4 64. Kf2 Ke5 65. Ke3 Nc2+ 66. Kd2 Nd4 67. Nd3+ Kf6 68. Ke3 Nc2+ 69. Kf4 Nd4 70. Kg3 Ne2+ 71. Kf2 Nd4 72. Nf4 Ke5 73. Ne2 Ne6 74. Kg3 Kf6 75. Kg2 Kg7 76. Kf2 f4 77. Kg1 Kg6 78. Kg2 Kh6 79. Nc1 Kh5 80. Kh3 Nd4 81. Nd3 Nxf3 82. Nxf4+ ½ : ½.

And so is two draws in a row! Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.