Even and Odd

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi
World Chess Championship 2023; match game 6; Astana, April 16, 2023
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 cxd4 6. exd4 Bf5 7. c3 e6. The same position can be reached by transposition after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nd2 Bf5 7. Ngf3 e6 (Caro-Kann Defence B13).
8. Bb5. Or by transposition: 8. Qb3 Qc8 9. Be2 Be7 10. 0-0 Ne4= B. Larsen – Spassky, International Tournament, San Juan 1969.
8. ... Bd6 9. Bxd6 Qxd6 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Re1 h6 12. Ne5 Ne7 13. a4 a6 14. Bf1 Nd7? Better first 14. ... a5, preventing White’s 16th move.
15. Nxd7 Qxd7 16. a5 Qc7 17. Qf3 Rfc8 18. Ra3 Bg6 19. Nb3 Nc6 20. Qg3

20. ... Qe7. Because of his uneasiness with the eventuality of an endgame, Black avoids the exchange of Queens — a classic case in which the cure might be worse than the disease.
21. h4 Re8. Preparing for the next advance.
22. Nc5 e5 23. Rb3 Nxa5 24. Rxe5 Qf6 25. Ra3! Nc4 26. Bxc4 dxc4 27. h5? White is pursuing a Fata Morgana. 27. Nxb7 was obvious and good.
27. ... Bc2? But apparently they both overlooked 27. ... Rxe5! 28. dxe5 Qd8! 29. hxg6 Qd1+ 30. Kh2 Qh5+ with a draw by perpetual check.
28. Nxb7 Qb6

29. Nd6! Rxe5. Of course not 29. ... Qxd6?? because of 30. Rxe8+ winning the Queen.
30. Qxe5 Qxb2 31. Ra5! 31. Nxc4? Qc1+ 32. Kh2 Bd3 would be very unclear.
31. ... Kh7 (31. ... Qxc3?? 32. Ne8!+−)
32. Rc5? 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) is still giving his opponent an opportunity to avert the worst. Best was 32. Qe1! Bd3 33. Nxc4! winning a Pawn with great advantage (33. ... Bxc4? 34. Qe4++−).
32. ... Qc1+? Black misses his last chance: 32. ... Qxc3!⇄ 33. Nxf7 (or 33. Rc7 Qd2 34. Rxf7 Qc1+! 35. Kh2 Qg5 with good saving chances) 33. ... Bd3! 34. Rc7 Qc1+ 35. Rh2 Re8!! 36. Qxe8 Qf4+ drawing by perpetual check.
33. Kh2 f6 34. Qg3 a5 35. Nxc4 a4 36. Ne3 Bb1. 36. ... a3 37. Rc7 Rg8 38. Nd5 Kh8 39. Ne7 Rf8 40. Ra7 Bb1 transposes to the game.
37. Rc7 Rg8 38. Nd5 Kh8 39. Ra7 a3 40. Ne7 Rf8

41. d5! Setting up a mating net. A straightforward “dual” is 41. Rb7! a2 42. Rb8 forcing mate in a few moves.
41. ... a2 42. Qc7 Kh7 43. Ng6 Rg8 44. Qf7 1 : 0. Mate follows after 44. ... Bxg6 45. hxg6+ Kh8 46. Qxg8+ Kxg8 47. Ra8# or 44. ... Qg5 45. Qxg8+ Kxg8 46. Ra8+ Kf7 (46. ... Kh7 47. Rh8#) 47. Rf8#.

“Today I was struggling to find which opening to play just before the start of the game. I had many choices”, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) finally said. “At the end, I decided to play something that I was more familiar with and I tried to stay calm after yesterday’s loss”. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.