Returning to Earth

Fabiano Caruana – Shakhriyar Hamid oglu Mamedyarov
11th Norway Chess; Stavanger, June 4, 2023
English Opening A28

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e4 Bc5 5. Nxe5 Nxe5 6. d4 Bb4 7. dxe5 Nxe4 8. Qf3 d5. As Black, Caruana has usually preferred 8. ... Nxc3 9. bxc3 Ba5 10. Bf4 0-0 11. 0-0-0 Qe7 12. Kb2 Rb8 13. Qe3 (13. Bd3 b5 14. cxb5 Bb7 15. Qh3 g6 16. Qe3 Rfe8 17. Rhe1 Bc6 18. a4 a6 19. Bg5 Bxc3+ 20. Kxc3 Qa3+ 21. Kd2 Qb4+ 22. Ke2 Qg4+ 23. Kd2 Qb4+ 24. Ke2 Qg4+ 25. Kd2 Qb4+ ½ : ½ Carlsen – Caruana, 1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament, Santon 2019) 13. ... b5 14. c5 b4 15. c4 b3 16. a3 Bb7 17. Qd4 Qe6 18. Bg3 f6 19. Qxd7 Qxd7 20. Rxd7 Rbd8 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. Kxb3 Rd1 23. f3 fxe5 24. Kc2 Ra1 25. Bxe5 Re1 26. Bg3 Ra1 27. Kb2 Rd1 28. Kc2 Ra1 29. Be5 Re1 30. Bg3 Ra1 ½ : ½ Rapport – Caruana, 8th Grand Chess Tour, 1st stage, 4th Superbet Chess Classic, Bucharest 2023.
9. Be2 d4 10. Qxe4 dxc3 11. 0-0 0-0 12. a3 cxb2 13. Bxb2 Bc5 14. Bd3. 14. Rfd1 Qe7 15. h4 f5 gives Black little or no problems, Tratar – Zirkelbach, 29th Slovenian Team Chess Championship, Maribor 2019.
14. ... g6 15. e6 Qe7 16. Rfe1 a5 17. Qf4 f6. The complications arising from 17. ... fxe6 18. Qe5 Bxf2+ 19. Kh1 Bxe1 20. Qh8+ Kf7 21. Qxh7+ Ke8 22. Bg7 Bd2 23. Bxg6+ Kd8 24. Bxf8 Qxf8 25. Qh4+ Kd7 26. Rd1 should also result in a roughly even game, but Mamedyarov rightly prefers a more intuitive approach.
18. Be4 Ra6. Clearly not 18. ... Bxe6?? because of 19. Bd5 Ra6 20. Rxe6! Rxe6 21. Re1 winning.
19. Rad1 Rd6 20. Rxd6 Bxd6 21. Qh4 c6

22. Bd3? The follow-up seems to suggest that the Bishop should have gone to b1.
22. ... Bxa3. Still not 22. ... Bxe6?? due to 23. c5! winning material (23. ... Bxc5 24. Rxe6!).
23. Bxa3 Qxa3 24. Qg3 Re8

25. Bxg6! The only move to save the day!
25. ... Rxe6. Of course if 25. ... Qxg3 then 26. Bf7+ Kg7 27. hxg3 with more or less equality.
26. Bd3+ Kh8 27. Rd1 Qd6 28. Qf3 Qe7 29. Bf1! Brilliantly avoiding the exchange of Rooks.
29. ... Re5 30. h4 Be6 31. Rd4 Re1 32. Qc3 Bg8 33. Qd2 Qe5 34. Rd8 Qa1

35. Qd3? A fatal error. In all probability Caruana was too short of time to notice the amazing resource of 35. Kh2!! Rxf1 36. Rxg8+! Kxg8 37. Qd8+ Kg7 38. Qe7+ Kg6 39. Qe8+ Kf5 40. g4+! Kxg4 41. Qe4+ Kh5 42. Qxh7+ Kg4 43. Qe4+ drawing by perpetual check.
35. ... Qb1!−+ 36. Rxg8+ Kxg8 37. Qd8+ Kg7 38. Qc7+ Kg6 39. Qg3+ Kf5 40. Qh3+ Ke5 41. Qg3+ Ke6 42. Qg8+ Kd7 43. Qf7+ Kc8 44. Kh2 Qe4 45. Qg8+ Kc7 46. Kg1 Qd3 47. Qf7+ Kb6 0 : 1.