Contemporary Classic

Levon Grigori Aronian – Fabiano Caruana

Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge; Semifinal match game 1; time control: 90 minutes per 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game plus 30 seconds per move starting on move 41; Wangels, February 13, 2024

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Position #636

1. e4 e5 2. Ng3 f6 3. f3 c6 4. d4 Bc4 5. Nce2 Ng6 6. b3 Bxe2+ 7. Nxe2 Qf7 8. c4 0-0 9. d5 cxd5 10. cxd5 Bd6 11. Be3 Nf4 12. Qf2 Ne7 13. 0-0 Rfc8 14. Kh1 a6 15. g3 Nxe2 16. Qxe2 Bc5 17. Bd3 d6. Perhaps Black should now have exchanged Bishops, but Caruana was probably far from believing that he might have regretted it later.
18. Bd2! Bd4 19. Rad1 Qh5 20. Qg2 Kh8 21. f4

21. ... h6? That might be a mistake, for it makes it easier for White to gradually impose a choking stranglehold on Black’s position. After 21. ... Qe8! 22. f5 Bc3 23. Bc1 Ng8 24. g4 Bd4 25. h4⩲ Black is a little cramped, but his position has no serious weaknesses and it is hard for White to break through.
22. g4 Qg6 23. Qh3 Qh7 24. f5 Bc3 25. Be3 Bd4 26. Bxd4 exd4 27. Qg3 Rd8 28. Rc1 Rd7 29. h4 Rc8 30. Rxc8+ Nxc8 31. Rc1 Ne7 32. Rc2 Qg8 33. Qf2 Qb8

34. g5! White is in no hurry to take the Pawn, and mercilessly proceeds to carry out his pythonisation.
34. ... Ng8 35. g6 Rc7 36. Rc4 Rxc4 37. bxc4 Qa7 38. Qb2 Qc5 39. Qxb7 Qa5 40. Qb2 Qe1+ 41. Kg2 Qxh4 42. Qxd4 Qg5+ 43. Kf3 Qh5+ 44. Kf2 Qh2+ 45. Ke1 Qxa2

Black has restored material equality, but White is winning due to the possibility to make a passed d-Pawn.
46. Qb6! Qa3. Or 46. ... Qh2 47. c5! rushing to queen.
47. Kd2 Qa2+ 48. Bc2 Qxc4 49. Qxd6 Qd4+ 50. Ke2 h5 51. Qa3 Qg1 52. d6 Qg2+ 53. Kd1 Qf1+ 54. Kd2 Qf2+ 55. Kc1 h4 56. Qd3 Qg1+ 57. Kb2 Qb6+ 58. Bb3 Qf2+ 59. Kb1 Qe1+ 60. Kc2 Qf2+ 61. Qd2 Qc5+ 62. Kb2 1 : 0.