Fabiano Caruana tries it again and starts off well. His fellow countryman, Hikaru Nakamura, now more a YouTube celebrity than an ascetic worshipper of Caïssa, can do nothing but give way to his light-square symphony, stubbornly defending every inch of white even in impossible circumstances. But just when it seemed like it was a done deal, Caruana threw it all away, and only the generosity of Nakamura allowed him to have back what he gave up.
Fabiano Caruana – Hikaru Nakamura
Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, March 29, 2026
English Opening A13
Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, March 29, 2026
English Opening A13
1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d4 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. 0-0 Bc5 6. e3 Nge7 7. Nxd4 Nxd4 8. b4 Bxb4 9. exd4 0-0 10. Qb3 Ba5 11. Nc3 Nf5 12. Ba3 Re8 13. d5 Nd4 14. Qa4 b6 15. Rae1 Bd7 16. Qd1 c5 17. Bb2 Rb8 18. a4 a6 19. dxe6 Bxe6 20. Nd5 Qd6 21. Bxd4 cxd4 22. Re4 Bxd5 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. Bxd5 Bb4? 24. ... g6! was recommended afterwards by both of them, so as to reply to 25. h4 with 25. ... h5 (Nakamura), whereas the win of a Pawn by 25. Bb7 can be countered by 25. ... d3! (Caruana).
25. h4! a5 26. d3 Qf6 27. Kg2 Qe5 28. Qf3 Qf6 29. Qg4 Bc5 30. h5 h6 31. Rh1 Qg5 32. Qd1 Qe7 33. Bc6 Rc8 34. Re1 Qc7 35. Bd5 Kf8 36. Qg4 Rd8 37. Qe4 Kg8 38. Qf5 Qd7 39. Qf3 Rf8 40. Re5 Bd6 41. Rf5 Qe7 42. Qg4 Be5 43. Rf3 Bf6 44. Rf4 Qd8 45. Be4 Re8 46. Rf5 Qd7 47. Qf4 Bg5 48. Qf3 Qc7
We find here a further confirmation of the assumption that opposite-coloured Bishops in the middle game always favour the attacker.
49. Rxf7! Qxf7 50. Bd5 Re6 51. Qg4 Kf8 52. Bxe6 Qe8 53. Bd7 Qa8+ 54. Kg1 Bf6 55. Qe6 Qd8 56. Bc6 Qe7 57. Qc8+ Qd8 58. Qb7 Be5 59. Bd5 Qc7 60. Qa8+ Ke7 61. Qg8 Kd6 62. Be4 Ke7 63. Bg6 Bf6 64. Qf7+ Kd6 65. Qd5+ Ke7 66. Bf5 Be5 67. f4 Bf6 68. Kg2 Qd6 69. Qb7+ Kf8 70. Kf3 Qe7 71. Qe4 Qxe4+ 72. dxe4 Be7 73. e5 Bb4 74. Bd3 Be1 75. g4 Ke7 76. Ke4 Bg3 77. f5 Kd7 78. Kd5 Bh4
49. Rxf7! Qxf7 50. Bd5 Re6 51. Qg4 Kf8 52. Bxe6 Qe8 53. Bd7 Qa8+ 54. Kg1 Bf6 55. Qe6 Qd8 56. Bc6 Qe7 57. Qc8+ Qd8 58. Qb7 Be5 59. Bd5 Qc7 60. Qa8+ Ke7 61. Qg8 Kd6 62. Be4 Ke7 63. Bg6 Bf6 64. Qf7+ Kd6 65. Qd5+ Ke7 66. Bf5 Be5 67. f4 Bf6 68. Kg2 Qd6 69. Qb7+ Kf8 70. Kf3 Qe7 71. Qe4 Qxe4+ 72. dxe4 Be7 73. e5 Bb4 74. Bd3 Be1 75. g4 Ke7 76. Ke4 Bg3 77. f5 Kd7 78. Kd5 Bh4
79. f6? A moment of blindness. 79. Kxd4 was apparently the simplest way to win.
79. ... gxf6 80. e6+ Ke7? Returning the courtesy, Nakamura helped Caruana into his own armour. The right way was 80. ... Kc7! 81. Bf5 (neither 81. e7 Kd7 82. e8=Q+ Kxe8 83. Kc6 f5! 84. gxf5 Bd8= nor 81. Kxd4 Kd6= leads nowhere) 81. ... d3!! (this move was probably overlooked by both of them) 82. Bxd3 Kd8 83. Kc6 Bf2 with a dead draw.
81. Kc6 Kxe6 82. Kxb6 Be1 83. c5 1–0.
79. ... gxf6 80. e6+ Ke7? Returning the courtesy, Nakamura helped Caruana into his own armour. The right way was 80. ... Kc7! 81. Bf5 (neither 81. e7 Kd7 82. e8=Q+ Kxe8 83. Kc6 f5! 84. gxf5 Bd8= nor 81. Kxd4 Kd6= leads nowhere) 81. ... d3!! (this move was probably overlooked by both of them) 82. Bxd3 Kd8 83. Kc6 Bf2 with a dead draw.
81. Kc6 Kxe6 82. Kxb6 Be1 83. c5 1–0.
As Nakamura himself entitled his YouTube commentary, “Wow, whatta game!!”. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE. |
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