[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Black "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "9.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.20"]
[WhiteElo "2696"]
[BlackElo "2820"]
[PlyCount "118"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 h6 6. 0-0 d6 7. Re1 0-0 8. h3 Bb6 {8...a5 is the modern continuation.
C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3.} 9. Nbd2 Ne7 10. d4 Nc6 {} 11. a4 a5 { [#]} 12. Ba2 $146 ({Predecessor:} 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 dxe5 14. Qe2 Qe7 15. Bb3 c6 16. Nc4 Bc7 17. Bc2 Be6 18. b3 {1/2-1/2 (35) Xu,Y (2536)-Xiang,Z (2409) Xingtai 2018} )exd4 13. Nc4 dxc3 14. Nxb6 c2 15. Qxc2 cxb6 16. Bd2 Be6 17. Bxe6 fxe6 18. Qb3 Qe8 19. Qxb6 Nd7 20. Qe3 e5 21. Qd3 Qe6 22. Nh4 Nc5 23. Qg3 {With the idea Nf5!} Kh7 24. Rad1 g5 25. Nf3 Rf7 26. Bc1 ({Don't go for} 26. Bxg5 $2 Rg8 $19 )(26. Qg4 $11 {
keeps the balance.} )Raf8 ({Better is} 26... Nxa4 $17 27. Qg4 Qxg4 28. hxg4 Rd7 )27. Qg4 $11 {Black should prevent Qxe6.The position is equal.} Qxg4 28. hxg4 Rf6 29. Be3 Nxa4 30. Rd5 Nxb2 31. Rc1 R8f7 32. Rc2 Na4 33. Rc4 Nb2 34. Rc2 Na4 {[#] aiming for ...Nb4.} 35. Rc4 Nc5 36. Bxc5 dxc5 37. Rcxc5 Re7 38. Nxe5 Nxe5 39. Rxe5 Rxe5 40. Rxe5 { Endgame KR-KR} Ra6 41. Re7+ Kg6 42. Rxb7 a4 {[#] Strongly threatening ...Kf6.} 43. f3 a3 {( -> ...a2)} 44. Rb1 a2 (44... Kf7 {looks sharper.} 45. Ra1 a2 46. Kf2 Kf6 47. Ke2 Ke5 )45. Ra1 Kf6 {Threatens to win with ...Ke5.} 46. Kf2 Ke5 {Hoping for ...Kd4.} 47. Ke3 Ra8 48. Kd3 Kf4 49. Kc4 Kg3 50. e5 Kxg2 51. e6 Kxf3 52. Kd5 Kxg4 53. e7 Kf3 54. Rxa2 Re8 55. Ke6 (55. Ra3+ {is more complex.} Kf4 56. Kd6 g4 57. Kd7 Rxe7+ 58. Kxe7 g3 59. Ra4+ )g4 56. Kf7 Rxe7+ 57. Kxe7 g3 58. Kf6 g2 59. Rxg2 Kxg2 {
Weighted Error Value: White=0.06/Black=0.06} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Black "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "9.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.20"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2789"]
[PlyCount "81"]

1. d4 {} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Rb1 0-0 $1 9. h3 {D85: Exchange Grünfeld: Unusual White
7th moves and lines with 7 Nf3.} (9. Be2 b6 10. 0-0 Bb7 11. d5 Bxc3 12. h4 Nd7 13. Bf4 Bg7 14. Bc4 Qc8 15. e5 Ba6 16. Qe2 Bxc4 17. Qxc4 Qb7 18. h5 Rae8 19. hxg6 hxg6 20. Ng5 {1-0 (38) Grischuk,A (2766)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2757) chess.
com INT 2018} )Nc6 {} 10. d5 Bxc3+ 11. Bd2 {Black is slightly
better.} Bxd2+ 12. Qxd2 Nd4 (12... Na5 {seems wilder.} 13. Bb5 b6 14. 0-0 Bd7 15. a4 f6 )13. Nxd4 cxd4 {[#]} 14. Bc4 $146 ({Predecessor:} 14. Qxd4 Qa5+ 15. Qd2 Qxd2+ {1/2-1/2 (15) Kock,H (2172)-Lein,M (2007) Arvier 2004} )e5 15. 0-0 Qd6 16. f4 Rb8 17. fxe5 Qxe5 18. Qf4 Qxf4 19. Rxf4 Re8 20. Bb5 Rd8 21. Rbf1 { White has compensation.} Bd7 22. Bc4 Rbc8 23. Bb3 Bb5 24. R1f2 a5 {[#] White must now prevent ...Rc1+.} 25. d6 Bc4 26. Rxf7 (26. Bxc4 $1 $11 Rxc4 27. Rxf7 Rc1+ 28. Kh2 Rxd6 29. e5 )Bxb3 ({But not} 26... Rxd6 27. Bxc4 Rxc4 28. Re7 $11 )({Better is} 26... Bxf7 $17 27. Rxf7 a4 )27. axb3 $11 {
Threatens to win with d7.The position is equal.} Rxd6 { Endgame
aiming for ...d3. KRR-KRR} (27... d3 {feels hotter.} 28. Re7 Rc1+ 29. Kh2 Rxd6 30. Rff7 d2 )28. e5 Rb6 29. Rd7 Rf8 {[#] And now ...Rxf2 would win.} 30. Ra2 Rxb3 31. Rxa5 Re3 32. Rb5 Re1+ 33. Kh2 Rf7 34. Rbxb7 Rxd7 35. Rxd7 Rxe5 36. Rxd4 {KR-KR} Re7 37. Kg1 Kg7 38. Kh2 Rf7 39. Kg1 Re7 40. Kh2 Rf7 41. Re4 {
Weighted Error Value: White=0.10/Black=0.09} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Giri,Anish"]
[Black "Wang,Hao"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "9.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2021.04.20"]
[WhiteElo "2776"]
[BlackElo "2763"]
[PlyCount "77"]

1. d4 {} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. a4 Bd7 9. Qxc4 Bc6 10. Bf4 Bd6 {E05: Open Catalan: 5 Nf3 Be7.} 11. Nc3 Bxf4 12. gxf4 a5 {
The position is equal.} 13. e3 Na6 14. Ne5 Bxg2 15. Kxg2 c6 {[#]} 16. h3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 16. Rfd1 Qe7 17. Rac1 Rfd8 18. Qb3 Nb4 19. Na2 Nbd5 20. Qc2 Ne8 21. Qd2 Nd6 22. Qe2 {1-0 (49) Akeya Price,R (1880)-Persson,A (2112) Hastings
2019} )Qb6 17. Qe2 c5 18. Rfd1 cxd4 19. Rxd4 Rad8 20. Rxd8 Qxd8 21. Rd1 Qa8 22. Kg1 Nb4 23. Qb5 Nbd5 24. Nxd5 Nxd5 25. Rc1 (25. Nc4 $14 )h6 $11 26. Qd7 Nf6 27. Qd6 g6 (27... Qe8 $1 $11 {remains equal.} )28. b3 $16 h5 29. Kh2 Kg7 30. Qd4 $36 { And now Nd7 would win. Keeping Black busy.} Rd8 31. Qb2 Qb8 32. b4 axb4 33. Rc4 (33. Qxb4 $16 {Threatens to win with Qe7!} Nd5 34. Qb1 )b3 {[#]} (33... Rd1 $11 {keeps the balance.} )34. Rb4 $1 {
} Qa7 $2 { Black cannot hold the game after this.} (34... Qd6 $16 35. Rxb3 (35. Rxb7 Qd2 $14 )Qd1 )35. Rxb3 $18 Qxa4 36. Rxb7 Qe8 37. Ra7 Rd5 $2 {[#]} (37... Qf8 38. Nxf7 Qxf7 39. Rxf7+ Kxf7 )38. Qb7 Ne4 39. Nxf7 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.18/Black=0.46} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Ding,Liren"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "9.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.20"]
[WhiteElo "2791"]
[BlackElo "2758"]
[PlyCount "175"]

1. d4 {} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. h4 Bg7 4. Nc3 c5 5. d5 d6 6. e4 {
E60: King's Indian: Unusual lines and Fianchetto Variation without Nc3.} e6 7. Be2 exd5 8. exd5 {White has an edge.} Nbd7 {[#]} 9. Nf3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 9. h5 0-0 10. Bf4 Re8 11. Bxd6 Qb6 12. Nb5 a6 13. Bc7 axb5 14. Bxb6 Nxb6 15. hxg6 hxg6 {0-1 (24) Borsuk,K (2401)-Janaszak,D (2348) chess.com INT 2020} )Ng4 10. h5 Qe7 11. Bg5 (11. 0-0 {keeps more tension.} 0-0 12. hxg6 hxg6 13. Bg5 f6 14. Bf4 )Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 f6 13. Bd2 g5 14. 0-0 $36 { Black
should prevent Nxg5. White is more active.} Nge5 15. Nd4 cxd4 16. cxd4 0-0 17. dxe5 $16 fxe5 18. Be3 b6 19. a4 {} Nc5 20. a5 Rb8 21. Ra3 h6 22. Qd2 Bf5 23. axb6 axb6 24. Rfa1 Rb7 25. Qd1 Kg7 26. R1a2 Ne4 ({
Black should play} 26... Qc7 )27. Bd3 {Black must now prevent Qc2.} Qf7 28. Rb2 Nc5 $2 (28... Bh7 {was worth a try.} 29. Rab3 Nf6 )29. Bxf5 $18 Qxf5 30. Bxc5 dxc5 31. Qe2 (31. Rf3 $142 Qd7 32. Rxf8 Kxf8 33. Qb1 )e4 32. Re3 Re8 33. Rb5 Qe5 34. g3 Qd4 35. Rb1 Rf7 (35... b5 $142 36. Qa2 (36. cxb5 Qxd5 37. Qc2 c4 $16 )(36. Rxb5 Rxb5 37. cxb5 Qxd5 $16 )Rf7 )36. Rd1 Qf6 37. d6 Re6 38. d7 Rd6 39. Rxd6 ({Don't play} 39. Rxe4 $6 Rxd1+ 40. Qxd1 Qxf2+ 41. Kh1 Qxg3 $11 )Qxd6 40. Rxe4 Rxd7 $16 { Endgame [#] KQR-KQR} 41. Kg2 $1 Qc6 42. Kh2 (42. f3 $16 )Qf6 43. Kh3 Qf5+ 44. g4 Qf6 45. Re5 (45. Qe3 {
is more complex.} Qc6 46. f3 Rf7 47. Kg2 Rf6 48. Re5 )Qd6 46. Kg2 Qc6+ 47. f3 Qd6 48. Qe4 Ra7 49. Qe2 (49. Kh3 {is interesting.} Rf7 50. Rd5 Qf6 51. Kg2 Re7 52. Qc2 )Rd7 50. Qe4 Ra7 51. Kh3 {Hoping for Re6.} Rf7 52. Re8 (52. Rd5 {looks sharper.} Qf6 53. Kg2 Qb2+ 54. Kg3 Qf6 55. Qf5 )Qf6 53. Kg2 {Strongly threatening Re6.} Qb2+ $1 54. Kh3 {} Qf6 55. Kg2 (55. Kg3 {feels hotter.} Qf4+ 56. Qxf4 Rxf4 57. Re7+ Kg8 58. Rb7 )Qb2+ $1 56. Kg3 {} Qf6 57. Qd3 Qf4+ 58. Kg2 {
} Qf6 59. Kg3 (59. Kf2 {seems wilder.} Rf8 60. Qd7+ Rf7 61. Qd5 Qb2+ 62. Re2 )Qf4+ 60. Kg2 {} (60. Kf2 $5 {} Qh2+ 61. Ke3 Qf4+ 62. Ke2 $16 )Qf6 61. Qe2 (61. Qd5 {looks
sharper.} Qb2+ 62. Kg3 Qa1 63. Kf2 Qb2+ 64. Re2 )Rd7 62. Qe4 {And now
Re6 would win.} Rd2+ $1 63. Kh3 Qd6 {} 64. Re5 (64. Qe7+ {is more complex.} Qxe7 65. Rxe7+ Kg8 66. Re6 Kh7 67. Rxb6 Rc2 68. Kg3 )Kf6 $1 {The position is equal.} 65. Rf5+ Kg7 {} 66. Re5 {
aiming for Qb7+.} Kf6 $1 67. Rf5+ Kg7 {} 68. Qb7+ Kh8 {
} 69. Qa8+ Kg7 {} 70. Qa7+ Kh8 {
} 71. Qa1+ Kg8 {} 72. Qa8+ Kg7 {
} 73. Qa1+ (73. Qb7+ {with more complications.} )Kg8 {} 74. Re5 {Qa8+ is the strong threat.} (74. Qe5 {
keeps more tension.} Qxe5 75. Rxe5 Kf7 76. Re3 Rc2 77. Rb3 )Qf8 {} 75. Qa3 Rf2 76. Kg3 Qf4+ 77. Kxf2 {Intending Qa8+ and mate.} Qxe5 $11 {
KQ-KQ} 78. Qa8+ Kf7 79. Qb7+ (79. Qe4 {feels hotter.} Qd4+ 80. Ke2 Qxe4+ 81. fxe4 Ke6 82. Kd3 )Kf8 $1 80. Qc8+ Ke7 81. Qb7+ { [#] Double
Attack} Kf8 82. Qxb6 Qh2+ 83. Kf1 Qh1+ 84. Ke2 Qg2+ 85. Ke3 Qg1+ 86. Ke2 Qg2+ 87. Ke3 Qg1+ 88. Ke2 {Black escapes into a draw.  Weighted Error Value:
White=0.15/Black=0.12} 1/2-1/2

