[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Black "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "1.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.17"]
[WhiteElo "2767"]
[BlackElo "2842"]
[PlyCount "88"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. a4 Rb8 8. c3 d6 9. d4 Bb6 10. a5 {C78: Ruy Lopez: Archangelsk and Möller Defences.} Ba7 $1 11. h3 {11.Be3 is
the modern continuation.} 0-0 12. Be3 exd4 13. cxd4 Nb4 14. Nc3 Bb7 15. Ng5 {
[#]} Qe7 $146 ({Predecessor:} 15... Qe8 16. e5 dxe5 17. dxe5 Qc6 18. Nf3 Bxe3 19. fxe3 Ne4 20. Qd4 Nxc3 21. Qxb4 Ne4 {1-0 (46) Sasikiran,K (2648)-Moroni,L 
(2532) Caleta 2020} )16. e5 dxe5 17. Nxf7 e4 ({Not} 17... Rxf7 $2 18. dxe5 c5 19. exf6 $16 )18. Nd6+ (18. Ng5+ {seems wilder.} Kh8 19. Ne6 Rfc8 20. Qe2 Nbd5 21. Nxd5 Bxd5 22. Bxd5 Nxd5 23. Qg4 )Kh8 19. Nxb7 Rxb7 20. Qe2 c6 21. Rad1 Rd7 22. f3 exf3 23. Rxf3 c5 24. dxc5 Rxd1+ 25. Nxd1 Bxc5 26. Qf2 Bd6 27. Nc3 Nd3 28. Qe2 Nc5 29. Ba2 Re8 30. Qd2 Nce4 31. Nxe4 Nxe4 32. Qd3 Ng5 33. Bxg5 Bc5+ 34. Kh1 Qxg5 35. Rf1 Qe5 36. Qd5 {[#] Threatens to win with Rf8+!} Qe2 37. Qf5 {Bb1 is the strong threat.} Qe5 38. Qxe5 {The position is equal.} Rxe5 $11 { Endgame KRB-KRB} 39. Rd1 {White wants to mate with Rd8+.} g6 40. Bd5 Re7 41. Bc6 Re2 42. Bb7 Rxb2 43. Bxa6 Ra2 44. Bxb5 Rxa5 {Accuracy: White =
91%, Black = 90%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Ding,Liren"]
[Black "Wang,Hao"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "1.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Date "2020.03.17"]
[WhiteElo "2805"]
[BlackElo "2762"]
[PlyCount "90"]

1. c4 {} e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Bc5 4. d3 0-0 5. Nc3 c6 6. Nf3 {A22: English Opening: 1...e5 2 Nc3 Nf6.} d6 7. 0-0 Re8 {7...a5 is the modern continuation.} 8. Na4 {[#] The position is equal.
} Bb4 $146 ({Predecessor:} 8... Na6 9. Nxc5 Nxc5 10. d4 exd4 11. Nxd4 Bg4 12. Re1 Qd7 13. Qc2 Bh3 14. Bh1 Qg4 {1/2-1/2 (32) Sucikova,S (1934)-O'Donnell,D
England 2013} )9. a3 Ba5 10. b4 Bc7 11. e4 a5 {Threatening ...axb4.} 12. Bb2 Na6 13. b5 cxb5 14. cxb5 Nc5 15. Nxc5 dxc5 16. a4 Bg4 17. Ra3 Nd7 18. h3 Bh5 19. Qb1 b6 20. Nd2 Nf8 21. Bf3 Qg5 22. h4 Qg6 23. Qd1 Bxf3 24. Qxf3 h5 25. Qf5 Rad8 26. Qxg6 Nxg6 27. Kg2 f6 28. Nc4 Kf7 29. Bc1 Rd7 30. f4 exf4 31. Bxf4 Nxf4+ 32. gxf4 f5 33. e5 Re6 34. Kf3 Rg6 35. Ne3 Ke6 36. Rd1 Bd8 37. Ra2 Rd4 (37... Be7 $17 )38. Nc2 $11 Rd5 ({Don't play} 38... Rd7 39. Ne3 $17 )39. Ne3 Rd7 40. Rdd2 $2 {} (40. d4 $1 $11 Rxd4 41. Rxd4 cxd4 42. Nc2 )Bxh4 $19 41. Rg2 {[#]} Rg4 $1 {} 42. Rh2 (42. Nxg4 hxg4+ )g6 43. Nxg4 (43. Rag2 $142 Rxd3 44. Rxg4 fxg4+ 45. Ke2 )fxg4+ {Black is clearly
winning.} 44. Ke3 Be7 45. Rac2 h4 {Accuracy: White = 81%, Black = 94%.} 0-1

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Giri,Anish"]
[Black "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "1.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Date "2020.03.17"]
[WhiteElo "2763"]
[BlackElo "2774"]
[PlyCount "146"]

1. Nf3 {} Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 Nc6 {} 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e6 6. g3 Qb6 7. Ndb5 Ne5 8. Bf4 {A33: Symmetrical English: 2 Nf3 Nf6 3
d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e6 5 Nc3 Nc6.} Nfg4 9. e3 a6 10. h3 {The position is equal.} axb5 11. hxg4 Nxc4 12. Rc1 {[#]} d5 $146 ({Predecessor:} 12... Qa5 13. b3 Ba3 14. bxc4 Bxc1 15. Qxc1 bxc4 16. e4 b5 17. Rh5 d5 18. exd5 g6 {1-0 (33)
Sedlacek,P (2478)-Suarez Sedeno,M (2426) ICCF email 2004} )13. b3 Bb4 14. bxc4 Ra3 $1 {} 15. Be5 f6 16. Bd4 Qa5 {Hoping for ...e5.} 17. Be2 $1 ({
Don't blunder} 17. cxd5 $2 e5 $19 )Bxc3+ 18. Rxc3 Rxc3 19. Kf1 $1 b4 20. g5 $1 e5 ({But not} 20... fxg5 $2 21. Bxg7 Qxa2 22. Bxh8 $18 )21. Bxc3 bxc3 22. gxf6 gxf6 23. Qb1 Qc7 24. Qd3 {[#]} b5 $1 {} 25. Qxc3 (25. cxb5 c2 )bxc4 {[#]} 26. e4 $1 {} dxe4 27. Rh4 Be6 28. Rxe4 {} 0-0 ({Black should try} 28... Kf7 $15 )29. Bxc4 (29. Rh4 $11 )Kg7 $36 { And now ...Rc8 would win. Black fights for an
advantage.} 30. Qb3 {White is now going downhill.} ({White should play} 30. Qb4 $1 $15 Rb8 31. Bxe6 Rxb4 32. Rxb4 )Rb8 $17 31. Bxe6 Rxb3 32. Rg4+ Kf8 {
( -> ...Rb1+)} 33. Bxb3 { Endgame Rg8+ is the strong threat. KQ-KRB} Qc1+ 34. Kg2 Qc6+ 35. Kg1 h5 36. Rg8+ (36. Rh4 $17 {was necessary.} )Ke7 $19 37. Rg7+ Kd6 38. Rh7 $2 (38. Rg6 {was called for.} Qf3 39. Rg8 )Qf3 39. Rh8 (39. Ba4 $142 Qe4 40. Rd7+ Ke6 41. Ra7 )e4 40. Rd8+ Ke7 41. Bd1 Qc3 42. Rd5 {[#]} h4 $1 {} 43. gxh4 {[#]} f5 $1 {} 44. Rxf5 Qe1+ { Double Attack} 45. Kg2 Qxd1 {KQ-KR} 46. Rg5 Qa1 47. Rg4 Qb1 48. Rg3 Qxa2 49. Rh3 Qd5 50. Kf1 Qd1+ 51. Kg2 Qg4+ 52. Rg3 Qh5 53. Ra3 Qd5 54. Kg1 Kf6 55. Rg3 Qd1+ 56. Kg2 Kf5 57. Rg5+ Kf4 58. Rg3 Qd5 59. Kf1 {[#]} Qd2 $1 {
} 60. Kg2 Qd1 $2 (60... Ke5 {Threatens to win with ...Kf5.} 61. Rg5+ Kf6 )61. Re3 $2 (61. Rh3 Qg4+ 62. Kh2 )Kf5 62. Rg3 Kf6 63. Rh3 Kg6 64. Rg3+ Kh5 65. Rh3 Qb1 66. Re3 Kxh4 67. Rg3 Kh5 68. Rh3+ Kg4 69. Rg3+ Kf4 70. Re3 Qd1 71. Ra3 Ke5 72. Rg3 Kd4 73. Re3 {[#]} Qd3 $1 { Promotion.
Accuracy: White = 71%, Black = 92%.} 0-1

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Black "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "1.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.17"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2698"]
[PlyCount "82"]

1. c4 {} e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Bc5 4. d3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Nc3 {A20: English Opening: 1...e5.} Nxc3 7. bxc3 0-0 8. Qc2 Nc6 9. Nf3 h6 10. 0-0 {[#]} Rb8 $146 ({Predecessor:} 10... Re8 11. Rd1 Bf5 12. Qb3 Bb6 13. Bb2 Rb8 14. Nd2 a6 15. Ne4 Qc8 16. Rac1 Be6 17. c4 Nd4 18. Bxd4 exd4 {1-0 (35) Mrakovcic,K (1685)-Detelic,M Bjelolasica 2008} )11. Bb2 b6 12. Rad1 Qe8 13. e4 Bd6 14. Nh4 Bg4 15. f3 Bd7 {Threatening ...Ne7.} 16. f4 exf4 17. gxf4 Na5 (17... f6 $11 {remains equal.} )18. Rde1 ({White should
play} 18. Qf2 $16 )Qd8 $1 $11 {} 19. Qf2 Nc4 {[#]} (19... Bc5 $11 20. d4 Be7 )20. Bc1 $1 $16 ({Not} 20. dxc4 $2 Bc5 $19 )Bc5 21. d4 Be7 {[#]} 22. Nf3 $1 f5 23. Qe2 Nd6 24. e5 Ne4 25. Nd2 Nxd2 26. Bxd2 Be6 27. Qd3 Qd7 28. Be3 c6 29. a4 a6 (29... Rfd8 $14 )30. Qxa6 Ra8 31. Qxb6 Bd5 32. Qb2 {
aiming for Ra1.} Rxa4 33. Ra1 Rfa8 34. Rxa4 Rxa4 35. Ra1 Rxa1+ {The position
is equal.} 36. Qxa1 Bxg2 $1 37. Kxg2 {Black should prevent c4.} Qd5+ 38. Kf2 Bh4+ 39. Ke2 Qg2+ 40. Kd3 Qe4+ 41. Kd2 Qg2+ {Accuracy: White = 87%, Black =
85%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Black "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "2.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2020.03.18"]
[WhiteElo "2842"]
[BlackElo "2698"]
[PlyCount "67"]

1. d4 {} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Be7 6. e4 dxe4 {E20: Nimzo-Indian: 4 g3 and 4 f3.} 7. fxe4 c5 {
now scores much better than the old 7...e5. Played by Viswanathan Anand in
January 2020.} 8. d5 exd5 {The position is equal.} 9. exd5 0-0 10. Be2 Re8 11. Nf3 Bg4 12. 0-0 Nbd7 {[#]} 13. d6 $146 ({Predecessor:} 13. Bg5 h6 14. Bh4 Bd6 15. Qc2 Qb8 16. Kh1 Bh5 17. Nb5 Bf4 18. d6 Bxd6 19. Nxd6 Qxd6 {0-1 (55)
Lombaers,P (2383)-Schoppen,C (2489) Leiden 2020} )Bf8 14. h3 Bh5 15. Nb5 Re6 16. Bf4 a6 (16... Re4 $14 17. Bh2 a6 )17. Nc7 $16 { [#] Double
Attack} Re4 18. Bh2 Rc8 19. g4 Bxg4 20. hxg4 Nxg4 21. Bd3 Nxh2 22. Bxe4 Nxf1 23. Qxf1 Bxd6 (23... Nf6 $14 24. Re1 (24. Bxb7 Rb8 $17 )Qxd6 )24. Nd5 g6 25. Qh3 {Strongly threatening Qxd7!} Kg7 26. Kh1 $40 { Threatens to
win with Bf5! Black is in trouble.} Ne5 27. Nh4 {aiming for Nf5+!} h5 $2 {
Loses the game.} (27... Rc6 $16 )28. Rg1 $18 Bf8 $2 (28... Rc6 29. Nf4 Ng4 30. Nxh5+ { Deflection} gxh5 31. Nf5+ { Discovered Attack} Kf8 32. Rxg4 Be5 33. Bxc6 (33. Qxh5 $2 Qd1+ 34. Kg2 Qe2+ { Double Attack} 35. Kg1 Rg6 $19 )hxg4 34. Qh6+ Kg8 )29. Nf4 { Black must now
prevent Nhxg6!White is clearly winning.} Ng4 {[#]} 30. Nxh5+ $1 {} gxh5 31. Bf5 Be7 32. Bxg4 hxg4 33. Qxg4+ Bg5 34. Qh5 {Accuracy: White = 93%,
Black = 58%.} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Black "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "2.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.18"]
[WhiteElo "2774"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[PlyCount "80"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nc3 Ke8 10. h3 h5 {C67: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defence: 4 0-0 Nxe4.} 11. Bf4 Be7 12. Rad1 Be6 13. Ng5 Rh6 14. Rfe1 Bb4 15. a3 Bxc3 16. bxc3 h4 {[#]} 17. Kh2 $146 ({Predecessor:} 17. Ne4 Rg6 18. g4 hxg3 19. fxg3 Kf8 20. Kh2 Ne7 21. g4 Re8 22. Rd3 Kg8 23. Ng3 {1/2-1/2 (49) Vachier Lagrave,M (2778)-Karjakin,S 
(2750) Saint Louis 2019} )Kf8 18. Rb1 b6 19. Rb4 Re8 20. Ra4 a5 21. Bd2 c5 22. Rf4 Rh5 23. Rf3 Kg8 24. Bc1 (24. g4 $11 hxg3+ 25. fxg3 )Ne7 $15 25. g4 hxg3+ $1 26. fxg3 Nc6 27. Bf4 Bc8 {And now ...f6 would win.} 28. Rfe3 {
[#]} Nd8 (28... Ne7 $1 $17 )29. Kg2 Ne6 30. Nxe6 Bxe6 31. g4 Rh8 32. Bg5 Kh7 33. Kg3 Rb8 34. Rd3 Rhe8 35. Red1 $1 b5 36. Rd8 {The position is equal.} b4 37. Rxe8 Rxe8 38. cxb4 cxb4 39. axb4 axb4 40. Rd8 Rxd8 {Accuracy: White = 92%,
Black = 85%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Wang,Hao"]
[Black "Giri,Anish"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "2.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.18"]
[WhiteElo "2762"]
[BlackElo "2763"]
[PlyCount "121"]

1. c4 {} c5 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. h4 {A37: Symmetrical English vs ...g6: 4 Bg2
Bg7 5 Nf3.} h6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nb5 {The position is equal.} d5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. 0-0 Nf6 11. Bf4 {[#] Nc7+ is the strong threat.} 0-0 {[#]} 12. Qc1 $146 ({
Predecessor:} 12. Nfxd4 a6 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. Nd4 Qb6 15. Nb3 Ng4 16. Bd6 Re8 17. Bc5 Qb5 18. Rc1 Qxe2 19. Qxe2 Rxe2 {1/2-1/2 (37) Sandipan,C (2575)
-Leenhouts,K (2486) Dieren 2017} )a6 13. Nbxd4 Nxd4 14. Nxd4 Kh7 15. Rd1 Re8 16. Qc7 Qxc7 17. Bxc7 Bg4 18. f3 Rac8 19. Ba5 Bd7 20. Kf2 h5 21. Bf1 Ng8 22. Bc3 Bh6 23. Rd3 Ne7 24. Rad1 Bg7 25. e3 Kg8 26. R3d2 Ba4 27. Re1 Bd7 28. Ne2 Rc7 29. Bxg7 Kxg7 30. Nc3 Be6 31. Red1 b5 32. a3 Rb8 33. Ne2 a5 34. Nd4 Bd7 35. b4 axb4 36. axb4 Ra8 37. Rb2 ({Reject} 37. Nxb5 Bxb5 38. Bxb5 Rb8 $11 )Ra4 38. Rdb1 Rb7 39. Rc1 Rba7 40. Nxb5 Bxb5 41. Bxb5 Ra3 42. Be2 Rb7 43. b5 Rb6 44. Rd1 Kf6 45. Rdd2 Rb7 46. Bd3 Nc8 47. e4 dxe4 48. Bxe4 Rb6 49. Rd7 Rc3 50. Rb7 Rxb7 51. Bxb7 $18 { Endgame Strongly threatening b6.
KRB-KRN} Nb6 52. Be4 Ke5 53. Rd2 Rb3 {[#]} 54. Bc6 (54. Bd3 $142 $1 )Nc4 $16 55. f4+ Kf6 56. Rd8 Rb2+ 57. Kf3 Nd2+ 58. Ke3 Nf1+ 59. Kf3 {Hoping for Rd3.
} Nd2+ 60. Ke2 Ne4+ 61. Kf3 {Black escapes into a draw. Accuracy: White = 87%,
Black = 91%.} ({Better is} 61. Ke3 $16 Nxg3 62. Rd1 )1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Black "Ding,Liren"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "2.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2020.03.18"]
[WhiteElo "2767"]
[BlackElo "2805"]
[PlyCount "73"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. h3 Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. a3 Qd7 {The modern move.} 11. Nc3 Rfe8 {C88: Closed Ruy Lopez: Anti-Marshall
Systems.} 12. Bd2 Nd8 13. Nd5 Nxd5 {The position is equal.} 14. exd5 c5 15. a4 {[#]} f5 $146 (15... f6 $11 )({Predecessor:} 15... f6 16. axb5 axb5 17. Rxa8 Bxa8 18. c4 Rf8 19. cxb5 Qxb5 20. Bc4 Qb7 21. b4 cxb4 22. Qb3 Nf7 23. Ra1 f5 24. Ra4 Qd7 25. Rxb4 Bf6 26. Bc3 h6 {1/2-1/2 (26) Zeihen,P (2315)-Schulz,R 
(2263) ICCF email 2019} )16. axb5 $16 axb5 17. Rxa8 Bxa8 18. c4 Nf7 {[#]} 19. cxb5 $1 g5 20. Nh2 Kg7 21. Bc4 Kg6 22. g4 Nh6 23. Qf3 Bd8 24. Qg2 f4 (24... Kg7 $16 {is a better defense.} )25. b4 Bb6 (25... Nf7 $142 26. bxc5 dxc5 )26. Qe4+ Kg7 27. bxc5 dxc5 $2 (27... Bxc5 {might work better.} 28. d4 Bxd4 )28. Nf3 $18 Nf7 29. Bc3 {} Bc7 30. b6 Bb8 31. Qf5 Qxf5 32. gxf5 Kf6 33. Nd2 Rd8 34. d6 Rxd6 35. Rb1 {Threatens to win with b7.} Nd8 $2 {[#]} (35... Bc6 36. Ne4+ Bxe4 37. dxe4 Rd7 )36. b7 $1 {} Bxb7 37. Ba5 {Black did not
feel at home in the position after the opening. Accuracy: White = 100%, Black
= 56%.} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Ding,Liren"]
[Black "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "3.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2020.03.19"]
[WhiteElo "2805"]
[BlackElo "2842"]
[PlyCount "117"]

1. d4 {} d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 e6 7. f3 Bb4 8. Nxc4 0-0 9. Kf2 $1 { [#] now scores much better than
the old 9.Bg5. D17: Slav Defence: 5 a4 Bf5: Lines with 6 Nh4 and 6 Ne5.} e5 $146 ({Predecessor:} 9... Nd5 10. Na2 b5 11. Nxb4 bxc4 12. Na2 c5 13. e4 cxd4 14. Bxc4 Nb6 15. Be2 Bg6 16. a5 Nc8 {1-0 (60) Anton Guijarro,D (2674)
-Hovhannisyan,R (2639) Douglas 2019} )10. Nxe5 Bc2 $1 {} 11. Qd2 {
White is slightly better.} c5 12. d5 ({Much weaker is} 12. Qxc2 Qxd4+ 13. Be3 Qxe5 $15 )(12. e3 $5 {} cxd4 13. Qxc2 (13. exd4 Bb3 $11 )dxc3 14. bxc3 $14 )Bb3 {} 13. e4 Re8 $1 {} 14. Qf4 c4 $1 15. Nxc4 Nbd7 16. Be3 Nf8 (16... Bxc4 $1 $11 17. Bxc4 Nb6 18. Bxb6 Qxb6+ 19. Kf1 Rec8 )17. Bd4 $14 {Hoping for Qf5.} Ng6 (17... Rc8 $1 $11 18. Ne3 Ng6 )18. Qf5 (18. Qc1 $1 $16 )Bxc4 19. Bxc4 Qc7 $1 {} 20. Be2 Bc5 $1 $132 { Black is fighting back} 21. Bxc5 $1 Qxc5+ (21... Re5 $5 {} 22. Qh3 Qxc5+ 23. Kf1 Qb4 $16 )22. Kf1 {Threatens to win
with Qg5.} h6 {White now steadily converts the win.} (22... Re5 $14 23. Qh3 Qb4 )23. Rd1 Qb6 24. Rd2 $1 Qe3 {[#]} 25. Rc2 $1 a6 26. Qh3 b5 27. Qg3 {Qf2 is
the strong threat.} ({Worse is} 27. axb5 axb5 28. g3 Nxe4 $15 )b4 (27... Rec8 $16 {keeps fighting.} )28. Nd1 $18 Qb3 {[#]} 29. Rd2 $1 Qxa4 30. Qf2 Qd7 31. g3 Qh3+ 32. Kg1 a5 33. Qd4 Nh5 34. Nf2 Qd7 35. f4 Nhxf4 36. gxf4 Nxf4 37. Kf1 Qd6 {[#]} 38. Rg1 $1 {} f6 39. Bb5 Re7 40. b3 Rf8 41. Rc2 {} Ne6 42. Qe3 {White is clearly winning.} Ng5 43. h4 Nf7 44. Rc6 Qb8 45. Qc5 Qd8 46. Rxf6 Kh8 47. Rf5 Rc7 48. Bc6 a4 49. bxa4 b3 50. Rg3 b2 51. Rb3 Nd6 52. Rxf8+ Qxf8 53. Rxb2 Qf4 54. Rb8+ Kh7 55. Qc2 {Black must now prevent e5+.} Re7 56. e5+ Nf5 57. Qe4 Qc1+ 58. Kg2 g6 59. Rb3 {
Accuracy: White = 79%, Black = 55%.} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Giri,Anish"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "3.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.19"]
[WhiteElo "2763"]
[BlackElo "2767"]
[PlyCount "59"]

1. d4 {} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bd2 Bg7 6. e4 Nxc3 7. Bxc3 c5 8. d5 Bxc3+ {
D85: Exchange Grünfeld: Unusual White 7th moves and lines with 7 Nf3.} 9. bxc3 0-0 10. Qd2 Qd6 {White has an edge.} 11. f4 e6 12. Bc4 b5 13. Bxb5 exd5 14. Bc4 Bb7 15. Nf3 {[#]} ({Reject} 15. exd5 Nd7 $17 )Nd7 $146 ({Predecessor:} 15... Rd8 16. Bxd5 Bxd5 17. Qxd5 Qxd5 18. exd5 Rxd5 19. Rd1 Rxd1+ 20. Kxd1 Nd7 21. Re1 Kf8 {1/2-1/2 (29) Tomashevsky,E (2702)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2768) Satka
2018} )16. 0-0 {} ({And not} 16. exd5 Rfe8+ 17. Kf2 Nf6 $17 )Nb6 17. Be2 d4 18. e5 Qd7 19. cxd4 Rad8 20. Rad1 Bxf3 21. Rxf3 {[#] Hoping for
d5!} Qxd4+ 22. Qxd4 Rxd4 23. Rxd4 cxd4 $11 { Endgame KRB-KRN} 24. Rd3 Rd8 25. Bd1 Nc4 26. Kf2 Nb2 {The position is equal.} 27. Rd2 Nc4 28. Rd3 Nb2 29. Rd2 Nc4 30. Rd3 {Accuracy: White = 89%, Black = 100%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Black "Wang,Hao"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "3.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.19"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2762"]
[PlyCount "98"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d3 Nf6 6. d4 d5 7. Bd3 Bd6 8. Qe2+ Be6 {C01: French: Exchange Variation.} 9. Ng5 Qe7 10. Nxe6 fxe6 11. c3 c5 {[#]} 12. Nd2 $146 ({Predecessor:} 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. Nd2 e5 14. Nb3 Bb6 15. Be3 Bxe3 16. Qxe3 0-0 17. 0-0 Nc6 18. Rad1 Rae8 19. Qc5 Qe6 20. f3 {1/2-1/2 (43)
Szczepanski,Z (2337)-Andeer,S (2383) ICCF email 2004} )Nc6 13. Nf3 0-0 14. 0-0 cxd4 15. cxd4 e5 16. dxe5 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 Qxe5 18. Qxe5 Bxe5 19. f3 Bd4+ 20. Kh1 Rac8 21. Rd1 Rfe8 22. g3 Kf7 23. Kg2 g6 24. Bd2 Be3 25. h4 Re6 26. Bxe3 Rxe3 27. Kf2 Re6 28. Rd2 Ke7 29. Rad1 Rec6 30. g4 a6 {[#]} 31. h5 $1 {} Kf7 (31... gxh5 32. g5 )32. a3 Re8 33. hxg6+ hxg6 34. g5 Ne4+ $1 35. Bxe4 dxe4 $11 { Endgame KRR-KRR. The position is equal.} 36. Re1 exf3 37. Rd7+ { [#] Double Attack} Kf8 {Threatening ...Rc2+.} 38. Rh1 {} Kg8 39. Rxb7 Rc2+ 40. Kxf3 {Threatens to win with Rb6.} Rc5 41. Rh4 Rxg5 42. b4 (42. a4 {seems wilder.} a5 43. Rc4 Rge5 44. b3 Kf8 45. Rg4 )Rge5 43. Rd4 Re3+ 44. Kf4 Rxa3 45. Rd6 Ra1 46. Rxg6+ Kh8 47. Rh6+ Kg8 48. Rg6+ Kh8 49. Rh6+ Kg8 {Accuracy: White = 91%, Black = 94%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Black "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "3.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.19"]
[WhiteElo "2698"]
[BlackElo "2774"]
[PlyCount "79"]

1. e4 {} e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. h4 Qc7 8. Nf3 b6 9. Bb5+ {C19:
French: 3 Nc3 Bb4: Main line: 7 Nf3 and 7 a4.} Bd7 10. Be2 Ba4 {[#]} 11. 0-0 $146 ({Predecessor:} 11. Bd3 cxd4 12. cxd4 Qc3+ 13. Bd2 Qxd3 14. cxd3 Bxd1 15. Rxd1 Nbc6 16. h5 h6 17. g4 {0-1 (24) Borgmeyer,M (2044)-Doering,A (1895)
Chemnitz 2009} )Nd7 12. Be3 h6 13. Ra2 {
} Nf5 14. Bf4 Qc6 15. Rb2 a6 16. dxc5 Qxc5 17. Rb4 b5 18. Bd3 {White wants to
play Bxf5.} Ne7 19. Bd2 Nc6 { Double Attack} 20. Qe2 Nxb4 21. axb4 Qc7 22. Re1 Nb8 23. Nd4 Nc6 {Threatens to win with ...Nxd4.} 24. Qg4 Nxd4 $1 25. cxd4 g6 ({Avoid the trap} 25... Bxc2 $2 26. Qxg7 0-0-0 27. Rc1 $18 )(25... g5 $11 )26. h5 ({White should try} 26. Bxg6 $1 $14 fxg6 27. Qxe6+ Qe7 28. Qxg6+ {
 Double Attack} Kd7 29. Qb6 )gxh5 $15 27. Qxh5 0-0-0 28. f4 Kb8 29. c3 Bb3 30. f5 Bc4 31. Bc2 Rdg8 32. Kf2 a5 33. bxa5 Qxa5 34. Qxf7 {The
position is equal.} Qa2 35. Qxe6 {Strongly threatening Rc1.} Qxc2 36. Qb6+ {[#]
} Kc8 $1 37. Qc6+ {[#]} Kb8 $1 38. Qb6+ {[#]} Kc8 $1 39. Qc6+ {[#]} Kb8 $1 40. Qb6+ {Accuracy: White = 89%, Black = 86%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Black "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "4.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.21"]
[WhiteElo "2842"]
[BlackElo "2774"]
[PlyCount "110"]

1. d4 {} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 0-0 9. 0-0 Nc6 10. Be3 b6 {Nowadays more popular than 10...Qc7.} 11. Qd2 {D87: Exchange Grünfeld:
Classical Line: Variations without ...cxd4.} Bb7 12. Rfd1 cxd4 13. cxd4 Rc8 14. Rac1 Na5 15. Bd3 Qd7 16. h4 Rxc1 17. Rxc1 Rc8 18. h5 Rxc1+ 19. Qxc1 {[#]} Qc8 $146 ({Predecessor:} 19... e6 20. h6 Bf8 21. Bg5 Qa4 22. Qb1 Nc6 23. Bc2 Qc4 24. Bd3 Qa4 25. Bb5 Qa5 26. Be3 {1/2-1/2 (26) Hort,V (2595)-Chiburdanidze,M 
(2555) Biel 1988} )20. h6 Bf8 21. d5 e6 22. Nc3 Nc4 23. Bxc4 Qxc4 24. Qd2 exd5 25. Nxd5 Bxd5 26. exd5 {[#] d6 is the strong threat.} Qb4 27. Qd3 Qa3 ({
Black should play} 27... Bd6 $11 28. g3 Kf8 )28. Qc2 (28. Qd1 $14 )Qa5 29. Qd1 {And now d6 would win.} Bd6 $1 30. g3 Kf8 $1 31. Qf3 {[#] Threatening
mate with Qf6!} Qe1+ {The position is equal.} 32. Kg2 {White threatens Qf6!
and mate.} f5 33. g4 Qb1 34. Bd4 Kf7 35. Qe3 {Intending Qe6+ and mate.} Qe4+ 36. Qxe4 fxe4 $11 { Endgame KB-KB} 37. f3 exf3+ 38. Kxf3 Ke7 39. Ke4 Kd7 40. a4 Bc7 41. Be3 a6 42. Bd2 b5 43. axb5 axb5 44. Kd4 Bb6+ 45. Kd3 Bc5 46. Bc3 Ba3 (46... Kd6 $5 47. Ke4 $8 Ke7 $11 )47. Bg7 Bc5 48. Bc3 Bf8 (48... Kd6 $5 49. Ke4 $8 Ke7 $11 )49. Bg7 Be7 50. Kd4 Bd6 51. Bf6 Kc7 52. Bg5 Kb6 53. Bd8+ Ka6 54. Kd3 $1 Bf8 55. Kd4 Bd6 {Accuracy: White = 92%, Black = 98%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Wang,Hao"]
[Black "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "4.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.21"]
[WhiteElo "2762"]
[BlackElo "2698"]
[PlyCount "81"]

1. Nf3 {} d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 Nf6 5. 0-0 0-0 6. c4 c6 7. Nbd2 a5 8. b3 Bf5 9. Bb2 a4 10. bxa4 Qa5 11. Qb3 Nbd7 12. cxd5 cxd5 13. Rfc1 Ra6 14. e3 Qxa4 15. Bf1 Qxb3 16. axb3 Rxa1 17. Rxa1 Nb6 18. Ra7 Rb8 19. Ne5 Nfd7 20. Bb5 f6 21. Nxd7 Bxd7 22. Ra5 {White wants to play Bxd7.} Bf5 23. Ba3 Bf8 24. Bc5 Nd7 25. Ra7 Nxc5 26. dxc5 e5 27. b4 b6 28. c6 {e4! is the
strong threat.} Bxb4 29. e4 dxe4 {[#]} ({Don't go for} 29... Bxd2 $2 30. exf5 Kh8 31. c7 $18 )30. Nxe4 $1 {} Bxe4 31. c7 Rf8 {Hoping for ...Bf5.} 32. Bc4+ Kh8 {White must now prevent ...Bf5.} 33. Be6 Bf5 34. c8=Q $1 {} Rxc8 35. Bxc8 Bxc8 36. Ra8 Kg7 {[#] Strongly threatening ...Be6.} 37. Rxc8 Bc5 38. Rc7+ { White has compensation.} Kh6 39. h4 f5 40. Kg2 e4 41. Kf1 {Accuracy: White = 100%, Black = 100%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Black "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "4.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.21"]
[WhiteElo "2767"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[PlyCount "106"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. h3 Ke8 10. Nc3 h5 11. Bf4 Be7 12. Rad1 Be6 13. Ng5 Rh6 14. Rfe1 Bb4 15. a3 Bxc3 16. bxc3 h4 17. g4 hxg3 $1 18. fxg3 Ne7 19. h4 Nd5 20. Bc1 Nxc3 21. Rd3 Na4 22. Rf3 Bd5 23. Rf4 Nb6 $1 24. Ref1 {} Rg6 25. Rf5 Bc4 26. Re1 Ke7 27. h5 (27. a4 $11 )Rh6 ({Black should try} 27... Be6 $1 $15 28. hxg6 Bxf5 29. gxf7 Be6 )28. g4 $11 Rhh8 {[#]} 29. a4 $1 {} Nxa4 30. Ba3+ c5 31. e6 f6 32. Bxc5+ Nxc5 33. Rxc5 { [#] Strongly threatening Nf7.
Double Attack} fxg5 34. Rxc7+ { Double Attack} Kd6 35. Rxc4 { Endgame KRR-KRR} a5 36. Rd1+ ({Better is} 36. Rd4+ $16 Kc5 37. Rd7 )Ke7 {The position is equal.} 37. Re4 {Threatens to win with Rd7+.} Rhd8 $132 {
 Black has counterplay} 38. Rb1 Rdb8 39. Rb5 a4 40. Rxg5 Rg8 41. h6 gxh6 (41... a3 $5 42. h7 $8 Rge8 $11 )42. Rxg8 Rxg8 43. Rxa4 {KR-KR} h5 44. Kf2 Rxg4 45. Rxg4 hxg4 46. Kg3 Kxe6 {( -> ...Kf5)} 47. Kxg4 {KP-KP} Ke5 48. Kf3 Kd4 49. Ke2 $1 Kc3 50. Kd1 $1 b5 (50... b6 $5 )51. Kc1 b4 52. Kb1 b3 53. cxb3 Kxb3 {Accuracy: White = 94%, Black = 94%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Ding,Liren"]
[Black "Giri,Anish"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "4.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.21"]
[WhiteElo "2805"]
[BlackElo "2763"]
[PlyCount "84"]

1. d4 {} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 a5 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 0-0 7. Qc2 $1 { outshines the older 7.
0-0. Played by Ian Nepomniachtchi in December 2019.} c5 {E11: Bogo-Indian.} 8. cxd5 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Qb6 {White is slightly better.} 10. e3 exd5 11. 0-0 Nc6 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Rc1 {[#]} Rb8 $146 ({Predecessor:} 13... Be6 14. Nc3 c5 15. Na4 Qa7 16. Bc3 Bxc3 17. Qxc3 Rac8 18. Qa3 c4 19. Rd1 h5 {1/2-1/2 (86) Esipenko,A 
(2590)-Riazantsev,A (2594) Tallinn 2019} )14. Bxb4 Qxb4 15. b3 h5 16. Nc3 {
} h4 17. Ne2 Bd7 18. Nf4 hxg3 19. hxg3 Rfc8 20. Bf3 (20. Nd3 $5 {} Qd6 21. Qc5 $11 )a4 21. bxa4 Ra8 22. Nd3 Qxa4 23. Qxa4 Rxa4 24. Nc5 Ra5 25. a4 Rca8 26. Bd1 Be8 27. Kf1 Kf8 {The position is equal.} 28. Rab1 Ne4 29. Nxe4 dxe4 30. Rb7 c5 31. Bb3 R5a7 32. Rxa7 Rxa7 $11 { Endgame KRB-KRB} 33. Ke1 Ke7 34. Ra1 c4 35. Bc2 Kd6 36. Kd2 Kc5 37. Kc3 Ra6 $1 38. g4 g5 39. a5 Bc6 40. Ra2 Ra7 41. Ra1 Ra6 42. Ra2 Kd5 $2 { Accuracy: White = 94%, Black = 93%. . An unexpected
result.} (42... Ra7 $11 {and Black has nothing to worry.} )1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Giri,Anish"]
[Black "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "5.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.22"]
[WhiteElo "2763"]
[BlackElo "2842"]
[PlyCount "83"]

1. d4 {} d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Be4 7. f3 Bg6 {D12: Slav
Defence: 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 e3 Bf5.} 8. Bd2 Be7 $1 { is currently scoring
better than 8...Nbd7. Played by Xiangzhi Bu in October 2019. 8...Nbd7 is not
played anymore.} 9. Nxg6 hxg6 10. Qc2 Nbd7 11. 0-0-0 {[#]} Nb6 $146 ({
Predecessor:} 11... Qc7 12. h4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 b5 14. Bd3 a6 15. Ne4 Nxe4 16. Bxe4 Rc8 17. Kb1 Nf6 {1/2-1/2 (67) Lupulescu,C (2643)-Bu,X (2721) Douglas 2019} )12. c5 Nbd7 13. Kb1 Qb8 14. h4 g5 15. Be1 g4 16. e4 gxf3 17. gxf3 b6 18. exd5 exd5 19. cxb6 axb6 20. Ne2 Qa7 21. b3 Nh5 22. Ng3 g6 23. Nxh5 Rxh5 24. f4 Kf8 25. Be2 Rh8 26. Bd3 c5 27. Bc3 {dxc5 is the strong threat.} cxd4 (27... c4 $16 28. bxc4 Nf6 )28. Bxd4 $18 Bf6 29. Bxf6 (29. Bb5 $18 )Nxf6 $16 {} 30. f5 gxf5 31. Bxf5 b5 (31... Qe7 $16 {might
work better.} )32. Rh2 (32. Qb2 $18 )Rh5 33. Re2 ({Better is} 33. Rf1 $16 )d4 34. Re5 (34. Be4 $16 Re8 35. Bd3 )Ng4 $1 $11 {
The position is equal.} 35. Rc5 Ne3 36. Rc8+ Rxc8 37. Qxc8+ Ke7 $132 { Black puts up resistance} 38. Rc1 Nd5 $1 { [#] White must
now prevent ...Nc3+.} 39. Re1+ Ne3 40. Rc1 Nd5 $1 { Strongly
threatening ...Nc3+.} 41. Re1+ Ne3 42. Rc1 {Black defended with fortune.
Accuracy: White = 70%, Black = 70%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Black "Ding,Liren"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "5.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.22"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2805"]
[PlyCount "107"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. h3 Bb7 $1 {The main line 8...Bb7 scores better than 8...d6.} 9. d3 d5 {C88: Closed Ruy Lopez: Anti-Marshall Systems.} 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nbd2 Qd7 12. a4 f6 13. Ne4 {Hoping for c4.} Na5 14. Ba2 c5 15. Be3 Rfc8 16. axb5 axb5 17. Nxc5 { [#] Remove Defender, Decoy} Rxc5 18. b4 $1 { Double Attack} Rcc8 19. bxa5 Kh8 {Threatens to win with ...Nc3.
} 20. Bd2 Nb4 21. Bb3 Bd5 22. Bxd5 Qxd5 {[#]} 23. Rc1 $146 ({Predecessor:} 23. c4 bxc4 24. dxc4 Qxc4 25. Ra4 Rcb8 26. Qa1 Qd3 27. Rd1 Rd8 28. Rb1 Na6 29. Be3 {1/2-1/2 (48) Boada Marti,M (2196)-Padilla Lopez,D (2155) ICCF email 2018} )Nc6 24. c4 bxc4 $1 25. Rxc4 {aiming for Qa4.} Nxa5 (25... Rcb8 {seems
wilder.} 26. Qc2 Nb4 27. Bxb4 Bxb4 28. Rc1 Bxa5 29. d4 e4 )26. Rxc8+ Rxc8 27. d4 {} Nc6 28. dxe5 Nxe5 29. Nxe5 fxe5 30. Qg4 Rd8 31. Be3 Bf6 32. Rc1 Qd7 33. Qh5 Qe8 34. Qf3 Rc8 35. Rd1 Rd8 36. Rc1 Rc8 37. Rb1 Rb8 38. Re1 Qg6 39. Ba7 Rc8 40. Qb7 Qc2 41. Be3 {Black must now prevent Rc1!} Qc6 42. Qb4 h5 43. Bc1 Qc2 44. Be3 Rd8 45. Qb1 Qxb1 {The position is equal.} 46. Rxb1 $11 {
 Endgame KRB-KRB} Kh7 47. g4 hxg4 48. hxg4 Rd6 49. Kg2 Kg6 50. Kf3 Bg5 51. Ke4 Bxe3 52. fxe3 Re6 53. Rb7 (53. Kd5 $5 {} Re7 54. Rh1 $11 )Re8 54. Ra7 {Accuracy: White = 92%, Black = 93%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "5.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.22"]
[WhiteElo "2698"]
[BlackElo "2767"]
[PlyCount "65"]

1. e4 {} c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 e6 7. Be3 b5 8. Qd2 Nbd7 9. a3 {B80: Sicilian
Scheveningen: 6 g3 and 6 Be3, including English Attack.} h5 10. 0-0-0 {was the
old line (10.Be2).} Bb7 11. Kb1 Be7 12. Rg1 Rc8 13. Be2 Nb6 14. Qe1 Nfd7 15. g4 hxg4 16. Rxg4 {[#]} g6 $146 ({Predecessor:} 16... Bf8 17. Rg2 Ne5 18. f4 Nec4 19. Bc1 Qc7 20. Bxc4 Nxc4 21. Rd3 g6 {0-1 (82) Carlsen,M (2872)-Vachier
Lagrave,M (2780) London 2019} )17. Rxg6 Rxc3 $1 {The position is equal.} 18. Nxe6 ({Much worse is} 18. bxc3 fxg6 19. Nxe6 Qc8 $17 )Qc8 19. Ng7+ Kf8 20. Rh6 $1 {} Rxh6 21. Bxh6 Rxc2 22. Nf5+ Ke8 23. Nxe7 Kxe7 24. Qh4+ $1 f6 25. Bf4 {[#]} Rxb2+ $1 {} 26. Kxb2 Na4+ 27. Kb1 Nc3+ {
 Double Attack} 28. Ka1 Nxd1 29. Qh7+ Kd8 30. Qg8+ Ke7 31. Qh7+ Kd8 32. Qg8+ ({Of course not} 32. Bxd1 Qc3+ 33. Kb1 Qd3+ 34. Bc2 Qxa3 $15 )Ke7 {[#] ( -> ...Qc3+)} 33. Qh7+ {Not much happened in this game. Accuracy:
White = 100%, Black = 95%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Black "Wang,Hao"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "5.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2020.03.22"]
[WhiteElo "2774"]
[BlackElo "2762"]
[PlyCount "85"]

1. e4 {
} e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bf5 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Re1 0-0 9. Nbd2 $1 { is recently more successful than 9.c4.
C42: Petroff Defence: 3 Nxe5 and unusual White 3rd moves.} Nd6 $1 10. Nf1 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 {The position is equal.} c6 12. Bf4 Na6 {[#]} 13. h4 $1 $146 {
A top novelty.} ({Predecessor:} 13. Ne3 Nc7 14. Re2 Ne6 15. Bxd6 Bxd6 16. g3 Qd7 17. Rae1 Rae8 18. b3 {1/2-1/2 (31) Anand,V (2767)-Yu,Y (2738) Stavanger
2019} )Nc7 14. Ng5 Bxg5 (14... g6 {with more complications.} 15. Ng3 Re8 16. b3 Bxg5 17. Bxg5 Qd7 )15. Bxg5 f6 16. Bf4 Qd7 17. Ng3 {Bxd6 is the strong
threat.} Rae8 18. Bxd6 Qxd6 19. Nf5 Qd7 20. Qh3 Kh8 21. h5 Rxe1+ 22. Rxe1 Re8 23. Rxe8+ Nxe8 24. g4 a6 25. b3 (25. Kf1 {is interesting.} Qe6 26. Qh2 Qd7 27. c3 Kg8 28. Qb8 )Qe6 26. Ne3 (26. Kg2 {looks sharper.} Kg8 27. Qe3 Qxe3 28. Nxe3 Kf7 29. c4 )Nd6 27. h6 g6 28. c4 dxc4 29. bxc4 Kg8 ({Don't go
for} 29... Nxc4 $2 30. Nxc4 Qxc4 31. Qh2 $18 )30. Qh2 Kf7 31. c5 Nb5 32. Qb8 $36 { Threatens to win with d5. White is more active.} Qd7 $2 {
} (32... Nxd4 $11 33. Qxb7+ Qe7 34. Qxa6 Qxc5 )33. Qh8 $18 Ke6 34. f4 $1 {} Nxd4 {White must now prevent ...Ne2+.} 35. Qg8+ Qf7 36. Qc8+ Qd7 37. Qg8+ Qf7 {[#]} 38. Qd8 $1 {} Qd7 {[#]} (38... Nb5 $142 39. Kf2 g5 )39. f5+ $1 {} gxf5 40. gxf5+ Nxf5 {
White is clearly winning.} 41. Qxd7+ { Overworked Piece} Kxd7 42. Nxf5 Ke6 43. Ne3 {Accuracy: White = 85%, Black = 82%.} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Black "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "6.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.23"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2842"]
[PlyCount "108"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. a4 Rb8 8. c3 d6 9. d4 Bb6 10. a5 {C78: Ruy Lopez: Archangelsk and Möller Defences.} Ba7 $1 11. h3 0-0 12. Be3 Re8 {[#]} 13. Ng5 $146 ({Predecessor:} 13. dxe5 Bxe3 14. exf6 Bh6 15. fxg7 Qf6 16. Nh2 Ne5 17. Qh5 Nc4 18. Bc2 Qxg7 19. Ng4 Bxg4 20. hxg4 b4 21. b3 Rb5 {1/2-1/2 (21) Libiszewski,F (2458)-Guadalpi,D (2281) Aix
les Bains 2003} )Rf8 14. Nf3 (14. Re1 $11 )Re8 $16 {The modern
move.} 15. Re1 (15. dxe5 $16 dxe5 16. Qxd8 Rxd8 17. Bxa7 Nxa7 18. Nxe5 )exd4 $11 ({But not} 15... Nxe4 $6 16. d5 $16 )16. cxd4 Nxe4 17. d5 Bxe3 18. Rxe3 Na7 $1 19. Qd4 Bf5 20. Nbd2 {} Nc5 21. Rxe8+ Qxe8 22. Re1 {
} Qf8 23. Bd1 {aiming for Nh4.} b4 $1 24. Be2 Qd8 25. Bf1 h6 26. Re3 b3 (26... c6 $11 )27. Qf4 { White has
compensation.} Bd7 28. Nd4 Rb4 29. Rg3 Qe7 30. Bc4 ({Avoid the trap} 30. Qxh6 $2 Qe5 $19 )Nb5 31. N4xb3 Nxb3 32. Rxb3 Qe1+ 33. Kh2 $1 Rxb3 34. Nxb3 Qb4 35. Qe4 c5 36. Qd3 ({Don't blunder} 36. dxc6 $2 Be6 $19 )g6 37. g4 Kg7 38. Kg2 Nc7 (38... Bc8 $15 )39. Qc3+ {The position is equal.} Qxc3 40. bxc3 {
 Endgame KBN-KBN} f5 41. Nd2 Kf6 42. Kg3 Bb5 43. Bb3 Be2 44. gxf5 gxf5 45. f4 Nb5 46. c4 Nc3 47. Bc2 Bd1 48. Bd3 Na2 49. Kf2 Nb4 50. Ke3 Bc2 51. Be2 Na2 52. Nf1 Nc1 53. Kd2 {[#] And now Bh5 would win.} Nxe2 54. Kxe2 Ba4 {
Accuracy: White = 86%, Black = 94%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Black "Giri,Anish"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "6.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Date "2020.03.23"]
[WhiteElo "2698"]
[BlackElo "2763"]
[PlyCount "196"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 0-0 7. Re1 {outshines the older 7.Bb3.} a5 {
C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3.} 8. Nbd2 {} Be6 9. Bb5 Ba7 $5 { The position is equal.
An interesting side line.} 10. Nf1 Ne7 11. Ng3 c6 12. Ba4 Ng6 13. h3 d5 14. exd5 Nxd5 15. Bc2 Qc7 16. d4 exd4 $1 17. Nxd4 Rae8 18. Bg5 Ndf4 19. Qd2 Bd5 20. Rxe8 (20. Bxg6 {is more complex.} Nxg6 21. Ndf5 f6 22. Be3 Bxe3 23. Rxe3 Rxe3 24. Nxe3 Be6 25. Qc2 )Rxe8 21. Re1 {[#]} (21. Bxg6 $1 $11 Nxg6 22. Ndf5 )Re5 $146 (21... Rxe1+ $17 22. Qxe1 Qb8 )({Predecessor:} 21... Rxe1+ 22. Qxe1 Ne6 23. Be3 Bxd4 24. cxd4 Nh4 25. Ne4 f5 26. f3 Qe7 27. Bf2 Nxf3+ 28. gxf3 fxe4 29. Bxe4 Bxe4 30. Qxe4 {0-1 (51) Grandelius,N (2687)-Hovhannisyan,R (2630)
Reykjavik 2019} )22. Bxf4 $11 Rxe1+ 23. Qxe1 Qxf4 24. Qe8+ Nf8 25. Bb3 Bxd4 26. cxd4 Bxb3 27. axb3 Qf6 (27... h6 {with more complications.} 28. Qe3 Ne6 29. Ne2 Qf5 30. Qd2 Qb5 )28. Qe4 g6 29. Ne2 Ne6 30. h4 h5 31. g3 Qd8 32. Qe5 Qb6 33. d5 cxd5 34. Qxd5 Kf8 35. Nc3 Qc7 36. Ne4 Qc1+ 37. Kg2 Qxb2 38. Qd7 b6 39. Nd6 {
} Qf6 40. Qe8+ $1 Kg7 41. Qd7 {Black must now prevent
Ne8+.} Kg8 42. Qe8+ $1 Nf8 43. Qc6 $1 Qd8 44. Nc4 (44. Nb7 $1 $11 Qd3 45. Qxb6 )Ne6 (44... Qd7 $1 $17 {} 45. Qxd7 Nxd7 )45. Nxb6 Nd4 {
 Double Attack} 46. Qc5 (46. Qb7 $11 {remains equal.} )Nxb3 $17 47. Qb5 Nd2 48. Qxa5 Qd3 {( -> ...Qf1+)} 49. Qa1 Qe4+ 50. Kg1 Nf3+ 51. Kf1 {[#]
} Nxh4 $1 {} 52. Qa8+ (52. gxh4 Qh1+ )Qxa8 53. Nxa8 { Endgame KN-KN} Nf3 54. Kg2 Ne5 (54... Nd4 {feels hotter.} 55. f4 f6 56. Nc7 Kf7 57. Nd5 Nf5 )55. f4 Ng4 56. Nb6 Kf8 57. Nd5 Ke8 58. Nc3 Ke7 59. Ne4 Ne3+ 60. Kf3 Nc4 61. Ng5 Kf6 62. Ne4+ Kf5 63. Nf2 Nd2+ 64. Ke3 Nf1+ 65. Kf3 Nh2+ 66. Kg2 Ng4 {And now ...Nxf2 would win.} 67. Nh3 f6 68. Kf3 Ke6 69. Ke4 Kd6 70. Ng1 Kc5 71. Kd3 Nh6 72. Ke3 Nf5+ 73. Kf3 Kc4 74. Nh3 Nd4+ 75. Ke3 Nf5+ 76. Kf3 Kd4 77. Nf2 Nd6 78. Nh3 (78. Nd1 $17 )Ne4 (78... Kd3 $19 79. Nf2+ Kd2 )79. Ng1 Kd3 80. Kg2 Nd2 {Threatens to win with ...Ke3.} 81. Kf2 Ke4 {
aiming for ...h4!} 82. Ne2 Nb1 83. Ng1 {[#]} h4 $1 {} 84. Nh3 $1 (84. gxh4 Kxf4 )Kf5 {Hoping for ...Kg4.} 85. gxh4 Kg4 86. f5 gxf5 {Black
wants to play ...Nc3.} (86... Kxf5 $5 {} 87. Kg3 Na3 $17 )87. Ke3 Nc3 88. Nf2+ Kg3 {Strongly threatening ...f4+.} (88... Kxh4 $5 {} 89. Kf4 Nd5+ 90. Kxf5 Kh5 $11 )89. Nd3 $2 {} (89. Nh1+ $11 Kh2 90. h5 Nd5+ 91. Kf3 Kxh1 92. h6 )Nd5+ $1 $19 90. Kd4 Nf4 91. Nc5 Kxh4 92. Ke3 {[#]} Kg3 $1 {Black mates.} 93. Nb3 Ne6 94. Nd2 f4+ 95. Ke2 Ng5 96. Kf1 f3 97. Kg1 f2+ 98. Kf1 {[#]} f5 $1 {Accuracy: White = 84%, Black = 88%.} 0-1

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Black "Ding,Liren"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "6.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2020.03.23"]
[WhiteElo "2774"]
[BlackElo "2805"]
[PlyCount "79"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a3 $1 { is
currently scoring better than 8.a4. Played by Alireza Firouzja in February
2020.} 0-0 9. Nc3 Na5 {C77: Ruy Lopez: 3...a6 4 Ba4 Nf6, unusual lines.} 10. Ba2 Be6 11. b4 Bxa2 {The position is equal.} 12. Rxa2 Nc6 13. Bg5 Qd7 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Nd5 a5 {[#]} 16. Rb2 $1 $146 { A top novelty.} ({Predecessor:
} 16. c4 Ne7 17. Qb3 bxc4 18. Nxe7+ Bxe7 19. dxc4 axb4 20. axb4 Qc6 21. Re1 Rxa2 22. Qxa2 {1/2-1/2 (90) Vachier Lagrave,M (2780)-Ding,L (2801) London 2019} )axb4 17. axb4 Bd8 18. c4 Nd4 19. Nxd4 exd4 20. Qc2 Re8 (20... c6 $5 21. Nf4 $8 Qb7 $11 )21. g3 bxc4 22. Qxc4 c6 23. Nf4 Bg5 24. Ne2 d5 25. exd5 cxd5 26. Qb3 h5 27. b5 {} h4 28. b6 (28. Nxd4 $2 Bf6 $17 )h3 29. Kh1 (29. Nxd4 Bf6 $15 )Reb8 30. Rfb1 $36 { White
fights for an advantage.} (30. Nxd4 $2 Bf6 $19 )Bd8 31. Qb5 (31. Nxd4 Rxb6 32. Qxb6 Bxb6 $19 )Qg4 $2 {[#]} (31... Qf5 $16 32. Nxd4 Qf6 )32. Qxd5 (32. Qe8+ $18 {and the rest is easy.} Kh7 33. Qxf7 )Ra5 $16 33. Qc6 ({Better is} 33. f3 $16 {And now Qxd8+! would win.} Rxd5 34. fxg4 )Rc5 $2 (33... Rxb6 $1 $11 {and Black has nothing to worry.} 34. Rxb6 (34. Qe8+ $2 Kh7 $19 )Qxe2 )34. Qe8+ $18 Kh7 {[#] ( -> ...Qf3+!)} 35. Ng1 $1 Rxb6 36. Qxd8 {White has a decisive advantage.} Rxb2 37. Rxb2 Rc1 {} 38. Qh4+ Qxh4 39. gxh4 Rd1 40. f3 {Accuracy: White = 83%, Black = 75%.} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Wang,Hao"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "6.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.23"]
[WhiteElo "2762"]
[BlackElo "2767"]
[PlyCount "165"]

1. d4 {} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 0-0 9. 0-0 Nc6 10. Be3 b6 {Nowadays more popular than 10...Qc7.} 11. h4 {D87: Exchange
Grünfeld: Classical Line: Variations without ...cxd4.} e6 12. h5 Qh4 13. hxg6 hxg6 14. f3 Bb7 15. Qd2 cxd4 16. cxd4 Rfd8 17. Rac1 {[#]} Qe7 $146 ({
Predecessor:} 17... Be5 18. f4 Bg7 19. Rf3 Rac8 20. Rh3 Qg4 21. Qe1 Nxd4 22. Nxd4 Bxd4 23. Bxd4 Rxd4 {1/2-1/2 (44) Dubov,D (2676)-Svidler,P (2719) Hamburg
2019} )18. Rfd1 Rac8 19. Bg5 Bf6 20. Bxf6 Qxf6 21. Qe3 Kg7 22. Kf2 Rh8 23. Rh1 $36 { Black is under pressure.} Rxh1 24. Rxh1 Rh8 25. Rxh8 Kxh8 26. Qc3 Kg8 27. d5 Qxc3 28. Nxc3 $11 { Endgame KBN-KBN} Na5 29. Bd3 exd5 (29... Kg7 $14 )30. exd5 $16 Kf8 (30... Bc8 $16 )31. Ke3 $18 Ke7 32. Kd4 Bc8 {
[#]} 33. Nb5 $1 a6 34. Nc7 Kd6 35. Nxa6 Nb7 36. g4 (36. Nb4 $142 )g5 $16 37. Nb4 {Black must now prevent Ba6.} Bd7 38. Nc2 Ke7 39. Ne3 Nd6 40. Nd1 Ba4 41. Nf2 f6 42. Be2 Be8 43. Nd1 Ba4 44. Nb2 Be8 45. Bd1 (45. Bd3 $16 )Nb5+ $11 46. Kc4 Nc7 $1 47. Bb3 Kd6 48. Kd4 {[#] aiming for Nc4+.} Nb5+ 49. Kd3 Nc7 50. Nc4+ Kc5 $1 51. Nd2 {Hoping for Ne4+.} Bb5+ 52. Ke4 {Kf5 is the strong
threat.} Bd7 $1 53. Nf1 Nb5 54. Ng3 Nd6+ 55. Ke3 f5 56. gxf5 Bxf5 57. Nxf5 Nxf5+ $14 {KB-KN} 58. Ke4 Nh4 $1 59. Ba4 Kd6 60. Be8 Ng2 61. Bf7 Ne1 62. a4 Nc2 63. Be8 Ne1 64. Bb5 Ng2 65. Bc4 Nh4 66. Bf1 Kc5 67. Bh3 Kd6 68. Be6 (68. Bg4 $14 )Ng6 ({Black should play} 68... Ng2 $1 $11 )69. Bf7 ({Better is} 69. Kd4 $1 $14 )Nh4 (69... Ne7 $1 $11 70. Be6 Ng6 )70. Be8 Ng2 71. Bb5 Nh4 72. Bd3 Kc5 73. Bf1 Kd6 74. Bh3 Ng6 75. Be6 Nh4 76. Bf7 Ke7 77. Bh5 {Strongly
threatening Ke5.} Kd6 78. Bg4 $1 Ng2 79. Kf5 Kxd5 80. Kxg5 Ke5 81. Kg6 (81. Bf5 $16 )Nf4+ $11 82. Kf7 Nd3 83. Ke7 {Black escapes into a draw. Accuracy:
White = 85%, Black = 83%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Black "Wang,Hao"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "7.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.25"]
[WhiteElo "2842"]
[BlackElo "2762"]
[PlyCount "82"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 0-0 8. Qd2 {C42:
Petroff Defence: 3 Nxe5 and unusual White 3rd moves.} Nd7 9. 0-0-0 Nf6 {
is now debated instead of 9...Ne5.} 10. Bd3 {The position is equal.} c5 11. Rhe1 Be6 12. Kb1 Qa5 13. c4 Qxd2 14. Nxd2 {[#]} Rad8 $146 ({Predecessor:} 14... Rfe8 15. f3 Rad8 16. a4 b6 17. b3 h6 18. Ne4 d5 19. cxd5 Nxd5 20. Bd2 Nc7 {
1/2-1/2 (30) Razumikhin,A (2433)-Serner,A (2409) ICCF email 2019} )15. f3 b6 16. g4 d5 17. g5 Nh5 18. cxd5 Bxd5 19. Ne4 f5 20. gxf6 Nxf6 21. Bg5 Kf7 22. Ng3 c4 23. Bf1 b5 24. a4 a6 25. axb5 axb5 26. Nf5 Bc5 27. Re5 {aiming for Bxf6.} Bxf3 28. Rxd8 Rxd8 29. Rxc5 {Ne3 is the strong threat.} Rd1+ { [#]
Double Attack} 30. Ka2 Rxf1 31. Rxb5 c3 {And now ...Bd5+ would win.} 32. Bxf6 Kxf6 $11 { Endgame KRB-KRN} 33. Ne3 Rf2 34. Rf5+ (34. b4 $11 )Ke6 $1 $15 35. Ka3 cxb2 36. Kxb2 {[#]} h5 (36... Rxc2+ $1 $15 {} 37. Kb3 (37. Kxc2 Be4+ )Bb7 )37. h4 {Hoping for Rf8.} Rxc2+ $1 {
Decoy} 38. Kxc2 Be4+ { Double Attack. Black is slightly better.} 39. Kd2 $1 Bxf5 40. Ke2 Ke5 {Threatens to win with ...Kf4.} 41. Kf3 $1 Bd3 {
Accuracy: White = 89%, Black = 95%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Black "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "7.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2020.03.25"]
[WhiteElo "2767"]
[BlackElo "2774"]
[PlyCount "83"]

1. e4 {} e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 {6...Qa5 is the modern continuation.} 7. h4 Qc7 8. h5 {C18: French: 3
Nc3 Bb4: Main line: 7 h4 and 7 Qg4.} h6 9. Rb1 b6 10. Qg4 {The position is
equal.} Rg8 11. Bb5+ {[#]} Kf8 $146 {White must now prevent ...c4.} ({
Predecessor:} 11... Bd7 12. Bd3 Nf5 13. Qf4 Nc6 14. Bxf5 exf5 15. e6 Qxf4 16. exd7+ Kxd7 17. Bxf4 cxd4 18. cxd4 Nxd4 {1-0 (36) Bartel,M (2629)-Jaroch,K 
(2254) Zgierz 2017} )12. Bd3 Ba6 13. dxc5 Bxd3 14. cxd3 Nd7 15. d4 bxc5 16. Qd1 Qa5 17. Bd2 Rb8 18. Ne2 c4 19. 0-0 Rb6 20. Qc2 Rh8 (20... Ra6 $14 )21. a4 $16 Ke8 22. Rb4 Nc6 23. f4 Ne7 ({But not} 23... Nxb4 $6 24. cxb4 Qa6 25. b5 $14 )24. Rfb1 f5 25. Rb5 Qa6 26. Bc1 Kf7 {White stays focused until the end.} (26... Rf8 $14 )27. Ba3 Rhb8 {} 28. Bxe7 $1 Kxe7 {[#]} 29. g4 $1 Rxb5 30. axb5 Rxb5 31. gxf5 {Threatens to win with Rxb5.} Rxb1+ 32. Qxb1 exf5 33. Ng3 Qb6 (33... Qa3 $142 )34. Nxf5+ $18 Kf8 35. Qa1 Qe6 {[#]} (35... Kg8 $142 36. Ne7+ Kh8 )36. Ng3 $1 Qg4 $2 (36... Qb6 {was necessary.} 37. Qa3+ Kf7 )37. Kg2 Qxf4 38. Qxa7 Ke7 39. Qa3+ Kd8 40. Qd6 g5 {intending ...g4.} 41. hxg6 h5 42. g7 {Accuracy: White = 97%, Black = 62%.} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Ding,Liren"]
[Black "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "7.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.25"]
[WhiteElo "2805"]
[BlackElo "2698"]
[PlyCount "80"]

1. d4 {} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 0-0 7. 0-0 Nbd7 8. Qc2 c6 9. Bf4 (9. Rc1 a5 10. a3 h6 11. e3 Re8 12. b3 a4 13. b4 Ne4 14. c5 Bf6 15. Nc3 e5 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. dxe5 Bxe5 19. Bc3 Bxc3 20. Qxc3 Bg4 21. Ra2 {1/2-1/2 (70) Ding,L (2811)-Alekseenko,K (2671)
Khanty-Mansiysk 2019} )b6 10. Rd1 Ba6 {E08: Closed Catalan: Main Line: 7
Qc2.} 11. Nbd2 Rc8 12. Rac1 Nh5 13. Be3 Nhf6 14. Bg5 Bb7 {[#]} 15. Ne5 $146 ({
Predecessor:} 15. Qb1 h6 16. Bxf6 Nxf6 17. e4 dxc4 18. Nxc4 b5 19. Ne3 Qb6 20. b4 a5 21. a3 Rfd8 22. e5 Nd5 23. Ne1 axb4 24. Bxd5 bxa3 {1-0 (31) Joie,S (2363)
-Monceau,E (1987) Charleville Mezieres 2017} )Nxe5 16. dxe5 Ng4 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. Nf3 f6 19. exf6 Nxf6 20. Bh3 Rce8 21. Qa4 c5 22. b4 cxb4 23. Qxa7 Ne4 {Hoping for ...Nc3.} 24. Qxb6 Nc3 { Double Attack} 25. Re1 dxc4 {[#]} 26. a3 $1 {} Bd5 (26... Nxe2+ $1 $15 27. Rxe2 Bxf3 28. Rxe6 Qg5 )(26... bxa3 27. Rxc3 )27. Qxb4 (27. axb4 $5 {} Qf6 28. Qe3 $11 )Qxb4 {The position is equal.} 28. axb4 Nxe2+ { Remove Defender} 29. Rxe2 Rxf3 30. Bg2 Rff8 31. Rd2 Rb8 32. Bxd5 exd5 33. Rxd5 Rxb4 $11 {
 Endgame KRR-KRR} 34. Rc2 Rc8 35. Kf1 c3 36. Ke2 Rb7 37. Rd3 Rb2 38. Kd1 Rb1+ 39. Ke2 Rb2 40. Kd1 Rb1+ {Accuracy: White = 91%, Black = 92%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Giri,Anish"]
[Black "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "7.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2020.03.25"]
[WhiteElo "2763"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[PlyCount "80"]

1. c4 {} e5 2. g3 c6 3. Nf3 e4 4. Nd4 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nc2 {A20: English Opening: 1...e5.} Nf6 7. Nc3 Qe5 8. Bg2 Na6 9. 0-0 Be7 {
[#]} 10. Ne3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 10. d3 exd3 11. Qxd3 Nc5 12. Qd4 Qxd4 13. Nxd4 0-0 14. Bf4 g6 15. b4 Ne6 16. Nxe6 Bxe6 {1-0 (64) Tomashevsky,E (2705)
-Grischuk,A (2777) Moscow 2019} )h5 11. d4 exd3 $1 12. exd3 Qd4 13. Nc2 Qg4 (13... Qd8 {keeps more tension.} 14. Bg5 Bg4 15. Qd2 0-0 16. d4 Nc7 )14. Bf4 Qxd1 15. Raxd1 (15. Rfxd1 {looks sharper.} Bg4 16. Re1 h4 17. d4 Rd8 18. a3 )Bg4 {The position is equal.} 16. Rd2 0-0-0 17. d4 Nc7 18. Ne3 {Black
should prevent d5.} Be6 (18... Ne6 {feels hotter.} 19. Nxg4 hxg4 20. Be3 Nc7 21. d5 Nfxd5 22. Nxd5 Nxd5 23. Bxd5 Rxd5 24. Rxd5 cxd5 25. Rd1 Rh5 )19. d5 Ncxd5 20. Ncxd5 Nxd5 21. Nxd5 Bxd5 {[#]} 22. Rxd5 $1 {} Rxd5 (22... cxd5 23. Bh3+ )23. Bxd5 cxd5 $11 { Endgame KRB-KRB} 24. Rc1+ Kd7 25. Rc7+ { Double Attack} Ke6 26. Rxb7 Rc8 27. Rxa7 Rc2 28. Be3 Bf6 {
White must now prevent ...d4.} 29. Ra4 Bxb2 30. Kg2 d4 (30... f6 {is more
complex.} 31. h4 Bc3 32. Kf3 Kf5 33. g4+ hxg4+ 34. Rxg4 g6 )31. Bxd4 Bxd4 32. Rxd4 Rxa2 {KR-KR} 33. Re4+ Kf6 34. Rf4+ Ke6 35. Re4+ Kf6 36. Rf4+ Ke6 37. Re4+ Kf6 38. Rf4+ Ke6 39. h4 g6 40. Re4+ Kf6 {Not much happened in this game.
Accuracy: White = 100%, Black = 100%.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "8.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2021.04.19"]
[WhiteElo "2820"]
[BlackElo "2758"]
[PlyCount "147"]

1. e4 {} c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. e5 h6 11. Bh4 dxe5 {B97: Sicilian Najdorf: Poisoned Pawn.} 12. fxe5 Nfd7 {is currently scoring better than 12...g5.} 13. Ne4 $1 Qxa2 {The position
is equal.} 14. Rd1 Qd5 15. Qe3 Qxe5 ({Avoid the trap} 15... Nxe5 $2 16. Nb3 $18 )16. c3 Bc5 {White must now prevent ...f5.} 17. Bg3 Qd5 {[#]} 18. Bc4 $146 ({
Predecessor:} 18. Bd6 Bxd6 19. Nb5 Qxd1+ 20. Kxd1 Be5 21. Nbd6+ Ke7 22. Nc4 Rd8 23. Kc2 Bc7 24. Be2 {1-0 (37) Beveridge,C (1963)-Milde,L (2075) ICCF email 2013
} )Qxc4 $17 19. Bd6 {[#] Threatens to win with Bxc5.} Nf6 $1 20. Nxc5 $15 Nd5 21. Qe5 { [#]} Rg8 22. Ndxe6 $1 fxe6 23. Nxe6 Qxc3+ 24. Qxc3 Nxc3 25. Nc7+ { Double Attack} Kf7 26. Rd3 Ne4 {And now ...Ra7 would
win.} 27. 0-0+ Kg6 {Strongly threatening ...Ra7.} 28. Nxa8 Nc6 (28... Rd8 $11 {
remains equal.} 29. Nb6 Bf5 )29. Nb6 $16 Rd8 30. Nxc8 Rxc8 31. Ba3 Rc7 32. Rf4 Nf6 33. Bb2 Ne7 34. Bxf6 gxf6 { Endgame KRR-KRN} 35. h4 h5 36. Rg3+ { White has strong compensation.} Kf7 37. Rg5 Rc1+ 38. Kh2 Ng6 39. Rf2 Nxh4 (39... Kg7 $142 40. Rxh5 Ne5 )40. Rxh5 Ng6 41. Rh7+ Ke6 42. Rxb7 {
Rb6+ is the strong threat.} Ne5 {Threatening ...Ng4+.} 43. Rb6+ Rc6 44. Rxc6+ Nxc6 $18 {KR-KN} 45. Kg3 Kf7 46. Rc2 Nb4 47. Rd2 Nc6 48. Kf4 Kg6 49. Rd6 Ne5 50. Rxa6 Nf7 51. Ke4 Nh6 52. Ra5 Nf7 53. Ra3 {aiming for Rg3+.} Nd6+ 54. Kf4 Nf5 55. Rd3 Nh6 $2 (55... Ne7 56. Ra3 Nc6 57. Rg3+ Kf7 )56. Rg3+ Kf7 57. Ke4 Ng8 58. Kf5 $2 (58. Rb3 Ne7 59. Ra3 )Ne7+ 59. Kf4 Nd5+ 60. Kg4 Kg6 61. Kf3+ Kf7 62. Ke4 Ne7 $2 (62... Nc7 63. Rc3 Ne8 )63. Kf4 $2 (63. Rc3 $18 {
has better winning chances.} Ke6 64. Ra3 )Nd5+ $1 $16 64. Kf5 Ne7+ 65. Ke4 $2 (65. Kg4 )Ng8 $1 $18 66. Rh3 $2 (66. Ra3 Ne7 67. Ra7 )Kg6 67. Ra3 Kf7 $2 (67... Ne7 68. Rd3 Nc6 )68. Kf4 Nh6 69. Rg3 Ng8 {[#]} 70. Kg4 $1 Ne7 71. Kh5 Nd5 72. Rf3 Ke6 73. g4 Ke5 74. Kg6 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.
21/Black=0.09} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Wang,Hao"]
[Black "Ding,Liren"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "8.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.19"]
[WhiteElo "2763"]
[BlackElo "2791"]
[PlyCount "55"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 {8.h4 is the fancy move.} Ba6 9. b3 g6 10. Ba3 {C45: Scotch Game.} Nb4 11. Bb2 $1 Bg7 $1 12. a3 {[#]The position is equal.} Nd5 13. Nd2 { [#]} 0-0 $1 14. 0-0-0 Rfe8 15. Qf3 Nb6 16. Ne4 Bxe5 17. Bxe5 Qxe5 18. Nf6+ { Double Attack} Kf8 {
...Re6 is the strong threat.} 19. Nxe8 {aiming for Nf6.} Qa1+ {
Double Attack} 20. Kc2 Qa2+ 21. Kc1 $1 {Strongly threatening Qc3.} Qxa3+ 22. Kb1 {[#]} Na4 $5 $146 { New and interesting.} ({
Predecessor:} 22... Rb8 23. Qc3 Nxc4 24. Qh8+ Ke7 25. Re1+ Kd8 26. Nd6# {
1-0 (28) Sos,F-Bender,Z ICCF email 2016} )23. Qf6 {} Qxb3+ {
 Double Attack} 24. Kc1 {White threatens Qh8+ and mate.} Qa3+ (24... Rxe8 25. Qh8+ Ke7 26. Re1+ Qe3+ 27. Rxe3+ Kd8 28. Rxe8# )25. Kc2 Qa2+ { Double Attack} ({Weaker is} 25... Rxe8 26. Qh8+ Ke7 27. Re1+ Qe3 28. Rxe3+ (28. fxe3 Rxh8 29. Ra1 Nc5 $15 )Kd8 29. Rxe8# )26. Kc1 {Threatening mate
with Qh8+.} Qa3+ 27. Kc2 {Intending Qh8+ and mate.} Qa2+ { Double
Attack} ({Inferior is} 27... Rxe8 28. Qh8+ Ke7 29. Re1+ Qe3 30. Rxe3+ (30. fxe3 Rxh8 31. Ra1 Nc5 $15 )Kd8 31. Rxe8# )28. Kc1 {A rather calm draw. 
Weighted Error Value: White=0.00/Black=0.00} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Black "Giri,Anish"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "8.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.19"]
[WhiteElo "2789"]
[BlackElo "2776"]
[PlyCount "55"]

1. e4 {} c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 Rb8 12. Nc2 Bg5 13. g3 0-0 {B33: Sicilian: Pelikan and Sveshnikov Variations.} 14. h4 $1 { is
more profitable than 14.Bg2 at the moment.} Bh6 15. a3 a5 {[#] The position is
equal.} 16. Qd3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 16. Bg2 Ne7 17. Nce3 Bxe3 18. Nxe3 Be6 19. 0-0 {1/2-1/2 (19) Vitiugov,N (2722)-Sevian,S (2660) chess.com INT 2020} )Ne7 17. Nce3 Bxe3 18. Nxe3 Be6 19. Rd1 Rb6 20. Bh3 Bb3 21. Rd2 Qc7 22. 0-0 Rfb8 23. Rc1 Rc6 24. Bg4 h6 25. Bd1 Be6 26. Bg4 Bb3 27. Bd1 Be6 28. Bg4 {Not much
happened in this game.  Weighted Error Value: White=0.06/Black=0.02} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Black "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "8.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2021.04.19"]
[WhiteElo "2696"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[PlyCount "147"]

1. e4 {} e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Qb6 9. Qd2 Qxb2 10. Rb1 Qa3 11. Bb5 {
Black must now prevent Rb3.} Nxd4 {C11: French: Classical System: 4 e5 and 4
Bg5 dxe4.} 12. Bxd4 ({But not} 12. Qxd4 a6 $17 )a6 {The main line 12...
a6 scores better than 12...Bb4.} 13. Bxd7+ Bxd7 {The position is equal.} 14. Rb3 Qe7 15. Rxb7 Qh4+ (15... Rc8 {with more complications.} 16. 0-0 Qd8 17. Qf2 Rc4 18. Rfb1 Ba3 )16. Qf2 (16. Bf2 {keeps more tension.} Qd8 17. Bb6 Qc8 18. Rc7 Qd8 19. Qd4 )Qxf2+ 17. Kxf2 Be7 {[#]} 18. Nd1 $146 ({Predecessor:} 18. Rhb1 Bc8 19. R7b3 0-0 20. Na4 a5 21. Nb6 Ra6 22. Rc3 Rxb6 23. Rxb6 f6 24. Rc7 fxe5 25. Bxe5 Bh4+ 26. g3 Bf6 27. Bxf6 gxf6 28. Rbc6 {1-0 (28) Wang,J 
(2380)-Zhang,X (2374) China 2016} )Bd8 19. Ne3 Bc6 20. Rb2 0-0 21. Bc5 Re8 22. c4 f6 23. cxd5 exd5 24. Bd6 fxe5 25. fxe5 d4 26. Nf5 d3 27. Ke3 Bb5 28. Ke4 Rc8 29. Nd4 Bc4 30. Rd1 a5 31. a3 g6 32. Rb7 Bf6 33. Nf3 Bg7 34. Ra7 Rcd8 {
...Rxd6 is the strong threat.} (34... Bb3 $5 {} 35. Rd2 Bc2 $15 )35. Kd4 Bb3 $15 36. Rxg7+ Kxg7 37. Rxd3 a4 38. Nd2 Be6 39. Ne4 $1 Bf5 (39... Ra8 {is interesting.} 40. Nc5 Ra5 41. Kc3 Bb3 42. Rd4 Ra7 )40. Re3 Bxe4 (40... Bc8 {is more complex.} 41. Rc3 Rf8 42. Rc4 Rf1 43. Rxa4 Bf5 )41. Rxe4 $11 {
 Endgame KRR-KRB} Rf8 42. Ke3 Rfe8 43. Kf4 Ra8 44. Rb4 Ra7 45. Ke4 Kf7 46. Rb6 Rc8 47. Bb4 Rac7 48. Kd5 Rc2 49. e6+ Kf6 {aiming for ...Rd8+.} 50. Rb7 {And now Rf7+ would win.} g5 ({Don't blunder} 50... Rxg2 $2 51. Rf7+ Kg5 52. e7 $18 )51. Rxh7 Rxg2 52. Kd6 Kg6 53. Rh3 g4 54. Re3 {Threatens to win
with Kd7.} Rxh2 55. Kd7 Rhh8 {Hoping for ...Rhd8+.} 56. e7 Rce8 57. Bd6 Ra8 $2 {} ({Black should play} 57... Kf5 $1 $14 )58. Bc7 $2 (58. e8=Q+ $18 Raxe8 59. Rxe8 Rxe8 60. Kxe8 )Rag8 $2 {} (58... Rh7 $14 )59. Re4 (59. e8=Q+ $142 Rxe8 60. Rxe8 Rxe8 61. Kxe8 )Kf5 (59... Kf6 $18 )60. Rf4+ Kg5 61. Rxa4 Kh4 $2 {} (61... Rh7 $16 )62. Re4 $18 Ra8 63. a4 $1 {} Kg5 64. a5 Rh7 {[#]} 65. Kc6 $2 (65. Kd6 $1 $18 {is the precise move to win.} )Rhh8 $16 66. Kd7 (66. Kb7 $16 g3 67. Re1 )Rh7 $18 {[#]} 67. Kc6 (67. Kd6 $1 $18 Rhh8 68. Re1 )Rhh8 $16 68. Re3 { White has strong compensation.} Rhe8 $2 {} (68... Kf5 $16 69. Kd7 Rh7 70. Re5+ Kf6 )69. Kd7 $18 Kf6 70. Re6+ (70. Re1 $142 Kf7 71. Re4 )Kf7 71. Re4 Kf6 72. Bd8 {White mates.} Kf5 73. Kxe8 Kxe4 74. Kf8 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.19/Black=0.29} 1-0

[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

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Black "Ding,Liren"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "10.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.21"]
[WhiteElo "2820"]
[BlackElo "2791"]
[PlyCount "80"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. a4 b4 9. a5 d6 10. d3 Be6 11. Bxe6 $1 { is more profitable than 11.Nbd2 at the moment.} fxe6 12. c3 Rb8 13. Nbd2 {C90: Closed Ruy Lopez with 7...d6: Early deviations.} Rb5 14. d4 bxc3 15. bxc3 exd4 ({Don't blunder} 15... Nxa5 $2 16. c4 $18 )16. cxd4 Qc8 17. Ba3 {[#]} Nxa5 $146 ({Predecessor:} 17... Qd7 18. Qc2 Nxa5 19. Rac1 Bd8 20. e5 Nd5 21. exd6 cxd6 22. Ne4 Rb6 23. Neg5 Bxg5 24. Nxg5 {1-0 (57) Dorer,
M-Lindner,J DESC email 2011} )18. Qc2 c5 19. e5 (19. Qa2 $5 {} )dxe5 20. dxc5 Nc6 ({Not} 20... Bxc5 {[#]} 21. Rac1 $1 $16 )21. Ne4 ({
White should play} 21. Rac1 $11 )Nxe4 $1 $15 22. Rxe4 Rd8 23. Rae1 (23. Nxe5 $2 Nxe5 24. Rxe5 Bf6 $17 )Bf6 24. h4 h6 25. R4e3 Rd5 26. g4 Qe8 27. Kg2 h5 28. g5 Be7 {} 29. Nxe5 {[#] Ng6 is the strong threat.} Bxc5 30. Bxc5 Rbxc5 31. Qg6 Qxg6 32. Nxg6 e5 33. f4 Rd2+ 34. R3e2 Rxe2+ 35. Rxe2 $11 { Endgame KRN-KRN} Nd4 36. Re4 Rc2+ 37. Kf1 {The position is equal.} Rc1+ 38. Kf2 Rc2+ 39. Kf1 Rc1+ 40. Kf2 Rc2+ {Weighted Error Value: White=0.10/
Black=0.04} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Black "Giri,Anish"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "10.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.21"]
[WhiteElo "2758"]
[BlackElo "2776"]
[PlyCount "80"]

1. e4 {} c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Nb8 {} 9. c4 {9.a4 deserves study.} Be7 10. c5 Na6 {B33: Sicilian: Pelikan and
Sveshnikov Variations.} 11. cxd6 Bxd6 12. Bc4 0-0 13. 0-0 Nc7 14. Nxd6 Qxd6 {
[#]} 15. Qf3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 15. a4 Rd8 16. Qe2 b6 17. Re1 Nxd5 18. Qxe5 Qxe5 19. Rxe5 Nc7 20. Be3 Be6 21. Bxe6 Nxe6 22. a5 bxa5 23. Rexa5 Rab8 24. Rxa7 {1/2-1/2 (24) Wharrier,J (2408)-Biedermann,K (2384) ICCF email 2017} )b6 16. Rd1 Bb7 17. Bg5 h6 (17... f6 $15 18. Be3 Rad8 )18. Bh4 $1 $11 b5 19. Bb3 Na6 20. Qe2 Nc5 $1 21. Qxb5 Nxb3 22. axb3 Rfb8 23. f3 a6 24. Qa5 Rc8 25. Qa3 Qb6+ (25... Qg6 $11 {remains equal.} )26. Bf2 $16 Qb5 27. d6 Qd7 28. Qa4 Bc6 29. Qh4 Re8 30. Rac1 Rac8 31. Rc4 Re6 32. Bc5 Rg6 33. Qf2 Re8 34. Re1 e4 35. fxe4 Rg4 {} 36. h3 (36. Qc2 $16 )Rgxe4 $11 {The position is
equal.} 37. Rexe4 Rxe4 38. Rxe4 Bxe4 39. Qe2 Bb7 40. b4 Qc6 {Weighted Error
Value: White=0.09/Black=0.11} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Wang,Hao"]
[Black "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "10.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.21"]
[WhiteElo "2763"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[PlyCount "82"]

1. e4 {} e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Nce2 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. f4 {7.Nf3 is more fashionable.} Be7 8. Nf3 f6 {C11: French: Classical
System: 4 e5 and 4 Bg5 dxe4.} 9. Be3 0-0 10. g3 Qb6 {The position is equal.} 11. Qd2 {[#]} cxd4 $146 ({Predecessor:} 11... Kh8 12. Bg2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Bb4 14. Nc3 Qa6 15. Kf2 fxe5 16. fxe5 Ndxe5 17. dxe5 Nxe5 {1/2-1/2 (53) Fedoseev,V 
(2667)-Morozevich,A (2676) Moscow 2016} )12. Nfxd4 Nc5 13. exf6 $1 Bxf6 {
Hoping for ...Qxb2!} 14. Nb3 Ne4 15. Qd3 Qc7 16. Bg2 Nd6 17. Bf2 Nc4 18. Qc2 Ne7 19. 0-0 e5 20. fxe5 $1 Bf5 21. exf6 ({White should play} 21. Qc1 $14 Qxe5 22. Nf4 )Bxc2 $11 22. fxe7 Rfe8 {Strongly threatening ...Be4.} 23. Nf4 Nb6 ({Wrong is} 23... Rxe7 $2 24. Nxd5 Qe5 25. Nxe7+ Qxe7 26. Bd5+ Kh8 27. Bxc4 $18 )24. Nxd5 (24. Bd4 $11 )Nxd5 $17 25. Bxd5+ Kh8 26. Nd4 {[#]} Qd7 $1 27. c4 {[#]} (27. Bc4 $142 Be4 28. Be6 )Bg6 (27... Bd3 $142 $1 {} 28. Rfd1 Bg6 )28. Ne6 Rxe7 29. Rae1 Bf7 30. Nxg7 Bxd5 (30... Rxe1 $17 31. Bxe1 Kxg7 32. Bxf7 Qxf7 33. Rxf7+ Kxf7 )31. Rxe7 $1 $11 Qxe7 32. Nf5 Qf8 (32... Qe4 $5 33. Bd4+ Qxd4+ 34. Nxd4 Bxc4 $14 )33. Bd4+ Kg8 34. cxd5 {
Threatens to win with d6.} h5 (34... h6 $1 $14 )35. d6 $16 { White
has strong compensation.} Kh7 (35... Qe8 $142 )36. Ne7 Qe8 37. Rf6 (37. b3 {
is interesting.} b6 38. Bc3 a5 39. Rf5 Rd8 40. Be5 )Rd8 38. Bc3 {[#]} Rxd6 $1 { Remove Defender. Black has an edge.} 39. Rxd6 Qxe7 40. Rd4 Kg6 41. a3 Qe3+ {Weighted Error Value: White=0.15/Black=0.24} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Black "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "10.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2021.04.21"]
[WhiteElo "2789"]
[BlackElo "2696"]
[PlyCount "61"]

1. c4 {} Nf6 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 d5 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4 a6 7. Qc2 c5 8. Nc3 Be7 {A13: English Opening: 1...e6.} 9. 0-0 0-0 10. d4 cxd4 {White is slightly better.} 11. Nxd4 Qc7 {Black is on the
road to losing.} 12. Rd1 {[#]} Rd8 $146 ({Predecessor:} 12... Nc5 13. Na4 Bd7 14. Nxc5 Bxc5 15. b4 Ba4 16. Qxa4 Bxd4 17. Rxd4 Qc3 18. Bb2 Qxb2 {1-0 (26)
Korobkov,P (2508)-Provotorov,I (2398) Voronezh 2008} )13. Be3 Nb6 14. Rac1 e5 15. Nf5 Bxf5 16. Qxf5 {[#] Threatens to win with Nd5!} Nc4 17. Bg5 {And now
Bxf6 would win.} Rxd1+ 18. Nxd1 Rd8 (18... Qd8 $16 {was called for.} 19. Nc3 (19. Bxb7 Nd6 $17 )h6 )19. Bxf6 $18 Bxf6 20. Be4 Qa5 (20... Qd7 {was
necessary.} )21. Nc3 (21. Qxh7+ Kf8 $18 )Kf8 {[#]} 22. Nd5 $1 {
} b5 {intending ...Qd2.} (22... Rxd5 23. Bxd5 )23. Qxh7 {} (23. Nxf6 gxf6 24. Qxf6 Qd2 $18 )Rxd5 24. Bxd5 Qd2 25. Rxc4 (25. Qh8+ Ke7 $11 )bxc4 26. e4 {aiming for Qh8+.} Qxb2 27. Qh8+ (27. Bxc4 $6 Qc1+ 28. Bf1 g6 $16 )Ke7 28. Qc8 {Intending Qc7+ and mate.} Qb6 29. Qxc4 Qb5 (29... Kf8 $142 30. Kg2 (30. Bxf7 Qb5 $16 )Be7 )30. Qc7+ ({But not} 30. Bxf7 $6 Qxc4 31. Bxc4 a5 $16 )Qd7 31. Qc5+ {Weighted Error Value: White=0.11/Black=0.
25} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Black "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "11.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.23"]
[WhiteElo "2789"]
[BlackElo "2820"]
[PlyCount "81"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 0-0 {C47: Scotch Four Knights and Four
Knights with 4 g3.} 9. 0-0 Bg4 10. f3 Bh5 11. Bg5 Qd6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. dxc6 Bxc3 14. bxc3 Qxc3 15. Be4 {[#]} Bg6 $146 ({Predecessor:} 15... Qc5+ 16. Kh1 Rad8 17. Qe2 Bg6 18. Rad1 Rde8 19. Rd7 Bxe4 20. fxe4 Qxc6 21. Qd3 g6 {1/2-1/2 
(39) Mihok,O (2552)-Malinovsky,K (2456) Ceske Budejovice 2020} )16. Qd7 Rad8 17. Qxc7 Qc5+ 18. Kh1 Bxe4 19. fxe4 {[#] Black must now prevent Rxf7!} Rc8 20. Qd7 {Strongly threatening Rxf7!} Qxc6 21. Qxa7 Qxe4 22. Rfe1 (22. c3 {is more
complex.} Rxc3 23. a4 Rc2 24. Rf2 Qe5 25. Raf1 )Qxc2 23. a4 Qc5 (23... Ra8 {is interesting.} 24. Qd4 Rfd8 25. Qb4 Rdb8 26. Qf4 h6 )24. Qxc5 Rxc5 $11 {
 Endgame KRR-KRR} 25. a5 {[#] And now a6 would win.} Ra8 26. a6 {
aiming for a7.} h5 27. Reb1 {a7 is the strong threat.} Kh7 28. Rb6 Ra7 29. Kg1 Rc2 30. h3 f6 31. Ra3 Kg6 32. Kh2 h4 33. Ra1 Rc4 34. Kg1 Rc2 35. Ra4 Rd2 36. Rg4+ Kf7 37. Rxh4 Ra2 {The position is equal.} 38. Rb7+ Rxb7 39. axb7 Rb2 40. Ra4 Rxb7 41. Kh2 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.03/Black=0.02} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Black "Wang,Hao"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "11.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.23"]
[WhiteElo "2696"]
[BlackElo "2763"]
[PlyCount "110"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 h6 5. c3 d6 6. Nbd2 g5 {C55: Two Knights: 4 d3, 4 d4 exd4 5 e5 and Max Lange
Attack.} 7. Nf1 g4 8. N3d2 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Ne3 Nxe3 11. fxe3 {[#]} Na5 $146 ({Predecessor:} 11... f5 12. 0-0 Bd6 13. d4 Qe7 14. e4 f4 15. Bd5 h5 16. Nc4 Rf8 17. dxe5 Bxe5 18. Nxe5 Qxe5 {1-0 (34) Anand,V (2757)-Caruana,F (2822)
Bucharest 2019} )12. 0-0 Nxc4 13. Nxc4 Bg7 14. e4 h5 15. Ne3 Qd6 16. Qb3 0-0 17. Qc2 b6 18. Bd2 Ba6 19. c4 Rad8 20. Nd5 Bc8 21. Rae1 f5 22. exf5 (22. d4 $5 f4 23. c5 bxc5 24. dxc5 $14 )Bxf5 23. Bb4 c5 24. Bc3 Be6 25. Qd2 (25. Qa4 $11 )Rxf1+ $17 26. Rxf1 Bxd5 27. cxd5 Qg6 ({Much worse is} 27... Qxd5 $6 28. Qg5 $11 )28. Qd1 {[#]} Rxd5 ({Black should try} 28... b5 $1 $17 29. Qb3 a6 30. d6+ Kh7 )29. Qa4 $11 {The position is equal.} Rxd3 {Threatening ...a5.} 30. Qxa7 Rd8 31. a4 Rf8 32. Rxf8+ Bxf8 33. Qb8 Qb1+ 34. Kf2 Qf5+ 35. Ke2 Qe4+ 36. Kf2 Qf4+ 37. Kg1 Qc1+ 38. Kf2 Qf4+ 39. Kg1 Qe3+ 40. Kf1 Qd3+ 41. Kf2 Qf5+ 42. Ke2 Qc2+ 43. Kf1 Qd1+ (43... c4 {with more complications.} 44. Qxb6 Qd3+ 45. Kf2 Qf5+ 46. Kg1 Qb1+ )44. Kf2 Qxa4 45. Qxb6 {[#] Black must now prevent Qg6+.} Qc2+ 46. Kf1 {Hoping for Qe6+.} Qf5+ 47. Ke2 h4 48. Qb3+ Kh7 49. Qd5 Bg7 50. Qxc5 Qe4+ 51. Kf1 Qd3+ 52. Ke1 h3 53. gxh3 Qe4+ 54. Kf1 Qd3+ 55. Ke1 Qe4+ {
Weighted Error Value: White=0.05/Black=0.06} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "11.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2021.04.23"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2758"]
[PlyCount "95"]

1. e4 {} c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Qd2 g6 6. b3 {B23: Closed
Sicilian: Lines without g3.} Bh6 7. f4 Nf6 8. Bb2 {The position is equal.} e5 9. Nge2 $5 { A promising side line.} 0-0 10. 0-0-0 {[#]} Be6 $146 ({
Predecessor:} 10... Nd4 11. Kb1 Bg4 12. g3 d5 13. Nxd5 Nxd5 14. exd5 Qxd5 15. Bxd4 exd4 16. Rg1 Rfe8 {0-1 (26) Gevorgyan,M (2228)-Shevchenko,K (2592) chess.
com INT 2020} )11. Kb1 a5 12. a4 Qb6 13. h4 (13. Qxd6 $2 Rfd8 $19 )Rac8 (13... Ng4 $1 $15 14. Re1 (14. Qxd6 $2 Nf2 $19 )Nb4 )14. h5 (14. Qxd6 $2 Rfd8 $19 )Nxh5 15. g3 Nb4 16. Bh3 Bxh3 17. Rxh3 Bg7 18. g4 Nf6 {} 19. g5 { White has compensation.} Nh5 (19... Ng4 $14 )20. f5 $18 Rfd8 21. f6 Bf8 22. Ng3 $1 {} d5 23. exd5 (23. Nxh5 dxe4 24. Qe2 Rxd1+ 25. Qxd1 Qf2 $11 )Nxg3 (23... Nf4 $2 24. Rxh7 $3 {} Nbxd5 25. Nxd5 $18 )24. Rxg3 h5 (24... e4 $142 25. Qe1 Qc7 )25. Qe2 ({White
should try} 25. gxh6 $18 Qxf6 26. Qh2 )Rc5 $16 {} 26. Rh3 (26. Qxe5 $2 Bd6 $19 )Nxd5 27. Nxd5 Rcxd5 28. Rdh1 {Hoping for Bc1.} Qd6 29. Ka2 {And now Rxh5! would win.} Rd1 {[#]} 30. Rxh5 $40 { White
wants a kill.} gxh5 31. Rxh5 (31. Rh3 $1 $16 Qd7 32. Qxh5 Qxh3 33. Qxh3 )Rd4 $1 $11 32. Rh1 Rxa4+ 33. Kb1 $1 Qd5 34. Qh5 {} Qxh1+ $1 35. Qxh1 Rg4 36. Bxe5 Rxg5 (36... Re8 $11 37. Bc3 b6 )37. Qxb7 $14 Rd2 {[#]} ({Don't blunder} 37... Rxe5 $2 38. Qg2+ Kh7 39. Qh2+ Kg6 40. Qxe5 $18 )({
Much weaker is} 37... Rd1+ 38. Kb2 $16 )({Better is} 37... Re8 $1 $14 38. Bc3 Bd6 )38. Bc3 (38. Bf4 $1 $18 {} Rg1+ 39. Kb2 )Re2 39. Qc8 Rg1+ 40. Kb2 Rgg2 $1 41. Bxa5 {Threatens to win with b4.} Rxc2+ 42. Qxc2 Rxc2+ {} (42... Ba3+ $14 43. Kc3 Rxc2+ 44. Kxc2 Kf8 )43. Kxc2 {KB-KB} Kh7 44. Kd3 Kg6 45. Bc3 Kf5 {[#]} 46. Kc4 $1 Ke6 47. b4 {} Bd6 48. b5 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.14/Black=0.42} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Giri,Anish"]
[Black "Ding,Liren"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "11.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2021.04.23"]
[WhiteElo "2776"]
[BlackElo "2791"]
[PlyCount "57"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Bd6 8. Nbd2 {} Be6 {[#] C85: Closed Ruy
Lopez: Deferred Exchange Variation.} 9. Nb3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 9. b3 Nd7 10. a4 a5 11. Nc4 Bxc4 12. bxc4 0-0 13. Rb1 Re8 14. c3 b6 15. Bg5 Be7 16. Be3 {
1-0 (39) Le,Q (2694)-Jones,G (2709) Saint Louis 2019} )Qe7 10. Na5 0-0-0 {
The position is equal.} 11. Qe2 Bg4 12. c3 c5 13. a3 c6 14. b4 Bc7 15. Nb3 Nd7 16. h3 Bh5 17. Be3 {} f5 18. Bxc5 Qf7 19. Rab1 ({White should try} 19. Nbd2 $11 )g5 20. exf5 g4 (20... Qxf5 $15 21. Qe4 Qxe4 22. dxe4 Nxc5 23. Nxc5 Bxf3 24. gxf3 b6 25. Nxa6 Rhf8 )21. Ng5 $1 $14 {} Qxf5 22. h4 b6 {[#]} ({Black should play} 22... Rhe8 )23. Ne4 $1 bxc5 (23... g3 $1 $14 24. Qb2 gxf2+ 25. Rxf2 (25. Qxf2 Qxf2+ 26. Bxf2 Be2 $15 )Qe6 )24. bxc5 $16 {Threatens to win with Na5!} Nf6 {[#] White must now prevent ...g3.} 25. Nd6+ $1 Bxd6 26. cxd6 Rxd6 27. d4 { Discovered Attack} c5 $2 (27... Kd8 28. Qxa6 Ke7 )28. Nxc5 $18 Re8 29. Qc4 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.13/
Black=0.27} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Black "Giri,Anish"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "12.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Date "2021.04.24"]
[WhiteElo "2820"]
[BlackElo "2776"]
[PlyCount "90"]

1. e4 {Moradiabadi,E} c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. a3 Be7 7. Be3 0-0 {B45: Sicilian Four Knights.} 8. Be2 d6 {[#]} 9. Qd3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 9. Qd2 a6 10. 0-0-0 Na5 11. Kb1 Qc7 12. g4 Nc4 13. Bxc4 Qxc4 14. Rhg1 d5 15. exd5 Rd8 16. Bg5 exd5 17. Rge1 Be6 {1-0 (28) Demchenko,A (2629)-Kovalenko,I 
(2657) Minsk 2017 CBM 179 [Moradiabadi,E]} )Bd7 {The position is equal.} 10. f4 e5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. 0-0 exf4 13. Bxf4 Be6 14. Qg3 Nd7 15. Rad1 Re8 16. Kh1 Qb8 17. b4 {} (17. b3 {is more complex.} Ne5 18. Bh5 g6 19. Ne2 Kh8 20. Bf3 )Ne5 18. b5 Rc8 19. bxc6 Rxc6 20. Nd5 Qf8 21. c3 Rac8 22. Rc1 Ng6 23. Bd2 Bh4 24. Qe3 Rc5 25. c4 h6 26. Qb3 Bg5 27. Bxg5 hxg5 28. Qg3 Qd8 29. Rcd1 Bxd5 30. exd5 Nf4 31. Qf2 {Black should prevent g3.} R8c7 (31... Nxe2 32. Qxf7+ Kh8 33. Qh5+ Kg8 34. Qxe2 $16 )32. Rd4 Qe8 33. Bf3 Rxc4 34. Rxc4 Rxc4 35. Qxa7 Ra4 36. Qf2 ({Better is} 36. Qc7 $15 )Rxa3 $19 37. h4 Qe5 38. hxg5 Qxg5 39. Re1 Ra8 {Hoping for ...Nd3!} ({But not} 39... Nxd5 $2 40. Re8+ Kh7 41. Be4+ f5 42. Bxf5+ g6 {[#]} 43. Bxg6+ $1 {} Qxg6 44. Qh4+ Qh6 45. Rh8+ $3 {} Kxh8 46. Qxh6+ Kg8 47. Qxd6 $18 )40. Be4 (40. Rf1 )Ra2 $2 41. Rb1 {Threatening mate with Rb8+.} Ra8 ({Weaker is} 41... Rxf2 42. Rb8+ Qd8 43. Rxd8# )({Wrong is} 41... Qh5+ $2 42. Kg1 $18 )(41... Qh6+ 42. Kg1 Ra8 )42. Re1 $1 f5 43. Bb1 Kf7 {( -> ...Rh8+)} 44. Re3 Rh8+ 45. Kg1 {[#]} Nxg2 $1 {
 Weighted Error Value: White=0.37/Black=0.26} 0-1

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Ding,Liren"]
[Black "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "12.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2021.04.24"]
[WhiteElo "2791"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[PlyCount "93"]

1. d4 {} d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 Nbd7 7. c5 Nh5 8. Bd3 {
D37: Queen's Gambit Declined: 5 Bf4.} Nxf4 9. exf4 b6 10. b4 {The position is
equal.} a5 11. a3 c6 12. 0-0 Ba6 13. Ne2 $5 { A promising side line.} Qc7 {[#]} 14. h4 $5 $146 { An interesting novelty.} ({Predecessor:} 14. g3 Bf6 15. Rb1 axb4 16. axb4 Qb7 17. Nc1 Bxd3 18. Nxd3 Ra3 19. Qc2 Rfa8 20. Rfc1 b5 21. Kg2 Nf8 22. Qd1 Ng6 23. Ra1 {1/2-1/2 (23) Grischuk,A (2777)-So,W 
(2770) chess.com INT 2020} )h6 15. g3 Bc4 16. Qc2 b5 17. Rfe1 Ra7 18. Nc3 Rfa8 {[#] ...axb4 is the strong threat.} 19. Rab1 (19. Rad1 {looks sharper.} axb4 20. axb4 Bf6 21. Bh7+ Kh8 22. Bd3 )axb4 20. axb4 Bxd3 21. Qxd3 Bf6 22. h5 Ra3 23. Qc2 Be7 24. Kg2 Bf6 (24... Nf6 {is interesting.} 25. Rh1 Qb7 26. Ne5 Bd8 27. Rb3 R3a6 )25. Rec1 Bd8 26. Qe2 Bf6 27. Rc2 Qb8 28. Rbb2 Bd8 29. Nb1 R3a6 30. Ne5 Nf6 31. Nd2 Bc7 32. Nb3 Qe8 33. Nc1 Ra4 34. Ncd3 Ne4 35. g4 R8a6 36. f3 Nf6 37. Kf2 Ra1 38. Ra2 {White wants to play Rxa1.} Qa8 39. Nc1 R1xa2 40. Rxa2 Ra3 41. Rxa3 Qxa3 42. Qd2 Bxe5 (42... Qa8 $14 )43. dxe5 $16 Nd7 44. Ne2 f6 $2 {[#]} (44... Qa1 $16 )45. exf6 $1 $18 e5 $2 (45... Nxf6 46. Nd4 Qa8 )46. fxg7 e4 47. Qc3 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.04/Black=0.23} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Black "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "12.3"]
[Annotator "ChessBase"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2021.04.24"]
[WhiteElo "2758"]
[BlackElo "2696"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[TimeControl "60"]

1. e4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} c6 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 2. d4 {[%emt 0:0:13]} d5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 3. f3 {[%emt 0:0:4]} dxe4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 4. fxe4 {[%emt 0:0:46]} e5 {[%emt 0:0:17]} 5. Nf3 {[%emt 0:0:58]} Bg4 {[%emt 0:0:30]} 6. c3 {[%emt 0:1:10]
} Nf6 {[%emt 0:2:51]} 7. Bc4 {[%emt 0:4:22]} Qc7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 8. dxe5 {[%emt 0:7:30]} Bxf3 {[%emt 0:3:58]} 9. Qxf3 {[%emt 0:3:40]} Qxe5 {[%emt 0:0:10]} 10. Bf4 {[%emt 0:0:15]} Qh5 {[%emt 0:25:8]} 11. Nd2 {[%emt 0:3:3]
} Nbd7 {[%emt 0:0:11]} 12. 0-0-0 {[%emt 0:1:40]} Nb6 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 13. Bb3 {[%emt 0:3:47]} Be7 {[%emt 0:6:35]} 14. Rhg1 {[%emt 0:6:13]} Qxf3 {[%emt 0:3:43]} 15. gxf3 {[%emt 0:0:45]} g6 {[%emt 0:0:27]} 16. Nc4 {[%emt 0:9:15]
} Nxc4 {[%emt 0:5:4]} 17. Bxc4 {[%emt 0:0:7]} b5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 18. Bb3 {[%emt 0:1:4]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 19. Bxf7+ {[%emt 0:2:10]} Kxf7 {[%emt 0:2:44]} 20. Rxd7 {[%emt 0:0:7]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:0:3]} 21. Rc7 {[%emt 0:5:45]
} Rhc8 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 22. Rxc8 {[%emt 0:23:50]} Rxc8 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 23. Be3 {[%emt 0:0:4]} a5 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 24. Kd2 {[%emt 0:1:10]} a4 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 25. f4 {[%emt 0:0:2]} Rd8+ {[%emt 0:0:4]} 26. Ke2 {[%emt 0:0:2]
} Rf8 {[%emt 0:0:6]} 27. Kf3 {[%emt 0:0:17]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 28. Rc1 {[%emt 0:0:29]} c5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 29. c4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} b4 {[%emt 0:0:0]
} 30. Ke2 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Rd7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 31. Rd1 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Rxd1 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 32. Kxd1 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Bf8 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 33. Kc2 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Be7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 34. b3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} a3 {[%emt 0:0:0]
} 35. Kd3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Bf8 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 36. Bf2 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Be7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 37. Ke3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Bd8 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 38. Kf3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Be7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 39. Kg4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} h5+ {[%emt 0:0:0]
} 40. Kf3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Bf8 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 41. Bh4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:16:26]} 42. e5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Bc7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 43. Ke4 Ba5 44. Bg5 Bb6 45. Bh6 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Wang,Hao"]
[Black "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "12.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Date "2021.04.24"]
[WhiteElo "2763"]
[BlackElo "2789"]
[PlyCount "118"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d3 Nf6 6. d4 d5 7. Bd3 Bd6 8. Qe2+ Qe7 9. Qxe7+ Kxe7 10. 0-0 {C01: French: Exchange Variation.} Nc6 {[#]} 11. c3 $146 ({
Predecessor:} 11. Re1+ Kf8 12. c3 h6 13. Ne5 Ne7 14. Nd2 Bf5 15. Bf1 Rd8 16. g3 c6 17. a4 Ne8 {1-0 (44) Vachier Lagrave,M (2784)-Duda,J (2743) chess24.com INT
2020} )h6 12. Nh4 {The position is equal.} Re8 13. Nf5+ Bxf5 14. Bxf5 Kf8 15. g3 Ne7 {} 16. Bh3 Nc8 17. Nd2 a5 18. a4 c6 19. Rd1 h5 20. Nf1 g6 21. f3 Nb6 22. b3 Kg7 23. Kf2 Nbd7 24. Bg5 Nf8 25. Re1 Ne6 26. Be3 Rac8 27. Bd2 c5 28. dxc5 Bxc5+ 29. Kg2 Bb6 30. Rab1 Rc6 31. b4 Nc7 32. Rxe8 Ncxe8 33. bxa5 Bxa5 34. Rxb7 Nd6 35. Ra7 Bxc3 36. Bd7 Nxd7 37. Bxc3+ Rxc3 38. Rxd7 $11 { Endgame KRN-KRN} Rc6 39. Re7 (39. Nd2 $11 )Rc2+ $17 40. Kg1 d4 41. Rd7 Nf5 42. a5 Ra2 43. Ra7 Kf6 44. a6 h4 {...h3 is the strong threat.} 45. Ra8 h3 {White must now prevent ...Rg2+.
} 46. a7 Ke7 47. g4 (47. Nd2 $1 $11 {keeps the balance.} )Nd6 48. Rb8 Rxa7 49. Rb4 d3 50. Rb3 Ra2 51. Rxd3 Nc4 52. Ng3 Rg2+ 53. Kh1 Kf8 (53... g5 $1 $17 54. Rd1 Nd2 55. Re1+ Kd7 )54. Rc3 ({White should try} 54. g5 $15 )Nb2 $1 { ( -> ...Nd1)} 55. Rc8+ {[#]} Kg7 $1 56. Rd8 {[#]} Rf2 $1 57. Kg1 Rxf3 {Black is clearly better.} 58. Ne4 Re3 59. Ng3 Ra3 {Weighted Error
Value: White=0.10/Black=0.05} 0-1

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Wang,Hao"]
[Black "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "13.1"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Date "2021.04.26"]
[WhiteElo "2763"]
[BlackElo "2820"]
[PlyCount "84"]

1. e4 {} c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bc4 Be7 8. 0-0 {
B22: Sicilian: 2 c3.} 0-0 9. a3 Bd7 $5 { [#] Leaves trodden paths.} 10. Bxd5 $146 {The position is equal.} ({Predecessor:} 10. Qe2 Bc6 11. Bd2 Nd7 12. Nc3 dxe5 13. Bxd5 exd5 14. dxe5 Nc5 15. Be3 Ne4 16. Rac1 {1-0 (24) Kryvoruchko,
Y (2628)-Pavlovic,M (2537) Kavala 2008} )exd5 11. Nc3 Be6 12. Bf4 Nc6 13. exd6 Bxd6 14. Bxd6 Qxd6 15. Re1 Rac8 16. Qd3 f6 17. h3 Bf7 18. Rac1 Qd7 19. Nh2 Rfe8 20. Rxe8+ Rxe8 21. Nf1 g6 22. Ne3 Kg7 23. Na4 Qd6 24. Nc3 h5 25. Rd1 a6 26. Rc1 h4 27. Rd1 Na5 28. b4 Nc4 29. Nxc4 dxc4 30. Qd2 Bd5 31. b5 Bf7 (31... axb5 {feels hotter.} 32. Nxb5 Qd7 33. Nc3 g5 34. Rb1 Be4 )32. bxa6 bxa6 33. a4 g5 34. d5 Bg6 35. Re1 Qf4 36. Qd1 {[#]} Bc2 $1 37. Qa1 Re5 38. Rxe5 Qxe5 39. a5 Kg6 40. Kh1 (40. f3 $15 )Be4 $19 41. d6 {[#] Hoping for d7.} Bc6 42. Qb2 Qxd6 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.14/Black=0.03} 0-1

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "13.2"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.26"]
[WhiteElo "2789"]
[BlackElo "2758"]
[PlyCount "83"]

1. Nf3 {
} Nf6 2. c4 b6 3. g3 Bb7 4. Bg2 g6 5. d4 Bg7 6. d5 {A50: Queen's
Fianchetto Defence (1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 b6).} Na6 7. Nc3 Nc5 8. 0-0 {White has an
edge.} 0-0 9. Qc2 a5 {[#]} 10. Rd1 $5 $146 { An interesting novelty.} ({Predecessor:} 10. e4 d6 11. Be3 e5 12. h3 c6 13. dxc6 Bxc6 14. Nd2 Qc7 15. Rfd1 Rfd8 16. Nb3 {1-0 (40) Banusz,T (2623)-Jimenez Garcia,E (2397) chess.com
INT 2020} )Ne8 11. Bf4 Nd6 12. b3 Re8 13. Be5 e6 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. Rab1 e5 16. Nd2 f5 17. a3 {} Qf6 18. b4 axb4 19. axb4 Na6 20. e4 f4 21. Ne2 fxg3 22. fxg3 c5 23. bxc5 Nxc5 24. Rxb6 Qd8 25. Rdb1 Qc7 26. Nc3 Rf8 27. R6b2 Ba6 28. Nd1 Rab8 29. Rxb8 Rxb8 30. Rxb8 Qxb8 31. Qb2 Qxb2 32. Nxb2 Nc8 33. Kf2 Nb6 34. Bf1 d6 35. Ke3 Kf6 36. Be2 Ke7 37. Nb1 Bc8 38. Nc3 Bd7 39. Bd1 Be8 40. Bc2 Bd7 41. Bd1 Be8 $1 42. Bc2 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.
09/Black=0.08} (42. g4 $14 )1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Black "Ding,Liren"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "13.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Date "2021.04.26"]
[WhiteElo "2696"]
[BlackElo "2791"]
[PlyCount "122"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d6 6. 0-0 0-0 7. h3 h6 8. Re1 a5 $1 { outshines the older 8...a6. C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6,
main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3.} 9. b3 (9. Nbd2 Be6 10. Bb5 Qb8 11. Nf1 Qa7 12. d4 exd4 13. Bxc6 dxc3 14. Ba4 Bxf2+ 15. Kh2 Bxe1 16. Qxe1 d5 17. Be3 Qa6 18. e5 Ne4 19. bxc3 {1/2-1/2 (60) Alekseenko,K (2671)-Ding,L (2811) Khanty-Mansiysk
2019} )Bb6 10. Nbd2 Be6 {The position is equal.} 11. Nf1 d5 12. exd5 Nxd5 {[#]} 13. Qc2 $146 ({Predecessor:} 13. Bd2 Qf6 14. N1h2 Rad8 15. Ng4 Bxg4 16. hxg4 e4 17. g5 hxg5 18. Bxg5 Nxc3 19. Bxf6 Nxd1 20. Raxd1 gxf6 21. Rxe4 Rfe8 22. Rg4+ Kf8 {1/2-1/2 (22) Wunderlich,H (2596)-Zidu,J (2594) GER email 2017} )Qf6 14. Ng3 Qg6 {Strongly threatening ...Qxg3.} 15. Kh2 Rad8 16. Ba3 Rfe8 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. Rxe5 c6 19. Bxd5 Rxd5 20. Rxd5 Bxd5 21. c4 Be6 22. Re1 {
} Rd8 23. Ne4 Bc7+ 24. Kh1 Qh5 {Hoping for ...
Bxh3!} 25. Re3 Qe5 {} 26. Ng3 Qa1+ 27. Kh2 Qf6 28. Bb2 Qg6 29. Kh1 Bb6 30. Rf3 Bc7 $1 31. Bc3 b5 32. Qe2 bxc4 33. bxc4 a4 34. Qe3 Qg5 35. Qe1 Qg6 36. Qe3 Qg5 $1 37. Qe1 Qg6 $1 38. Qe2 a3 39. Bb4 (39. Kg1 $14 )Rb8 40. Qe1 Rd8 41. Qc3 h5 (41... Rb8 $11 {remains equal.} )42. Bxa3 $16 h4 43. Ne2 Bf5 {} 44. Nd4 Be4 45. dxe4 Qxe4 46. Rd3 {Threatens to
win with Qd2.} Be5 {next ...Qf4 is good for Black.} 47. Bc5 $2 {} (47. Bb2 $1 $16 {is forced if you want to stay better.} )Rb8 $1 $17 {
 ( -> ...Rb1+)} 48. Bb4 {[#]} ({Wrong is} 48. Rd1 $2 Rb1 $19 )Rxb4 $1 $40 { Black is out for blood.} 49. Qxb4 Qxd3 {} 50. Nf3 Qf1+ { Double Attack} 51. Ng1 Bd4 $1 {} ({Resist} 51... Qxf2 52. Qb1 $15 )52. Qb8+ Kh7 53. Qf4 {} (53. Qc8 $17 )Bxf2 $19 {} 54. Qf5+ Kh6 {} 55. Qf4+ Kg6 $1 {} 56. Qg4+ $2 {[#]} (56. Qe4+ {was the only
chance.} Kf6 57. Qf3+ Ke5 58. Qe2+ Qxe2 59. Nxe2 )Kf6 $1 {
 Black is clearly winning.} 57. Qf4+ {[#]} Ke6 $1 {} 58. Qe4+ Kd6 {} 59. Qf4+ Kc5 {} 60. Qe5+ Kxc4 {} 61. Qe4+ Kb5 { Black used his chance.  Weighted Error Value: White=0.44/Black=0.07} 0-1

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Black "Giri,Anish"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "13.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2021.04.26"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2776"]
[PlyCount "101"]

1. d4 {} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 c5 7. Bxb4 cxb4 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Nbd2 d6 10. Qb3 a5 11. a3 Na6 12. Rfd1 {E16:
Queen's Indian: 4 g3 Bb7 5 Bg2 Bb4+.} Qe7 13. Ne1 Bxg2 {[#]} 14. Kxg2 $5 $146 {
 White has an edge. An interesting novelty.} ({Predecessor:} 14. Nxg2 e5 15. Nf3 e4 16. Nfh4 Qd7 17. Ne3 Rfc8 18. Rac1 g6 19. Nhg2 b5 20. Nf4 a4 21. Qa2 bxc4 22. Nxc4 {0-1 (62) Reis,C (2408)-Dieguez Vera,C (2466) ICCF email 2013
} )h5 15. Nc2 {} bxa3 16. bxa3 ({Don't play} 16. Qxb6 Rfb8 $15 )Rab8 17. e4 e5 18. Qd3 Nc7 19. Rab1 Ne6 20. Rb5 Rfe8 (20... h4 $5 )21. h4 g6 22. f3 Nd7 23. Nf1 {} exd4 24. Nxd4 Ne5 25. Qe2 Nxd4 26. Rxd4 Nc6 27. Rd1 Qe6 28. Ne3 Ne7 29. Qd2 f5 $2 {[#] Black
cannot hold the game after this.} (29... Nc6 $16 {was worth a try.} 30. Qxd6 Red8 31. Qxe6 fxe6 )30. Qxd6 Nc6 $2 (30... Qxd6 31. Rxd6 fxe4 32. fxe4 Kf7 )31. exf5 gxf5 32. Qxe6+ Rxe6 33. Nxf5 Ne5 34. Rd6 Ree8 35. Rd4 Nc6 36. Rd2 Rbd8 37. Rxd8 Rxd8 38. Rd5 {[#] aiming for Ne7+!} Rxd5 39. cxd5 $18 {
Endgame KN-KN. White is clearly winning.} Ne5 40. Nd6 Kf8 (40... Nd7 $142 41. Ne4 b5 )41. Kf2 Ke7 42. Nb5 Kf6 43. Ke3 Kf5 44. Nd6+ Kf6 45. Ke4 Nd7 46. Kd4 Ke7 47. Nb5 Kf6 48. Nc3 Kf5 49. Ne4 Kg6 50. g4 b5 51. Nc5 {Weighted Error
Value: White=0.14/Black=0.36} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Caruana,Fabiano"]
[Black "Grischuk,Alexander"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "14.1"]
[Annotator "ChessBase"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Date "2021.04.27"]
[WhiteElo "2820"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[PlyCount "129"]
[TimeControl "60"]

1. e4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} c5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} e6 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 3. d4 {[%emt 0:0:12]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 4. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:0:5]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:0:1]} 5. Nc3 {[%emt 0:9:27]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:0:32]} 6. Qd3 {[%emt 0:1:18]
} d5 {[%emt 0:1:11]} 7. exd5 {[%emt 0:3:15]} Nb4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 8. Qc4 {[%emt 0:1:57]} Nbxd5 {[%emt 0:39:44]} 9. Bg5 {[%emt 0:9:41]} Bb4 {[%emt 0:12:28]} 10. Bd3 {[%emt 0:20:39]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:9:43]} 11. 0-0 {[%emt 0:8:3]
} Bxc3 {[%emt 0:7:21]} 12. bxc3 {[%emt 0:0:20]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 13. Qb3 {[%emt 0:0:14]} Qb6 {[%emt 0:0:52]} 14. Qxb6 {[%emt 0:22:14]} Nxb6 {[%emt 0:1:9]} 15. a4 {[%emt 0:1:14]} h6 {[%emt 0:15:49]} 16. Bxf6 {[%emt 0:8:22]
} gxf6 {[%emt 0:0:17]} 17. Rfb1 {[%emt 0:4:23]} Rc7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 18. Nb5 {[%emt 0:4:36]} Bxb5 {[%emt 0:0:14]} 19. axb5 {[%emt 0:0:4]
} Nc8 {[%emt 0:1:14]} 20. Ra3 {[%emt 0:1:48]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:1:6]} 21. Rb4 {[%emt 0:0:30]
} f5 {[%emt 0:1:3]} 22. g3 {[%emt 0:0:41]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:2:38]
} 23. f3 {[%emt 0:2:15]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:2:27]} 24. Rd4 {[%emt 0:1:24]} Rdd7 {[%emt 0:2:0]
} 25. Kf2 {[%emt 0:0:30]} b6 {[%emt 0:0:39]} 26. Ke3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Ne7 {[%emt 0:2:23]} 27. f4 {[%emt 0:1:2]} Nd5+ {[%emt 0:2:52]} 28. Kd2 {[%emt 0:0:29]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:0:13]} 29. Be2 {[%emt 0:2:24]} Rd6 {[%emt 0:0:31]
} 30. c4 {[%emt 0:2:18]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:0:11]} 31. c3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:5:11]} 32. Bf3 {[%emt 0:1:19]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:0:21]} 33. Ke3 {[%emt 0:0:52]} Nc5 {[%emt 0:1:2]} 34. h3 {[%emt 0:0:54]} f6 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 35. g4 {[%emt 0:0:18]} fxg4 {[%emt 0:0:28]} 36. hxg4 {[%emt 0:0:4]} Re8 {[%emt 0:0:41]} 37. Rd1 {[%emt 0:1:43]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:0:8]} 38. Ra2 {[%emt 0:0:47]
} Kg7 {[%emt 0:0:47]} 39. Bc6 {[%emt 0:0:55]} Rec8 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 40. Rd6 {[%emt 0:0:36]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:0:34]} 41. f5 {[%emt 0:13:21]} e5 {[%emt 0:25:33]
} 42. Rad2 {[%emt 0:8:36]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:7:55]} 43. Bf3 {[%emt 0:3:14]
} Rg8 {[%emt 0:4:58]} 44. Rd1 {[%emt 0:0:47]} Rgc8 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 45. Be2 {[%emt 0:8:23]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:1:36]} 46. Bf3 {[%emt 0:5:41]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:0:9]} 47. R6d5 {[%emt 0:1:30]} Na4 {[%emt 0:1:23]} 48. R1d2 {[%emt 0:0:11]
} e4 {[%emt 0:4:37]} 49. Bxe4 {[%emt 0:6:24]} Nxc3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 50. R5d4 {[%emt 0:0:2]} Nxe4 {[%emt 0:0:37]} 51. Rxe4+ {[%emt 0:0:5]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:0:3]} 52. Rdd4 {[%emt 0:0:36]} Re8 {[%emt 0:1:1]} 53. Kd3 {[%emt 0:1:38]
} Rxe4 {[%emt 0:1:12]} 54. Rxe4 {[%emt 0:0:4]} Re7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 55. Rd4 {[%emt 0:4:24]} Ke8 {[%emt 0:0:18]} 56. Kc3 {[%emt 0:1:2]} Rd7 {[%emt 0:0:22]} 57. Rf4 {[%emt 0:0:17]} Rh7 {[%emt 0:1:9]} 58. Rf1 {[%emt 0:2:43]
} h5 {[%emt 0:0:48]} 59. gxh5 {[%emt 0:0:37]} Rxh5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 60. Ra1 {[%emt 0:0:38]} Kd8 {[%emt 0:1:41]} 61. Rxa7 {[%emt 0:3:10]} Kc8 {[%emt 0:1:24]} 62. Ra6 {[%emt 0:0:12]} Kc7 {[%emt 0:0:13]} 63. c5 {[%emt 0:0:4]
} Rxf5 {[%emt 0:0:11]} 64. cxb6+ {[%emt 0:0:5]} Kb7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 65. Kb4 {[%emt 0:0:2]} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Giri,Anish"]
[Black "Alekseenko,Kirill"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "14.2"]
[Annotator "RC"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Date "2021.04.27"]
[WhiteElo "2776"]
[BlackElo "2696"]
[PlyCount "112"]
[TimeControl "60"]

1. c4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:0:11]} 2. g3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} e6 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 3. Bg2 {[%emt 0:0:0]} d5 {[%emt 0:0:36]} 4. d4 {[%emt 0:0:2]} Bb4+ {[%emt 0:0:59]} 5. Nd2 {[%emt 0:0:9]} 0-0 {[%emt 0:3:19]} 6. Ngf3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} b6 {[%emt 0:5:29]} 7. 0-0 {[%emt 0:0:14]} Bb7 {[%emt 0:1:7]} 8. b3 {[%emt 0:0:33]} Re8 {[%emt 0:3:52]} 9. Bb2 {[%emt 0:0:47]} Nbd7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 10. Qc2 {[%emt 0:3:53]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:12:40]} 11. Rad1 {[%emt 0:9:58]} c5 {[%emt 0:3:36]} 12. Qb1 {[%emt 0:12:5]} Qe7 {[%emt 0:15:12]} 13. dxc5 {[%emt 0:3:13]
} Nxc5 {[%emt 0:12:22]} 14. cxd5 {[%emt 0:2:29]} Bxd5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 15. Ne5 {[%emt 0:21:30]} Bxg2 {[%emt 0:4:10]} 16. Kxg2 {[%emt 0:0:5]
} Qb7+ {[%emt 0:0:59]} 17. Kg1 {[%emt 0:3:37]} b5 {[%emt 0:6:6]} 18. Nef3 {[%emt 0:9:52]
} Red8 {[%emt 0:5:6]} 19. a3 {[%emt 0:5:34]} Bxd2 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 20. Bxf6 {[%emt 0:1:53]} gxf6 {[%emt 0:0:10]} 21. Nxd2 {[%emt 0:0:14]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:2:13]} 22. Nf3 {[%emt 0:1:27]} Ne4 {[%emt 0:3:49]} 23. Rxd8 {[%emt 0:3:9]
} Rxd8 {[%emt 0:0:6]} 24. Qb2 {[%emt 0:0:6]} a5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 25. b4 {[%emt 0:1:9]} a4 {[%emt 0:0:27]} 26. Rc1 {[%emt 0:0:16]} Qd5 {[%emt 0:3:52]
} 27. Qc2 {[%emt 0:1:19]} Rd7 {[%emt 0:3:20]} 28. Kg2 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Qb7 {[%emt 0:7:0]} 29. Kg1 {[%emt 0:2:36]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:1:31]} 30. Kg2 {[%emt 0:1:38]} Rd7 {[%emt 0:3:49]} 31. Kg1 {[%emt 0:0:6]} Rd6 {[%emt 0:0:58]
} 32. Kg2 {[%emt 0:1:26]} Nd2 {[%emt 0:0:50]} 33. Rd1 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Nc4 {[%emt 0:0:53]} 34. Rxd6 {[%emt 0:0:11]} Nxd6 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 35. Qd3 {[%emt 0:0:26]} Nc4 {[%emt 0:0:35]} 36. e4 {[%emt 0:0:33]} Qc6 {[%emt 0:1:12]
} 37. g4 {[%emt 0:1:26]} Qc7 {[%emt 0:2:2]} 38. Nd2 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Ne5 {[%emt 0:0:41]} 39. Qe3 {[%emt 0:4:55]} h6 {[%emt 0:3:27]} 40. f4 {[%emt 0:5:26]} Nxg4 {[%emt 0:1:27]} 41. Qg3 {[%emt 0:14:17]} f5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 42. Kf1 {[%emt 0:4:3]} h5 {[%emt 0:14:49]} 43. Ke2 {[%emt 0:13:29]} Qb6 {[%emt 0:5:2]} 44. h3 {[%emt 0:6:5]} h4 {[%emt 0:0:9]} 45. Qc3+ {[%emt 0:1:48]
} Nf6 {[%emt 0:0:5]} 46. exf5 {[%emt 0:7:32]} exf5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 47. Nf3 {[%emt 0:0:33]} Qe6+ {[%emt 0:1:42]} 48. Kd2 {[%emt 0:11:43]} Qd5+ {[%emt 0:5:52]} 49. Qd3 {[%emt 0:0:15]} Ne4+ {[%emt 0:1:18]} 50. Ke3 {[%emt 0:0:43]
} Qa2 {[%emt 0:0:42]} 51. Kd4 {[%emt 0:0:25]} f6 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 52. Qf1 {[%emt 0:3:27]} Qxa3 {[%emt 0:1:58]} 53. Kd5 {[%emt 0:0:46]} Qxb4 {[%emt 0:1:40]} 54. Qg1+ {[%emt 0:0:2]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:0:57]} 55. Ke6 {[%emt 0:1:1]
} Qe7+ {[%emt 0:0:5]} 56. Kxf5 {[%emt 0:0:9]} Ng3+ {[%emt 0:0:0]} 0-1

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Ding,Liren"]
[Black "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "14.3"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2021.04.27"]
[WhiteElo "2791"]
[BlackElo "2789"]
[PlyCount "69"]

1. d4 {} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 e6 4. e4 c5 5. d5 d6 (5... Nxe4 $2 6. fxe4 Qh4+ 7. Ke2 $18 )6. Bd3 {E60: King's Indian: Unusual lines and Fianchetto Variation without Nc3.} (6. Nc3 exd5 7. cxd5 Bg7 8. Nge2 0-0 9. Ng3 a6 10. a4 Nbd7 11. Be2 Ne8 12. 0-0 Rb8 13. Re1 Bd4+ 14. Kh1 Qh4 15. Rf1 Ne5 16. f4 Ng4 17. Bxg4 Bxg4 18. Qe1 Nf6 19. e5 {0-1 (42) Ding,L (2811)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2776) chess.com INT 2019} )Bg7 7. Ne2 exd5 8. cxd5 {The position is equal.} Nbd7 {[#]} 9. Nec3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 9. a4 0-0 10. 0-0 Ne5 11. Bc2 a6 12. Nd2 Re8 13. b3 Rb8 14. Bb2 Nh5 15. Ra2 {0-1 (41) Ugrinovsky,A (2084)-Franzen,T (2278) ICCF email 2017} )a6 10. a4 Nh5 11. 0-0 Bd4+ 12. Kh1 Ne5 13. Ne2 Qh4 14. Nxd4 Nxd3 15. Qxd3 {Ne2 is the strong threat.} Ng3+ { Double Attack} 16. Kg1 Nxf1 17. Nc2 ({Much weaker is} 17. Kxf1 cxd4 18. Qxd4 0-0 $11 )Nxh2 18. Qe3 0-0 {
Black is now going downhill.} (18... g5 $14 )19. Qg5 $1 $16 {} Nxf3+ 20. gxf3 Qh3 {[#]} 21. Bf4 $1 Qxf3 {White must now prevent ...Qd1+.} 22. Nd2 f6 {[#]} 23. Qxg6+ {} hxg6 24. Nxf3 Bg4 {[#]} 25. Nd2 { White has strong compensation.} Be2 (25... Rad8 $16 {keeps fighting.} 26. Ne3 Be2 )26. Kf2 $18 ({But not} 26. Bxd6 $6 Rfe8 )Bd3 27. Ne1 c4 28. Bxd6 Rfe8 29. Nxd3 cxd3 30. Bc7 Kf7 31. Ra3 Rac8 32. d6 Ke6 33. Rxd3 {White is
clearly winning.} Kd7 34. Nc4 {Strongly threatening Nb6+.} Rxc7 35. Nb6+ {
Weighted Error Value: White=0.02/Black=0.24} 1-0

[Event "FIDE Candidates 2020"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime"]
[Black "Wang,Hao"]
[Site "Yekaterinburg"]
[Round "14.4"]
[Annotator "TA"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2021.04.27"]
[WhiteElo "2758"]
[BlackElo "2763"]
[PlyCount "57"]

1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. h3 Ke8 10. Nc3 h5 {
C67: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defence: 4 0-0 Nxe4.} 11. Ne2 b6 {11...b6 scores better
than 11...Be7.} 12. Bg5 c5 {The position is equal.} 13. Nc3 {Threatens to win
with Nd5.} Bb7 14. Rfd1 Bxf3 15. gxf3 {[#] Hoping for Nd5.} c6 {[#]} 16. f4 $146 ({Predecessor:} 16. Rd3 Be7 17. Ne4 Rd8 18. Rad1 Rxd3 19. Rxd3 Bxg5 20. Nxg5 Ke7 21. Kf1 h4 22. f4 {1/2-1/2 (33) Vachier Lagrave,M (2781)-Nakamura,H 
(2746) London 2018} )Be7 {And now ...f6 would win.} 17. Ne4 Bxg5 18. fxg5 Ke7 19. Nd6 Ke6 20. Rd3 Rhd8 {} 21. Re1 a5 22. f4 c4 23. Rdd1 b5 24. Kf2 a4 25. a3 g6 26. Kf3 Ng7 27. Rd2 Ne8 (27... Ke7 $14 )28. Red1 Nc7 {[#]} (28... Nxd6 {was worth a try.} 29. Rxd6+ Ke7 )29. Nxb5 $1 {
Discovered Attack.  Weighted Error Value: White=0.03/Black=0.17} 1-0

