In Search of a new Main Line
While opening theory is changing all the time, there are some lines that change very little, if at all. The Rauzer B69 is one such line:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O Bd7 9.f4 Be7 10.Nf3 b5 11.Bxf6 gxf6
B69 has been popular in grandmaster praxis since the 1950’s and is still relatively popular today. Amazing games with famous names such as Tal, Larsen, Spassky and Geller can be found in this line. At the 1972 Fischer-Spassky Reykjavik World Championship not less than 2 games were disputed in this line!
Curiously, way back then the opening theoreticians were not really certain what White move order was infact the main line, but that all changed in 1977 when then World Champion Karpov introduced a certain move order ( against grandmaster Liberzon at Bad Lauterberg ) and that would then define what would be considered the main line for White for the next 40 years!
It is very rare that main lines remain main lines for that long a period of time, but that is exactly what happened here! A good idea is always helpful, I suppose…
As is natural with any popular variation, small refinements were discovered for both sides over the next decades, but without really changing the dynamic balance. The theoreticians still continued to consider Karpov’s move order to be the main line…
Finally, a breath of fresh air! Last year, Sergei Karjakin decided to vary from the Karpov move order and in an impressive game with grandmaster Demchenko (at Douglas, Isle of Man) he introduced a new idea that I think will very likely soon become the new B69 main line!
Here in this theoretical article I want to discuss this line in a bit of detail. I have decided to divide the work into two parts: (I) to present the ‘Karpov’ move order, and then (II), to present the new ‘Karjakin’ move order.
Part I: Karpov’s move order
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2
a6 8.O-O-O Bd7 9.f4 Be7 10.Nf3 b5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 11.Bxf6 gxf6 {[#]}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Simagin’s suggestion</strong> } 11...Bxf6$5 {<strong style="color:black;">sacrificing a Pawn </strong> }
12.Qxd6 Be7 {<strong style="color:black;">has never been refuted, though neither has it ever become popular </strong> } 13.Qd3$5 )
12.f5$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White has a number of plans available. Most of them involve playing the <em> Nimzovichian</em> f5 at some point. The f5-move achieves a number of objectives, including allowing for the very popular Knight manoeuvre to f4, from where pressure can be exerted on the Black centre. Also common plans are to place the Bishop on either d3 (supporting the centre) or h3 to put pressure on e6. </strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A stroll down history lane is </strong> } 12.Bd3$5 Qa5 13.Kb1 b4 14.Ne2
Qc5! ({<strong style="color:black;">less accurate </strong> } 14...Rg8$6 15.Ng3 Qc5 16.Rhe1 Ra7 17.e5!$16 {<strong style="color:black;"> Geller E – Larsen B , Copenhagen 1966 Match</strong>}
) 15.f5 a5 16.Nf4 a4 17.Rc1 Rb8 18.c3 b3 19.a3 Ne5{<strong style="color:black;">with a full blooded battle ahead </strong> } 20.Rhf1 Nc4
21.Bxc4 Qxc4 22.Rce1 Kd8 23.Ka1 Rb5 24.Nd4 Ra5 25.Nd3 Kc7 26.Nb4
h5 27.g3 Re5 28.Nd3 Rb8 29.Qe2 Ra5 30.fxe6 fxe6 31.Rf2 e5 32.Nf5
Bxf5 33.Rxf5 d5 34.exd5 Qxd5 35.Nb4 Qd7 36.Rxh5 Bxb4 37.cxb4
Rd5 38.Rc1+ Kb7 39.Qe4 Rc8 40.Rb1 Kb6 41.Rh7 Rd4 42.Qg6 Qc6 43.Rf7
Rd6 44.Qh6 Qf3 45.Qh7 Qc6 46.Qh6 Qf3 47.Qh7 Qc6 {<strong style="color:black;"> 1/2-1/2, Fischer R – Spassky B, Reykjavik 1972 World Champion</strong>}
)
({<strong style="color:black;">Many prefer the flexible </strong> } 12.Kb1 {<strong style="color:black;"> and then only decide upon which of the above plans White will play after seeing what Black does. </strong> } )
Qb6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Considered the best square for the Queen.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Tempting, but less strong is </strong> }12...Qa5$6 13.Kb1 O-O-O ( 13...b4 14.Ne2 Qc5
15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Nf4 a5 17.g3 $36 ) 14.g3 Kb8 15.Bh3 Bc8 16.Rhe1
h5 17.Qe3$16 Bd7 18.Ne2 Ne5 19.Nf4 Ng4 20.Qe2 Rdg8 21.Nd4 Qb6 22.Rd2
e5 23.Nd5 Qd8 24.Nb3 Bc6 25.c4 Qd7 26.Na5 Bd8 27.Nxc6+ Qxc6 28.Rc1
Kb7 29.cxb5 Qxb5 30.Rd3 Ka7 31.Bxg4 hxg4 32.Qe3+ Ka8 33.Rb3 Qd7
34.Qd3 Ka7 35.Qe3+ Ka8 36.Rb6 {<strong style="color:black;"> 1-0, Tal M – Byrne R, Havana 1966 Olympiad</strong>}
)
13.Kb1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Most common, but g3 or Bd3 are also played</strong>} O-O-O{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Castling Kingside is clearly very dangerous, and staying in the centre is possible but has not achieved good results. For that reason Queenside castling is considered the most rational continuation.</strong>} 14.fxe6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Or </strong> } 14.g3 Kb8 15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Bh3 {<strong style="color:black;">is the same thing. </strong> })
fxe6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
15.g3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White intends to put his Bishop on h3 and his Knight on f4. Black must play precisely if he is to avoid finding himself in difficulties</strong>} Kb8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The most common move, and very logical. The King is safer on b8 and Black might later want to play Rc8 and play along the c-file, or retreat his Bishop to c8 (and perhaps later to b7) depending on how White plays </strong>} 16.Bh3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Bc8 {[#] [%cal Rd8d2] <strong style="color:red;">The most common. Black <em> shadows </em>the White Queen and theatens to explode the centre with d5 in some situations. White must now play precisely to execute his intended plan.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">As an aside, some young players have recently achieved good results in rapid games with the tricky </strong> } 16...Na5 {<strong style="color:black;"> but I consider it inferior. After the precise </strong> } 17.Qd3!{<strong style="color:black;"> White will get the advantage.</strong> }
({<strong style="color:black;"> White should avoid</strong> } 17.b3$6 b4! 18.Ne2
Nb7$5 19.Nf4 d5! {<strong style="color:black;">and already Black is better. For example </strong> } 20.exd5 e5! 21.Bxd7 Rxd7 22.Ne6? Nd6!{<strong style="color:black;">and the Knight heads to c3 or a3 with advantage! </strong> } )
( {<strong style="color:black;">And also </strong> }17.Nd4$6 b4! 18.Nce2 e5! 19.Bxd7 Rxd7 20.Nf5
Nc4 21.Qd3 Rc8 {<strong style="color:black;">with good play for Black in both cases </strong> } )
Nb7 ( 17...b4 18.Ne2 Bb5 19.Qd4$14 ) 18.Rhe1 Nc5
19.Qe3$14 {<strong style="color:black;">and White is slightly better in both lines. </strong> } )
17.Qe1! {[#] <strong style="color:red;">KARPOV INTRODUCED THIS MOVE INTO MODERN PRAXIS IN 1977! The Queen prudently steps away from the Rook on d8. The Karpov move order is characterized by the <em>SHADOW</em> theme whereby the Black Rooks follow the White Queen and oblige her to hide: </strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Sloppy would be the immediate </strong> } 17.Rhe1$6 b4! 18.Ne2 ( 18.Na4 Qb5 19.b3 d5! ) d5! {<strong style="color:black;">when Black gets very active play </strong> } )
( {<strong style="color:black;">The same goes for </strong> } 17.Rhf1$6 b4 18.Ne2 ( 18.Na4 Qb5 19.b3 d5! ) d5! {<strong style="color:black;"> All of this has happened in praxis and the results have not been good for White.</strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with the Queen stepping over to the Kingside </strong> } 17.Qh6$5 {<strong style="color:black;">though White must be careful about his King because the Queen is very distant. One game where things quicky took the wroing turn for White is </strong> } Qc5$5 18.Rhf1 ( 18.Rhe1 Rhf8
( 18...a5$6 19.Bf1 ) 19.a3 Rf7 20.Ne2 Bf8 ) a5 19.Ne2$6
d5! 20.exd5 Nb4 21.Ned4? ( {<strong style="color:black;">White had to try </strong> } 21.Nfd4! e5 ( 21...Qxd5?!
22.Nc3! ) 22.Nc6+ Nxc6 23.dxc6 Bxh3 24.Qxh3 Qxc6$12 ) Qxd5
22.b3 e5 23.Ne6 Qc6 24.c3 Qe4+ {<strong style="color:black;"> 0-1, Beliavsky A – Tal M , Leningrad 1977. A very famous Tal game!</strong>}
)
Rhe8{[#][%cal Re8e1] <strong style="color:red;">following the White Queen and trying to play d5 at the opportune moment</strong>} 18.Ne2!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Once more imprecise would be </strong> } 18.Rf1 Qc5$5 ( 18...Bf8 19.Ne2 Bg7 {<strong style="color:black;">is also often seen </strong> } ) 19.Ne2 d5!{<strong style="color:black;"> and Black gets a good game because of tactics based on the White Queen.</strong> } )
Ne5$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The most precise move order, and probably the reason why Karjakin looked for something better for White earlier…</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">(A:) Karpov won a wonderful game after </strong> } 18...Qc5 19.Nfd4!{<strong style="color:black;">very precise and instructive play by Karpov! </strong> } Nxd4 20.Nxd4 Bf8 21.Rf1 d5{<strong style="color:black;">Here this move does not have the desired effect </strong> } ( 21...Bg7 22.Rf3!{<strong style="color:black;"> and the Rook slips over to the Queenside</strong> } )
22.Nb3! Qc7 23.Bg2 dxe4 24.Qxe4 Bb7 25.Rxd8+ Rxd8 26.Qxb7+ Qxb7
27.Bxb7 Kxb7 28.c3{<strong style="color:black;"> And White is comfortably better in the ending. One of Karpov’s best endgames!</strong> } Be7 29.Nd4 e5 30.Nf5 Bc5 31.Kc2 a5 32.g4 Kc6
33.Ng3 Be7 34.Rf5 Rg8 35.h3 Kd5 36.Kd3 a4 37.Ne4 Ke6 38.Rh5 Rd8+
39.Ke2 a3 40.b4 Kd5 41.Kd3 Ke6+ 42.Kc2 Rc8 43.Kb3 Kd5 44.Ng3
Bd6 45.Rxh7 e4 46.Nf5 Rd8 47.Ra7 Bf4 48.Kc2 Kc4 49.Rc7+ Kd5 50.Rc5+
Ke6 51.Nd4+ Kf7 52.Rxb5 Be3 53.Rb7+ Kg8 54.Nf5 Rd2+ 55.Kb3 {<strong style="color:black;"> 1-0, Karpov A – Liberzon Vladimir M , Bad Lauterberg 1977</strong>}
)
({<strong style="color:black;">(B:) Black has often tried to recycle the Bishop onto the h8-a1 diagonal, but it does not seem to work out very well: </strong> } 18...Bf8$5 19.Rf1 ( 19.Nf4 Bg7 20.Rf1{<strong style="color:black;">is he same thing </strong> } ) Bg7 ( 19...Ne5 20.Nf4
Nc4 21.Qf2!$14 {<strong style="color:black;">the ending would be good for Wite </strong> } ) 20.Nf4 Qc5
( 20...Bh8 21.Rf2 ( 21.c3 ) Na5 22.Re2
Nc4 23.c3 Re7 24.Nd4 Rde8 25.Bg4 Qb7 26.Nc2 Rc7 27.Bh5 Rd8 28.Nd4
Re7 29.Nd3 Qb6 30.Bf3 Rc7 31.Nf4 $16 {<strong style="color:black;"> Dolmatov S – Bluvshtein M , Moscow 2004 “Aeroflot”</strong>}
)
21.Rf2$5
({<strong style="color:black;"> Similar and also good is</strong> } 21.c3 f5 22.exf5 exf5 23.Qf2!$14 {<strong style="color:black;"> Kolev A – Damljanovic B, Skopje 2002</strong>})
Re7
( 21...b4 22.Rfd2 Ne5! 23.Nd4 Nc4 24.Ndxe6 )
22.c3!$14 {<strong style="color:black;"> Leko P – Timman J , Wijk aan Zee 1995. White is simply better. All of Black’s tactics don’t work and now White can settle down and concentrate on exploiting Black’s weak pawns.</strong>}
)
19.Rf1{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Once more watch out for </strong> } 19.Nfd4$6 d5! )
Nc4 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black’s active play on the Queenside keeps White from dominating the play</strong>} 20.Nf4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">It is difficult to believe that there is a better move</strong>} d5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Active play! It looks anti-positional, which it may be, but Black’s active pieces keep the game in balance</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Black should not play either </strong> } 20...Bf8$6 21.Qf2! Qb7 ( 21...Qxf2 22.Rxf2$14 ) 22.Rfe1
( 22.Nd2$5 {<strong style="color:black;">is probably even better! </strong> } ) Bh6 23.Bg2 Rf8 { <strong style="color:black;"> so far the game Jakovenko,D – Salem,AR , Khanty-Mansiysk 1 FIDE World Cup 2011</strong>}
24.Qe2! $14 )
( {<strong style="color:black;">Nor </strong> } 20...Ne3$6 21.Bxe6! )
21.exd5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} e5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">It took several decades to find all of this, but this is now considered the best and quite satisfactory for Black</strong>} 22.Bxc8
( 22.Ne6 Bxe6 23.Bxe6 Ne3$13{<strong style="color:black;">Black’s chances are no worse than White’s chances. The positionis a mess! </strong> } )
Rxc8 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">With a roughly balanced fight in a complicated position. One possibility is</strong>} 23.d6$5 Nxd6! 24.Nd5 Qc6 25.Qe2 Nc4$13{[#] <strong style="color:red;">and it is anyone’s game! Wild, complex, dynamic! The Karpov move order, still the main line after 40 years, does not lead by force to an advantage for White, but it does require very precise handling by both sides.</strong>} *
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Part II: Karjakin’s move order
[FEN "r3k2r/3bbp1p/pqnppp2/1p3P2/4P3/2N2N2/PPPQ2PP/2KR1B1R w kq - 0 13"]
13.Qh6$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">This is how Karjakin played against Demchenko last year. HIs idea is to place the Queen on h5 from where it puts annoying pressure on f7 and will likely tie down one of Black’s Rooks to defend against White capturing it. Not much of an achievement for the Queen, you might counter –and you would have a point– but the gem of the idea is that the Black Rooks will no longer be able to <em>shadow</em> the White Queen as they could in the Karpov move order, when the Queen is on e1, and, further, the tactical ‘threats’ of breaking with d5 and/or e5 are significantly reduced or virtually nil. </strong>} O-O-O 14.Qh5!{[#][%cal Rh5f7,Rh5h7,Rh5a5] <strong style="color:red;">THIS IS KARJAKIN’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE THEORY OF THIS LINE! Now the question from Black’s point of view is how to deal with White’s <em>threat on f7?</em></strong>}
Rhf8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This seems to be the most rational move. Although this line is very new, I could already find about 4 or 5 games with it since Karjakin first played this way and this has been the most common reply.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Less constructive seems </strong> } 14...Rdf8 15.Kb1 Ne5 16.Nd4! {<strong style="color:black;">when both of Black’s Rooks seem useless </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">Gambling is </strong> } 14...Kb8 15.Qxf7 h5? ( {<strong style="color:black;">Better, but not by much is </strong> } 15...Rdf8 16.Qh5 b4 17.Na4 Qa5 18.b3 Ne5 19.Nxe5 fxe5 20.Kb1!$16{<strong style="color:black;">and White’s Bishop is going to fine a wonderful square on c4 </strong> } )
16.Nd4 Nxd4 17.fxe6!$18 )
({<strong style="color:black;">Finally, totally wrong is </strong> } 14...b4$6 15.Ne2 e5 (15...Qe3+$6 16.Kb1 Qxe4? 17.Ng3!$18) 16.Ng3!{<strong style="color:black;">when Black’s position seems as though it is about to crack once the White Bishop comes to c4. </strong> } )
15.Kb1 Kb8
16.Bd3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">In many of Karjakin’s games against the Rauzer he places his Bishop on d3 and then centralizes his King Rook. One just need recall his game with Caruana from the 2016 Candidates Tournament in Moscow, where he scored a brilliant victory and qualified to challenge Carlsen for the World Championship. However, there are good alternatives worth exploring: </strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">First, the immediate </strong> } 16.Ne2$5 {<strong style="color:black;"> planning to go quickly to f4, and then White can always later play his Bishop to d3 </strong> } )
( {<strong style="color:black;">I recommend </strong> } 16.g3$5{[#] <strong style="color:black;">with the idea of placing the Bishop on h3 </strong> } Rc8
( 16...b4 17.Ne2 e5 18.Nc1!$14 )
( 16...Ne5 17.Nd4 Rc8 18.Nce2 Nc4 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Bh3$5$13 Qa5 21.Rd3! )
( 16...Na5$5 17.fxe6 fxe6 18.Nd4 Qc5$5$13 )
17.fxe6 fxe6 18.Bh3 Ne5
( 18...Na5 19.Nd5! )
( 18...Qc7 19.a3 )
19.Nxe5 fxe5 20.Nd5 exd5
21.Bxd7 Rc7 22.Bf5 Qf2 23.Rc1 d4 24.Rhf1 {<strong style="color:black;"> and White must be better</strong> } )
Bc8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Karjakin’s opponent sticks to the standard treatment as when the White Queen is in the centre. But there are interesting alternatives…</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">(A:) A game of mine from Lisbon in January of this year saw </strong> } 16...Rc8$5 17.Rhe1{<strong style="color:black;"> <em>á la Karjakin </em></strong> }
Qa5$5 18.Ne2! ({<strong style="color:black;">I got the better game with </strong> } 18.fxe6 fxe6 19.Ne2 Rc7$6 ( 19...e5!$13 )
20.Nfd4! Nb4 21.Nc1 Rfc8 22.Qf7!$16 {<strong style="color:black;"> Spraggett,K – Bashirli,Nail 2379 , Lisbon POR 1/ 2/2020</strong> }
) Nb4 19.a3! ( 19.Nc1$5 ) Nxd3 20.Rxd3 e5 21.Nc3{<strong style="color:black;">and White is on top </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;"> (B:) Probably best is Ponomariov’s move against Huschenbeth, several days after the Karjakin game</strong> } 16...Ne5! {[#]} 17.Ne2$5
( 17.Rhe1 b4 18.Ne2 Nxd3! 19.Rxd3 Bb5 20.Rd2
e5 21.Ng3 Bc6$15 )
( 17.fxe6 fxe6 18.Qxh7 Nc6 19.Qh4 f5 20.Qe1 b4!$15 )
( 17.Nxe5 dxe5 18.Qxh7 b4 19.Ne2 exf5 20.exf5 Bc6!$17 )
b4
({<strong style="color:black;"> Probably better is</strong> } 17...Nxd3 {<strong style="color:black;">with messy consequences difficult to fathom. Only praxis will tell what is going on here </strong> } 18.Rxd3 ( 18.cxd3 e5 19.Nc3 Bc6 20.Qxh7$13 ) Bc6 19.fxe6
fxe6 ( 19...Bxe4 20.exf7 d5 21.Nf4 ) 20.Nf4 Bxe4 21.Nxe6$13 )
18.Nf4!{<strong style="color:black;">An improvement </strong> }
( 18.fxe6 fxe6 19.Nf4 ( 19.Nxe5 dxe5 20.Qxh7 Qc5 {!} 21.Bxa6
Rh8 22.Qf7 Rdf8 23.Qg7 Rfg8 24.Qf7 Rf8 25.Qg7 Rfg8 26.Qf7 Rf8
{<strong style="color:black;">1/2-1/2, Huschenbeth,N 2624 – Ponomariov,R 2675 , Douglas ENG 19/10/2019 FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss </strong> }
)
Rde8 20.Rhe1 ) a5 19.Rhe1 a4 20.Bf1$14 b3 21.cxb3 axb3 22.a3 )
({<strong style="color:black;"> (C:) Probably playable is </strong> } 16...Qc5$5 17.Ne2
( 17.Rhe1$5 )
Rc8 18.Nf4$14 Nb4$6 {<strong style="color:black;">as in Gajewski,G – Henriquez V , 14/11/2019 Chess24 Banter Blitz, and now</strong> }
19.c3!{<strong style="color:black;">when White is simply better </strong> } Nxd3 20.Nxd3 Qc4 21.Rhe1 a5 22.fxe6 fxe6 23.Qxh7! {<strong style="color:black;">NOW BACK TO THE KARJAKIN GAME: </strong> } )
17.Rhe1{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Also worthy of close attention is </strong> } 17.Rhf1$5 )
Qc7$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">I don’t like the look of this and it is about here that Black’s position starts to go wrong. The Queen was quite useful on b6. Although not a bad move in itself, it is not connected with a concrete plan. It is dangerous to <em>drift</em> in chess… </strong>}
( 17...Ne5$5 18.Ne2$5 )
18.Bf1$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not really necessary, but Karjakin wanted to tuck the Bishop away</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">I prefer </strong> } 18.Ne2$5 {<strong style="color:black;"> and if </strong> } d5 19.exd5 Rxd5 20.Be4! Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1{<strong style="color:black;">White has a comfortable edge </strong> } )
Na5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black prepares his blunder…</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Worth consideration is </strong> } 18...Ne5 {<strong style="color:black;">when White can maintain an edge with the standard plan of putting his Knight on f4 </strong> }19.Ne2 ({<strong style="color:black;">For those who like to provoke one could suggest </strong> } 19.a3$5 d5? 20.exd5 Bxa3 21.dxe6$16 fxe6 22.Rxd8
Rxd8 23.fxe6 ) )
({<strong style="color:black;">Totally wrong is </strong> } 18...b4 19.Na4 d5 20.exd5 Rxd5 21.Rxd5 exd5
22.b3$16 )
19.fxe6
({<strong style="color:black;">The computer likes </strong> } 19.a3$5 {<strong style="color:black;">and if </strong> } d5$6 ( 19...Nc4 20.Bxc4 Qxc4 21.Rd3! )
20.exd5 Bxa3 21.fxe6 fxe6 22.dxe6 Rxd1+ 23.Rxd1 Bxe6 24.Nxb5! )
fxe6 20.Nd4$16{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black is already in trouble and has difficulties finding a satisfactory move…</strong>} Nc6?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">but this effectively ends the game</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">No better would be </strong> }20...b4 21.Qxa5! )
({<strong style="color:black;">Black had to try </strong> } 20...Bd7! {<strong style="color:black;"> and pray!</strong> }21.Nf5
( 21.a4$5 b4 ( 21...bxa4 22.Bxa6 a3 23.Bb5 axb2 24.Bxd7 ) 22.Na2 )
Be8 22.Qe2 exf5 23.exf5 )
21.Ncxb5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A very nice move that forces a liquidation to a won ending. The hallmark of a great player like Karjakin, the rest is very instructive.</strong>} axb5 22.Qxb5+ Bb7 23.Nxe6
Qa5 24.Qxa5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Also very promising is </strong> } 24.Qb3 Qb4 25.Nxd8 Rxd8 26.Qxb4 Nxb4 27.Bc4 )
Nxa5
25.Re3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Rc8 26.Nxf8 Bxf8 27.Bd3 Nc4 28.Rf3 Bh6 29.Rh3 Bf4 30.Rxh7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
Be5 31.c3 Ne3 32.Rd2 Nc4 33.Re2 Ba6 34.Ka1 Rc6 35.h4 Rb6 36.Bxc4
Bxc4 37.Re3 d5 38.exd5 Ra6 39.a3 Rd6 40.h5 Rxd5 41.Re1 Rd8 42.Re7
Rh8 43.Rh1 Bd5 44.h6 Bxg2 45.Rg1 Be4 46.h7 1-0
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