1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">One of Ding Liren’s favourite continuations.</strong>} O-O 6.e3 b6$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">I like this move! Not as popular as the alternatives, probably because theory has neglected it. At present it has become quite popular amongst the elite players, including Carlsen.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">The ‘theoretical’ move is </strong> } 6...c5 {<strong style="color:black;">but it has the drawback of being over analyzed. </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">The 2nd most popular move is </strong> } 6...Nbd7 {<strong style="color:black;">but it has the reputation of being boring. </strong> } )
7.Bd3$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not the first time Ding Liren has had this position, nor the only move that he has tried</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">A major alternative is to immediately exchange on d5: </strong> } 7.cxd5 Nxd5 ({<strong style="color:black;">Leading to a more complex fight, full of chances for both sides is </strong> } 7...exd5$5 8.Bd3
Bb7 9.O-O c5 10.Ne5 Nc6 11.Qf3 ( 11.Rc1 Qc8! ) Qc8!$13 ) 8.Nxd5 exd5
( {<strong style="color:black;"> Some prefer to play more actively with</strong> } 8...Qxd5 9.Be2 ( 9.a3 Ba6 10.Bxa6 Nxa6 11.b4 Bd6 12.Bg3 Nb8
13.Qd3 b5 14.e4 Qb7 15.d5 exd5 16.e5 Be7 17.Nd4 a5 18.Nf5 Re8
19.Nxe7+ Rxe7 20.O-O Nd7 21.Qc3 axb4 22.axb4 Rc8 23.Rfc1 c6 24.f4
f6 25.Bf2 Qc7 26.Ra7 Qd8 27.Qh3 fxe5 28.fxe5 Rc7 29.Ra3 Nxe5
30.Bb6 Qc8 31.Bxc7 Qxh3 32.Rxh3 Rxc7 33.Re1 Nc4 34.Rf3 h6 35.Re6
c5 36.bxc5 Rxc5 37.h4 Nd2 38.Rd3 Ne4 39.Rb6 Kh7 40.g4 Rc1+ 41.Kg2
Rc2+ 42.Kg1 Rc1+ 43.Kg2 Rc2+ 44.Kg1 Rc1+ {<strong style="color:black;">1/2-1/2, Caruana, F – Anand, V25/ 8/2019 7th Sinquefield</strong> }
) Bb7 10.Bxc7 Qa5+ 11.Kf1 Nd7 12.h4 Rac8 13.Bf4 Rfd8 14.Kg1 Bxf3
15.Bxf3 e5 16.Bg5 Bxg5 17.hxg5 exd4 18.Qxd4 Qxg5 19.Rh5 Qf6 20.Rd5
Qxd4 21.Rxd4 Ne5 22.Bd5 Nc6 23.Rdd1 Kf8 24.Bxc6 Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1
Rxc6 26.Rd7 Rc2 27.Rxa7 Rxb2 28.a4 Ra2 29.Rb7 Ra1+ 30.Kh2 Rxa4
31.Rxb6 {1/2-1/2, Ding L – So,W, Berlin GER 22/ 3/2018 FIDE Candidates}
) 9.Bd3 c5 10.b3 Nc6 11.O-O Be6 12.Rc1 a5 13.h3 g6 14.Bb5$14 {<strong style="color:black;">Ding L – Carlsen,M 13/ 8/2019 Saint Louis Blitz</strong> }
)
dxc4 8.Bxc4 Ba6$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not my kind of move, but certainly very playable and popular at the top.</strong>} 9.Bxa6
({<strong style="color:black;">Ding Liren had also tried the immediate </strong> } 9.Qe2$5 Qc8 ( 9...Bxc4 10.Qxc4 c5 11.dxc5
bxc5 ( 11...Bxc5 12.O-O Qc8 13.Rfd1 Nbd7 14.Qe2 Re8 15.Nd2 Qb7
16.Qf3 Qxf3 17.gxf3 Rec8 18.Nde4 Bf8 19.Nd6 Rc6 20.Bg3 a6 21.Rac1
Bxd6 22.Rxd6 Rxd6 23.Bxd6 Rc8 24.Rd1 h6 25.f4 b5 26.Be7 Rc6 27.Kg2
Nb6 28.e4 Nc4 29.Rd8+ Kh7 30.Bxf6 gxf6 31.Nd1 Kg6 32.b3 Rd6 33.Rxd6
Nxd6 34.f3 Kh5 35.Kg3 b4 36.Ne3 f5 37.exf5 Nxf5+ 38.Nxf5 exf5
39.Kf2 Kh4 40.Kg2 a5 41.Kf2 Kh3 42.Kg1 h5 43.Kh1 h4 44.Kg1 f6
45.Kh1 a4 46.bxa4 b3 47.axb3 {<strong style="color:black;">1/2-1/2, Carlsen, M – Karjakin, S 21/ 8/2019 7th Sinquefield</strong> }
) 12.O-O Nc6 13.Rac1 Rc8 14.Ne5 Qb6 15.Nxc6 Rxc6 16.b3 h6 17.Rfd1
Qb7 18.h3 Rfc8 19.Na4$14 {<strong style="color:black;">Carlsen,M – Nakamura,Hi , 27/ 8/2018 Sinquefield Cup</strong> }
) 10.O-O c5 11.Nb5 Nbd7 12.Rac1 Qb7 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.b4 Nce4 15.Nfd4
Rac8 16.a3 Nd5 17.Bd3 Bxb5 18.Nxb5 Nxf4 19.exf4 Nf6 20.f5 exf5
21.Bxf5 Rxc1 22.Rxc1 a5 23.Rc7 Qd5 24.Bd3 Bd8 25.Bc4 Qg5 26.Rxf7
Qc1+ 27.Qf1 Qxf1+ 28.Kxf1 Rxf7 29.Nd6 axb4 30.Nxf7 Be7 31.Nd8+
Kf8 32.Ne6+ Kf7 33.Nc7+ Kg6 34.axb4 Bxb4 35.Nd5 Nxd5 36.Bxd5
{<strong style="color:black;">1/2-1/2, Ding L – Carlsen,M , 24/ 1/2015 77th Tata Steel GpA</strong> } )
Nxa6 10.Qe2!
({<strong style="color:black;">More forcing than </strong> } 10.O-O c5 11.Rc1 Qd7 12.dxc5 Nxc5$11 13.Qxd7 Ncxd7
14.Nb5 Nd5 15.Bg3 Nc5 16.Rfd1 Rfc8 17.Nfd4 a6 18.Nd6 Bxd6 19.Bxd6
Nd3 20.Rb1 Nc5 21.Rbc1 Nd3 22.Rb1 Nc5 23.Rbc1 {1/2-1/2, Ding L – Dominguez P , Huai’an CHN 2/ 3/2016}
)
Qc8 11.O-O Qb7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( 11...c5 12.Rac1 Qb7 13.a3 Nc7 14.e4!$14 )
12.a3 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Ding Liren chooses an interesting plan: to make it difficult for Black’s Knight on a6 to get into play.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Similar is </strong> } 12.Rac1 Rfd8 13.Rfd1 c5 ( 13...c6 ) 14.a3$5 )
c5 ( 12...c6 13.b4 )
13.Nb5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Controlling c7</strong>}
Rac8 {<strong style="color:black;">Black has his choice of how he wants to configure his Rooks. </strong> }
( 13...Rfc8$5 {<strong style="color:black;">is my preference, and it has the advantage of preventing Ding Liren’s next move </strong> } )
( 13...Rfd8$5 14.Rac1 Rac8 15.Rfd1 Nb8$5{<strong style="color:black;">and the Knight slowly climbs into play </strong> } )
14.b4! {[#] <strong style="color:red;">A challenge to Black’s intentions, and taking advantage of the fact that the a7-pawn is not defended by a Rook. Ding Liren’s style of play is to combine subtle positional play with sharp and surprising tactics.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">After routine play Black has no problems: </strong> } 14.Nd6 Bxd6 15.Bxd6 Rfd8 16.Be5 Ne4! )
Nd5$5
( {<strong style="color:black;">Black should not take the bait: </strong> } 14...cxb4
15.axb4 Bxb4 16.Qa2!$16 Nb8 17.Bd6! )
( {<strong style="color:black;">But worth considering is the solid </strong> } 14...cxd4 15.Nfxd4 Nb8 )
15.bxc5
({<strong style="color:black;">Not </strong> } 15.Bg3 cxb4 16.axb4 Ndxb4! )
bxc5
( {<strong style="color:black;">Premature would be the immediate </strong> } 15...Nxf4 16.exf4 bxc5 17.Rab1 {<strong style="color:black;">when White has more tricks in the position: </strong> }
Qa8$6 18.d5!$16 )
16.Rab1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Another White piece enters into play with gain of time. However, Black is still solid and need not yet worry.</strong>} Rc6
( 16...Qa8$5{<strong style="color:black;">is a good alternative, but not everyone likes to put his Queen into the corner. </strong> } )
17.Be5{[#]} Rb6 18.a4{[#]}
Nac7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Caruana finally manages to get his Knight into play, but White finds a way to keep up the pressure.</strong>}
19.dxc5!
Bxc5 20.Rbc1 Nxb5 21.Rxc5 Nd6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
22.a5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Another subtle move! It is impressive how at each turn Ding Liren is able to find new ways of worrying his opponent.</strong>} Rc6 23.Bxd6! Rxd6 24.Rfc1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White’s pieces are very active and fully deployed. Black’s problem is that he has no real counterplay and must watch out for White’s Knight coming into c6.</strong>}
h6{<strong style="color:black;">luft! </strong> } 25.h3{<strong style="color:black;">Luft is always a good idea! </strong> } Rfd8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Despite the apparent symmetry of the forces, Black is still not out of the woods and must exercise caution</strong>}
26.Ne5! Nf6 27.Nc6{[#]} R8d7 {[#]}
28.a6$5 Qb6 29.Ne5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">If there is one move that one might be able to criticize Ding Liren for , it is this move. He should hold back a move or two, as now Black has a resource to reduce the pressure</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">More precise is </strong> }29.R5c2! )
Rd8$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Black should take the opportunity to exchange some pieces with </strong> }29...Rd1+! 30.Rxd1 ( 30.Kh2 Rxc1 31.Rxc1 Rc7 )
Rxd1+ 31.Qxd1 Qxc5 32.Qd8+ Kh7 33.Qb8$5 ({<strong style="color:black;">Risky is the immediate </strong> } 33.Nxf7$6 Kg6 34.Nh8+ Kh7 {<strong style="color:black;">when there is no apparent way for White to coordinate his pieces. The pawn is worthless, and the game should end in a draw. </strong> } )
Qa5 34.Kh2 Qxa6 35.Nxf7$14 )
30.Rc8!Qa5 31.f4$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Weakening the e4 square, but the Knight has to be maintained on e5 if White is to make progress</strong>}
Rd2 32.Qf3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} R2d5
({<strong style="color:black;">Another way for Caruana to go wrong would be </strong> } 32...Qxa6? 33.Qa8! Qa5 ( 33...Qb6 34.Nc4 ) 34.Qb7 Qb6 35.Qxf7+$16 )
33.R1c7$5 Kh7 34.Kh2! Rxc8 35.Rxc8 Qxa6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 36.Ra8$5
({<strong style="color:black;">An important alternative is </strong> } 36.Rc7$5 Qa1!
( 36...Kg8 37.Qg3 ( 37.Rxf7? Rxe5! ) ( 37.Nxf7 Qb6! ) Ne4 38.Qg4
Nf6 39.Qf3 )
37.Rxf7 Qb1! ({<strong style="color:black;">Getting mated would be </strong> } 37...Rd1? 38.Rxf6 gxf6 39.Qb7+ Kh8
40.Ng6+ Kg8 41.Qa8+ Kg7 42.Qf8+ )
38.Rxa7 ( 38.Qg3 Nh5 39.Qg4
Rd1 40.Qxh5 Rh1+ 41.Kg3 Qe1+ 42.Kg4 Qe2+ 43.Kh4 Rxh3+ 44.gxh3
Qf2+ ) Rd1 39.Kg3 Rf1 40.Qe2 ( 40.Qb7 Qe1+ 41.Kh2 Rh1# ) Re1
41.Qf3 Rf1 {<strong style="color:black;">with a repetition. Something like this can happen in the game continuation also. </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">Also important is the immediate </strong> } 36.Rf8 Nd7! 37.Nxd7 Rxd7 38.Qe4+ f5 39.Rxf5 Qb7!{<strong style="color:black;">the best try</strong> }
40.Qxb7 Rxb7 41.Re5 Rb6 42.Kg3 Kg6 43.Kf3 Kf6 44.Ra5 a6{<strong style="color:black;">and probably the ending should be drawn, though Karpov once won a similar ending against Hort in 1979 and Timman was so impressed that he included it in one of his books. </strong> } )
Qb7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Another false path is </strong> } 36...Qa1? 37.Nxf7 Qb1 38.Rh8+ Kg6 39.Ne5+ )
37.Rf8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Around this point Caruana was already short of time</strong>} Rb5?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A subtle but important mistake</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Losing immediately would be </strong> } 37...Nd7? 38.Rxf7 Nxe5 39.Qe4+ )
( {<strong style="color:black;">The only way to keep the game going is the very subtle </strong> } 37...Qb4! 38.Rxf7 Qb1!{<strong style="color:black;"> transposing into the line given at move 36, and White will not be able to escape a perpetual check.</strong> } )
38.Qf1!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Ding Liren is relentless! He keeps finding the move that causes the most problems to his opponent.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Wrong would be </strong> } 38.Qe2 Rb2! {<strong style="color:black;"> and the g2 square requires defence.</strong> } )
Qd5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">The game can not be saved.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Useless now would be </strong> } 38...Rb2 39.Nxf7! Nd7 40.Re8 Qe4
41.Rd8 Nf6 42.Rh8+ Kg6 43.Ne5+ Kf5 44.Nc4 {<strong style="color:black;">etc </strong> } )
( {<strong style="color:black;">Or </strong> } 38...Rb1 39.Qd3+
Qe4 40.Qd8 {<strong style="color:black;">and Black must resign </strong> } )
39.Nxf7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White threatens a check with his Rook on h8 followed by a check with the Knight on e5</strong>}
Nd7 40.Rd8! Rb8! 41.Rxb8 Nxb8 42.Qb1+ Qf5
43.Qb7!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Despite the reduction in material, White has a winning attack. Very instructive!</strong>} Nc6 44.Nd6 Qc5 45.Ne4 Qc2 46.Nf6+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kg6 47.Ne8{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Qc3 48.e4
a5 49.Qd7 a4 50.Qxe6+ Kh7 51.e5 Nd4 52.Qd7 Kg6 53.Qxg7+ Kf5 54.Nd6+
Kxf4 55.Qf6+ Ke3 56.e6 Kd3 57.e7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Caruana could have resigned a few moves before, but now there is no excuse to continue playing. A brilliant game by Ding Liren!</strong>} 1-0
