Nepo provokes mating attack
Round 9 saw the tournament leader go down in flames against the young Daniil Dubov. A very tense and complex game was held in a delicate balance until Nepo moved his Queen to the Queenside, leaving his King defended by a lone Bishop. Dubov quickly exploited this slip and soon developed an unstoppable attack. The finish was crushing.
This loss still leaves Nepo in first place with 6 points from 9 games, but now Karjakin has caught up to him. In the meantime, Dubov moves up the tournament table and occupies 3/4 position, just half a point behind the two leaders. Should be an exciting finish!
gm Dubov,D – gm Nepomniachtchi,I
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Nepo is one of the greatest Grunfeld experts. Here in lies both his strength and his weakness: Nepo is easy to prepare against!</strong>} 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bb5+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Dubov played this, no doubt, because Nepo has only 1 game against it and Dubov was gambling that Nepo was not entirely familiar with it as in the other lines. He turns out to be right! </strong>}
c6 8.Ba4 b5 9.Bb3 a5 10.Nf3 O-O 11.O-O a4 12.Bc2 c5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 13.Rb1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Removing the Bishop from the long diagonal.</strong>} Nc6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;"> Interesting, but probably not very good is</strong> } 13...b4$5 14.cxb4 cxd4 {<strong style="color:black;">If Black can keep this pawn then he might be doing well, but… </strong> } 15.e5! Bg4 ( 15...Nc6 16.Be4 )
( 15...Be6 16.a3 ) 16.Qxd4{<strong style="color:black;">and White is simply on top </strong> } )
14.d5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">No doubt Dubov’s preparation!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;"> Improving on</strong> } 14.Be3 {<strong style="color:black;">Nakamura,Hi 2754 – Nepomniachtchi,I 2775 , Paris FRA 31/ 7/2019 GCT Blitz</strong> }
{<strong style="color:black;">when Black should proceed confidently with </strong> } Bg4! 15.Rxb5 Bxf3 16.gxf3 cxd4 17.cxd4 Bxd4 18.Rd5 Bxe3$13 )
Ne5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Less precise is </strong> } 14...Na5 15.Bd3! c4 16.Be2 Bxc3 17.Rxb5{<strong style="color:black;"> when White has a pleasant plus</strong> } )
15.Nxe5 Bxe5 16.Bh6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The position is very complex and difficult for both sides. Exactly what Dubov wanted.</strong>}
Ba6$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Typical Nepo. He creates very asymmetric counterplay. Clearly, both sides want to win this game!</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">There is nothing wrong with </strong> } 16...Re8 {<strong style="color:black;"> and a later …e6 challenging White’s centre.</strong> } 17.c4$5 ( 17.Qf3 Qa5 18.Bd2 e6! ) ( 17.Qe1 e6 18.f4
Bh8 19.e5 exd5 20.Qg3$13 ) ( 17.Rxb5$6 Ba6 18.Bxa4 ( 18.Rxc5 Bxh2+! )
Bxh2+ !) bxc4 18.Be3 e6 19.f4 Bc7 )
17.Bxf8 Kxf8$13 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">As compensation Black has the Bishop pair and a Queenside majority. The position is unclear.</strong>} 18.f4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Dubov realizes that his best chance is to try to get his Rook into play.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">A different plan to consider is </strong> } 18.Qf3 Qa5 19.c4 bxc4 20.Rfd1$5 )
Bxc3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
19.Rf3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Qa5$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This turns out to be too ambitious.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Black should play more calmly </strong> } 19...Bd4+
20.Kh1 Kg8! 21.Qd2 Rb8 22.a3$13 )
20.e5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">With the Queen on a5 this move is now possible. The move opens up the diagonal for the Bishop on c2</strong>} Kg8 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Now less effective is </strong> } 20...Bd4+ 21.Kh1 Bb7
22.Be4!$16 Qd8 23.Rxb5 ) ( 20...Rd8 21.Rh3 Kg8 22.e6 fxe6 23.Bxg6! )
21.Kh1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not really necessary, but this ruins nothing from White’s point of view.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Probably more direct is to the point: </strong> } 21.e6! fxe6 22.Qe2 Bd4+ 23.Kh1 Qb6 24.Rg3{<strong style="color:black;"> when you can just feel that a sacrifice is coming.</strong> } )
Rd8{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
22.e6!$16{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
fxe6
( {<strong style="color:black;">Unfortunately for Black, there are only bad alternatives: </strong> } 22...f5 23.Bxf5! gxf5 24.Rg3+ Kh8 25.Qh5 Bg7 26.d6!$18 )
23.Bxg6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A very strong and pretty move that works mostly because the Black Queen is so far away…</strong>}
hxg6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;"> Also insufficient is</strong> } 23...Rxd5 24.Bxh7+ Kxh7 25.Rh3+
Kg8 26.Rg3+ Kf8 27.Qg4 Ke8 28.Qxe6 $18)
24.Qc2!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Attacking g6 and the Bishop. The attack is now unstoppable.</strong>}
Bg7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">After </strong> } 24...Kf7 25.Rg3! Rg8 26.dxe6+ Kxe6 27.Rxc3! )
25.Rg3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Virtually the same thing is </strong> } 25.Qxg6 )
g5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Creative defence, but Dubov does not let Nepo escape.</strong>} 26.Qg6! Qd2 27.Rxg5 Qc3 28.Qxe6+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kf8 29.Re1 Qxe1+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The alternative is to resign. Even though Black puts a stop to White’s attack, it is only temporary. And , as we shall soon see, the attempt by Black to advance his Queenside pawns is doomed to fail as they are not far enough advanced to create real play.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Even worse is </strong> } 29...Re8 30.d6 Qxe1+ 31.Qxe1 exd6 32.Rf5+! )
30.Qxe1{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Bf6 31.Qh4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
Rd6 32.Qh7 Ke8 ( 32...Bxg5 33.fxg5 Rxd5 34.h4 ) 33.Qg8+
( 33.Rg8+ Kd7 34.Ra8 c4 35.Qg8 ) Kd7 34.Qa8{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Bxg5 35.fxg5 c4 36.h4
b4 ( 36...c3 37.Qa7+ Ke8 38.Qc5 b4 39.Qxb4 c2 40.Qxa4+ ) 37.Qa7+
Ke8 38.Qb8+ Kf7 39.Qxb4 Rxd5 40.Qxa4 ( 40.g6+ Kxg6 41.Qxe7 ) 1-0
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