Ding Liren v Dommaraju Gukesh Game One

1. e4 e6 {A French Defence. An old favourite of Ding's who has played it 40 odd times before.} 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 {The Classical Variation. Ding has no Winawer on his C.V.} 4. e5 {This instead of 4.Bg5 both are top choices.} 4... Nfd7 5. f4 c5 {Now by far the most common move is 6.Nf3 but this next move....} 6. Nce2 {Which is known and perfectly playable sent Ding into the think tank.} 6... Nc6 7. c3 a5 {Grabbing space on the Queenside to counter White's Kingside activity.} 8. Nf3 a4 9. Be3 Be7 10. g4 {Wow! already a new position and 10 moves in. Gukesh is up for this one.} 10... Qa5 {Ding is reacting by undermining the White centre but is now 40 minutes down on the clock.} 11. Bg2 {White is going to 0-0 and bang in f4-f5. Black needs to divert White's intensions.} 11... a3 12. b3 cxd4 {Taking the tension out of the centre 12...0-0 was my choice.} 13. b4 {Unpinning the c3 pawn.} 13... Qc7 14. Nexd4 Nb6 {Right away Black heads for the c4 outpost.} 15. O-O Nc4 16. Bf2 {I like White. One see f5 coming and all kinds of Kingside threats.} 16... Bd7 17. Qe2 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 {That Knight on d4 places in doubt in 0-0 and f6 nibbling at the centre ideas.} 18... Nb2 {Black is determined to deflect White's attention to the Queenside.} 19. Qe3 {I think I have cracked here and gone 19.f5 Qxc3 20.g4 Charge!} 19... Rc8 20. Rac1 Qc4 {Black'scounter-play on the Q-side is getting worrying. Time to get the ball rolling.} 21. f5 {At last!} 21... Qd3 {Hindsight. White should taken the Queens off with 22.Rc2,} 22. Qe1 {I would have played that or 22.Qf4.} 22... Bg5 {First reaction. The Rooks is going where it wants go c2 for Rf2 or Rg2 ideas.} 23. Rc2 Rc4 {That is an annoying move to put a pause on the White's attack. Threatening Rxd4.} 24. h4 {That is why I did not like Bg5 it was just asking for this move,} 24... Bf4 {I thought this was very dodgy. The Bishop is in trouble here.} 25. Qb1 {White has to react to the Rxd4 and Qxc2 threat. Only now did I think Black is looking quite good.} 25... Rxc3 26. Rxc3 Qxc3 {It is only a pawn. White has to get things going on the Kingside.} 27. fxe6 {27...Bxe6 28.Nb5 Qxe5 29.Re1 has very good OTB potential the uncastled King.} 27... fxe6 28. Ne2 {Moves like this is where I saw the trouble the f4 Bishop going to get into.} 28... Qxe5 29. Nxf4 Qxf4 {Now 30.Bc5 and White has some excellent OTB swindling chances.} 30. Qc2 {There is a wonderful variation after 30.Bc5 and I'll show a couple of RHP with the same idea.} 30... Qc4 31. Qd2 {White cannot allow the Queens off and now Black can 0-0.} 31... O-O 32. Bd4 {There are now Rxf8+ and Qf4+ tricks on the board Which Black snuffs out.} 32... Nd3 33. Qe3 {I was thinking 33....e5 here looks very good for Black.} 33... Rxf1+ {And this move shows Ding saw 33....e5 as well and sat on his hands.} 34. Bxf1 {That pin on the d3 Knight was enough to put me off Rxf1 but....} 34... e5 {The only move to keep the win on the board. (I saw it a move earlier.)} 35. Bxe5 Qxg4+ 36. Bg2 Bf5 {Be5 is coming. White is looking doomed.} 37. Bg3 {Gukesh was now in time trouble and managed to put in a few traps before resigning.} 37... Be4 38. Kh2 {Trap one. Do not be too hasty to trade down to a won ending. 39...Bxg2 40.Qe8 mate.} 38... h6 39. Bh3 Qd1 40. Bd6 Qc2+ 41. Kg3 Qxa2 42. Be6+ {Trap 2. We have all seen and played the clumsy thoughtless move when winning. 42...Kh7 43.Qxe5+} 42... Kh8 {White resigned.}

[FEN "4k2r/1p1b2pp/4p3/3p4/1P3qPP/p7/Pn3BB1/1Q3RK1 w k - 0 30"]
30. Bc5 {This move instead of 30.Qc2.} 30... Qxg4 31. Qxh7 {If Rxh7 the Rf8 mate. Ding in the after match interview saud he saw this and had ready.} 31... Qd4+ {Bxd4 and Black can take on h7.} 32. Kh2 Qxh4+ {Sometimes Chess is just not fair.} 33. Qxh4 Rxh4+ 34. Kg3 Rh8 {There is no checkmate and Black is three pawns up.}