World Chess Championship (Game Nine)

1. e4 e5 {No French Defence today.} 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 {Ding happy to play a Berlin. He may be but we do not want to see one.} 4. d3 {Thank You Nepo.} 4... Bc5 {I usually will have played Bxc6 before now. On move 3,} 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O d5 {Playable and mainline theory but Black has not equalised just yet.} 7. Nbd2 dxe4 8. dxe4 a5 {Stop b4, gives the Bishop a square on a7.} 9. a4 {Fixing the Queenside this going to be a slow manoeuvring game.} 9... Qe7 10. Qc2 Nb8 {With c6 and Nd7 Re8 Nf8-g6 and Nf4 plans.} 11. Re1 {White too will have Nf1 - ideas.} 11... Rd8 {Grabs a file, vacates f8 for the b8 Knight} 12. h3 h6 {Both players taking Bg4 and B5 off the board.} 13. Nf1 {From here to e3 or g3} 13... c6 {As expected after Nb8.} 14. Bc4 {The Bishop goes to the classical diagonal, this is better than Bd3.} 14... Na6 {A-ha. So much for my Nd7-f8 idea. It is going to be Nc7 - Ne6} 15. Ng3 {Both sides are sorting out good squares for their Knights.} 15... Qc7 {Called that wrong. I thought Nc7 was coming} 16. Ba2 {The bishop is a b5 target but not yet. Nepo took 19 minutes on this move.} 16... b5 {Very quickly played by Ding... Maybe not a slow manoeuvring game after all.} 17. Qe2 {Nepo wants to see what Ding has. 17...bxa5 18 Bc4 looks on. as does 17...Rb8.} 17... Rb8 {As guessed though I and the punters wanted 17...Bf8 saccing the b5 pawn.} 18. Nh4 {That Knight is headed for f5.then Qf3 with Bxh6 threats.} 18... Bf8 {After a long think by Ding. Bishop back to help the defence.} 19. Qf3 {Played quickly by Nepo. This attack plays itself.} 19... bxa4 {Ding put a pawn in the bank saying to Nepo show me what you have.} 20. Bxh6 {Pretty obvious gxh6 Qxf6 played quickly by Nepo.} 20... Nc5 {Bringing the Knight back into the game.} 21. Ng6 {Not a position you see everyday in a world title match.} 21... Rxb2 {A pawn steal in broad daylight. Is there mating combo on.} 22. Nxf8 {Apparently not,, played after 11 minutes.} 22... Rxf8 23. Bg5 {Threatens Bxf6 etc...is the attack fizzling out.} 23... Nh7 24. Bc1 Rb5 25. Ba3 {The last few moves quickly played by both sides.} 25... Re8 {Black will be breathing a bit better here but the attack is not over yet.} 26. Bc4 {I was wanting Rad1 here.} 26... Be6 {Offering an exchange for a cluster of Queenside pawns.} 27. Bxe6 {Nepo is not interested in the exchange.} 27... Nxe6 28. Nf5 {Still trying to get something going on the Kingside.} 28... c5 {Black wants c6 for the Queen to hold the a4 pawn.} 29. Qe2 Rb3 30. Qc4 Qc6 31. Bc1 {Hitting the a-pawn.} 31... Nf6 {Bringing the Knight back in from the wilderness.} 32. Qxa4 {Queens off. A draw?} 32... Qxa4 33. Rxa4 Rxc3 {There now followed a whole chunk of exchanges.} 34. Bb2 Rb3 35. Bxe5 Rb4 36. Rxa5 Rxe4 37. Rxe4 Nxe4 38. Ra4 Nd4 39. Bxd4 cxd4 40. Rxd4 g6 41. Ne3 {It looks very drawish.} 41... Kg7 42. Rb4 Ng3 {Ding telling Nepo this is a draw and it is with the Knights off.} 43. Rb7 Nf5 {A bit of a surprise but apparently 44.Nxf5 gaxf5 is a book draw.} 44. Ng4 {Nepo not interest in a draw at the moment.} 44... Re7 45. Rb5 Re1+ 46. Kh2 Re2 47. Rb7 Nd6 48. Ra7 Kf8 {Looking at f5 and taking on f2.} 49. Kg3 {Takes the sting out of f7-f5.} 49... f5 50. Kf3 {Fishing for a mistake. Maybe at our level but not here.} 50... Re7 51. Ra8+ {Still refusing a draw.} 51... Re8 52. Rxe8+ Kxe8 53. Ne5 g5 {Still drawn.} 54. h4 {Played after a 20 minute thought.} 54... gxh4 55. Kf4 {The last throw of the dice. Will Ding stumble. The punters are saying only Ke7 or h3 draws.} 55... h3 56. gxh3 Ke7 57. Nc6+ Kf6 58. Nd4 Ne4 59. f3 Nf2 60. h4 Nd3+ 61. Kg3 Kg6 62. Ne6 Kf6 63. Nf4 Nb4 64. Kf2 Ke5 65. Ke3 Nc2+ 66. Kd2 {Now Kxf4 and Kxd2 is a draw} 66... Nd4 {Ding is enjoying himself as well.} 67. Nd3+ Kf6 68. Ke3 Nc2+ 69. Kf4 Nd4 70. Kg3 Ne2+ 71. Kf2 Nd4 {All these moves were being played very quickly.}72. Nf4 Ke5 73. Ne2 Ne6 74. Kg3 Kf6 75. Kg2 Kg7 76. Kf2 f4 77. Kg1 Kg6 78. Kg2 Kh6 79. Nc1 Kh5 80. Kh3 Nd4 81. Nd3 Nxf3 82. Nxf4+ {And draw agreed.}