by greenpawn34 on Apr 09 2023 15:53 | 979 views | 3 edits | Last edit on Apr 09 2023 16:30
At the opening ceremony a robot was to pick out a pawn to see what colour Nepo
would be for Game One. It pulled out two pawns of both colours at the same time
Nepo nearly fell over backwards in hysterics. The robot tried again, A white pawn.
I. Nepomniachtchi - D. Liren
A draw with all the cute stuff typically for the modern game being reserved for
the off board variations. Interesting enough to whet our appetite. Not a dull draw.
1. e4 {Predictable, Nepo usually opens with this as White.} 1... e5 {Again not too hard to guess though Ding has the Sicilians and the occasional Caro Kann in his rep.} 2. Nf3 {I was thinking maybe 2...Nf6 which is Nepo's pet move here.} 2... Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Bxc6 {A delayed exchange Lopez a bit of a surprise.} 6... dxc6 7. Re1 Nd7 {Theoretically the most chosen move here.} 8. d4 {Probably the only move to stake a claim for a plus.} 8... exd4 9. Qxd4 O-O 10. Bf4 Nc5 {Offering an early Queen swap. Please not yet!} 11. Qe3 {Good. The Queens stay on.} 11... Bg4 {Apparently a new move.} 12. Nd4 {Nepo is avoiding anymore exchanges for now.} 12... Qd7 {Nepo now took a while to move so it appears we are out of his prep.} 13. Nc3 Rad8 {14.h3 Qxd4 15.Nd5! would have been interesting. But 14...Bh5 keeps it tame.} 14. Nf5 {Taking the two Bishops away from Ding.} 14... Ne6 15. Nxe7+ {Although this gives opposite coloured Bishops there is still a lot of play left.} 15... Qxe7 16. Bg3 {The punters wanted 16...f5 here but plenty of time for heroics in later games.} 16... Bh5 17. f3 f6 18. h3 h6 {Both camps are making their Kings safe to put off opposite coloured Bishops Attacks.} 19. Kh2 Bf7 20. Rad1 {Contesting the file.} 20... b6 {Keeping the tension. Black wants White to trade on d8.} 21. a3 {Aimed at stopping any sorties with Qb4 after the trade of Rooks.} 21... a5 22. Ne2 Rxd1 {Ding chops wood though Rd7 was an option.} 23. Rxd1 Rd8 24. Rd3 {Nepo is trying to squeeze a slight plus by avoiding automatic exchanges.} 24... c5 {Preventing Nd4. and preparing Blacks next move.} 25. Qd2 c6 {Getting that c7 pawn away from the g3 Bishop.} 26. Rxd8+ Nxd8 {26....Qxd8 27.Qxd8 Nxd8 29. Bc7. nets a pawns} 27. Qf4 {White has found a way into the Queenside.} 27... b5 28. Qb8 {Threatening Bc7.} 28... Kh7 {Now the cry was 29 Bc7 Ne6 and 30.Bxa4.} 29. Bd6 {But Nepo playing on Dings time trouble tries to squeeze out more.} 29... Qd7 {The intended 30.Bxc5 Qd2 gives Black too much p[lay. Nepo goes fishing on the Kingside,} 30. Ng3 Ne6 31. f4 h5 {If White carries out his threat. 32,f5 h4! stops the attack.} 32. c3 c4 {Fixing the b-pawn and again encouraging f5.} 33. h4 {To stop h4. Now Black takes off the Queens,} 33... Qd8 34. Qb7 {A last try to trip up Black in time trouble 34...Qxd6 35.Qxf7 and White is winning.} 34... Be8 35. Nf5 Qd7 {Queen off...} 36. Qb8 {...not yet.} 36... Qd8 {Queens off....} 37. Qxd8 {...OK.} 37... Nxd8 38. Nd4 Nb7 39. e5 {Still trying to mix it whilst Ding is in time trouble.} 39... Kg8 40. Kg3 Bd7 41. Bc7 Nc5 {You can have the a-pawn. Black can pick up the b-awn in due time.} 42. Bxa5 Kf7 43. Bb4 {Now Black restores material equality and the game fizzles out to a draw,} 43... Nd3 44. e6+ Bxe6 45. Nxc6 Bd7 46. Nd4 Nxb2 47. Kf3 Nd3 48. g3 Nc1 49. Ke3 {Draw agreed,}