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[Jack Rabbit]

19. Vitiugov - Nakamura, Round 1

American GM Hikaru Nakamura started off hot in Reggio Emilia and was leading after seven rounds with daylight between him and the rest. Then he lost his last thee game and finished with Alexander Morozevich.

[center][/center]

[center]Hikaru Nakamura[/center]
[font size="1"]Photo by James F. Perry in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikaru_Nakamura (Creative Commons License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en , Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Nikita Vitiugov - Hikaru Nakamura
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1652205
54th Torneo di Capadanno, Round 1
Reggio Emilia, 27 December 2011

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: London Opening

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3

• If [font color="red"]6.a3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]8.e3 Nc6 9.Qc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9...Qa5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10.0-0-0 Be7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11.g4 dxc4 12.Bxc4 e5 13.g5 exf4 14.gxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 Ne7 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Rhg1+ Kh8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]18.Qe4 Ng6 19.Qd4 Qb6 20.Qxb6 axb6 21.Rd6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]21...fxe3 22.fxe3 Ra5 23.Kd2 Rf5 24.Rf1 Rc5 25.Bd3 Rc6 26.Rxc6 bxc6[/font] is equal (Kasparov-Khalifman, IT, Reggio Emilia, 1991).
• If [font color="darkred"]21...Bh3 22.Kb1 Bf5+[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]23.Ka1 Be4 24.Nd4 Ne5 25.Bb5 fxe3 26.fxe3 Rg8[/font] is equal (Gelfand-Jussupow, IT, Linares, 1993).
• [font color="magenta"]23.Ka2 Be4 24.Nd4 Ne5 25.Bb3 fxe3 26.fxe3 Rg8[/font] is equal (Akopian-Kruppa, Op, St. Petersburg, 1993).
• If [font color="darkred"]18.e4 b5 19.Bd5 Nxd5 20.exd5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]20...b4 21.axb4 Qa1+ 22.Kd2 Qa6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]23.Qc6 Rd8 24.Kc3 Bb7 25.Qxa6 Bxa6 26.Rd4 Rac8+ 27.Kd2 Bb7 28.Rc1 Rxc1 29.Kxc1 Kg7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]30.Nh4 Rxd5 31.Rxd5 Bxd5 32.Nf5+ Kf8[/font] is equal (Anand-Kramnik, Rpd, León, 2002).
• [font color="purple"]30.Ne1 Rxd5 31.Rxd5 Bxd5 32.Nd3 f3 33.Kd2 Bc6[/font] is equal (van Wely-Short IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 1997).
• [font color="darkorange"]23.Nd4 Rd8 24.b5 Qb6 25.Qe4 Bb7 26.Qxf4 Rxd5[/font] is equal (Akopian-Short, IT, Groningen, 1996).
• [font color="magenta"]20...Bd7 21.Kb1 b4 22.Rd4 Rg8 23.Rxg8+ Rxg8 24.Qd2[/font] is equal (Kramnik-Karpov, IT, Monte Carlo, 1998).
• If [font color="darkred"]11.h4 a6 12.Ng5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Rd8 13.cxd5 exd5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.e4! Nxe4 15.Ngxe4 dxe4 16.Rxd8+ Qxd8 17.Qxe4 g6[/font] is equal (Gelfand-Karpov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1998).
• [font color="burgundy"]14.Kb1?! h6! 15.Nf3 Bg4 16.Be2 Rac8 17.Nd2 Bxe2 18.Nxe2 d4[/font] gives Black more freedom and more space (van Wely-Sharif, ZT, Linares, 1995).
• If [font color="magenta"]12...dxc4 13.Bxc4[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13...h6 14.Kb1[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14...Ne5 b5!? 15.Bb3 Ng6 16.Nge4 Nxf4 17.exf4 Qc7[/font] draw (M. Gerevich-Barsov, Op, Brugge, 1995).
• [font color="purple"]15.Nce4! Nxe4 16.Qxe4 Bxg5 17.Bd3 f5 18.Qxc6[/font] gives White a strong initiative against the Black King position (Mamedyarov-Zatonskih, Op, Gibraltar, 2012).
• [font color="darkorange"]13...Qc5?! 14.Nce4! Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Qa5 16.Ng5[/font] forces Black to weaken his King position (Kotanjian-Hammes, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, Greece, 2008).
• If [font color="darkred"]10.Rd1 Be7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11.Be2 dxc4 12.Bxc4 Nh5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]13.0-0 Nxf4 14.exf4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...g6 15.g3 Rd8 16.Rxd8+ Qxd8 17.Rd1[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Kramnik-Carlsen, IT, Dortmund, 2009.).
• [font color="burgundy"]14...Rd8 15.Rxd8+ Qxd8 16.Rd1 Bd7 17.f5 Qc8 18.Qd3 Be8 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Nd5[/font] gives White the advantage in space (A. Gupta-Kjartansson, Op, Reykjavik, 2009).
• [font color="darkpink"]13.Bd6 Bxd6 14.Rxd6 Nf6 15.Qd2 Rd8 16.Rxd8+ Qxd8 17.Qxd8+ Nxd8 18.Ke2[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Eljanov-Chadaev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2009).
• If [font color="magenta"]11.Nd2 e5 12.Bg5 d4 13.Nb3[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13...Qd8 14.Be2 a5 15.Na4[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]15...g6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.0-0 Qc7 18.c5 Be6 19.e4 Ne7 20.Nd2 Bg5[/font] is equal (Ftacnik-Kotronias, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1988).
• If [font color="darkorange"]15...Ng4 16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.exd4 Qh4[/font] then after [font color="darkorange"]18.Bxg4 Bxg4 19.Rd2 exd4 20.0-0 Rad8 21.Nac5 d3 22.Qc3 Be2 23.Re1 a4 24.Nxa4 Rfe8[/font] gives Black more than enough extra space to comensate for his pawn minus (Jussupow-Korchnoi, IT, Tilburg, 1987).
• [font color="purple"]18.g3 Qh3 19.Bf1 Qh5 20.Bg2 exd4 21.Nxd4 Re8+ 22.Kf1 Nxh2+ 23.Rxh2 Qxh2 24.Nxc6 Bh3[/font] White resigns as mate cannot be avoided (Puth-Döttling, Op, Bad Wörishofen, 2001).
• If [font color="darkorange"]13...Qb6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 Qd8 16.Bd3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]16...g6 17.exd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]17...Nxd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Nxf6+ Qxf6 20.0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]20...Bg4 21.f3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]21...Be6[/font] then after [font color="darkorange"]22.f4 Bd7 23.Be4 Bc6 24.Bd5 Rfe8 25.Qd3 Bxd5 26.cxd5 Rac8 27.g3[/font] White will soon be a pawn to the good (Cu. Hansen-Jussupow, Op, Reykjavik, 1985).
• [font color="burgundy"]21...Bd7 22.Rf2 Rfe8 23.Rfd2 Rad8 24.Be4 Bc6 25.Bxc6 bxc6[/font] gives Black a passed pawn and a small advantage in space (Tukmakov-Balashov, TT, Kislovodsk, 1982).
• [font color="darkpink"]20...Bd7 21.b4 Rac8 22.Qb2 Rfd8 23.Rd2[/font] draw (Korchnoi-Schussler, IT, Haninge, Sweden, 1988).
• If [font color="purple"]17...exd4 18.Nxf6+ Qxf6 19.0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="purple"]19...Rd8 20.Be4[/font] then:
• [font color="purple"]20...Ne7 21.Rd2 Bf5 22.Rfd1 Qe5 23.f3 Rac8 24.Rxd4 Rxd4 25.Rxd4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Koneru-Grigoryan, Asian Ch, Hyderabad, India, 2005).
• [font color="hotpink"]20...Bg4 21.f3 Be6 22.Nc5 Rac8 23.Nxb7[/font] gives White an extra pawn and the initiative; Black has a little more space (Savon-Geller, IT, Tiraspol, 1994).
• [font color="darkpink"]19...Bg4 20.Rd2 Rac8 21.Be4 Rfd8 22.h3 Be6 23.Rfd1[/font] is equal (Nill-Melia, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• [font color="hotpink"]16...h6 17.exd4 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.0-0 Be6 20.Bh7+ Kh8 21.Be4 Bxd5 22.Bxd5[/font] draw (Miles-D. Gurevich, IT, San Francisco, 1987).
• If [font color="darkred"]9...dxc4?! 10.Bxc4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Qe7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Bb6 13.Ne4 Ba5+ 14.b4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...g5 15.Nfxg5 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 Bxb4+ 17.axb4 Qxh4 18.b5[/font] gives White more activity for his pieces, stronger pawns and more space (Zhao Xue-Thao Nguyen Pham Le, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• [font color="burgundy"]14...Bc7 15.Nxf6+ gxf6 16.0-0 Rd8 17.Qe4 Rd7 18.Rad1[/font] gives White stronger pawns and more space.
• If [font color="magenta"]12...a6 13.Ba2 Rd8 14.Ne4 g5 15.Nxc5 gxh4[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]16.Rc1 b6 17.Na4 Bb7 18.Nxb6[/font] gives White an extra pawn, stronger pawns and more space (Suba-Mirkovic, IT, Belgrade, 1984).
• [font color="burgundy"]16.0-0 h3 17.Rfd1 b6 18.Na4 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1[/font] gives White stronger pawns and more space.
• [font color="darkorange"]10...a6 11.0-0 Bd7 12.Ba2 Rc8 13.Rad1[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Kosteniuk-Zatonskih, Mind Games RpdW, Beijing, 2011).
• [font color="purple"]10...Bd7 11.Rd1 Rc8 12.Bd3 h6 13.h3 Qe7 14.0-0[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Rolland-Teichmann, SX, London, 1896).
• [font color="darkorchid"]8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.Rc1 Bb6 11.e3 Nc6 12.Bd3 Bg4 13.h3 Bh5 14.0-0[/font] is equal (T. L. Petrosian-Rodgaard, Ol, Dresden 2008).

6...Nbd7 7.Be2

• If [font color="red"]7.Qc2! c6 8.h3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]8...Re8 9.a3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9...Nf8 10.Bd3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10...dxc4 11.Bxc4 Nd5 12.Bg3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]12...Nxc3 13.Qxc3 Bd6 14.0-0 Bxg3 15.fxg3 Bd7 16.g4[/font] gives White a subtantial advantage in space (Beliavsky-Speelman, IT, Linares, 1991).
• [font color="burgundy"]12...Bd6 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14.Ne4 Qd8 15.0-0 Ng6 16.Rad1[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Savon-Gerbich, Op, Vladivostok, 1995).
• [font color="darkpink"]10...h6 11.0-0 Bd6 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.Rad1 b6 14.e4[/font] gives White a better center; he can break the game open to his advantage (Kramnik-Barati, SX, Lyon, 2001).
• If [font color="darkred"]9...dxc4 10.Bxc4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]10...a6 11.0-0 c5 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Rfd1 b5 14.Bd3[/font] gives White a healthy advantage in space with pieces eyeing Black's kingside (Charnushevich-Neiman, IT, Besançon, 2001).
• [font color="magenta"]10...b5 11.Ba2 Bb7 12.Rd1 Nd5 13.Bb1 g6[/font] is equal (P. Balogh-Kotan, Op, Presov, Slovakia, 2001).
• If [font color="darkred"]8...dxc4 9.Bxc4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]9...Nb6 10.Bb3 Nbd5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]11.Bh2 Nxc3 12.bxc3 c5 13.0-0 Bd7 14.Ne5[/font]gives White a fair advantage in space (ivkov-Jimenez Zerquera, IT, Palma de Mallorca, 1967).
• [font color="darkorange"]11.0-0 Nxf4 12.exf4 Nd5 13.Ne2 Qd6 14.Ne5 Bd7[/font] is equal (Bagatirov-Makkas, Op, Patros, Greece, 2001).
• [font color="magenta"]9...Nd5 10.Bh2 N7f6 11.0-0 Qa5 12.e4 Nxc3 13.bxc3[/font] gives White an active Bishop par, a center duo and more space (Tarasova-Bukhteeva, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2010).

7...c5

• If [font color="red"]7...dxc4 8.Bxc4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]8...c5 9.0-0 cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10.exd4 Nb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11.Bb3 Nbd5 12.Bg5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]12...b6 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.d5 exd5 15.Nxd5 Bc5 16.Qd3[/font] is equal (Radjabov-Wang Yue, IT, Nanjing, 2009).
• [font color="burgundy"]12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 b6 14.Re1 Bb7 15.Qd3 Rc8 16.Ne5[/font] gives Black stronger pawns and White more space (Grachev-Azarov, Euro Club Cup, Plovdiv, 2010).
• If [font color="darkred"]11.Bd3 Nbd5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]12.Be5 Bd7 13.Rc1 Bc6 14.Re1 Bd6 15.Bb1 Bxe5 16.Nxe5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space, but he must defend an isolated d-pawn (Sasikiran-Kasiomdzhanov, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• [font color="magenta"]12.Bg3 b6 13.Ne5 Bb7 14.Rc1 Rc8 15.Qe2 Nb4[/font] is equal (Janowski-Jaffe, Match, New York, 1916).
• If [font color="darkred"]10.Qxd4 Nb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11.Be2 Qxd4 12.Nxd4 Nfd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.Be5 Bd7 15.Bf3 Rfd8 16.Rac1 Rac8 17.h3[/font] is equal (Lautier-Vescovi, IT, Poikovsky, 2003).
• [font color="darkorange"]14.Bg3 Bd7 15.Rfd1 Rfd8 16.e4 Nb4 17.a3 Nc6[/font] is equal (Yermolinsky-Lenderman, US Ch, St. Louis, 2010).
• [font color="magenta"]11.Bb3 Qxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd7 13.Ndb5 Ne4 14.Nxe4 Bxb5[/font] is equal (Likavsky-Slobodjan, Bundesliga 0708, Germany, 2007).
• If [font color="darkred"]8...a6 9.a4 c5 10.0-0 cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11.Qxd4 Nb6 12.Bb3 Qxd4 13.Nxd4 Bd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]14.a5 Nbd5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]16.Bxd5 exd5 17.Bc7 Bf6 18.Bb6 Rac8 19.Rfc1[/font] is equal (Dr. Hübner-Jussupow, IT, Wolvega, Holland, 2006).
• [font color="burgundy"]16.Be5 Rac8 17.Rfd1 Rfd8 18.Nf5 exf5 19.Bxd5 Bc6[/font] is equal (Kempinski-Senff, Bundesliga 0304, Germany, 2004).
• [font color="darkpink"]14.Rfd1 Rac8 15.Nf3 Rfd8 16.Bd6 Kf8 17.a5 Nc4[/font] is equal (Le Quang Liem-Laznicka, Op, Kolkata, 2009).
• If [font color="magenta"]11.exd4 Nb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]12.Bb3 Bd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13.Ne5 Bc6 14.Re1 Nbd5 15.Bg5[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]15...Qd6!?[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]16.Qd3!? Nb4 17.Qh3 Bd5 18.Nxd5 Nfxd5 19.Bd2[/font] is equal (Tregubov-Al Timimi, Op, Gibraltar, 2005).
• [font color="burgundy"]16.Rc1 h6 17.Bd2 Rac8 18.Qe2 Nb4 19.Rcd1[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space.
• [font color="darkpink"]15...h6 16.Bd2 Rc8 17.Rc1 Qb6 18.Bxd5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Bxd5[/font] is equal.
• [font color="purple"]13.a5 Nbd5 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Qb3 Bb5[/font] is equal (Potkin-Manuyan, Russian ChT, Oglinka, 2011).
• [font color="darkorange"]12.Be2 Nbd5 13.Bg3 Bd7 14.Ne5 a5 15.Nxd7 Qxd7[/font] is equal (Zvjanginsev-Rustemov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2004).

8.cxd5

• [font color="red"]8.dxc5 Nxc5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Nxd5 Qxd5 11.Qxd5 exd5 12.0-0[/font] gives White stronger pawns and a slight advantage in space (Del Río Angelis-Malakhatko, Euro ChT, León, 2001).

8...Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.0-0 c4 (N)

• [font color="red"]10...a6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11.dxc5 Nxc5 12.Nd4 Bf6 13.Bf3 Ne6 14.Nxe6 Bxe6[/font] is equal (Tregubov-Karpov, Rpd IT, Cap d'Agde, 2000).
• [font color="darkred"]11.Qc2 c4 12.a4 Bb4 13.Bg5 Qb6[/font] is equal (Beliavsky-Hracek, Yugoslav ChT, Herceg Novi, 2001).

11.b3

• White has a fair advantage in space.

11...Nb6 12.bxc4!?

• White unnecessarily concedes space to Black without hope of compensation.
• If [font color="red"]12.a4 a5 13.Qc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...Be6 14.bxc4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14...dxc4 15.Rfb1 f5 16.Rb5 Rc8 17.Bg3 c3 18.Ne5[/font] gives White more activity, a better center and a slight edge in space; each side has a passed pawn, but Black's is of more concern at the moment.
• [font color="burgundy"]14...Nxc4 15.Ne5 Rc8 16.Nxc4 f5 17.Rfd1 Kh8 18.Rab1[/font] gives White a huge advantage in space; Black's bad Bishop is very, very bad, while White's is active outside the pawn chain.
**
• If [font color="darkred"]13...g5 14.Bg3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...f5 15.bxc4 f4 16.c5 Nd7 17.Qb3 fxg3 18.Qxd5+[/font] gives White a clearly better ga,e.
• If [font color="magenta"]14...Be6 15.bxc4 Nxc4 16.Ne5[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]16...Nxe5[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]17.dxe5 Rc8 18.Qb2 Bb4 19.Rad1 Qe7 20.Bd3 Bg4[/font] is equal.
• [font color="purple"]17.Bxe5 Rc8 18.Qb3 Bb4 19.Rfc1 f6 20.Bg3[/font] gives White stronger pawns and Black a slight advantage in space.
• [font color="darkorange"]16...Rc8 17.Nxc4 f5 18.Rfd1 Qd7 19.Be5 Bf6 20.Bxf6[/font] assures White of an extra pawn.

[center]BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Nikita Vitiugov[/center][center]Position after 12.bc4:p[/center]

12...dxc4

• White has a small advantage in space; each side has a passed pawn.
• Black's passer is weak; he would do better to recapture with the Knight.[font color="red"]12...Nxc4! 13.Rb1 b6 14.Bd3 Bg4[/font] is equal.

13.Qc2!

• This is clearly the best way to exploit Black's inaccuracy.
• If [font color="red"]13.a4!?[/font] then Black has time to put the c-pawn in safety with [font color="red"]13...c3! 14.e4 f5 15.Qb3+ Kh8 16.e5 Nd5[/font] and equality.

13...Be6 14.Rab1

• White still has a slight advantage.
• [font color="red"]14.Bg3!? f5! 15.a4 a5 16.h4 Rc8 17.Ne5 c3[/font] is equal.

14...Rc8

• [font color="red"]14...Qc8!? 15.Bg3! f6 16.Rfd1 Bd7 17.Rdc1 Kh8 18.Qc3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

15.a4 a5 16.Ng5 Bxg5 17.Bxg5 f6 18.Bh4

• White continues to maintain a slight advantage in space.
• If [font color="red"]18.Bf4 Nd5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]19.Rxb7 Nxf4 20.exf4 Qxd4 21.g3 Rb8 22.Rb5 Rxb5[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkred"]19.Bg3?! c3! 20.Bd3 f5 21.Qe2 Nb4 22.Rfc1 Bd5[/font] gives Black greater activity.

18...c3 19.Bd3 h6 20.Bb5?!

• White should maintain pressure on the b1/h7 diagonal.
• If [font color="red"]20.Bh7+ Kh8 21.Rfc1 Re8 22.Bf5 Bxf5 23.Qxf5 Qd5[/font] continues to give White a slim advantage in space..

[center]BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Nikita Vitiugov[/center][center]Position after 20.Bd3b5[/center]

20...Nd5!

• This move completely turns the game around in Black's favor. Black's advanced passer is over protected abd White's dark bound Bishop, which would be quite in the defense against the pawn, is on the wrong side of the board.

21.Qe4

• No better is [font color="red"]21.Rfc1 Nb4 22.Qe4 Ba2 23.Ra1 Qd5 24.f3 c2[/font] when Black has the center and a passed pawn knocking at the enemy's palace gate.

21...Qd6

• If [font color="red"]21...Qe7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22.Rfc1 Nb4 23.f3 Qf7 24.Be1 Ba2 25.Ra1 f5[/font] gives Black the advantage in pushing the c-pawn; he has domination of the queenside and White has only faint chance of launching a counter attack on the queenside.
• If [font color="darkred"]22.Bd3? g5! 23.Qg6+ Qg7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]24.Bg3[/font] then after [font color="darkred"]24...Qxg6 25.Bxg6 c2 26.Rbc1 f5 27.h4 Nb4[/font] Black wins by applying pressure to the queening square.
• If [font color="magenta"]24.Qxg7+[/font] then Black wins after [font color="magenta"]24...Kxg7 25.Rxb7+ Rf7! 26.Rxf7+ Kxf7 27.Bg3 Nb4.[/font]

22.Bg3 Qe7 23.Rbc1?!

• White plays the wrong Rook. After the text move, it isn't possible for White to have two Rooks on open files.
• If [font color="red"]23.Rfc1 Nb4 24.f3 Rfd8 25.Be1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]25...f5 26.Qh4 Qxh4 27.Bxh4 g5 28.Bf2 f4[/font] magnifies the power of Black's passer.
• If [font color="darkred"]25...c2?! 26.Rb2 f5 27.Qh4 Qxh4 28.Bxh4 g5[/font] is equal

23...Nb4!

• The Knight swings into action, exploiting the weakness of White's last move.

24.d5

• If [font color="red"]24.Be2?! c2![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]25.d5 Nxd5 26.Rxc2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]26...Nc3! 27.Qd3 Rfd8 28.Rxc3 Rxd3 29.Rxd3 Rd8[/font] gives Black a Queen against White's Rook and Bishop; White may be able to get something out of his Bishop pair.
• If [font color="magenta"]26...Rxc2?! 27.Qxc2 Rc8 28.Qd3 Nc3 29.Bf3 b6[/font] gives Black the remote pawn majority; White has the Bishop pair and a slight advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]25.h3?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]25...Rfe8! 26.Bh5 Bf7 27.Qxe7 Rxe7 28.Bd6 Ree8.[/font]

24...Nxd5 25.Rfd1 Rfd8!?

• More effective is driving the Queen away.
• If [font color="red"]25...f5 26.Qe5 Rfd8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]27.e4 fxe4 28.Qxe4 Qf7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]29.Rd4 Bf5 30.Qe2 c2 31.Qd2 Rc5 32.f3 Rdc8[/font] gives Black an extra pawn (sitting on the seventh rank!) and more activity.
• If [font color="magenta"]29.Bc4[/font] then Black wins after [font color="magenta"]29...Re8 30.Bb5 Bd7 31.Qb1 Rc5 32.Bd3 Bxa4.[/font]
• [font color="darkred"]27.Rd4 Kf7 28.e4 fxe4 29.Rxe4 Qf6 30.Qh5+ Kf8[/font] gives Black an extra pawn, that being an advanced passer.; White has the Bishop pair and a slight advantage in space.

26.Rd4! f5 27.Qe5 Qf6!?

• Black offers an exchange of Queens and loses some ground.
• If [font color="red"]27...Kf7 28.e4 fxe4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]29.Bc4! Qg5 30.Qxg5 hxg5 31.h4 Ne7 32.Rxd8 Rxd8[/font] leaves Black with an extra pawn.
• [font color="darkred"]29.Rxe4? Qf6 30.Qh5+ g6 31.Qe2 c2 32.Be5 Nc3[/font] wins the exchange.

28.Qxf6!

• Taking the Queen exchange is White's best chance.
• If [font color="red"]28.f3 c2 29.Bc4 Kh8 30.Rxc2 Nb4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]31.Qxf6 gxf6 32.Bxe6 Nxc2 33.Bxc8 Nxd4 34.Bxb7 Ne2+[/font] leaves Black with the exchange for a pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]31.Rxd8+ Rxd8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]32.Qxf6 gxf6 33.Bxe6 Rd1+ 34.Kf2 Nxc2 35.Bf4 Ra1[/font] leaves Black an full exchange to the good.
• If [font color="magenta"]32.Bxe6?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="magenta"]32...Rd1+ 33.Kf2 Nd3+! 34.Ke2 Nxe5 35.Rc8+ Rd8.[/font]

28...gxf6 29.h3?!

• This move is timid, but there is little better.
• If [font color="red"]29.h4 c2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]30.Bc4 Rxc4! 31.Rxc4 Nxe3 32.R4xc2 Nxc2 33.Rxc2 Rd4[/font] is good enough to keep White alive.
• If [font color="darkred"]30.Rd2?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]30...Nb4 31.Bd6 Bb3 32.Bxb4 axb4 33.Bd3 Bxa4[/font] when White has nothing to stop the b-pawn from advancing.
• If [font color="blue"]29.Bc4 Kf7 30.f4[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]30...Nxe3 31.Rxd8 Rxd8 32.Bxe6+ Kxe6 33.Rxc3 Rd1+[/font] leaves White teetering over a cliff.
• [font color="darkblue"]30...Nb6!? 31.Rxd8 Rxd8 32.Bxe6+ Kxe6 33.Rxc3 Nxa4[/font] leaves White with counterplay on the queenside, but White must struggle up a steep hill for a draw.
• If [font color="darkgreen"]29.f4[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkgreen"]29...c2 30.Bc4 Rxc4 31.Rxc4 Nc3 32.Rxc3 Rd1+.[/font]

] 29...Kf7 30.Bc4 Ke7

• If [font color="red"]30...Rc5 31.Bb3 Ke7 32.Kh2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]32...Nf4! 33.Rxd8 Kxd8 34.Bc2 Nd5 35.f4 Nb4[/font] continues to give Black the advantage, but the win is still problematic, although very likely.
• [font color="darkred"]32...f4 33.exf4 Nxf4 34.Re4 Kf7 35.Re3 Rdc8[/font] leaves White with some counterplay in the center, but Black is still much better.

31.e4?

• White's idea seems to be to change the guard on c1, but the process is too slow.
• Better is [font color="red"]31.Bh4 Rc5 32.f3 Rdc8 33.Bxd5 Bxd5 34.Bg3 Ke6,[/font] but even that may be too much of a fight for a draw.

[center]BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Nikita Vitiugov[/center][center]Position after 31.e3e4[/center]

31...Nf4!!

• Black proffers the Knight and gets a winning position.

32.Rxd8 Rxc4!

• Black finds the winning move.
• Wrong is [font color="red"]32...Rxd8? 33.Bb5! Nh5 34.Bc7 Rc8 35.Bxa5 c2 36.exf5[/font] when White has an extra pawn; if 36...Bxf5?? then 37.g4! wins for White.

33.Bxf4

• The acceptance of the Knight is forced. White must surrender a Rook.
• If [font color="red"]33.Rh8?[/font] then after [font color="red"]33...Ne2+! 34.Kf1 Nxc1[/font] Black finds himself a piece to the good.

33...Kxd8 34.exf5 Bxf5 35.Be3

• If [font color="red"]35.Bxh6 c2 36.g4 Bg6 37.Kf1 Rxa4 38.Ke2 Kd7[/font] gives Black three connected passers; it will cost White at least the exchange to take the pawn on c2.

[center]BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Nikita Vitiugov[/center][center]Position after 35.Bf4e3[/center]

35...c2!

• White must surrender a Rook in order to stop the pawn.

36.g4 Be4 37.Bb6+

• If [font color="red"]37.Bxh6[/font] then after [font color="red"]37...Rxa4 38.Kf1 b5 39.Ke2 b4 40.Kd2 b3[/font] a Black pawn must queen.

37...Kd7 38.Bxa5 Rd4! 0-1

• 39...Rd1+ is devastating and there is nothing White can do to stop it.
• Nikita Kirillovich resigns.