A game that was very tense at move 14 with this pawn structure.
It is important not to lose patience and only start swapping the pawns until
you are sure you are not going to come out of it with the worst position.
Often club players (me included) get lost or fed up calculating all
the captures and start exchanging pawns hoping it does not matter.
Usually it does and the first player to break the tension can regret it.
Gukesh ‘cracked’ first but it was well worked out and it led to a series
of exchanges. Then, after 30 minutes and realising White never had
much left to work with Gukesh set a two move trap. ( I am joking).
Ding spent 35 seconds avoiding the trap and more wood was chopped.
After that is was cold dead draw. The players cannot agree a draw till after
move 41 when a 30 second increment is added. It went down to bare kings.
The score is 4½ - 4½ and tomorrow in a rest day.
D. Gukesh - Ding Liren, Game Nine, World Chess Championship 2024.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 {3.Nc3 a Nimzo Indian?} 3. g3 {No a Catalan set up.} 3... Bb4+ {4.Nc3 last try for a Nimzo Indian, but it rarely happens.} 4. Bd2 Be7 {Heading for positions both players, especially Ding, have had before with both colours.} 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O {Both players are following the castle first and philosophise later motto.} 7... c6 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. Rd1 b6 10. Bc3 {A new move to Ding from team Gukesh and an excuse for him to dive into the think tank.} 10... Bb7 {After 18 minutes.} 11. Nbd2 {played 10 seconds later. Ding now has to find a move to escape Gukesh’s prep.} 11... Qc7 12. Rac1 Rfd8 13. b4 {After 7 minute, the end of prep? We now wait as both players evaluate the pawn captures.} 13... c5 {Another 18 minute think. Exchanges are coming soon. Will one player walk into a trick?} 14. bxc5 {Seeing no other way to improve his position White kicks off the game.} 14... bxc5 15. Qb2 {after 15 minutes. X-raying the Black Queen with the c1 Rook. Always an uncomfortable feeling.} 15... Nb6 {18 minutes thought by Ding again! My first thought was 15...Rab8 returning the x-ray threat.} 16. Ba5 dxc4 {Not a move I would have played with the Queen on c7 but Ding has worked out it is OK.} 17. Nxc4 {Now some wood chopping to clarify the position.} 17... Bxf3 {A good move after 20 seconds. The hasty 18.Bxf3 Nxc4 19. Bxc7 Nxb2 Black comes out it a piece up.} 18. Bxb6 {Best and it looks like the only move to stay in the game.} 18... axb6 19. Bxf3 Ra6 {After that series of exchanges Gukesh took stock for 13 minutes and played...} 20. Qb5 Rxa2 {Now 21.Qxb6 Qxb6 22. Nxb6 cxd4 the winning chances belong to Black.} 21. Nxb6 Qa7 {Now a 30 minute think by Gukesh. 22.dxc5 is on but 22...Rxd1+ and 23.... Ra5 is equal.} 22. Qb1 {Keeping some tension in the position and setting a trap! 22...cxd4 23.Nc8! 1-0.} 22... Rb8 {Ding had 30 minutes of Gukesh' s time to spot the trap coming. This was played after 35 seconds.} 23. dxc5 Ra6 24. Qb5 {We are now treated to another round of wood chopping.} 24... Bxc5 25. Qxc5 {The next set of moves were played fairly quickly. Both players would have been keeping an eye Black's weak back rank.} 25... Qxb6 26. Qxb6 Raxb6 27. Rc6 Rxc6 28. Bxc6 g5 {What we call in the trade as extended luft.} 29. Kg2 {With all the pawns on the same side this is a draw.} 29... Rb2 {But the players cannot agree a draw till move 41 so we go on for a few more moves.} 30. Kf1 Kg7 31. h3 h5 32. Ra1 Rc2 33. Bb5 Rc5 34. Bd3 Nd7 35. f4 {To keep the Knight off e5. Weakens the White pawns slightly but nothing serious.} 35... gxf4 36. gxf4 Rc3 37. Kf2 Nc5 38. Ke3 Nxd3 39. exd3 Rc2 {Looking at Rh2 and the h-pawn.} 40. Kf3 Rd2 41. Ra3 {It's looking the kind of ending Capablanca warned us about. A King and Rook tied down defending pawns.} 41... Kg6 42. Rb3 f6 43. Ra3 {But Black can make no headway without pawn exchanges.} 43... Kf5 44. Ra5+ {44...Kg6 45.Ra3.} 44... e5 45. fxe5 Rxd3+ 46. Ke2 Rxh3 47. exf6+ Kxf6 48. Kf2 {Dead cold draw. They play down to bare Kings.} 48... h4 49. Kg2 Rg3+ 50. Kh2 Kg6 51. Rb5 Rg5 52. Rxg5+ Kxg5 53. Kh3 Kf6 54. Kxh4
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