[Event "FIDE Candidates Tournament"]  [Site "Madrid"]  [Date "2022.06.27"]  [Round "9"]  [White "Ding, Liren"]  [Black "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "A13"]  [WhiteElo "2806"]  [BlackElo "2750"]  [Annotator "Tiger"]   1. c4 Nf6 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 d5 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4 a6 7. Qc2 {  This way of achieving a Catalan structure is rather less forcing after 1.d4,  and both sides have greater chances of deviating from theory.} c5 8. Nc3 Qc7 {  Black wants to move the b-pawn and prepares to meet Nf3-somewhere with ...Bb7.}  9. O-O b6 {It is common in these structures to play the pawn to b6 rather than  b5, thus making it harder for White (who is a bit ahead in development) to  create further weaknesses on the queenside.} (9... b5 10. a4 b4 11. Nb1 Bb7 12.  d3 {and although Black might be fine here, White will get a knight to c4 and  can claim some long term positional advantage.}) 10. d4 ({Quite a few non  professionals would go} 10. d3 {, and try for "a long and complex game".  However, after} Bb7 {the question is what White should aim for next, if not  d4? One way would be} 11. e4 {, but then after} (11. b3 Be7 12. Bb2 O-O {  and White's position would be quite normal if the knight on c3 was on d2, but  even then White could hardly claim anything more than equality (on the back  foot).}) 11... Bd6 {Black is ready to continue with Nd7-e5-c6, and White has  to find a way to equalize before things get out of hand.}) 10... Bb7 11. dxc5 (  11. Bf4 {is the engines first choice, which is an excellent reason to avoid it.  By playing less critical lines, you have a greater chance to get your opponent  out of preparation.} Bd6 12. Bxd6 Qxd6 13. Rfd1 O-O 14. e4 Qc7 $5 (14... cxd4  15. Nxd4 Qc7 16. Rac1 Rac8 17. f4 $1 Rfd8 18. e5 Ng4 19. Bxb7 Qxb7 20. Qe2 h5  21. h3 Nh6 22. Qxh5 Nc5 23. Qf3 {There might be even better moves here.} Qxf3  24. Nxf3 Nf5 25. Ne2 Ne3 26. Rxd8+ Rxd8 27. b4 Ne4 $132 {Svidler,P (2714)  -Nepomniachtchi,I (2792) Paris 2021}) 15. Rac1 cxd4 16. Nxd4 Rad8 (16... Rac8 {  would lead to Svidler-Nepo above.}) 17. Qe2 (17. f4 e5 18. Nd5 Qxc2 19. Nxc2  exf4 20. gxf4 Nc5 $13) 17... Qb8 18. Rc2 b5 19. Nb3 $6 Ne5 $1 20. Nc5 Bc8 (  20... b4 $1 21. Nxb7 Qxb7 22. Nb1 Rc8 $36) 21. Rcd2 Qc7 22. Nd3 Nxd3 23. Rxd3  b4 24. Rxd8 Rxd8 25. Rxd8+ Qxd8 26. Nd1 Bb7 {and Black even managed to win  this, in Donchenko,A (2668)-Esipenko,A (2677) Wijk aan Zee 2021.}) 11... Bxc5  12. Bf4 Bd6 13. Bxd6 Qxd6 14. Rfd1 Qc7 15. Rd4 $5 {A "new" move, as they say.  But really, these days "new" moves on this level is usually a move which  everyone knows about, but where you have an idea that is new(!). Ding's idea  seem to be to exchange the queens, and occupy the d-file, so that Black will  have to fight to finish his development.} (15. Rac1 Rc8 16. Qb1 Qb8 17. Ng5  Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Qb7+ 19. f3 O-O 20. Nce4 Rxc1 21. Rxc1 Qb8 {was fine for Black,  in Aronian,L (2797)-Wojtaszek,R (2744) Wijk aan Zee 2015.} (21... b5)) 15...  O-O 16. Rad1 Rac8 17. Qd2 Nc5 18. Qf4 $1 Qxf4 19. gxf4 {Ding player very fast,  so i assume that he was still within his preparations. I have a feeling that  Black should be fine, but I also assume that Black has to play with some  precision, since A) his queenside pawns are somewhat weaker than White's, and  B) White controls the d-file so that it takes a lot of time for Black to force  more exchanges with Rf-e8, Kg-f-e7, Re-d8. The doubled f-pawn is rather an  asset for White here, since it makes it hard for Black to expand on the  kingiside, while a knight on e5 can become very strong.} Nce4 (19... Nd5 $5 20.  Nxd5 Bxd5 21. Ne5 Bxa2 22. b4 Bb3 23. Ra1 (23. Rb1 Bc2 24. Re1 Nb3 25. Rd6 a5  26. Rxb6 axb4 27. Rxb4 $11) 23... Na4 24. Bf3 {and Black's pieces are a bit  weirdly placed, but Black should be able to manage.}) 20. Nxe4 Bxe4 21. Ne5 Bd5  {This looks pretty equal, and when I dropped in to watch the game, I assumed  it would be draw in the end.} 22. a4 $5 {Just finding a way to play on here is  easier said than done, unless we are talking playing on with no idea what so  ever.} a5 {it is sensible to stop White from playing b2-b4-b5, when Black's  queenside pawns will be weak. Now it seems that the only weakness in Black's  position is the b6-pawn, and he should definitely be able to deal with that,  somehow.} 23. e4 $5 {An incredibly tough move that cannot be explained in  general terms. Leaving the f4-pawn without protection makes it very vulnerable  to Nf6-h5, so it feels like White is burning bridges here. The upside is that  Black's minor pieces are pushed to less attractive squares... for the next few  moves:} Bb3 (23... Bb7 $2 24. b4 axb4 25. Rxb4 Nh5 26. Nd7 {and White gets  excellent winning chances.}) 24. R1d3 $1 Rc1+ (24... Bc2 25. Rd2 (25. Rc3 $6  Rxc3 26. bxc3 h6 27. Nc4 Rb8 28. e5 Nd5 29. Bxd5 exd5 30. Nd6 f6 31. Kf1 Kf8 {  is somehow balanced. White is bound to the defence of the a4-pawn and  Kf8-e7-e6 is coming next.}) 25... Bb3 26. f3 Rc1+ 27. Kf2 g6 28. Bf1 Nh5 {  was another possibility that leads to an unclear game. Black will pick  something up on the kingside, and White will do the same on the queenside.})  25. Bf1 Bc2 26. Rc3 Rd1 $5 {There is nothing wrong with Duda's defence here,  and it takes some guts to play a line where your bishop ends up on d1 in the  end.} (26... Nxe4 27. Rxc2 Rxc2 28. Rxe4 Rxb2 29. Nc6 Rc2 30. Bb5 g6 31. Rd4 {  is about equal according to the engine, but Black's queenside looks to be very  weak and he will have to fight to get enough counterplay. I can understand why  Duda avoided this line.}) 27. Rxd1 Bxd1 28. Rc4 $1 Rd8 ({The forcing} 28... Bb3  29. Rd4 Rc8 {, might have been better. After} 30. f3 Nh5 31. Nd7 Nxf4 32. Nxb6  e5 {White ends up in a balanced position where all three results are possible.}  33. Rd2 Rb8 34. Nd7 Rb4 35. Nxe5 g6 {The engine indicates equality, but I like  Black's position somewhat more.}) 29. Nc6 $1 Rd2 30. Nxa5 g6 31. Rc8+ Kg7 32.  Nc4 Rc2 33. b4 $1 {Objectively speaking Black is still no worse, but Ding has  a achieved a position were it is easy to go wrong, and where there are no ways  to play it slow and steady. Black need to get a counterattack going against  the White king before the a-pawn makes a homerun.} Rc1 $1 34. Nxb6 (34. Kg2  Bxa4 35. Nxb6 Rxc8 36. Nxc8 Nxe4 {and White's pawn structure is too bad for  him to have any real winning chances (as it will sometimes be enough for Black  sac the bishop for the pawn if he gets the f4-pawn in exchange).}) 34... Rb1  35. Kg2 Rxb4 (35... Nh5 $5 {seems to hold the balance, as} 36. h4 {Otherwise  Black will force a draw with Nh5xf4-h5-f4, check, check, and check.} Nxf4+ 37.  Kh2 Bxa4 38. Nxa4 Rxf1 39. b5 Rxf2+ 40. Kg3 Ra2 41. b6 Nh5+ 42. Kf3 Rxa4 43. b7  Ra3+ 44. Kf2 Rb3 45. b8=Q Rxb8 46. Rxb8 {is completely equal.}) 36. a5 Rb3 (  36... Nh5 $1 37. a6 Nxf4+ 38. Kg3 Nh5+ 39. Kg2 (39. Kh4 $4 g5+ 40. Kxg5 Rxe4  41. Rg8+ Kxg8 42. a7 Kg7 43. f4 Rxf4 44. a8=Q h6#) 39... Rb3 (39... Nf4+ $11)  40. a7 Nf4+ 41. Kg1 Rb1 42. a8=Q Be2 43. h4 Rxf1+ 44. Kh2 Rxf2+ 45. Kg3 Rf3+  46. Kh2 Rf2+ $11) 37. Rc1 Bf3+ 38. Kg1 Ra3 {The first real mistake in the  game! Now White is able to accelerate the knight towards a better square (it  was out of play on b6).} (38... Bxe4 39. Ra1 Bc6 {is still unclear, although  White might have a slight advantage.}) 39. Nc4 $1 Ra2 40. Ne5 $1 Bxe4 $2 {  A losing mistake, played one move before the time control.} ({It was not easy  to find (the ugly, but efficient)} 40... Bh5 $3 {, which aims to meet} 41. Rc7  {with} g5 42. fxg5 Nxe4 43. a6 (43. g6 Bxg6) 43... Nxg5 44. Kg2 $1 Kf6 45. Nd7+  Ke7 46. Nb6+ Kd6 47. Rc1 Bf3+ 48. Kg3 Bc6 49. a7 Ne4+ 50. Kf4 Nxf2 51. Rxc6+  Kxc6 52. a8=Q+ Rxa8 53. Nxa8 f5 54. Bg2+ Kd6 55. Nb6 h6 {This is a sample line,  and it is quite possible that one or both sides can improve on it. White keeps  some winning chances, but it is probably a draw with best defence.}) 41. Rc7  Nd5 42. Rxf7+ Kg8 43. a6 Nb4 44. Ra7 (44. f3 $5 Bd5 45. h4 Ra4 46. Re7 Nxa6 {  , and at this moment, when Black's forces are in a disarray, White strikes with  } 47. h5 $1 gxh5 {(Black cannot allow the pawn to reach h6)} 48. Bd3 Ra1+ (  48... Kf8 49. Rf7+ Ke8 50. Bb5+) (48... Nc5 49. Bxh7+ Kf8 50. Ng6#) 49. Kf2 Kf8  50. Rf7+ Ke8 51. Bb5+ Kd8 52. f5 $1 Nc7 53. f6 Nxb5 54. Rd7+ Kc8 55. f7 $18)  44... Nc6 45. Rc7 Nd4 46. f3 Nxf3+ 47. Nxf3 Bxf3 48. a7 Bd5 49. h4 Ra4 50. Bb5  Ra5 (50... Rxf4 51. Bc6 {wins}) 51. Rd7 $1 Ra2 (51... Rxb5 52. Rxd5 Rb1+ 53.  Kg2 Ra1 54. Rd8+ $18) (51... Bf3 52. Bc4) 52. Kf1 Bg2+ 53. Ke1 Bd5 54. Kd1 {  The rest is simple. Black is unable to create a passed pawn on the kingside,  and the king it too passive. White can calmly walk the king to b6:} Kh8 55. Kc1  Be4 56. Rc7 Ra5 57. Bd7 Ra1+ 58. Kb2 Rb1+ 59. Ka2 Rb6 60. Ka3 Kg8 61. Ka4 {  A fabulous game by Ding Liren, who entered a seemingly "simple" position and  went on to squeeze the stone until it finally bled. Duda might have become  overly ambitious around move 35, since ...Nh5 was not that difficult to find.}  1-0