[Event "12th Sinquefield Cup"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2025.08.18"]
[Round "1.3"]
[White "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"]
[Black "Aronian, Levon"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Crowther,Mark"]
[ECO "E46"]
[WhiteElo "2771"]
[BlackElo "2737"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[GameId "2212525770960918"]
[EventDate "2025.08.18"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 {[%cal Bf8b4,Bb4a5,Ba5c7][%mdl 32]} 4. e3 O-O 5. Nge2 c6 6. a3 {E46: Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein: 4 e3 0-0 5 Ne2 without early Bd3.} Ba5 7. Bd2 d5 8. Ng3 {The position is equal.} Nbd7 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Bd3 Re8 11. O-O Bc7 12. Qc2 Nf8 13. f3 h5 14. Rae1 h4 15. Nh1 Ne6 $146 (15... Qd6 16. f4 a5 17. Re2 Bg4 18. Ref2 Re7 19. h3 Bd7 20. Rf3 Rc8 21. Be1 Rce8 {1-0 Ries,B (2191)-Kueppers,T (2124) Oberliga NRW 1718 Germany 2017 (1.5)}) 16. Nf2 Qd6 (16... a5 $15) 17. f4 $11 Bd7 18. Qd1 $1 a5 {[%cal Oe6g5]} (18... Rad8 {Was probably about equal.}) 19. e4 dxe4 (19... Nxd4 $2 20. e5 Qe6 21. exf6 Qxf6 22. Na4 $16 (22. Qh5 g6 $16)) 20. Nfxe4 Nxe4 (20... Qxd4+ $2 21. Be3 $18) 21. Nxe4 Qxd4+ 22. Be3 Qd5 23. f5 {[%cal Od1g4]} (23. Nc3 $5 Qd6 $8 24. Ne4 $11) 23... Nf8 $1 {[%csl Be4,Bf5][%cal Od7f5] [#]} 24. Qg4 Nh7 {Against Nf6+} (24... Qxd3 25. Nf6+ Kh8 26. Qxh4+) 25. Bb1 (25. Rd1 {was more pointed.}) 25... g6 $1 {[%cal Rd7f5] In the face of many threats Aronian finds the best reply.} 26. Qxh4 $11 (26. Nc3 {seems to be the best try.} Qd6 27. Qxh4 Bxf5 28. Bxf5 gxf5 29. Rxf5 Qg6 30. Qf2 {is also equal.}) 26... Bxf5 27. Ng5 $2 {Definitely a mistake.} (27. Qxh7+ $11 Kxh7 28. Nf6+ Kg7 29. Nxd5 cxd5 30. Bd4+ f6 31. Bxf5 (31. Rxe8 Rxe8 32. Bxf5 gxf5 $11) 31... gxf5 (31... Rxe1 $2 32. Rxe1 Be5 33. Bxe5 $18) 32. Rxe8 Rxe8 33. Rxf5) 27... Nxg5 $17 28. Rxf5 {[#]} Qd6 $11 (28... gxf5 $6 29. Qxg5+ Kf8 30. Qh5 (30. Qh6+ Kg8 $11) 30... Rxe3 31. Qh6+ (31. Rxe3 Be5 $17) (31. Qh8+ Ke7 $11) 31... Kg8 32. Qg5+ (32. Rxe3 Be5 $15) 32... Kf8 33. Qh6+ (33. Qxe3 Qd6 $15) 33... Kg8 34. Qg5+ Kf8 35. Qh6+ $11) (28... Qb3 $1 $17 {was the move to keep the advantage.} 29. Qxg5 (29. Rxg5 $2 Rxe3 30. Rf1 Re6 $19) 29... Rxe3) 29. Qxg5 $15 (29. Rxg5 Rxe3 30. Rxe3 Bb6 $17) 29... Rxe3 (29... Bb6 30. Rf3 Rxe3 31. Rexe3 Re8) 30. Qxe3 (30. Rxe3 {was more accurate.}) 30... gxf5 31. g3 (31. Qg5+ {is interesting.} Kf8 32. Qh5 Qd4+ 33. Kh1) 31... f4 32. gxf4 Qh6 33. Kh1 Bxf4 {[%csl Gf4][%cal Rh6h2]} 34. Qe2 $2 {Probably the losing move.} ({Only move:} 34. Qg1+ $15 Kf8 35. Bh7) 34... Rd8 $1 $19 {White is weak on the dark squares} 35. Ba2 {[%cal Oa2f7]} Qh4 (35... Rd7) 36. Rf1 {[%cal Oa2f7]} b5 37. a4 $2 (37. Qf2 $17 {was worth a try.} Qxf2 38. Rxf2) 37... Kf8 (37... bxa4 38. Bxf7+ Kxf7 (38... Kh8 39. Rg1 $11) 39. Qc4+ Ke7 40. Qe4+ (40. Qxf4 Qxf4 41. Rxf4 Rd1+ 42. Kg2 Rd2+ 43. Rf2 Rd3 $15) (40. Rxf4 Rd1+ 41. Kg2 Rd2+ {[%mdl 64] Skewer} 42. Kf3 Qf2+ 43. Ke4 Qe1+ 44. Kf3 Rf2+ 45. Kg4 Qg1+ 46. Kf5 Qb1+ 47. Qe4+ Qxe4+ 48. Kxe4 Rxh2 $19) 40... Kd7 41. Rxf4 $15 (41. Qxf4 Qh5 $15)) 38. Qc2 bxa4 $2 {Allowing white right back in.} ({Don't take} 38... Rd2 39. Qc5+ Rd6 (39... Bd6 40. Rxf7+ Kg8 41. Rf4+) 40. Qf2 Qxf2 41. Rxf2 $17) (38... Rd4 $19 {aiming for ...Qh5.} 39. Qc5+ Rd6 (39... Bd6 $2 40. Rxf7+ Kg8 41. Rf4+ Kh7 42. Rxh4+ $18)) 39. Qc5+ $2 {[%mdl 8192] Now it is over.} (39. Bxf7 $1 $15 Rd2 (39... Rd4 40. Bg6) 40. Qc5+ Kxf7 41. Qf5+ Ke7 42. Qxf4 Qxf4 43. Rxf4) 39... Rd6 {[%csl Gf4][%cal Rh4h2]} 40. Qc2 (40. Rf2 $142 f6 41. Bb1) 40... Rf6 (40... Rd2 $2 41. Qc5+ Rd6 (41... Bd6 42. Rxf7+ Kg8 43. Rf4+) 42. Rf2 $19) 41. Rf2 {[#]} Bxh2 $1 {[%mdl 512]} 0-1

[Event "12th Sinquefield Cup"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2025.08.18"]
[Round "1.4"]
[White "Praggnanandhaa, R.."]
[Black "Gukesh, D.."]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Crowther,Mark"]
[ECO "E48"]
[WhiteElo "2779"]
[BlackElo "2776"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "71"]
[GameId "2212535760253402"]
[EventDate "2025.08.18"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. a3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 Be7 8. Nf3 c5 9. O-O a6 10. dxc5 Qxd1 11. Rxd1 Bxc5 {White is slightly better.} 12. Be2 $5 {[%mdl 4] A promising side line.} Nc6 13. b4 Ba7 $6 $146 (13... Be7 14. Na4 b5 15. Nb6 Rb8 16. Nxc8 Rfxc8 17. Bb2 Nd5 18. Nd4 Nxd4 19. Bxd4 Nc3 20. Bxc3 Rxc3 {½-½ Lobanov,S (2508)-Deac,B (2692) Chessable Masters Play In Chess.com INT blitz 2025 (5)}) 14. Bb2 {White is more active.} Rd8 $2 15. Ne5 $1 {[%mdl 576] Deflection, Back Rank} Bd7 16. Nxd7 Nxd7 $6 (16... Rxd7 $16 {is a better defense.} 17. Rxd7 Nxd7) 17. Ne4 $18 Nb6 18. Nc5 $36 {[%mdl 2048] Prevents Na4. Black is under strong pressure.} Rab8 19. Rxd8+ Nxd8 20. Be5 {Black is weak on the dark squares} Ra8 {[#]} 21. e4 $1 {Inhibits Nd5.} Bb8 (21... Rc8 $142) 22. Bd4 $1 {[%cal Oc5b7] White is being very precise.} Nc8 23. Rd1 {Threatens to win with Be3.} Bd6 24. Be5 $1 {[%mdl 576] Back Rank} Be7 25. Bc7 Nc6 26. Nxb7 g5 {Played very quickly an confidently but black's position has long since disintegrated.} 27. Bf1 g4 28. Rc1 Nd4 29. a4 {[%cal Ba3a4,Ba4b5][%mdl 32] Dodges Nb5} f6 30. e5 Na7 31. Bd6 {White is clearly winning.} (31. Bxa6 Nac6 $16) 31... Nac6 32. b5 (32. Bxe7 Nxe7 33. exf6 Nd5 $18) 32... axb5 33. axb5 Bxd6 34. exd6 ({Not} 34. Nxd6 Nxe5 35. b6 Rb8 $16) 34... Ne5 35. Rd1 Rb8 36. Nc5 1-0

[Event "12th Sinquefield Cup"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2025.08.18"]
[Round "1.1"]
[White "Sevian, Samuel"]
[Black "So, Wesley"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Crowther,Mark"]
[ECO "E53"]
[WhiteElo "2683"]
[BlackElo "2745"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "112"]
[GameId "2212562292985592"]
[EventDate "2025.08.18"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O cxd4 8. exd4 dxc4 9. Bxc4 b6 10. Qa4 {10.Qe2 is a critical line. E54: Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein: Main Line: 7...dxc4 8 Bxc4.} Bxc3 11. bxc3 {[%cal Bb2c3,Bc3c4,Bc4d5][%mdl 32]} Bb7 12. Be2 $146 (12. Ne5 Nbd7 13. Ba3 Re8 14. Bb5 Nxe5 15. dxe5 Qd5 16. f3 Qxe5 17. Bxe8 Nxe8 18. Rfe1 Qg5 19. Kh1 Nf6 20. c4 Qh4 21. Be7 Qh6 22. Rad1 Nh5 23. Qd7 {1-0 Sabuk,P (2366)-Malyovanyi,Y (2298) Bogdanovich Memorial Final Lichess.org INT blitz 2021 (11)}) 12... Nc6 13. Rd1 Na5 14. c4 Rc8 $1 15. Ne5 Ne4 16. Qb4 {Against Nc3} f6 17. Nf3 Nd6 (17... Qc7 $11 {keeps the balance.}) 18. d5 (18. Ba3 $16 Naxc4 19. Bxc4 Nxc4 20. Qxf8+ Qxf8 21. Bxf8 Kxf8 22. Ne1) 18... exd5 $14 19. cxd5 {[#]} Re8 20. Bd3 Nac4 (20... Rc5 $1 $11) 21. Bf4 $16 Ne5 22. Nxe5 fxe5 23. Be3 {A strong pair of Bishops.} Qf6 24. Qa4 (24. Rac1 $16) 24... Ra8 (24... Bxd5 $14 25. Qxa7 Nc4) 25. Rac1 Qf7 {Prevents Rc7.} (25... Bxd5 $142 26. Bxh7+ {[%csl Od5][%mdl 64] Discovered Attack} Kxh7 27. Rxd5 Nf5) 26. Qh4 h6 27. Qg4 (27. Bc2 $142) 27... Qf6 28. Bb1 Red8 29. Qe6+ (29. Rc7 Rac8 30. Rxc8 Bxc8 $11) 29... Nf7 {[%cal Od8d5]} 30. Bf5 {White is much more active. Black is weak on the light squares} Rd6 (30... Bc8 $16 {had to be tried.} 31. Qxf6 gxf6) 31. Qxf6 $18 gxf6 {[#]} 32. Be6 $2 {Missing his chance.} (32. Rc7 $1 $18 {[%cal Rc7b7]} Bxd5 33. Bg6) 32... Rad8 $11 {[%cal Rb7d5]} 33. Rc7 Rxe6 34. Rxb7 Red6 35. Rxa7 Rxd5 36. Rxd5 Rxd5 {[%cal Rd5d1][%mdl 4096]} 37. g4 {[%cal Oa2a4]} (37. Bxb6 $2 Rd1#) 37... b5 38. Kg2 Kg7 (38... e4 $11) 39. h4 (39. Kf3 $1 $14 {was preferable.}) 39... f5 40. gxf5 Kf6 41. h5 e4 42. Kg3 Rxf5 43. Ra6+ Ke7 $1 44. Kg4 {The position is equal.} Rd5 45. a3 Ne5+ $1 46. Kf5 Nc4+ 47. Kxe4 Rxh5 48. Rxh6 ({But not} 48. Bxh6 Nd6+ 49. Rxd6 Kxd6 50. Bf8+ Kd7 $15) 48... Rxh6 49. Bxh6 {aiming for Bg5+.} Nxa3 {KB-KN} 50. Bc1 Nc4 51. Kd5 Kf6 52. Kc5 Kf5 53. Kxb5 Ne5 54. f4 Nd3 {[%csl Bc1,Bf4]} 55. Bd2 Nxf4 56. Bxf4 Kxf4 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.17 (very precise) /Black=0.14 (very precise)} 1/2-1/2

[Event "12th Sinquefield Cup"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2025.08.18"]
[Round "1.2"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Black "Firouzja, Alireza"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Crowther,Mark"]
[ECO "C70"]
[WhiteElo "2736"]
[BlackElo "2766"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "115"]
[GameId "2212545916412677"]
[EventDate "2025.08.18"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5 5. Bb3 Na5 {A sideline but it becomes clear Firouzja doesn't have a good idea.} 6. O-O d6 7. d4 exd4 8. Re1 (8. Nxd4 Bb7 9. c4 c5 10. Nf5 g6 11. Ne3 Bg7 12. Nc3 Ne7 13. cxb5 axb5 14. Nxb5 O-O 15. Bc2 d5 16. exd5 Nxd5 17. Nxd5 Bxd5 18. Nc7 Qxc7 19. Qxd5 Rad8 20. Qg5 Nc4 21. Bf4 Qa5 22. Rae1 Nxb2 23. Be3 Rc8 24. Bb3 Qb4 25. Bd2 Qb6 26. Be3 Nd3 27. Rd1 Qa6 28. Qd5 Rcd8 29. Qc4 Qxc4 30. Bxc4 Nb2 31. Rc1 Bd4 32. Bxd4 cxd4 33. Bb3 Rc8 34. Rb1 Nd3 35. Rbd1 Rc3 36. Rd2 Rd8 37. Rfd1 Nc5 {0-1 Svidler,P (2698)-Mamedyarov,S (2733) London TechM GCL rapid 2024 (8.1)}) 8... Nxb3 9. axb3 c5 10. c3 Bb7 11. cxd4 Be7 12. Nc3 Nf6 13. Nh4 b4 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. exd5 O-O 16. Nf5 Bf6 17. Bf4 {[#]} cxd4 $146 (17... Bxd4 18. Bxd6 Re8 19. Rxe8+ Qxe8 20. Qg4 Bxb2 21. Rd1 Rd8 22. Bxc5 Bxd5 23. Bd4 Bxd4 24. Qxd4 Qf8 25. Ne3 Bxb3 26. Qxd8 Bxd1 27. Qxf8+ Kxf8 28. Nxd1 a5 29. Nb2 Ke7 30. Nc4 b3 31. Kf1 a4 32. Ke2 b2 33. Na3 Kd6 34. Kd3 Kd5 35. Kc3 Ke4 36. Nb1 h5 37. Nd2+ Kf4 38. Kxb2 h4 39. Ka3 h3 40. g3+ Ke5 41. Kxa4 Kd4 42. Nf3+ Kd3 43. Ng1 Kd2 44. Kb4 Ke1 45. Nxh3 Kf1 46. Kc4 Kg2 47. Ng5 {1-0 Cnejev,V (2330)-Dinesh,R (2131) Paracin op-A 18th 2025 (8)}) 18. Qf3 Qd7 19. Nxd6 a5 20. Rac1 $6 {MVL had 1h 3m, Firouzja 2m 3seconds.} (20. h3 {The first time to relieve the back rank.}) 20... Ra6 (20... Rad8 $1) 21. Nxb7 Qxb7 22. Rc7 Qa8 23. Qd3 $6 {Loses part of white's advantage.} (23. h3 {White should pay attention to his back rank.}) 23... a4 24. bxa4 Rxa4 25. d6 Ra1 26. Rcc1 {In just a few moves black has gone from being almost lost to almost equal.} (26. Bc1) 26... Rxc1 27. Rxc1 Qd5 28. Qc4 Qxc4 29. Rxc4 g5 30. Bd2 Rd8 31. Bxb4 d3 32. Kf1 Bxb2 33. Rc5 f6 34. Rd5 Rd7 35. h4 h6 36. Rxd3 Kf7 37. Ke2 Be5 38. Kf3 f5 39. hxg5 hxg5 40. g4 Ke6 {The game is completely equal.} 41. Bc5 Bf4 42. Ba3 Be5 43. Bb4 fxg4+ 44. Kxg4 Rh7 45. Bd2 Rh4+ 46. Kxg5 Bf6+ 47. Kg6 Rg4+ 48. Kh7 Rd4 49. Rxd4 Bxd4 50. f4 Kxd6 51. Kg6 Ke7 52. Bb4+ Ke8 53. f5 Be5 54. Bc5 Bc3 55. Be3 Kf8 56. Bg5 Kg8 57. f6 Bxf6 58. Bxf6 1/2-1/2

[Event "12th Sinquefield Cup"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2025.08.18"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Black "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Crowther,Mark"]
[ECO "D02"]
[WhiteElo "2784"]
[BlackElo "2725"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "114"]
[GameId "2212572490817709"]
[EventDate "2025.08.18"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c3 a5 4. Bf4 Bf5 5. Nh4 Bd7 $146 (5... Bg4 6. h3 Bh5 7. g4 Bg6 8. Nxg6 hxg6 9. Bg2 e6 10. Qb3 Ra7 11. a4 Bd6 12. Bxd6 Qxd6 {1-0 Pfreundt,J (2462)-Kocharin,T (2266) Titled Tuesday intern op 01st Apr Early Chess.com INT blitz 2025 (9)}) 6. Nd2 {D02: 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 sidelines, including 2...Nf6 3 g3 and 2...Nf6 3 Bf4.} e6 7. Nhf3 c5 8. e3 Bc6 9. a4 Nbd7 10. h3 Be7 11. Be2 O-O 12. O-O Qb6 13. Qc2 Rfc8 14. Bd3 Qd8 (14... c4 $5 15. Be2 $8 h6 $11) 15. Ne5 Nf8 16. Bh2 N6d7 17. Ndf3 Nxe5 18. Nxe5 Be8 19. Qe2 Bd6 20. Rfd1 f6 {[#] Threatens to win with ...c4.} 21. Nf3 {[%cal Be5f3,Bf3h2,Bh2f1,Bf1e3][%mdl 32]} Bxh2+ 22. Nxh2 cxd4 23. exd4 Qd6 24. Re1 Rc7 25. Nf1 Bf7 26. Ne3 Re8 27. Rad1 Ree7 28. g3 Bg6 29. Bxg6 hxg6 30. h4 Qa6 31. Qc2 b5 32. axb5 {White is more active.} Qxb5 33. Ng2 Rb7 34. Rd2 Qb3 35. Qd3 Qa2 36. Rb1 {This might be the end of Caruana's chances.} (36. Nf4 {and white is still a bit more active.} Kf7 37. Rb1 Rb8 38. Kg2) 36... Rb3 37. Qf1 {Ra1 is the strong threat.} Qa4 ({Don't go for} 37... Rxc3 $2 38. Ra1 Qc4 39. bxc3 $18) 38. Nf4 Qb5 39. Nd3 Nd7 40. Qd1 a4 41. Ra1 {Black should prevent Qc2.} e5 {The position is equal.} 42. Qe2 (42. dxe5 {keeps more tension.} Nxe5 43. Nf4 d4 44. Rxd4 Rxb2 45. h5) 42... Nb6 43. Nc5 Qxe2 {[%mdl 64]} 44. Rxe2 Rb5 45. Ra3 Kf7 46. Nxa4 exd4 47. Rxe7+ Kxe7 48. cxd4 Nxa4 49. Rxa4 Rxb2 $11 {[%mdl 4096]} 50. Ra7+ Kf8 51. Ra5 Rb4 52. Rxd5 Ke7 53. Kg2 Ke6 54. Rd8 Ke7 55. Rd5 Ke6 56. Rd8 Ke7 57. Rd5 Ke6 1/2-1/2

