[Event "12th Sinquefield Cup"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2025.08.22"]
[Round "5.1"]
[White "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof"]
[Black "Gukesh, D"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Tactical Analysis 7.0"]
[ECO "D37"]
[WhiteElo "2725"]
[BlackElo "2776"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "90"]
[GameId "2213809748975853"]
[EventDate "2025.08.18"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. e3 a6 6. b3 {D37: Queen's Gambit Declined: 5 Bf4.} b6 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bb2 Bb7 9. g3 Bd6 10. Bg2 Qe7 11. a4 h5 (11... O-O-O {looks risky but opposite sides castling might be the right call here.}) 12. Qc1 {[#]} (12. O-O $15) 12... Ne4 $1 $17 13. Nxe4 $146 ({Better is} 13. Qc2) ({Predecessor:} 13. h4 f5 14. O-O O-O-O 15. Nxe4 fxe4 16. Ng5 Kb8 17. Ba3 Nf6 18. Bxd6 Rxd6 19. a5 {0-1 So,W (2772)-Nakamura,H (2736) Speed Chess Chess.com INT blitz 2021 (4.21)}) 13... dxe4 14. Nd2 h4 15. Ba3 Qe6 (15... Bxa3 $142 16. Qxa3 c5) 16. Bxd6 cxd6 17. Qa3 Nf6 (17... h3 $17 18. Bf1 O-O) 18. Nc4 $11 Rd8 (18... hxg3 {is more complex.} 19. Qxd6 gxf2+ 20. Kxf2 Qf5+) 19. Nxb6 a5 20. gxh4 Rxh4 (20... Nd5 $11 21. Nxd5 Bxd5) 21. Rc1 (21. b4 $16) 21... Ba6 $1 $15 {[%mdl 1024] Black has compensation.} 22. b4 Qg4 $6 $11 (22... Bd3 $15 23. h3 axb4 24. Qxb4 Kf8 (24... Qa2 25. Bf1 $14)) (22... axb4 23. Qxb4) 23. Bf1 $11 Qf3 $2 (23... axb4 $11 {keeps the balance.} 24. Qxb4 Qf3 25. Bb5+ Bxb5 26. Qxb5+ Kf8) 24. b5 $1 $16 {[%cal Ob5a6]} Ng4 (24... Bb7 $16 25. Rg1 Rxh2) 25. Qa2 $18 {[%cal Ob5a6]} (25. Kd2 $5) 25... Qxh1 {[#]} (25... d5 {is a better defense.} 26. Rg1) 26. Rc7 $1 {[%csl Gc7][%cal Ra2f7] White is winning.} Qf3 {[%cal Oh4h2]} (26... Nxh2 27. Qxf7#) (26... d5 27. Qa3 (27. bxa6 Nxh2 28. Qe2 Rh6 $15)) 27. bxa6 $2 {Allowing Gukesh to save himself.} (27. Bg2 $1 $18 {[%cal Rg2f3]} Qf6 28. bxa6) 27... Rxh2 $11 {The position is equal.} 28. Qe2 Rxf2 (28... Nxf2 $2 29. Qxf3 exf3 30. a7 $18) 29. Qxf3 exf3 30. a7 $1 Rb2 {[%cal Og4e3] (  ...Nxe3!)} 31. Nc8 $1 Nxe3 {[%csl Gb2][%cal Rf3f2]} (31... f2+ $2 32. Kd1 Nxe3+ 33. Kc1 $18) 32. Nxd6+ $1 {[%csl Oe8,Of7][%mdl 64] Double Attack} Kf8 $1 {[%csl Gb2][%cal Rf3f2]} 33. Rxf7+ Kg8 {White must now prevent ...Ra8.} 34. Rxf3 Nxf1 ({Weaker is} 34... Rxd6 35. a8=Q+ (35. a8=B $2 {is the wrong capture.} Rb1+ 36. Ke2 Nxf1 $19)) (34... Nc2+ $2 35. Kd1 Nb4 (35... Rxd6 36. a8=Q+) (35... Nxd4 $2 36. Bc4+ Kh7 37. Bd3+ g6 38. Rf7+ Kh6 39. Rd7 $18 {[%mdl 64] Promotion}) 36. Rc3 Rb1+ 37. Ke2 (37. Rc1 Rxc1+ 38. Kxc1 Nc6 $11) 37... Rb2+ 38. Kf3 $18) 35. Kxf1 {[%cal Of3c3][%mdl 4096]} Ra8 36. Rf7 Rb4 {[%csl Ba4,Bd4]} (36... Rb6 $5 37. Rd7 $8 Rxa7 38. Rxa7 Rxd6 $11) 37. Rc7 Kh7 38. Nc8 Rxd4 {[%cal Od4b4]} 39. Nb6 Rf8+ 40. Ke2 Re8+ 41. Kf3 Rd3+ 42. Kf2 Rd2+ 43. Kf3 Rd3+ 44. Kf2 Rd2+ 45. Kf3 Rd3+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "12th Sinquefield Cup"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2025.08.22"]
[Round "5.4"]
[White "Firouzja, Alireza"]
[Black "Aronian, Levon"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Tactical Analysis 7.0"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2766"]
[BlackElo "2737"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[GameId "2213734893129242"]
[EventDate "2025.08.18"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Nce2 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Nf3 Be7 8. a3 {C11: French: Classical System: 4 e5 and 4 Bg5 dxe4.} O-O $1 9. Nf4 {[#]} Qa5 $1 10. b4 {is cutting edge theory.} (10. Ra2 {simplifies} cxd4 11. b4 Qb6 12. cxd4 f6 13. exf6 Nxf6 14. b5) 10... cxb4 11. Bd3 bxc3 12. Qc2 b6 13. Bxh7+ $146 {The position is equal.} ({Predecessor:} 13. h4 h6 14. Rh3 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 Nxe5 16. Be2 Bd7 17. Nh5 Ba4 18. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 19. Rxc3 Bxh4 {½-½ Sindarov,J (2655)-Sevian,S (2614) Wch Rapid New York 2024 (5)}) 13... Kh8 14. O-O {Almost certainly still preparation.} Ba6 $1 15. Re1 Rfc8 16. Bg6 $1 fxg6 17. Qxg6 Nf8 18. Qg4 {[%cal Of4h5]} Rc7 19. Nxe6 (19. a4 Qb4) 19... Nxe6 {Now white has to take the draw.} 20. Qh3+ $1 Kg8 21. Qxe6+ Kh8 22. Qh3+ Kg8 23. Qe6+ Kh8 24. Qh3+ Kg8 {White must now prevent ...Rf8.} 25. Qe6+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "12th Sinquefield Cup"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2025.08.22"]
[Round "5.5"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Black "Praggnanandhaa, R"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Tactical Analysis 7.0"]
[ECO "B31"]
[WhiteElo "2736"]
[BlackElo "2779"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "52"]
[GameId "2213754172837774"]
[EventDate "2025.08.18"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. Re1 e5 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Qe7 8. a3 Nf6 {[%cal Bg8f6,Bf6e8,Be8d6,Bd6c4][%mdl 32] [#] B31: Sicilian: 2...Nc6 3 Bb5 g6.} 9. b4 $1 O-O 10. bxc5 Qxc5 {White has an edge.} 11. a4 Rd8 12. Nbd2 Qe7 13. Nc4 Ne8 $146 ({Predecessor:} 13... Nh5 14. Bb2 Be6 15. Ne3 Qc7 16. Bc3 Re8 17. Qc1 Rad8 18. Qb2 {½-½ Collinson,A (2320)-Martin,A (2430) BCF-ch 78th Eastbourne 1991 (3)}) 14. Qd2 f6 15. Ba3 Qf7 16. Qc3 {[%cal Rc4e5] [#] And now Ncxe5! would win.} Be6 17. Rab1 Bxc4 18. dxc4 Nd6 19. c5 Nc4 20. Bc1 $1 a5 {Wards off Rb4} 21. h4 {[%cal Oh4h5]} h5 22. Rb3 (22. Bg5 $1 $14) 22... Rd7 {The position is equal.} 23. Nd2 Rd4 24. Nf3 Rd7 25. Nd2 Rd4 26. Nf3 Rd7 1/2-1/2

[Event "12th Sinquefield Cup"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2025.08.22"]
[Round "5.2"]
[White "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Black "So, Wesley"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Tactical Analysis 7.0"]
[ECO "A15"]
[WhiteElo "2784"]
[BlackElo "2745"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "97"]
[GameId "2213814666011265"]
[EventDate "2025.08.18"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 e6 4. e4 Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Bb4 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3 e5 9. O-O O-O 10. h3 {Nowadays more popular than 10.Be3. B44: Sicilian: Taimanov: 5 Nb5.} Bxc3 11. bxc3 d5 (11... Qe7 $11) 12. exd5 $14 {White is slightly better.} cxd5 13. Bg5 (13. cxd5 $14 {might be stronger.} Qxd5 14. c4) 13... dxc4 $11 14. Bxc4 {This pair of bishops is nice.} Qc7 $146 ({Predecessor:} 14... Qxd1 15. Raxd1 Bf5 16. Rfe1 Rac8 17. Rxe5 Rxc4 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Rxf5 Rxc3 20. Rxf6 Ra3 {1-0 Vocaturo,D (2618)-Soltanici,R (2359) Bucharest Grand Prix rapid 2023 (9)}) 15. Bxf6 Qxc4 16. Bxe5 Bf5 17. Bd4 Rfe8 18. Qf3 Bg6 19. Rfe1 a6 {[#]} 20. Re7 $1 {[%mdl 64] Deflection, Back Rank} Rad8 21. Qb7 (21. Rb7 $5) 21... Rxe7 22. Qxe7 {[%cal Re7d8]} Qc8 23. Re1 f6 24. Qe6+ Bf7 25. Qxc8 Rxc8 {[%mdl 4096]} 26. a3 Rb8 27. Re7 Rb3 28. Ra7 Bc4 29. g4 {[%cal Og4g5]} h6 30. f4 {[%cal Og4g5]} Rxa3 {[#]} 31. g5 $1 hxg5 32. fxg5 Bf7 33. gxf6 gxf6 34. Kh2 Kg7 35. h4 Ra5 36. Rc7 Rf5 37. Kg3 Kg6 38. c4 a5 39. c5 Bd5 40. Rd7 Rf3+ 41. Kh2 Rh3+ {[%mdl 64] Decoy} 42. Kxh3 Be6+ 43. Kg3 Bxd7 {KB-KB} 44. Kf4 a4 45. Bb2 Bc6 46. Kg4 Bd7+ 47. Kf4 Bc6 48. Kg4 Bd7+ 49. Kf4 1/2-1/2

[Event "12th Sinquefield Cup"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2025.08.22"]
[Round "5.3"]
[White "Sevian, Samuel"]
[Black "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Tactical Analysis 7.0"]
[ECO "C50"]
[WhiteElo "2683"]
[BlackElo "2771"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "107"]
[GameId "2213920642773876"]
[EventDate "2025.08.18"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Re1 a6 {7...Bb6 is a critical line. C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3.} 8. Nbd2 Ba7 9. Nf1 Na5 10. Bb3 Nxb3 11. axb3 Ng4 {[%cal Bf6g4,Bg4e5,Be5c6][%mdl 32]} 12. d4 $1 exd4 13. Nxd4 Ne5 $146 ({Predecessor:} 13... Bd7 14. f3 Ne5 15. Be3 Bxd4 16. Bxd4 Nc6 17. c4 Be6 18. Bf2 a5 19. Ne3 b6 {½-½ So,W (2745)-Abdusattorov,N (2767) Zagreb Superbet Rapid 2025 (5)}) 14. Be3 Bxd4 15. Bxd4 Nc6 16. b4 Be6 17. f4 f6 18. Ng3 Qd7 19. h3 Rae8 20. Re3 Bf7 21. Kh2 Kh8 22. Qd2 Bg6 23. Rae1 Re7 24. b3 Rfe8 25. c4 Nxd4 26. Qxd4 h6 27. Qd5 b6 28. Qd2 Bh7 29. Qd4 Re6 ({Black should try} 29... Bg6 $11) 30. R3e2 (30. f5 $14 R6e7 31. Ra1) 30... R8e7 31. Qa1 f5 32. e5 (32. Qxa6 fxe4 33. Qb7 Re8 $11) 32... Bg6 33. exd6 ({Of course not} 33. Qxa6 dxe5 34. Rxe5 Rxe5 35. Rxe5 Rxe5 36. fxe5 Kh7 $11) 33... Rxe2 34. dxe7 Rxe7 35. Rxe7 Qxe7 {The position is equal.} 36. Qxa6 Qxb4 $14 {[%mdl 4096] Endgame KQB-KQN} 37. Qc8+ Kh7 38. Qxc7 {aiming for Qb7.} Qxb3 39. h4 {[%cal Bh3h4,Bh4h5][%mdl 32]} Qb2 40. h5 Be8 41. Qc8 Qf6 42. Qxf5+ (42. Qxe8 $5 Qh4+ $8 43. Kg1 Qxg3 44. Qe5 $11) 42... Qxf5 43. Nxf5 Bxh5 $11 {KB-KN} 44. Ne7 Bf7 45. Nc8 $1 Bxc4 {[#] ...b5 would now be deadly.} 46. Nxb6 Bb3 47. Nd7 Kg6 48. g4 Be6 49. Ne5+ Kf6 50. Kg3 g5 51. Nf3 Bxg4 52. fxg5+ hxg5 53. Kxg4 Ke6 54. Kxg5 1/2-1/2

