[Event "87th Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.1"]
[White "Wei Yi"]
[Black "Harikrishna, Pentala"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Abeln,Michiel"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2751"]
[BlackElo "2695"]
[PlyCount "39"]
[GameId "2136937901821732"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. e4 e6 {Wei Yi "forgot" that Harikrishna also played the French and his preparation was directed at 1...e5.} 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8. Qd2 b5 9. h4 (9. Bd3 b4 10. Na4 c4 11. Be2 c3 12. Qd1 cxb2 13. Nxb2 Be7 14. O-O O-O 15. Bd3 f5 16. g4 a5 17. gxf5 exf5 18. Qe2 Nb6 19. Kh1 a4 20. Rg1 a3 21. Nd1 Na4 22. Rg3 Rf7 23. Qg2 Nc3 24. Nxc3 bxc3 25. Bb5 Qb6 26. Rg1 Bf8 27. Rh3 g6 28. Ng5 Qxb5 29. Nxf7 Ne7 30. Nh6+ Bxh6 31. Rxh6 Ra7 32. Qh3 Qe2 33. Rxh7 Qxc2 34. Rh8+ Kf7 35. Qh7+ Ke6 36. Rxg6+ {1-0 (36) Wei,Y (2675)-Potkin,V (2608) Wijk aan Zee 2015}) 9... Bb7 10. Bd3 {Wei Yi could not remember his preparation.} b4 11. Na4 {Wei Yi missed the coming Bc6 in his calculations and said he'd have tried Nd1 had he seen it.} (11. Nd1) 11... Nxd4 12. Nxd4 cxd4 13. Bxd4 Bc6 14. b3 Bxa4 15. bxa4 Bc5 (15... Qc7 16. Rb1 a5 17. Bb5 Bc5) 16. Bxc5 Nxc5 17. Qxb4 Nxd3+ 18. cxd3 Rb8 19. Qc5 {White cannot castle because of the pawn on h4 and therefore he wants to prevent Black from castling, but then, unexpectedly, the game ends in a quick draw.} Rc8 20. Qb4 1/2-1/2

[Event "87th Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.2"]
[White "Giri, Amish"]
[Black "Sarana, Alexey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C55"]
[WhiteElo "2731"]
[BlackElo "2677"]
[Annotator "Abeln,Michiel"]
[PlyCount "85"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7 5. Nc3 d6 6. a4 (6. a3 Bg4) 6... Bg4 {
A rare move.} (6... O-O 7. O-O Na5 8. Ba2 Nc6 9. h3 Be6 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. Ne2
a5 12. Ng3 h6 13. c3 Qd7 14. Re1 Rad8 15. d4 exd4 16. Nxd4 Nxd4 17. cxd4 d5 18.
e5 Nh7 19. Qg4 Kh8 20. Be3 Rf7 21. f4 g6 22. Ne2 Rg8 23. Rf1 h5 24. Qg3 Rfg7
25. Qf3 Rf7 26. Qg3 Rfg7 27. Qf3 Rf7 28. Qg3 {1/2-1/2 (28) Dominguez Perez,L 
(2739)-Abdusattorov,N (2725) Duesseldorf 2023}) 7. h3 (7. Be3) 7... Bxf3 8.
Qxf3 Nd4 9. Qd1 c6 10. Ba2 Ne6 11. O-O O-O 12. Re1 ({Giri and Sarana discussed
some other opening options here.} 12. Bd2 Qc7 (12... Qc8) 13. a5 b5 14. axb6
axb6 15. Bxe6 fxe6 16. Ne2) (12. Be3 Qc7 (12... d5 13. exd5 cxd5 14. d4) 13. a5
b6 14. axb6 axb6 15. Bxe6 fxe6 16. Ne2 d5 17. Ng3 Qb7 18. b3 Rxa1 19. Qxa1 Bd6
20. Qd1 Ra8 21. exd5 (21. c4) 21... exd5 22. Nf5 Qd7 23. Nxd6 Qxd6 24. f4 d4
25. fxe5 Qxe5 26. Bf2 c5 27. Qf3 Qd5 28. Qf4 Rf8 29. Bg3 Nd7 30. Qc7 Rxf1+ 31.
Kxf1 h6 32. Kg1 Qe6 33. Bd6 Nf6 34. Be5 Nd7 35. Bd6 Nf6 36. Be5 Nd7 37. Qc8+
Kf7 38. Bc7 Qc6 39. Qd8 Nf6 40. Bd6 Nd5 41. Qf8+ Kg6 42. Be5 Qd7 43. Qf3 {
1/2-1/2 (43) Tabatabaei,M (2714)-Bluebaum,M (2640) Germany 2024}) 12... Qc7 13.
Be3 a5 14. Qf3 Rad8 15. Rab1 ({White can also prepare the h-pawn push with g3
after which Giri and Sarana looked at:} 15. g3 Nd4 (15... Nd7 16. Qg2) (15...
Kh8 16. Qg2 Rde8 17. Kh1 (17. f4) 17... Bd8 18. Rf1 Qd7) (15... Qd7 16. Qg2)
16. Bxd4 exd4 17. Ne2 d5 18. exd5 Nxd5 19. Nxd4 Bf6 20. Nf5 Bxb2 21. Rab1 (21.
Bxd5 Bxa1 22. Re7 Rd7 23. Nh6+) 21... Bf6) 15... Nd7 16. h4 {Instead Giri also
looked at some alternatives:} (16. Ne2 Ndc5 17. Qg4) (16. Qg4 Nf6 17. Qg3 d5
18. exd5) (16. g3 Bg5 (16... Ndc5 17. h4 Nd4 18. Qd1 Kh8) 17. Bxe6 fxe6 18. Qg4
Bxe3 19. Qxe6+ Kh8 20. Rxe3 Rf6) 16... Nd4 ({It would have been better to
accept the pawn:} 16... Bxh4 17. Qh3 Be7 18. Bxe6 fxe6 19. Qxe6+ Rf7 {and
Black is fine.}) (16... Ndc5 17. Qg4 Nd4 18. Bxd4 exd4 19. Ne2 Bf6) 17. Bxd4
exd4 18. Ne2 Bxh4 ({Sarana pointed out} 18... Bf6 19. h5 h6 20. c3) 19. Nxd4
Bf6 20. Nf5 g6 21. Qg3 Be5 22. f4 Bg7 23. Nxg7 Kxg7 24. d4 Nf6 ({Another
option for Black was} 24... Qb6 25. c3 c5 26. d5 (26. Qd3 Nf6) 26... c4+) 25.
c3 (25. e5 {A critical try the players analyzed extensively afterwards:} dxe5 (
25... Nh5 26. Qe3 (26. Qh4 dxe5 27. fxe5 f6) 26... dxe5 (26... Qd7 27. c3 c5)
27. fxe5 f5 28. exf6+) 26. fxe5 Nh5 (26... Nd5 27. Rbd1 Rd7 28. c3 (28. Qf2 Qd8
) 28... f6)) (25. f5 Rde8 (25... Rfe8 26. e5 dxe5 27. dxe5 Nh5 28. f6+ Kh8 29.
Qg5) (25... h5) 26. e5 dxe5 27. dxe5 Nd7) 25... h5 26. Re2 ({It is also equal
after} 26. e5 Ng4 27. Bc4 c5 28. d5 Rde8) (26. Bc4) 26... Ng4 27. Rbe1 Rfe8 ({
Giri had looked at} 27... c5 28. Qd3 cxd4 (28... Qb6) (28... Rc8) 29. Qxd4+)
28. f5 Qe7 29. Rf1 Qg5 30. f6+ Kh6 31. Bxf7 Rf8 32. Be6 Rxf6 33. Rxf6 ({
The players also discussed} 33. Bxg4 Rxf1+ 34. Kxf1 Rf8+ 35. Kg1 Rf4 (35...
hxg4) (35... Qxg4 36. Qxg4 hxg4 37. Kh2 Kg5 38. Kg3 Re8) 36. e5 Rxg4 37. Qe1
dxe5 38. dxe5 h4 (38... Rf4 39. e6 Qc5+ 40. Kh1 Qe7) 39. e6 h3 40. e7 Qc5+ (
40... Rxg2+ 41. Kh1 Qd5 42. Qh4+) 41. Kh2 hxg2 42. Rxg2 Qh5+ 43. Kg1 Qc5+ 44.
Kh1 Qd5) 33... Nxf6 34. Qxg5+ Kxg5 35. e5 Nd5 (35... Ng4 {was also fine.}) 36.
g3 dxe5 37. Rxe5+ Kf6 38. Bh3 Kf7 39. Bg2 b6 40. Bf3 Kf6 41. Kf2 Ne7 42. g4
hxg4 43. Bxg4 1/2-1/2

[Event "87th Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.3"]
[White "Fedoseev, Vladimir"]
[Black "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Abeln,Michiel"]
[ECO "D38"]
[WhiteElo "2717"]
[BlackElo "2803"]
[PlyCount "119"]
[GameId "2136991390229684"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. Qa4+ Nc6 8. e3 O-O 9. Be2 dxc4 10. O-O Qe7 11. Bxc4 {A low risk line with many draws in the database.} Na5 12. Bd3 Bxc3 13. bxc3 b6 14. Qb4 Qd6 15. Rfd1 (15. Be4 Bb7 16. Bxb7 Nxb7 17. Rfd1 Na5 18. Rac1 Rac8 19. h3 c5 20. Qb1 Rfd8 21. e4 cxd4 22. cxd4 Rxc1 23. Rxc1 Nc6 24. Rc4 Na5 25. Rc1 Nc6 26. Rc4 Na5 27. Rc1 Nc6 28. Rc4 Na5 29. Rc1 Nc6 30. Rc4 Na5 {1/2-1/2 (30) Korobov,A (2668)-Heimann,A (2617) Sitges 2019}) 15... Bb7 16. Rac1 Rac8 17. Qxd6 cxd6 18. Nd2 Rc7 19. Rc2 Rfc8 20. Rdc1 Kf8 21. f3 Ke7 22. e4 g5 (22... d5) 23. Kf2 e5 24. Nf1 exd4 25. cxd4 Rxc2+ 26. Rxc2 Rxc2+ 27. Bxc2 Bc8 28. Bd3 Nc6 29. Ke3 a6 30. Nd2 b5 31. Nb3 d5 32. Nc5 Kd6 33. Bc2 Ne5 34. Bb3 Nc4+ 35. Kd3 Nb6 36. Kc3 a5 37. a3 f6 38. Ba2 Kc6 39. g3 Bh3 40. Nb3 Na4+ 41. Kc2 Bg2 $2 {Caruana said afterwards he had missed e5. This one blunder is what the entire game is about. Black had many fine alternatives but now after e5 it is immediately game over.} (41... g4 42. exd5+ Kxd5 43. f4 Bf1) (41... dxe4) (41... Kb6) 42. e5 fxe5 43. dxe5 {and white can't take on f3 due to the fork and his position has collapsed.} b4 44. Nd4+ Kc5 45. e6 Kd6 46. axb4 axb4 47. Bxd5 Bf1 48. Bb3 Nc5 49. Nf5+ Ke5 50. e7 Bd3+ 51. Kd2 Bb5 52. Bc4 Ba4 53. Ng7 g4 54. f4+ Kd4 55. Bf7 Ne4+ 56. Ke1 Kc3 57. e8=Q Bxe8 58. Nxe8 b3 59. Bxb3 Kxb3 60. Ke2 1-0

[Event "87th Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.4"]
[White "Warmerdam, Max"]
[Black "Praggnanandhaa, R"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C10"]
[WhiteElo "2646"]
[BlackElo "2741"]
[Annotator "Abeln,Michiel"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bb5 Bb4 7. O-O O-O 8.
Bxc6 bxc6 9. Ne5 Bxc3 10. bxc3 Ne4 11. Re1 {A novelty} (11. f3 f6 12. Ba3 Nd6
13. Nxc6 Qd7 14. Bxd6 cxd6 15. Nb4 Bb7 16. Qd2 Rfc8 17. Rfe1 Qc7 18. Rab1 Qxc3
19. Re8+ Kf7 20. Qxc3 Rxc3 21. Rxa8 Bxa8 22. Rb3 Rc4 23. c3 a5 24. Nc2 Bc6 25.
Ra3 a4 26. Nb4 Be8 27. Nxd5 Ke6 28. Nf4+ Kd7 29. Nd5 Kc6 30. Ne3 Kb5 31. Nxc4
Kxc4 32. Kf2 d5 33. Ke3 Bd7 34. h4 g6 35. Kd2 h6 36. Ke3 Be8 37. g3 Bd7 38. Ke2
Be8 39. Kd2 Bc6 40. Ke3 Bd7 41. f4 f5 42. Kd2 h5 43. Ke3 {1/2-1/2 (43)
Dominguez Perez,L (2760)-Jobava,B (2713) Tromsoe 2014}) 11... f6 12. Nxc6 Qd7
13. Nb4 a5 14. Nd3 Nxc3 15. Qf3 Ne4 16. Ba3 Re8 17. Nc5 Qf5 18. c4 Be6 ({
Black could have had an easier afternoon by playing} 18... Qxf3 19. gxf3 Nd6
20. Rxe8+ Nxe8 21. cxd5 {And it's completely equal.}) 19. Nxe4 Qxf3 20. gxf3
dxe4 21. fxe4 Bxc4 22. Rac1 Bxa2 23. Rxc7 f5 24. f3 fxe4 25. fxe4 Ra6 26. Re2
Bf7 ({Pragg and Warmerdam discussed this line afterwards. Pragg thought it to
be dangerous for Black.} 26... Bd5 27. Rg2 Bxe4 28. Rgxg7+ Kh8 29. d5 Rg6+ 30.
Rxg6 hxg6 31. d6 Bf5 {And Black is in time.}) 27. Kf2 Rf6+ 28. Ke1 Rfe6 29. e5
Rg6 30. Rf2 Bb3 31. Kd2 h6 32. Rf3 (32. Ra7 Rg4 (32... a4)) 32... a4 33. Rg3
Rxg3 34. hxg3 Re6 35. Ke3 Rg6 36. Kf2 Rg4 37. Rd7 Re4 38. Bb4 Bd1 39. Bc5 Re2+
40. Kf1 {1/2-1/2 (40) Warmerdam,M (2646)-Praggnanandhaa,R (2741) Wijk aan Zee
NED 2025} 1/2-1/2

[Event "87th Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.5"]
[White "Gukesh, D"]
[Black "Keymer, Vincent"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Abeln,Michiel"]
[ECO "D45"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2733"]
[PlyCount "143"]
[GameId "2136986864333364"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd2 d5 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. Be2 b6 (8... Re8 9. O-O Bd6 10. Rad1 h6 11. Bc1 Qe7 12. Rfe1 dxc4 13. Bxc4 e5 14. e4 Nb6 15. dxe5 Bxe5 16. Nxe5 Qxe5 17. Bf1 Ng4 18. g3 Qh5 19. f4 Nf6 20. f5 Nbd7 21. Qg2 g5 22. Be2 g4 23. Rd6 Kg7 24. Bf4 Ne5 25. Qf2 b6 26. b4 Bb7 27. Qd4 c5 28. bxc5 bxc5 29. Qxc5 Nf3+ 30. Bxf3 gxf3 31. Qd4 f2+ 32. Kxf2 Qxh2+ 33. Kf3 {1-0 (33) Artemiev,V (2701)-Grischuk,A (2745) Chess.com INT 2022}) 9. O-O {[#]} a5 $146 ({Predecessor:} 9... Ba6 10. b3 c5 11. Bd3 Qc7 12. Ne2 Bxd2 13. Nxd2 Rfe8 14. Rac1 Rac8 15. f4 Bb7 16. Nf3 dxc4 17. bxc4 Bxf3 18. Rxf3 Re7 19. Rcf1 cxd4 20. exd4 Qb7 21. Rh3 Nf8 22. Rff3 Ng6 23. Rfg3 h6 24. Bxg6 fxg6 25. Rxg6 Kf8 26. Re3 Qc7 27. Rc3 Qb7 28. Ng3 Rd7 29. Rd3 Ne4 30. Rxe6 Nxg3 31. hxg3 Re8 32. d5 Kf7 33. Rde3 Rde7 34. Qe2 a6 35. R3e5 g6 36. Qg4 Rxe6 37. Rxe6 Rxe6 38. Qxe6+ Kg7 39. d6 {1-0 Rincon Fuquen,A (1656)-Mora,A Bogota Superate Cat B Avanzado Girls 2015 (3.11)}) 10. a3 Bxc3 11. Bxc3 Ne4 12. Be1 Ba6 13. Bd3 h6 14. Bxe4 {White is playing the position in a non-standard way.} dxe4 15. Nd2 f5 16. f3 exf3 17. Nxf3 c5 18. Rd1 cxd4 {A simple queen move, for example Qe7, would have been more solid.} 19. Rxd4 Qe8 20. Bg3 e5 21. Rd6 Rc8 22. Rfd1 f4 $2 {This is not so good, Rf7 was the move.} 23. exf4 exf4 24. Bf2 ({There was a crazy alternative here for White:} 24. Re1 Qf7 25. Qd1 fxg3 26. Rxd7 Qxc4 27. Ree7 Kh8 28. Rxg7 Qc5+ 29. Kh1 Bd3 30. Rxg3 {with some advantage for White.}) 24... Rf7 25. R1d4 Bb7 $2 ({Black should have gone for more active play:} 25... Ne5 26. Nxe5 Qxe5 27. Rxb6 Bb7 28. c5 Bd5) 26. Qd1 Bc6 27. b4 axb4 28. axb4 Qe7 29. Qd3 Nf6 30. Rxf4 $6 {In time trouble not the right move.} (30. b5 Be4 31. Qe2 {And White is better.}) 30... Be4 (30... Ne8 {Hard to find but this was the way to maintain the balance.}) 31. Qd4 Bxf3 32. Rxf3 Qe2 ({Maybe Black should have played} 32... Qe4 33. Re3 Qxd4 34. Rxd4 {although he may lose this endgame as well.}) 33. Rd8+ Rxd8 34. Qxd8+ Rf8 35. Qd3 Qxd3 36. Rxd3 Rc8 37. Rd4 Kf7 38. Kf1 Ra8 39. Ke2 Ra4 40. Be1 Ke6 {Both sides have made time control and Gukesh should be winning.} 41. Bd2 h5 42. Kd3 Ng4 (42... Ra1) 43. Kc3 {By now white is winning.} Nf6 44. Kb3 Ra1 45. Bc3 Rb1+ 46. Kc2 Rf1 47. Rd2 Ne8 48. Kb3 g6 49. Bd4 Rb1+ 50. Ka4 Rc1 51. Bxb6 Rxc4 52. Kb5 Rc1 53. Bc5 Nf6 54. Rd6+ Kf5 55. Kc6 Ng4 56. Rd2 Ke6 57. Rd6+ Kf5 58. b5 Ne5+ 59. Kd5 Nd3 60. Rc6 Nf4+ 61. Kd6 Rd1+ 62. Kc7 Nd5+ 63. Kc8 (63. Kb8) 63... Rc1 (63... Rd2) 64. Kd7 Rc2 65. Bd6 Rxg2 66. Rc5 Ke4 67. Ke6 Rd2 (67... Nf4+ 68. Bxf4 Kxf4) 68. h4 Nb6 69. Rc6 Nd5 70. b6 Nxb6 71. Rxb6 Kf3 72. Be7 1-0

[Event "87th Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.6"]
[White "Van Foreest, Jorden"]
[Black "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Abeln,Michiel"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "2680"]
[BlackElo "2768"]
[PlyCount "94"]
[GameId "2136939031412735"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. c4 {This sideline took Abdusattorov by surprise and he hadn't checked the lines.} e6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Nge2 {An unusual move, not played at top level before.} (6. h4 h6 7. cxd5 cxd5 8. g4 Be4 9. f3 Bh7 10. h5 Nc6 11. Bd3 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 Qb6 13. Nge2 Qa6 14. Qxa6 bxa6 15. Bd2 Bxc3 16. Bxc3 Nge7 17. b3 Rc8 18. Kd2 f6 19. exf6 gxf6 20. Rac1 Kf7 21. Rhe1 e5 22. Bb2 Rhd8 23. Ba3 a5 24. Bc5 a4 25. b4 Rb8 26. Rb1 Nc8 27. Ng3 Nb6 28. Nf5 Rh8 29. Kd3 Nd7 30. Bd6 Rb6 31. Bc5 Rbb8 32. Rec1 Ke6 33. b5 Na5 34. Bxa7 Rb7 35. b6 Nc4 36. Ne3 Nxe3 37. Kxe3 Kd6 38. dxe5+ Nxe5 39. Rd1 Rc8 40. Rb5 Rc3+ 41. Ke2 Rc2+ 42. Rd2 Rxd2+ 43. Kxd2 Nxf3+ 44. Ke3 Ne5 45. Rb4 Kc5 46. a3 Nc4+ 47. Kd3 Nxa3 48. Rxa4 Nc4 49. Ra1 Nxb6 50. Ke3 Kd6 51. Ra6 Kc5 52. Kf4 Kb5 53. Ra1 Kc4 54. Kf5 d4 55. Kg6 d3 56. Kxh6 d2 57. Bxb6 Rxb6 58. Kg7 Kd3 59. h6 Rb4 60. Rg1 Rxg4+ 61. Rxg4 d1=Q 62. Rg6 Qa1 63. h7 f5+ 64. Rf6 Qg1+ 65. Kf7 Qh1 66. Kg6 Qg1+ 67. Kf7 Qh1 68. Kg7 Qg1+ 69. Kf7 Qh1 {1/2-1/2 (69) Caruana,F (2747) -Shimanov,A (2616) Almaty 2022}) 6... Ne7 7. a3 Ba5 8. b4 Bc7 9. Ng3 Bg6 $2 (9... O-O {would have been a lot more solid, now Black gets into trouble,}) 10. h4 h6 11. h5 Bh7 12. Qg4 Rg8 13. Be2 dxc4 14. Bxc4 Nd7 15. O-O Nf5 16. Be3 ({White had a better option:} 16. Rd1 Qh4 17. Qxh4 Nxh4 18. a4) 16... Qe7 17. b5 $6 ({White should have played} 17. Nxf5 Bxf5 18. Qf3) (17. Qf3 {You can start with this too.}) 17... c5 $11 18. Nxf5 Bxf5 19. Qf3 O-O-O 20. Nd5 $2 {Looks nice but doesn't help White.} ({A critical line that Abdusattorov indicated afterwards:} 20. Bd5 Kb8 21. Bxb7 cxd4 22. Ba8 Be4 23. Qxe4 Nc5 24. Qf3 dxe3 25. Na4 exf2+ 26. Rxf2 Rd3 27. Qc6 Bb6 28. Nxb6 axb6) (20. Rac1 {is the engine's line instead with rough equality.}) 20... exd5 21. Bxd5 Kb8 22. Qxf5 Nxe5 $1 23. dxe5 Rxd5 24. f4 $6 (24. Rfd1) 24... Rgd8 {Black now has a clear advantage.} 25. Qe4 (25. a4) 25... f6 26. a4 fxe5 27. a5 $6 (27. f5 {was a better try.}) 27... Qe8 $1 28. b6 (28. Qc4) 28... axb6 29. axb6 Bxb6 30. fxe5 $6 (30. f5) 30... Bc7 ({Even stronger was} 30... Rxe5 $1 31. Bf4 Bc7 32. Bxe5 Bxe5 33. Rae1 Bd4+ 34. Kh2 Qxh5+) 31. Bf4 Rd4 {Again Rxe5.} 32. Qe2 $2 {Van Foreest admitted afterwards he was impressed with the speed and correctness of calculation the black player did here.} (32. Qe1) 32... Rxf4 33. Rxf4 Qxe5 {Black is winning +6} 34. Qa2 Qe3+ 35. Rf2 Bg3 36. Qa8+ Kc7 37. Qa5+ b6 38. Qa7+ Kc6 39. Qa4+ b5 40. Qa6+ Kd5 41. Qb7+ Kc4 42. Qf7+ Rd5 43. Raa2 {The checks finally ran out.} Bxf2+ 44. Rxf2 Qd4 45. Kh2 Qe5+ 46. Kg1 Kb4 47. Rf1 Rd2 0-1

[Event "87th Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.7"]
[White "Mendonca, Leon Luke"]
[Black "Erigaisi, Arjun"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E10"]
[WhiteElo "2639"]
[BlackElo "2801"]
[Annotator "Abeln,Michiel"]
[PlyCount "60"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 b5 5. Bg5 exd5 6. cxd5 h6 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8.
Qc2 g5 {Be7 would have been more correct.} 9. Nc3 Bg7 10. Nxb5 Na6 11. e3 (11.
e4 O-O 12. a3 Rb8 13. Rb1 Qb6 14. Bc4 Qa5+ 15. Nd2 Rxb5 16. Bxb5 Qxb5 17. Nc4
Nc7 18. O-O Ba6 19. b3 Qb8 20. Rfc1 Nb5 21. b4 Nc3 22. bxc5 Qf4 23. g3 Qf3 24.
Rb3 Bxc4 25. Rxc3 Bxc3 26. Qxc3 Bd3 27. e5 Be4 28. Qxf3 Bxf3 29. c6 dxc6 30.
dxc6 Rc8 31. c7 Kf8 32. Rc3 g4 33. h3 h5 {0-1 (33) Vorobiov,E (2598)
-Ajrapetjan,Y (2502) St Petersburg 2012}) 11... O-O 12. a3 d6 13. Bd3 Bd7 14.
Nc3 Nc7 15. O-O {White has stabilized and is a full pawn up.} Rab8 16. Nd2 Qe7
17. e4 a6 18. Rab1 Nb5 19. Ne2 Kh8 20. Nc4 Nd4 21. Nxd4 Bxd4 22. Na5 Rb6 23. b3
(23. b4 {was a good way to make progress.}) 23... Qf6 24. Kh1 Rfb8 25. Nc4 R6b7
26. Na5 Rb6 27. Nc4 R6b7 28. Na5 Rb6 29. Nc4 R6b7 30. Na5 Rb6 {Arjun was happy
to escape with a draw.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Tata Steel Challengers"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.1"]
[White "Suleymanli, Aydin"]
[Black "Yakubboev, Nodirbek"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2623"]
[BlackElo "2659"]
[ECO "B51"]
[Opening "Sicilian"]
[Variation "Canal-Sokolsky (Nimzovich-Rossolimo, Moscow) attack"]
[WhiteFideId "13413937"]
[BlackFideId "14203987"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. a4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 b6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Qxd4
Bb7 9. O-O e6 10. Rd1 Qc7 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4 Be7 13. Bg3 e5 14. Qe3 O-O 15. Nd2
Rfe8 16. Bc4 Nc5 17. Qe2 Ne6 18. Rac1 Rec8 19. f3 Nh5 20. Bf2 Bg5 21. Ba2 Nd4
22. Qf1 b5 23. h4 Bf4 24. Ne2 Nxe2+ 25. Qxe2 bxa4 26. c4 Bg3 27. Bxg3 Nxg3 28.
Qe3 Qc5 29. Kf2 Nh5 30. b4 axb3 31. Nxb3 Qa3 32. Rc2 Nf6 33. Qc1 Qb4 34. Qd2 a5
35. Qxb4 axb4 36. Rb2 Bxe4 37. fxe4 Nxe4+ 38. Kg1 Nc3 39. Rdd2 Rxc4 40. Nc1 Re4
41. Nd3 b3 42. Bxb3 Ra1+ 43. Kh2 Rxh4+ 44. Kg3 Rd4 45. Kh2 Rh4+ 46. Kg3 g5 47.
Rdc2 Ne4+ 48. Kf3 Rf1+ 49. Ke3 Ng3 50. Rf2 Nf5+ 51. Ke2 Rxf2+ 52. Nxf2 Kg7 53.
Ba2 Rf4 54. Rb7 Ng3+ 55. Ke1 h5 56. Bd5 g4 57. Rb3 h4 58. Rb7 e4 59. Rb4 f5 60.
Rb7+ Kf6 61. Rf7+ Ke5 62. Bb3 d5 63. Ra7 d4 64. Ra6 d3 65. Re6+ Kd4 66. Rd6+ Kc3
67. Bf7 h3 68. gxh3 gxh3 69. Rc6+ Kd4 70. Rc4+ Ke3 71. Nd1+ Kf3 0-1

[Event "Tata Steel Challengers"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.2"]
[White "Vaishali, Rameshbabu"]
[Black "Svane, Frederik"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2476"]
[BlackElo "2664"]
[ECO "E00"]
[Opening "Catalan opening"]
[WhiteFideId "5091756"]
[BlackFideId "12923044"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 a5 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Qc2 Bd6 8. O-O
c6 9. Bg5 Nbd7 10. Nbd2 h6 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 c5
15. Rad1 Qc7 16. Qe2 Bd7 17. Rfe1 Rad8 18. Ne5 cxd4 19. Nxd7 Rxd7 20. Rxd4 Rfd8
21. Red1 Bc5 22. Rxd7 Rxd7 23. Rxd7 Qxd7 24. Be4 b6 25. Qd3 Bd4 26. Kg2 Qd6 27.
b3 f5 28. Bf3 Qc5 29. Qe2 Kf7 30. h4 Kf6 31. h5 Qd6 32. Qd3 Qe5 33. Qe2 Qd6 34.
Qd3 Ke7 35. Qe2 Bc5 36. g4 Kf6 37. gxf5 exf5 38. Bd5 Kg5 39. Qe6 Qf4 40. Bf3 Kh4
41. Qg6 Qg5+ 42. Qxg5+ hxg5 43. Be2 g4 44. f3 g3 45. Bd3 f4 1/2-1/2

[Event "Tata Steel Challengers"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.3"]
[White "Oro, Faustino"]
[Black "Pijpers, Arthur"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "IM"]
[BlackTitle "IM"]
[WhiteElo "2447"]
[BlackElo "2474"]
[ECO "A34"]
[Opening "English"]
[Variation "symmetrical, three knights system"]
[WhiteFideId "20000197"]
[BlackFideId "1019554"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. d4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8.
Bb5+ Nc6 9. O-O cxd4 10. cxd4 O-O 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Qc2 Bg4 13. Ne5 Qxd4 14. Bb2
Qb6 15. Rab1 Bxe5 16. Bxe5 Qa5 17. Bd4 Rfd8 18. Be3 Be6 19. a4 Qa6 20. Rfc1 Rac8
21. Bc5 Rd7 22. h3 Rcd8 23. Be3 c5 24. Qxc5 Qxa4 25. Qe5 Qa6 26. Ra1 Qd6 27.
Qxd6 Rxd6 28. Rxa7 Rd1+ 29. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 30. Kh2 Rd7 31. Rxd7 1/2-1/2

[Event "Tata Steel Challengers"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.4"]
[White "Lu, Miaoyi"]
[Black "Bok, Benjamin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteTitle "IM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2429"]
[BlackElo "2583"]
[ECO "B67"]
[Opening "Sicilian"]
[Variation "Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer attack, 7...a6 defence, 8...Bd7"]
[WhiteFideId "8618020"]
[BlackFideId "1017063"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8.
O-O-O Bd7 9. Kb1 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Be7 11. f3 Qc7 12. Qd2 b5 13. Bd3 b4 14. Ne2 a5
15. c4 bxc3 16. Nxc3 Qb7 17. a4 O-O 18. Nb5 d5 19. Rc1 Qb8 20. e5 Bxb5 21. axb5
Bb4 22. Qe3 Nd7 23. f4 Qa7 24. Qh3 g6 25. Rc6 a4 26. b6 Qa5 27. b7 a3 28. bxa8=Q
Rxa8 29. Ra6 Rxa6 30. Bxa6 axb2 31. Kxb2 Qxa6 32. Qb3 Nc5 33. Qc2 d4 34. Rb1
Qa3# 0-1

[Event "Tata Steel Challengers"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.5"]
[White "L'Ami, Erwin"]
[Black "Divya, Deshmukh"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "IM"]
[WhiteElo "2614"]
[BlackElo "2490"]
[ECO "A14"]
[Opening "English"]
[Variation "Neo-Catalan declined"]
[WhiteFideId "1007998"]
[BlackFideId "35006916"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. d4 dxc4 7. Qa4 a6 8. Qxc4
b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2 Ra7 11. Rc1 Be4 12. Qb3 Bd5 13. Qe3 Ng4 14. Qd3 Bc4 15.
Rxc4 bxc4 16. Qxc4 Nf6 17. Nc3 Nbd7 18. b4 Qb8 19. a3 a5 20. b5 Bd6 21. e4 e5
22. h3 Rb7 23. Be3 Re8 24. a4 exd4 25. Bxd4 Nxe4 26. Nxe4 Rxe4 27. Qd5 Re7 28.
Nh4 Rb6 29. Nf5 Re6 30. Nxg7 Re5 31. Bxe5 Bxe5 32. Qxd7 Bxa1 33. Nf5 Bf6 34. Bd5
Qd8 35. Qxf7+ Kh8 36. Be4 Rb8 37. Kg2 Rb6 38. Nd4 Qg8 39. Qxg8+ Kxg8 40. Nc6 Bc3
41. Kf3 Kg7 42. Ke2 h6 43. f4 Kf7 44. Bd5+ Kg6 45. g4 Bf6 46. Kf3 Bh4 47. Nxa5
Rd6 48. Ke4 Rd8 49. Nc6 Re8+ 50. Ne5+ Kf6 51. a5 Bf2 52. a6 Ke7 53. h4 1-0

[Event "Tata Steel Challengers"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.6"]
[White "Gurel, Ediz"]
[Black "Nguyen, Thai Dai Van"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2624"]
[BlackElo "2668"]
[ECO "C65"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez"]
[Variation "Berlin defence"]
[WhiteFideId "44507356"]
[BlackFideId "358878"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 d6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 O-O 7. c3 a6 8. Ba4
Re8 9. Nbd2 Bf8 10. Nf1 h6 11. Ng3 b5 12. Bb3 Be6 13. a4 b4 14. Bxe6 Rxe6 15. d4
d5 16. dxe5 Nxe4 17. c4 Nxe5 18. cxd5 Nxf2 19. Kxf2 Ng4+ 20. Kf1 Rxe1+ 21. Qxe1
Qf6 22. Qe4 Nxh2+ 23. Kg1 Nxf3+ 24. gxf3 Bd6 25. Nf5 Rd8 26. Nxd6 Rxd6 27. Qe8+
Kh7 28. Qe4+ Kg8 29. Kf2 c6 30. dxc6 Rxc6 31. Bd2 Qd6 32. Bf4 Qc5+ 33. Kf1 Re6
34. Qd3 Rg6 35. Re1 Qg1+ 36. Ke2 Qg2+ 37. Kd1 Qxb2 38. Qc2 Qd4+ 39. Bd2 Qa1+ 40.
Ke2 Qd4 41. Kd1 Qa1+ 42. Ke2 Qf6 43. Qd3 b3 44. Bc3 Qh4 45. Kd1 Qxa4 46. Bb2 Qh4
47. Re8+ Kh7 48. Re4 Qh2 49. Re2 Qd6 50. Kd2 Qb4+ 51. Kd1 Qd6 52. Kd2 Qb4+ 53.
Kd1 a5 54. Re4 Qd6 55. Rd4 Qh2 56. Kc1 Qc7+ 57. Bc3 Qh2 58. Bxa5 f5 59. Bd2 Qe5
60. Bc3 Qe6 61. Rd5 Rg2 62. Bd2 Qf6 63. Qxb3 Rg1+ 64. Kc2 Qc6+ 65. Kd3 Qa6+ 66.
Ke3 Qa7+ 67. Rd4 Qe7+ 68. Kd3 Qe5 69. Rd5 Qe6 70. Qb5 Rb1 71. Qc5 Rb3+ 72. Bc3
Qe1 73. Qd4 Qf1+ 74. Kc2 Rb7 75. Qd3 Qxd3+ 76. Kxd3 Rf7 77. Ke3 Kg6 78. Kf4 Rc7
79. Bd4 Rf7 80. Bf2 Rb7 81. Rd6+ Kh5 82. Kxf5 Rf7+ 83. Ke4 Re7+ 84. Kf4 g5+ 85.
Kf5 Rb7 86. Bd4 Rb3 87. Ke4 Rb4 88. Rc6 Ra4 89. Ke3 Ra3+ 90. Kf2 Ra2+ 91. Kg3
Ra3 92. Re6 Rb3 93. Bc5 Rb8 94. Rf6 Rg8 95. Re6 Rg6 96. Re5 Rf6 97. Be3 Kg6 98.
Rd5 Re6 99. Bd4 Kh5 100. Kf2 Kg6 101. Be5 Kf5 102. Bb2+ Kg6 103. Bd4 Ra6 104.
Ke3 Re6+ 105. Kd3 Re7 106. Be5 Rb7 107. Ke4 Kh5 108. Rd6 Rb4+ 109. Kf5 Rb3 110.
f4 gxf4 111. Bxf4 Rb5+ 112. Be5 Rb1 113. Rd3 Rb4 114. Ra3 Rc4 115. Bd6 Rd4 116.
Bf4 Kh4 117. Ra6 h5 118. Ra3 Rxf4+ 119. Kxf4 1/2-1/2

[Event "Tata Steel Challengers"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2025.01.22"]
[Round "5.7"]
[White "Nogerbek, Kazybek"]
[Black "Bulmaga, Irina"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "IM"]
[WhiteElo "2514"]
[BlackElo "2386"]
[ECO "E97"]
[Opening "King's Indian"]
[Variation "orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov, bayonet attack"]
[WhiteFideId "13710427"]
[BlackFideId "13903063"]
[EventDate "2025.01.18"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. d4 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7
9. b4 Nh5 10. Re1 a5 11. bxa5 Rxa5 12. a4 f5 13. Ra3 fxe4 14. Nxe4 Nf4 15. Bf1
b6 16. Nfd2 Bd7 17. g3 Nh5 18. Nb1 Nf6 19. Bg2 Nxe4 20. Bxe4 Nf5 21. Nc3 Qf6 22.
Nb5 Nd4 23. f3 Bf5 24. Kg2 Qf7 25. Bb2 Bxe4 26. Rxe4 Nf5 27. Bc3 Ra6 28. Be1 h5
29. Bf2 Ra5 30. h3 Raa8 31. g4 Nh6 32. Qd3 Kh8 33. Re2 Ng8 34. g5 Kh7 35. Rea2
Qe7 36. h4 Rf7 37. a5 bxa5 38. Rxa5 Raf8 39. Ra7 Rxf3 40. Qxf3 Rxf3 41. Kxf3 Qd7
42. Rxc7 Qg4+ 43. Ke3 Qf4+ 44. Ke2 Ne7 45. Nxd6 Nf5 46. Nxf5 Qxf5 47. Raa7 Qe4+
48. Kd2 Kh8 49. Rxg7 Qxc4 50. Rgc7 Qxd5+ 51. Kc1 1-0

