The header is from a picture in April 2023 CHESS magazine
of the line up for this years World Master held at Dusseldorf.
Thank you Wesley So and Anish Giri for holding up the board which
is now worthless because all the players in this event autographed it.
Nepomniachtchi and Praggnanandhaa signatures took up two ranks!!
(players long name jokes are not clever or funny greenpawn .....Russ)
Nepo is on the extreme left. Here is a better picture.
I was going to use his tee-shirt for a game number but will save it
in case Nepo wins this and I can use it for a ‘Magnus Who?’ shot.
Edit: (I do this bit after the game is over to either warn you it’s naff or
well worth playing over. Hopefully the latter but we are due a former)
Another Nepo win. A Ruy Lopez where Ding seemed to have equal chances
but drifted and his Bishop was out of play then he got himself into time trouble.
Ian. Nepomniachtchi - Ding Liren, Game 5
1. e4 {Good, a fighting reply after the last round lost.} 1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 {In the first game Nepo played Bxf6 here.} 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 {Giving d3-d4 ideas but all this has been seen 1,000's of times before.} 8... O-O 9. h3 Bb7 {I'd like this as White already I see Nb1-d2-f1-e3-f5. Must look out for d5 though.} 10. a4 {I've not seen this too often but it should transpose into something I recognise.} 10... Na5 {A standard idea in the Ruy Lopez. making way for c5.} 11. Ba2 {Usually the Bishop goes to c2. It stays on the classical diagonal.} 11... c5 12. Bg5 {Played quickly so Nepo is following a definite prepared plan.} 12... h6 {Played after a long thought, Putting the question to the Bishop.} 13. Bxf6 {Played quick.14. Bh4 g5 was a way to go.} 13... Bxf6 14. axb5 {Opening a file on the Queenside. Nepo still following prep.} 14... axb5 15. Nbd2 Nc6 {A common retreat in the Lopez. The Knight covers important central squares.} 16. Bd5 Rxa1 17. Qxa1 Qd7 {Is Ra8 coming} 18. Re1 {freeing f1 for the d2 Knight and from there e3/g3 and f5.} 18... Ra8 {I thought so. Makes sense.} 19. Qd1 {Again very quick from Nepo he is 40 minutes ahead on the clock} 19... Bd8 {First thought f5 ideas. with Bb6 and Rf8 and attacks on f2. (I'm dreaming)} 20. Nf1 {All part of the plan Nepo has taken 4 minutes so far for the whole game.} 20... Ne7 {Trading off the Bishop;. I thought that was coming.} 21. Bxb7 Qxb7 22. Ne3 Bb6 {He has played Bb6 but for a different reason I wanted it. f5 is too crazy.} 23. h4 {Here comes Nepo. He's going for h5 to discouraged g6 covering f5.} 23... Qc6 {Covering d6 so c4 is coming to play Bxe3, the two Knights are dangerous.} 24. h5 c4 {White cannot allow Bxe3 then he has nothing.} 25. d4 {Nepo taking his time now so out of prep and game on.} 25... exd4 {Now will it cxd4 (my choice I like the Knights.) or Nxd4 when Bxd4 has to be played.} 26. Nxd4 Qc5 {Ahh I missed that one - due to the hit on f2 Nf5 is not on.} 27. Qg4 {I was thinking Qf3 holding f2 with d6 hitting the a8 Rook ideas} 27... Qe5 {Black needs some more bits over the Kingside but is the Queen here a target.} 28. Nf3 Qe6 29. Nf5 {The is a fantasy variation here. see next game.} 29... Nxf5 30. exf5 Qf6 31. Qe4 Rb8 {This is following my fantasy variation! Now Nh4 with Qe8+ coming.} 32. Re2 {Never saw that, I was thinking either Nh4 or g4.} 32... Bc5 {holding d6 and looking at b4.} 33. g4 {Played very quickly. No more Ng4 ideas} 33... Qd8 34. Qd5 {White is looking good here. Ding down to 24 minutes to make move 40.} 34... Kf8 {I was wonder what Ding would here. It looks tough. e8 checks are not on anymore.} 35. Kf1 {To stop a critical check coming possibly on g5 or f2 Nepo has a trick up his sleeve.} 35... Rc8 {Ding going for Qd7 Qc6 perhaps or just seeing how Nepo will come for him.} 36. Re4 {Going to f4 to bang in pawn to f6.} 36... Rb8 {Saying Nepo show me what you have.} 37. g5 {Now at the very critical stage.} 37... hxg5 {Forced? Rg4 is coming.} 38. Rg4 {see it. 38...f6 39.Nh4 gxh4 and 40 h6. Ding down to 5 minutes left.} 38... Ra8 {90 seconds left. Nepo has 45 minutes to polish this off.} 39. Nxg5 Ra1+ {40.Kg2 Qa1 forces the Queens off} 40. Ke2 {To avoid the Queen swap.} 40... Qe7+ {played with 3 seconds left.} 41. Ne4 {And now Black has to cover all the f6 and h6 ideas.} 41... Qe8 {So f6 does not come with fxe7+} 42. Kf3 {Unpins the Knight. We now sit and wait for the cute wrap up.} 42... Qa8 43. Qxa8+ {Nepo takes it to an ending. Probably the quickest way.} 43... Rxa8 44. f6 {44..gxf6 45.Nxf6} 44... g6 45. hxg6 fxg6 46. Rxg6 Ra2 47. Kg4 {Nepo seems to have the endgame under control but I'd be nervous.} 47... Rxb2 48. Rh6 {Ding resigned. One finish is.} 48... Bxf2 49. Rh8+ Kf7 50. Kf5 {And checkmate with Nxd6 or Ng5.}
The fantasy line.
FEN
r5k1/4npp1/1b1pq2p/1p5P/2p1P1Q1/2P1NN2/1P3PP1/4R1K1 w - - 0 29
[FEN "r5k1/4npp1/1b1pq2p/1p5P/2p1P1Q1/2P1NN2/1P3PP1/4R1K1 w - - 0 29"] 29. Nf5 {Now how about...} 29... Nxf5 30. exf5 Qf6 31. Qe4 Rb8 32. Nh4 b4 {To make my idea work.} 33. Qe8+ Rxe8 34. Rxe8+ Kh7 35. Ng6 {look at that! OOPS!} 35... Qd8 {Damn and blast.}
