World Chess Championship (Game Four)

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 {A reversed Sicilian, these two are having a private battle with this opening.} 4. e3 Bb4 {I like this move it can get tricky.} 5. Qc2 Bxc3 {Part of the plan I've adopted in the past. 0-0 d6 and play for f5.} 6. bxc3 d6 7. e4 {so no d5's in this game. A reversed Maroczy Bind. encourages f5 by Black.} 7... O-O 8. Be2 {Move the f6 Knight and f5.} 8... Nh5 {9,Nxe5 Nxe5 10.Bxh5 Qg5 and Black is winning.} 9. d4 {Yes! and quickly played by Ding.} 9... Nf4 {I wanted and was considering 9...f5} 10. Bxf4 exf4 11. O-O {f5 - maybe not at this level. So now how about Re8.} 11... Qf6 {Played faintly quickly, too quick for me to assess the position so still in Nepo’s prep.} 12. Rfe1 {Re8 or Bg4 Rae8. White can sit behind that centre and set up at ease.} 12... Re8 {After a long think. Obvious move. Black has to cover all the central pawn pushes.} 13. Bd3 {I was considering the pawn sac 13.Qa4 (I'll do a sub variation)} 13... Bg4 {Fairly obvious.} 14. Nd2 {and so was that. White to hold the centre and go for the queenside.} 14... Na5 {I looked at that and dismissed it, now it looks OK planning c5.} 15. c5 {Stopping c5 and e4 e5 is coming .} 15... dxc5 16. e5 {It must be Qh6 and then what d5?} 16... Qh6 {Nothing else made sense.} 17. d5 {Quickly played, looks good is 17....f3 a shot.} 17... Rad8 {I was wanting c4 and f3 - see another sub variation(2)} 18. c4 {No more c4 ideas and very obvious.} 18... b6 {To hold the Knight and give it the square b7. Now what does Ding do.} 19. h3 {I was wanting Be4 and if Rxe5 Bxh7+ ( I must have my two move traps.)} 19... Bh5 {Keeping a Rook off d1 and still considering f3 for Black.} 20. Be4 {Now Be4! I should be playing there. Now about Re7 or even Kf8.} 20... Re7 {Doubling on the e-file.} 21. Qc3 {More protection for the e-pawn. After Rde8 how does Black play after that.} 21... Rde8 {The natural follow up. Hit the e-pawn. g6 and Qg7 is a future idea.} 22. Bf3 {looking at Bxf3 Nxf3 more protection for the e-pawn.} 22... Nb7 {23.d6 Nxd6 it's getting critical.} 23. Re2 f6 {Getting d6 for the Knight} 24. e6 Nd6 25. Rae1 Nf5 {I bet that Knight never thought he would see this square.} 26. Bxh5 Qxh5 27. Re4 {Going for f4 pawn.} 27... Qh6 28. Qf3 Nd4 {played very fast I never had time to see what's wrong with g5.} 29. Rxd4 {Wow. Again played very quickly. I was looking at Qxf4.} 29... cxd4 30. Nb3 {This Knight has a great future. Good play by Ding} 30... g5 31. Nxd4 Qg6 {The Knight can win back the exchange at any time but why should it.} 32. g4 {The Knight far better than any Rook here. It can do forking tricks.} 32... fxg3 33. fxg3 h5 {Fighting for Rook room but White has all the aces. Only he can lose this.} 34. Nf5 Rh7 35. Qe4 {The tricks are appearing Ne7+} 35... Kh8 36. e7 {Black is lost here.} 36... Qf7 {What else? Now d6 and 1-0.} 37. d6 cxd6 38. Nxd6 Qg8 {Nepo plays on. Qxe7 meets Nxe8.} 39. Nxe8 Qxe8 40. Qe6 Kg7 41. Rf1 Rh6 42. Rd1 f5 {Fighting to the last Ding is not in time trouble.} 43. Qe5+ Kf7 44. Qxf5+ Rf6 45. Qh7+ Ke6 46. Qg7 {Surely resigns now. Re1+ is a big threat.} 46... Rg6 {Not long now. } 47. Qf8 {And Nepo resigned. It ends thus.} 47... Rg8 48. Qxg8+ {Amongst other winning moves.} 48... Qxg8 49. Rd8

[FEN "r1b1r1k1/ppp2ppp/2np1q2/8/2PPPp2/2P2N2/P1Q1BPPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 13"]
13. Qa4 {Not too bad.} 13... Rxe4 {The test of Qa4.} 14. d5 {The Knight has only one move else Qe8 mate.} 14... Nb8 15. Bd3 Rxe1+ 16. Rxe1 {I got as far as here....interesting.}

[FEN "r3r1k1/ppp2ppp/7q/n1pPP3/5pb1/2PB4/P1QN1PPP/R3R1K1 b - - 0 17"]
17... c4 {This takes the Knight off covering f3} 18. Nxc4 Nxc4 19. Bxc4 f3 {It has to be taken.} 20. gxf3 Bh3 21. Kh1 Qg5 22. Rg1 Qxe5 {Now here I can see....} 23. Rg3 {And maybe not so good - but good fun though.}