Drama in Astana

As I write, six of 14 games of the world championship match between Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren have been played in Astana, Kazakhstan, with the score tied 3-3. By the time you read this, events will have moved on, so any prognosis would be futile. One ought, so to speak, to wait until the bread has risen. But the games in Astana have been so compelling that a quick peek is irresistible. Four out of six have been decisive – an extraordinary volume of bloodshed by the standards of recent world championships. Initially, Ding looked listless, as if overwhelmed by the occasion. ‘Nepo’ won game two, but by game four Ding had pulled himself together, when an elegant exchange sacrifice helped level the score.

Nepomniachtchi looks stronger since his defeat against Carlsen in Dubai. This time, he brushed off his setback in the next game. The first diagram shows a key moment from game five. Nepo’s active pieces confer a serious advantage, and his kingside breakthrough shows magnificent vision.

Ian Nepomniachtchi-Ding Liren
Fide World Championship (5), Astana 2023
(See left diagram)

37 g5! The threats of f5-f6 and g5-g6 make this pawn hard to ignore. hxg5 38 Rg4 Ra8 I suspect Ding chose this after eliminating the alternatives. 38…f6 meets with a stunning refutation: 39 Nh4! gxh4 (else Ng6+, Re4+ etc) 40 h6! gxh6 41 Qg8+ Ke7 42 Rg7# No better is 38…Qe7 39 Nxg5 Qb7 40 Qxb7 Rxb7 41 f6! gxf6 42 Nh7+ Ke7 43 Re4+ Kd8 44 Nxf6! and the h-pawn carries the day. 39 Nxg5 Ra1+ 40 Ke2 Qe7+ 41 Ne4 The attack is decisive. Qe8 42 Kf3 Qa8 43 Qxa8+ Rxa8 44 f6 g6 45 hxg6 fxg6 46 Rxg6 Ra2 47 Kg4 Rxb2 48 Rh6 Kf5, Rh8+ and Ng5 mate are looming, so Black resigns. But the pendulum swung back the next day.