SPOT ON CHESS PUZZLES for SUNDAY, April 30th of 2023

Game fourteen of the World Chess Championship: Drawn!

A quick summary of the game: Fairly straightforward Nimzo-Indian opening until Ding Liren got aggressive with the White pieces but Ian Nepomniachtchi didn’t take any fishing pole like bait and the game saw exchanges with Ding then offering his g-pawn to create an imbalance in the chessboard fields of force - which ultimately saw Ian take contro of the game with winning chances. That is until his move …e5 which he himself was critical of in the post game press conference. Ding Liren may have made a mistake when he opted for Ke2 in an earlier position instead of Kd2. Ultimately Ding Liren found a plan to draw the game a pawn down and did so - both players having exhaust themselves by playing the longest game of the match during the final fourteenth game of regulation play. So the match ended in a seven to seven point tie with the playoffs being conducted tomorrow. So one of these two players will be crowned FIDE King before the end of the day tomorrow!

One game relevant warm-up puzzle and then a question about the best move during the actual game. Computer people are and have probably found many improvements for both sides. It is even suggested in some quarters that Ian missed a win during the game…

Game 14 World Chess Championship Match
Ding Liren vs Ian Nepomniachtchi

1.d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd2 d5 6. a3 Be7 7. Nf3 c5 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Qc2 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nbd7 11. Rd1 Be7 12. Ng5 h6 13. h4 Qc7 14. Be2 Rd8 15. Rc1 Nf8 16. Nge4 Nxe4 17. Nxe4 Qxc2 18. Rxc2 Bd7 19. Bb4 Bxb4+ 20. axb4 Bc6 21. Nc5 Bxg2 22. Rg1 Bd5 23. e4 Bc6 24. b5 Be8 25. Nxb7 Rd4 26. Rc4 Rd7 27. Nc5 Rc7 28. Rc3 Rac8 29. b4 Nd7 30. Rcg3 Nxc5 31. bxc5 Rxc5 32. Rxg7+ Kf8 33. Bd3 Rd8 34. Ke2 Rc3 35. Rg8+ Ke7 36. R1g3 e5 37. Rh8 Rd6 38. b6 Rxb6 39. Rxe8+ Kxe8 40. Bb5+ Rxb5 41. Rxc3 Kd7 42. Rf3 Ke7 43. Rc3 a5 44. Rc7+ Kf6 45. Rc6+ Kg7 46. Ra6 Rb2+ 47. Kf3 Ra2 48. Kg3 h5 49. Ra8 Ra1 50. Kg2 a4 51. Ra5 f6 52. Kf3 a3 53. Ra6 Kf7 54. Ke3 Ke8 55. Ke2 Ke7 56. Kf3 Ra2 57. Ke3 Ra1 58. Ke2 Kf7 59. Kf3 Ra2 60. Ke3 Ke7 61. Kf3 Kd7 62. Rxf6 Rb2 63. Ra6 Rb3+ 64. Kg2 Kc7 65. f4 exf4 66. e5 Kb7 67. Ra4 Kc6 68. Ra6+ Kb5 69. Ra7 Kb6 70. Ra8 Kc5 71. Ra6 Kb5 72. Ra7 Kb6 73. Ra8 Kc6 74. Ra6+ Kd7 75. Kf2 Ke7 76. Kg2 Re3 77. Kf2 Rg3 78. Kf1 Rc3 79. Kf2 Re3 80. Kg2 Kd7 81. Kf2 Kc7 82. e6 Kd8 83. Ra7 Ke8 84. Kg2 Rxe6 85. Rxa3 Rg6+ 86. Kf2 Rg4 87. Ra5 Rxh4 88. Kf3 Ke7 89. Rf5 Ke6 90. Rxf4 Rxf4+ 1/2-1/2

Enjoy and see you on the flip side - tomorrow! ~ Sean