In sequence Oparin tries to deal with the threat to the e4 pawn (26. Rc4), activates his king and liberates the pinned bishop (Kg2), prevents Ng4 and the attack (h3). Meanwhile Karjakin uses this time to throw his g and h pawns forward and cramps white. At this point there are no direct threats and interestingly here Oparin goes (slightly) wrong with 29.Rf3. At first I liked this as it seemed active while also defending f2, but both the activity and the defense here are not good enough since he can?t maintain the rook on f3.( Apparently Ra2 was the only try active enough for equality).

After Rf3 Karjakin simply defends the knight and asks white what he would like to play considering black will double rooks on either the first or second row. Oparin plays Re3, pretty much admitting Rf3 did not work and setting up a hopeful Re2 (if black allows this it is good for white). Karjakin of course does not allow Re2 and plays 30. ? Ra1 (now 31. Re2 simply loses the bishop after? Rd1).

Now White still has to deal with the rooks doubling and coming into g1 and h1. The best move according to the engine is Re5 simply allowing Rd1, Rg1 etc.. while trying for counterplay. Oparin plays 31. Rd3 instead. He is gaining a tempo since he is planning e5 and after Nd5 his rook has to move anyway and Karjakin is never going to trade that rook. It turns out however that the 5th was needed for the counterplay against the g and h pawns. Amazingly now after 31. ? Rb2 32. e5 Nd5 Oparin again needs to defend his e-pawn and plays 33. Re4. Here Karjakin plays the lovely little move h4 illustrating the depths of white?s problems, since white can?t take in view of Nf4 and in the next moves his castle gets destroyed.