csmath: Great game my foot.
First Giri avoids the most open lines of Grunfeld opting for safety reaching completely even position out of opening. After 26th white move:  click for larger viewOf course, it was Nepo that deviates and wants to play more with a dubious temporary pawn sacrifice (?) 26. ...Bd3?! (truly strange and totally unprovoked move.) which after inaccurate move 29. ...Bf6? [Qxa2 of course]
30. Be5 Qxa2
31. Ra1
becomes true pawn sacrifice without compensation!  click for larger viewGir continued in totally expected way and of course, couldn't find the way to win. After 30 move fiddle without any progress Nepo makes another
one of his howlers:
72. ...Rg3??
which allows white to get connected passers and elementarily won endgame. Giri won a game with no "guilt" of his own.
 click for larger view[both h-pawn and f-pawn are doomed]
There were plenty of opportunity that Black could have made a draw cemented, for example here: After 64th move of white:
 click for larger view64. ...Rg2
and then Rg1-Rg2-Rg1 etc. White can do nothing. If white decides to push pawns then exchange one and Re2 (Re1) - Re3 closing the white king again.
Black king would just go g7-h6 not allowing white king any way to h6. But of course one needs to think a while for all this and Nepo could not bear a thought that he needs to play slower and think, apparently. |