Karjakin, Sergey – Giri, A.

2782 2018 · White wins (resignation, time or agreement)

Karjakin (2782) opens 1.b3, the Nimzo-Larsen Attack, against Giri (2782) in 2018: little theory, plenty of manoeuvring — and it is Black who seizes the initiative. The trades down the a-file and the queen’s arrival on d3 leave Black clearly better. The turning point is 22...h5, where the engine swings from -0.7 to -3.8: a missed chance that hands back everything Black had built. After 23.Nd5 things keep sliding, and 26...Kg7 (from -4.9 to -7.1) settles matters; 27.d6 ends it, 1-0. Accuracy: 85% for White, 77% for Black. The lesson: in a winning position, one loose waiting move on the flank can give it all away.