Vidit, S. – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek

2726 2024 · Black wins (resignation, time or agreement)

In 2024, Vidit (2726) and Abdusattorov (2783) played a textbook Queen’s Indian: White’s fianchetto, an early exchange on d5, then a slow build-up with b4 before opening the centre with e4 and d5. Queens came out, rooks traded off on the a-file, and the game stayed level all the way to move 41. Then 41.Nxb5 swung the evaluation from +0.2 to +7.4 from White’s side — a missed chance — and 41...Qxf3 ended matters. The accuracy figures, 88% for White and 90% for Black, confirm this was no gradual collapse. The takeaway: in a balanced position, the move that looks like free material is often the one that costs everything.