1. e2e4  1... e7e5  2. g1f3  2... b8c6  3. f1c4  3... g8f6  4. d2d3  4... f8e7  5. b1c3 What's new is well-forgotten old. What we played as children is coming back as a chess fashion. 5... d7d6  6. a2a3  6... c8g4 Dubov uses this defense quite successfully. 7. h2h3  7... g4f3  8. d1f3  8... c6d4  9. f3d1  9... c7c6  10. c4a2  10... e8g8  11. e1g1  11... d4e6  12. c3e2  12... d6d5  13. e2g3  13... d5e4 An obvious move and a novelty. What happens next is a beautiful concept. 14. d3e4  14... d8d1  15. f1d1  15... f8d8 Black is ready to trade all the rooks along the only open file; therefore, Abdumalik goes for the most obvious and aggressive 16. c1e3 which puts pressure on the a7-pawn, thus preventing the trades. And in return, Khotenashvili uncorks her real idea... 16... e7c5 [%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] A brilliant concept $1 After the forcing 17. a2e6  17... c5e3  18. e6f7  18... g8f7  19. f2e3  19... f7e6 White wins a pawn, but since that pawn is doubled and its only defender is a vulnerable knight, it appears that White does not have any advantage whatsoever. Moreover, it is now Abdumalik who has to play carefully to maintain the balance $1 20. d1d3 [%c_effect d3;square;d3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The only way to fight for something. 20... d8d3 [%c_effect d3;square;d3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Another spectacular idea $1 Khotenashvili does not mind even connecting the opponent's pawns. The e4-pawn is no more in danger now, but Black gets a chance to create an outside passer. 21. c2d3  21... a8d8  22. a1d1  22... c6c5  23. g1f2  23... c5c4 This is what it was all about. Now White has to make an important decision. 24. d3d4 And she decided to keep her central pawns intact. 24... g7g6  25. f2e2  25... b7b5 The queenside majority is moving. Black has a lot of moves to improve her position, whereas her opponent needs to stay put. This means that Black owns the statical advantage. 26. d1d2  26... d8c8  27. d2c2  27... h7h5 Part of the plan, now White is forced to concede the g4-square. 28. h3h4  28... f6g4  29. c2c1 Abdumalik waits. 29... c8d8  30. c1d1  30... g4f6  31. d1d2  31... a7a5  32. d2d1  32... d8d7 Khotenashvili slows down a bit before the time control. Always a wise, practical decision, which has the additional benefit of demonstrating to the opponent that she has nowhere to go. 33. d1d2  33... d7d8  34. d2d1  34... d8d7  35. d1d2  35... f6g4  36. d2d1 And White sees nothing better but to repeat. 36... d7d8  37. g3h1 [%c_effect h1;square;h1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The best defense $1 37... d8f8  38. d4e5  38... g4e5  39. h1f2  39... b5b4  40. d1d5 The time-control move. 40... f8b8  41. f2d1 And as it often happens, the first move after the time control is a mistake. The knight goes in the wrong direction. 41... b8c8 Missing a chance to exploit the opponent's blunder at once.