1. d2d4  1... d7d5  2. c2c4  2... c7c5 [%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;Interesting;persistent;true][%cal dc7c5][%c_arrow c7c5;keyPressed;none;from;c7;opacity;0.8;to;c5;persistent;false] Nakamura has played this provocative move other times. 3. c4d5  3... g8f6 A rare move that is new to Nakamura's practice. Previously he had captured on d5 immediately with the queen. The game, however, will soon transpose to a more conventional position. 4. b1c3 Ding decides not to get into a discussion about the validity of Black's defense; otherwise, he would have to play one of the alternatives. 4... f6d5  5. g1f3 This is a well-known position of opening theory. 5... c5d4 Another move that is not played often. 6. d1d4  6... d5c3  7. d4c3  7... b8c6  8. e2e4  8... a7a6 The idea of this move is to prevent the bishop from going to b5. 9. f1e2 White has other options, and he probably should have chosen one of them, here or on the next move, since he is not getting an advantage in the game. 9... e7e5  10. a2a3  10... c8g4 A new move. 11. e1g1  11... a8c8  12. c3b3 [%c_effect b3;square;b3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Not a good square for the queen, since it can be attacked by Black's knight. There are three better alternatives. 12... c6a5 [%c_effect a5;square;a5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The queen doesn't have a good square. 13. b3a4  13... b7b5  14. a4d1  14... d8d1  15. f1d1 [%c_effect d1;square;d1;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] 15... a5b3 [%c_effect b3;square;b3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 16. a1b1  16... f8c5  17. g1f1 Ding continues to play passively. Unfortunately, this is a mark of his play when in bad form. 17... f7f6  18. d1d3  18... g4e6  19. f3d2 [%c_effect d2;square;d2;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Now it becomes ugly for White. 19... b3d4 The knight is very strong on d4, and there's a big disparity between the activity of the white and black pieces. Furthermore, the e2-bishop can be captured at any time, giving Black the lasting advantage of the bishop pair. 20. b2b4  20... c5b6  21. c1b2  21... d4e2  22. f1e2  22... e8e7  23. f2f3 [%c_effect f3;square;f3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] A positional mistake, creating a target for Black on the kingside. 23... c8c2  24. d3c3  24... e6c4  25. e2e1  25... b6f2  26. e1d1 [%c_effect d1;square;d1;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This will leave the king cut from the game, and the kingside pawns will be attacked. 26... c2c3  27. b2c3  27... h8d8  28. b1a1  28... c4f1 [%c_effect f1;square;f1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Attacking the poor kingside pawns. 29. g2g3  29... f2e3 This position is yet another textbook demonstration of the strength of the bishop pair. 30. a3a4  30... b5a4  31. a1a4  31... f1b5  32. a4a1  32... d8d3 The f3-pawn cannot be defended. 33. a1c1  33... h7h5  34. d1c2  34... e3d2 It's a well-known theory that one of the advantages of having the pair of bishops is that it's much easier to exchange a bishop for a knight than the other way around, so it's possible to choose the best time to exchange advantages. In the case of this game, the exchange of the pair of bishops for an extra pawn. 35. c3d2  35... d3f3 Bishops of opposite colors always give a little hope for the defending side, but here the advantage is too big. 36. c1e1  36... b5c6  37. e1e3  37... f3f2 A curious move, considering that Black could win a second pawn. Nakamura didn't want to give a chance for a miraculous draw in the endgame of pure bishops of opposite colors, but the computer demonstrates Black's victory after 38. h2h4  38... c6a4  39. c2c3  39... e7e6  40. e3e1  40... f2g2  41. e1e3  41... g7g6 [%c_effect g6;square;g6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Preparing the advance of f6-f5, but there's no need to be in a hurry. Just like his previous game against Praggnanandhaa, Nakamura takes his time to convert the advantage. 42. d2e1  42... a4b5  43. c3b3  43... b5e2  44. e1c3  44... g2f2  45. b3c2  45... e2g4  46. c3d2  46... g4e2  47. d2c3  47... e2f3  48. c2d3  48... f3g2 Nakamura shuffles his bishop before advancing one of his pawns. For the defender, it is distressing to wait without having any active plan. 49. e3e1  49... g6g5 [%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]