The avalanche of pawns starts to advance and Black decides to resign.
1. e2e4  1... e7e5  2. g1f3  2... g8f6 The Petroff Defense seems too boring for a player with as fun a style as Van Foreest, but he has new ideas to play it more dynamically. The truth is that the old prejudices that players of my generation have against the Petroff, the Berlin, the London System, must be put aside, as the newer generation shows nearly every day. Well, maybe not in the case of the Berlin. 3. f3e5  3... d7d6  4. e5f3  4... f6e4  5. d2d4  5... d6d5  6. f1d3  6... c8e6 I have to admit I've never seen this move before. In fact, it's only been played a handful of times, at least compared to the vast amount of theory that goes into the Petroff Defense. This move is only Black's tenth most popular choice. Van Foreest once again lives up to his fame as an explorer of little-known paths. 7. e1g1  7... f7f5 It's important to note that the theory in this position is composed almost exclusively of correspondence games. Of course, the pawn advance creates some weaknesses in Black's camp, and pawn structure will be the main strategic theme of this game. But the knight is reinforced in his position on e4 and he has no intention of leaving, not even if attacked. 8. d1e2 Played after a long thought, indicating that even Caruana can be surprised in the opening. 8... f8e7  9. f3e5 A natural move for a human, but a theoretical novelty, which in this case implicitly means that it is not the most recommended move by the machine. 9... b8d7 The Dutch GM was clearly still in his preparation, judging by the speed with which he executed this move. 10. e5d7  10... d8d7  11. f2f3  11... e8g8 It's always a joy when we don't have to retreat a piece attacked by a pawn. 12. c1f4  12... e7f6  13. c2c3 Finally White threatens to take the knight for real. 13... g7g5 A double-edged pawn advance. 14. f4e5  14... e4d6  15. f3f4 A good move. Caruana wants to prevent Black from playing f4. 15... g5g4 The \"pawn advance\" theme is important in this game. Van Foreest played two dangerous but acceptable advances, taking a pawn to f5 and another to g5. This, his third, is a mistake. \"One is good, two is enough, three is too many.” The problem is that now the capture on e5 is compromised: White recaptures with the f-pawn and a hole opens on f4. 16. b1a3  16... a8e8  17. a3c2 White has a comfortable advantage, precisely because Black cannot capture on e5. Without this capture there is no clear plan, while White can, among other things, play Ne3 and then h3, opening up the kingside. 17... f6d8 A difficult move to make and an admission that the position is not good. Black wants to eliminate the possibility of exchanging the bishops and start his advance on the queenside, as we will see. The fact is that White's position is more comfortable, thanks to the better pawn structure. The problem with advancing pawns is this: they are the only piece in chess that cannot go back. 18. a1d1  18... c7c6  19. c2e3  19... b7b5 Probably played to avoid a plan with c3-c4. 20. a2a4  20... b5a4  21. e2c2  21... h7h5  22. g1h1 A mysterious move, which I don't quite understand. 22... a4a3  23. b2a3  23... d6c4  24. d3c4  24... d5c4  25. h1g1 The king goes back to g1. This move is easier to understand. Caruana is preventing the h4-h3 advance before performing any operation to capture the c4-pawn. 25... h5h4 A blunder. The game is basically over after this move. 26. e3g4 The g-pawn falls and Black's position is ruined. 26... e6d5  27. g4e3  27... d5e4  28. c2e2  28... e4d3  29. d1d3 This is a move that the World Champion Tigran Petrosian would play with his eyes closed. 29... c4d3  30. e2d3 White has a decisive advantage. He has two pawns for the exchange, but in addition, there is an immortal bishop on e5, a well-placed knight and a much superior pawn structure. 30... e8e6  31. f1b1  31... e6g6 31...Bf6 or 31...Bb6 are more stubborn. 32. b1b8  32... d7f7  33. c3c4  33... c6c5 Trying to get some counterplay, but Caruana gives no chances. 34. d4c5  34... d8e7  35. b8b7  35... f7e6  36. b7c7  36... f8c8  37. c7c8  37... e6c8  38. d3d5  38... g8f8  39. e5d6 The rest is simple. 39... c8e6  40. d5e6  40... g6e6  41. e3f5  41... e7d6  42. c5d6  42... e6e1  43. g1f2  43... e1c1  44. f2e3  44... f8e8  45. e3d4  45... c1c2 