1. d2d4  1... g8f6  2. c2c4  2... e7e6  3. g2g3  3... d7d5  4. f1g2 The Catalan opening is one of the most important in chess. Nowadays, every professional chess player must be familiar with its theory. 4... d5c4 One of the best options for Black, along with developing the bishop on e7 or b4. 5. g1f3  5... b8c6  6. d1a4 Trying to win back the pawn, before Black can play Rb8-b5, which leads to sharper play. 6... f8b4  7. c1d2  7... f6d5  8. e1g1  8... b4d2  9. f3d2  9... e8g8  10. e2e3  10... e6e5 Taking advantage of the fact that the knight is not on f3 to break the white center. 11. a4b5  11... d5f6 This is a new move. I'm curious to see how Gukesh would react to 11...Be6, which seems to lead to equality. 12. d4e5 Probably the best attempt, although the position remains equal. 12... a7a6  13. b5c4  13... c6e5  14. c4c2 There's a typical pawn structure on the board. The position is level, but there's still plenty of life left. If White manages to advance the center, Black's situation could become dangerous. 14... c7c6  15. b1c3  15... a6a5 Played to improve the structure on the queenside and possibly prevent the minority attack with b4-a4-b5. 16. a1d1  16... d8e7  17. h2h3 A typical move to take the g4-square from the knight. White is ready to start pushing the pawns. 17... c8e6  18. f2f4  18... e5c4  19. d2c4  19... e6c4  20. f1e1 Though White's position is certainly easier to play, Black is in no real danger. 20... b7b5 An active move that suits Nepomniachtchi's style, but objectively it's better to start exchanging rooks on the d-file. 21. e3e4  21... a8d8  22. b2b3  22... c4e6  23. c2f2  23... e7b4  24. f2e3  24... d8d1  25. e1d1  25... f8e8  26. g3g4  26... h7h6  27. e3d4  27... b4d4  28. d1d4  28... c6c5  29. d4d2  29... c5c4  30. b3c4  30... e6c4  31. e4e5  31... b5b4 From now on Nepomniachtchi defends with great precision and creativity, a characteristic we also saw in his games from the Candidates Tournament this year. 32. c3a4  32... c4b5 The only way. Sending the knight to h7 is not an option. 33. a4c5  33... e8c8 The same idea: Black has to attack the knight to gain the d7-square. 34. c5b7  34... f6d7  35. g1f2  35... c8c3  36. b7d6  36... b5c6  37. g2c6  37... c3c6  38. d6f7 White wins a pawn, but the counterplay on the queenside is enough to save the game. 38... d7c5  39. f7d6  39... a5a4  40. f2e3  40... b4b3  41. a2b3  41... a4b3  42. d6e4  42... c5a4  43. d2d8  43... g8f7  44. d8b8  44... b3b2  45. b8b7  45... f7f8  46. e4d2  46... c6b6 There are options, but Nepomniachtchi evaluated the endgame correctly. 47. b7b6  47... a4b6  48. e3d4  48... f8e7 The b2-pawn hinders the white pieces and if the king goes after it, then the black knight chases the pawns. 49. f4f5  49... b6d7  50. h3h4  50... e7e8  51. g4g5  51... h6g5  52. h4g5  52... g7g6  53. f5g6  53... d7f8  54. g6g7  54... f8e6  55. d4c3  55... e8f7  56. c3b2  56... e6g5  57. b2c3  57... f7g7  58. c3d4  58... g5f7 