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. 42. e2d2  42... c8c6  43. d2c2  43... c6d6 [%c_effect d6;square;d6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The possible appearance of an outside queenside passer makes the pawn endgame won for Black. 44. d5a5 And this is the final mistake. 44... b4b3 [%c_effect b3;square;b3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Now Black breaks through. 45. c2c1  45... e5d3  46. c1b1  46... d3e1  47. d1c3  47... d6d2 The rook infiltrates and starts cleaning everything on the second rank. 48. a5a6  48... e6e5  49. a6a5  49... e5f6  50. a5a6  50... f6g7  51. b1c1  51... d2c2 The joint efforts of the black pieces will gain three pawns now. 52. c1d1  52... e1g2  53. e4e5  53... g2e3  54. d1e1  54... c2b2  55. a6a7  55... g7h6  56. e5e6  56... e3f5  57. e6e7  57... f5e7  58. a7e7  58... b2c2  59. c3d1  59... c4c3  60. d1c3  60... c2c3  61. e7b7  61... c3c4  62. b7b3  62... c4h4 The connected passers are moving in a pack; there is not enough counterplay from the white passer. 63. e1f2  63... h4c4  64. f2f3  64... c4a4  65. f3g2  65... h6g5  66. g2h3  66... g5f4  67. h3h4  67... f4f5  68. h4h3  68... g6g5  69. b3b5  69... f5f4  70. b5b3  70... h5h4  71. b3c3  71... a4e4  72. h3g2  72... g5g4  73. c3c2  73... h4h3  74. g2h2  74... f4f3  75. c2c1  75... e4e2  76. h2h1  76... g4g3  77. h1g1  77... e2g2  78. g1h1  78... g2d2  79. h1g1  79... h3h2  80. g1h1  80... f3f2  81. a3a4  81... d2e2  82. a4a5 