Sindarov's patient play has been exemplary. He knows that the opponent's position cannot be improved and carefully avoids any random tactics.
1. e2e4  1... e7e5  2. g1f3  2... b8c6  3. f1c4  3... f8c5  4. b1c3 It is fascinating to see our child openings coming into the spotlight. 4... g8f6  5. d2d3  5... d7d6  6. c3a4  6... c5b6  7. a2a3 White is basically opting for an somewhat improved Italian where his knight will trade the black dark-squared bishop via a faster route (rather than the standard Nb1-d2-c4 one, which requires a tempo for the Bc4 retreat.) 7... h7h6  8. h2h3  8... e8g8  9. e1g1  9... c8e6  10. c4e6 [%c_effect e6;square;e6;type;Interesting;persistent;true] Nowadays more popular than 10.Nxb6. In the not-so-distant past, Black was always considered to get an easy kingside game with the maneuver Qd8-e8-g6, Nf6-h5-f4, and an attack along the f- and g-files. 10... f7e6  11. b2b4  11... d8e8  12. c2c3  12... c6e7 Nihal took some time on his clock before producing this novelty. 13. f1e1  13... e7g6  14. a1a2 [%c_effect a2;square;a2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] A nice, semi-waiting but useful move. The rook is overprotecting the f2-pawn and is ready to join the battle along the second rank. Black is in a mini-zugzwang, longing for alternative improvement moves. 14... a8d8  15. a4b6 Now that the black rook has abandoned the a-file the bishop is removed. 15... a7b6  16. a3a4  16... e8f7  17. f3h2 Why is White better $2 It is the pawn structure $1 His pawns are more elastic and he has a pleasant choice on how to modify the situation in the center and the kingside. The main drawback of the double-pawns is that they are static, they can only wait for the opponent to attack them. 17... g8h7  18. g2g3  18... f7d7  19. c3c4 [%c_effect c4;square;c4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Sindarov initiates a central fight. 19... d6d5  20. a2d2  20... f8f7  21. d1c2 Now White's plan is to force the central fixation. He does not mind having the black d5-pawn neither traded nor fixed on the d4-square. 21... c7c5  22. b4b5 Closing the queenside. White is also moving toward a one-sided kingside play. 22... d7d6  23. g1g2  23... d8f8  24. c2d1  24... d6d7 