1. e2e4  1... c7c5  2. g1f3  2... b8c6  3. f1b5  3... d7d6 This line has always been one of my favorites, and I played many games with it. It was also played in the decisive fourth game of the match. 4. e1g1  4... c8d7  5. f1e1  5... g8f6  6. c2c3  6... a7a6  7. b5a4  7... b7b5  8. a4c2  8... a8c8 A rare move. Usually, the choice is between 8...Bg4 or 8...e5. 9. a2a4  9... g7g6  10. a4b5  10... a6b5  11. d2d4  11... c5d4  12. c3d4  12... d7g4  13. c1e3  13... f8g7  14. b1d2 Caruana's plan is also good enough for an advantage. White controls the center with the pawns. Isn't this supposed to be good enough to be happy in the opening $2 14... e8g8  15. h2h3  15... g4d7 Better than surrendering the bishop with 16. d4d5 White has other options, and his play in the next moves should be improved since Black manages to equalize. 16... c6b4  17. c2b1  17... c8a8 [%c_effect a8;square;a8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 18. a1a8  18... d8a8  19. e3d4  19... f8c8  20. d2f1  20... a8a4 [%c_effect a4;square;a4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] An excellent move to exchange queens. 21. f1e3  21... a4d1  22. e1d1  22... g7h6 [%c_effect h6;square;h6;type;Mistake;persistent;true] The start of a strange plan. Exchanging the dark-squared bishop for a knight needs a miracle to be good, although miracles sometimes happen. 23. g2g4  23... h6e3 [%c_effect e3;square;e3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] 24. d4e3  24... b4c2  25. e3h6  25... b5b4 In the next moves, White will have many roads to a nearly winning advantage. 26. e4e5  26... d6e5  27. f3e5  27... d7a4 [%c_effect a4;square;a4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 28. d5d6 [%c_effect d6;square;d6;type;Mistake;persistent;true] White misses the last chance to achieve a big advantage. 28... c2a3 [%c_effect a3;square;a3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Abdusattorov fights with all his creativity in a difficult position. 29. d1d4 [%c_effect d4;square;d4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] 29... a3b1  30. d6e7  30... f6e8  31. d4b4  31... a4c2  32. b4d4  32... c8c7  33. d4d8  33... c7e7  34. e5d7  34... f7f5 [%c_effect f5;square;f5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Black is just in time to create some space for the king. 35. d7f6  35... g8f7  36. f6h7  36... g6g5 [%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Brilliant tactical play by Abdusattorov. Here Caruana had to find a very difficult move in order to exchange all of Black's pawns. 37. h6g5 [%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] 37... e7e1  38. g1h2  38... f5f4 [%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Study-like precision. 39. d8d7  39... f7g8  40. g5f4  40... c2h7 White still has some drawing chances in this strange endgame. In a club game, this most probably would end in a draw with Black failing to checkmate with a bishop and knight against a lonely king. This, however, is an elite game, and such a failure won't happen. 41. h2g3  41... e8f6  42. d7d8  42... g8f7  43. f4e3  43... e1e2  44. d8b8  44... b1d2  45. b8b7  45... f7e8  46. g4g5  46... d2f1  47. g3f4  47... f1e3 