1. e2e4  1... e7e5  2. g1f3  2... b8c6  3. b1c3  3... g8f6  4. f1b5  4... f8d6 A fighting move. Caruana avoids the many theoritecial drawish lines. 5. d2d3  5... e8g8  6. e1g1  6... h7h6  7. g1h1 Preparing a quick f2-f4 in the spirit of the Rossolimo line. 7... f8e8 Black wants to retreat the bishop to f8 once that his center  is defended. 8. b5c6  8... b7c6 Another fighting move. 9. f3g1  9... d6f8  10. f2f4  10... e5f4  11. c1f4  11... d7d5 This is why Caruana recaptured with the c-pawn. He wants a piece of the center. At this stage of the game the  American GM skillfully outplays his opponent. 12. e4e5  12... c8g4  13. d1d2  13... f6h5  14. a1e1  14... a8b8 Sending the rook to the center! 15. h2h3  15... h5f4  16. d2f4  16... g4h5 In order to keep the bishop more active. 17. c3d1  17... b8b4  18. f4f2  18... c6c5  19. b2b3  19... b4b6  20. g1f3  20... b6e6  21. d1e3  21... d8d7 So far  Black did everything fine, but this last move is a mistake. For a moment  Caruana stalls and this gives McShane the needed time to create his own  play. 22. g2g4 McShane seizes his chance. 22... h5g6  23. e3g2  23... c5c4  24. g2f4  24... c4d3  25. c2d3 Another accurate move. 25... f8b4  26. e1d1  26... e6e7 The counterplay is not good enough here. 27. f2a7 Snatching two pawns in a flash. 27... g6h7  28. a7d4  28... c7c5  29. d4d5  29... d7a7 The only chance is active play. 30. d5c4 Very accurate play again. 30... a7a2  31. g4g5 The knights are perfect for a close fight and the  kingside attack is the most natural way. 31... h6g5  32. f3g5  32... a2a8  33. h1g1  33... a8c6 Not the optimal square for the queen. 34. d3d4 Now that the central pawns come into motion Black's position is close to collapse. 34... h7f5  35. f4d5  35... e7d7  36. d5e3 Solid human move. 36... f5g6  37. d4d5  37... c6c7  38. e3g4  38... c7d8  39. e5e6 Very impractical. McShane was  left with his last seconds and there was no need to force matters. The  time control was approaching. 39... f7e6 Caruana misses his chance in return! 40. g5e6  40... d8b8 Sneekily looking at the enemy king from afar. 41. d5d6  Now McShane gets a second chance to finish the game. 41... d7d6  42. e6c7  42... d6e6  43. d1d7  43... g8h8  44. c4f4 The time to pick up the exchange came. 44... b8b6  45. c7e6  45... b6e6  46. d7d6  46... e6e4  47. f4g5 Correct! White wants to trade the  queens under more favorable circumstances. McShane's treatment of the  position is beautiful and effective. 47... h8h7  48. g5h4  48... h7g8  49. h4g3  49... g8h7  50. g4f2  50... e4c2  51. f2d3 If White can  trade the light-squared bishop he will be winning. 51... g6e4  Although this move loses in a strange way, I award it with an exclamation  mark as it was Black's only practical chance. 52. g3g5  52... c2e2  53. d3b4  53... c5b4  54. d6d2 McShane found a forcing win. 54... e2a6  55. g5h5  55... a6h6  56. h5h6  56... h7h6  57. f1e1 Oh, just a step from  the epic victory! 57... e8e5  58. g1h2  58... e5d5 This is the difference: Caruana unpins  himself. Now only a very narrow road leads to the win. 59. d2d5  59... e4d5  60. e1e3  60... g7g5  61. h2g3  61... h6g6  62. g3f2  62... g6f5 Grand defense by Caruana. 63. e3g3  63... d5e6  64. f2e2  64... e6d5  65. e2d2  65... d5e6 White's problem is that in the battle of the long-ranged pieces the bishop often matches the rook. The needed  conditions is that the pawns of the rook side are fixed on the color of  the bishop (which is the case). One other problem is that the trade of the queenside pair leads automatically to a draw. In short, the win is gone. 66. g3f3  66... f5e5  67. f3e3  67... e5f6  68. d2c2  68... e6f5  69. c2c1 