1. e2e4  1... e7e5  2. g1f3  2... g8f6  3. f3e5  3... d7d6  4. e5f3  4... f6e4  5. d2d4  5... d6d5  6. f1d3  6... f8d6 This variation of the Petroff Defense is very popular nowadays. Nepomniachtchi had great success with it in last year's Candidates Tournament. 7. e1g1  7... e8g8  8. c2c4  8... c7c6  9. f1e1  9... c8f5  10. d1b3  10... d8d7  11. c1e3  11... d5c4  12. d3c4  12... b7b5 A new and good move. It guarantees the a6-square for the knight. 13. c4d3  13... b8a6  14. a2a3 [%c_effect a3;square;a3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Avoiding 14...Nb4. 14... f5g6  15. f3h4  15... f8e8  16. h4g6  16... h7g6  17. b1c3  17... e4c3  18. b2c3  18... g8f8 [%c_effect f8;square;f8;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This move is the beginning of Black's problems because it loses an important tempo. Moussard probably was concerned with the tactical idea of Bxg6, but Black also has his own trick. 19. a3a4  19... a6c7  20. a4b5  20... c6b5  21. a1a5 [%c_effect a5;square;a5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] An excellent move, avoiding a7-a5 and paralyzing Black's queenside. 21... a7a6  22. g2g3 [%c_effect g3;square;g3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] No hurry. 22... a8b8  23. e1a1  23... d7g4  24. g1g2  24... g4d7 Black has no active plan. The knight on c7 is tied to the defense of the a6-pawn, and White has a passed pawn and the bishop pair. 25. d3e2 [%c_effect e2;square;e2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Another excellent move: the bishop goes to a better diagonal. 25... f8g8  26. e2f3  26... e8d8  27. h2h4 [%c_effect h4;square;h4;type;Interesting;persistent;true] White's natural plan is to play c4 at some point, but Caruana is patient and improves his position before that. This strategy is ideal when your opponent has no active plan, as it's very difficult and torturous to keep moving the pieces back and forth. Your opponent wants you to do something so he can calculate concrete variations, and when that doesn't happen, they often decide to do something themselves—often worsening their position. That's exactly what will happen in this game. 27... d6f8  28. a1h1 Speculating with the advance of the h-pawn. 28... d7e6 [%c_effect e6;square;e6;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This hopelessly damages the pawn structure. Black should continue the waiting strategy. 29. b3e6  29... f7e6  30. e3g5  30... d8c8  31. h1c1 [%c_effect c1;square;c1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Caruana prepares the decisive advance of the c-pawn. 31... f8d6  32. c3c4  32... b5c4  33. c1c4  33... g8f7  34. c4c6  34... c7b5 This loses material, but the position is already lost. 35. a5b5 [%c_effect b5;square;b5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 35... a6b5  36. c6d6 White has a winning material advantage and powerful bishops. The game is over. 36... b5b4  37. d6d7  37... f7g8  38. g5f4  38... b8b6  39. f4e5  39... b4b3  40. f3e4  40... b3b2  41. e4g6  41... b2b1q  42. g6b1  42... b6b1  43. d7g7 