1. e2e4  1... e7e5  2. g1f3  2... b8c6  3. f1b5  3... a7a6  4. b5a4  4... g8f6  5. e1g1  5... f8e7  6. d2d3  6... b7b5  7. a4b3  7... d7d6  8. a2a4 Nepomniachtchi had played 8.c3 and 8.a3 before in the match. For the rapid games, he was armed with the main move, 8.a4. 8... c8d7  9. h2h3 A very rare option. 9... e8g8  10. c1e3  10... c6a5  11. b3a2  11... b5a4  12. e3d2  12... a5c6 Already a new move. 13. b1c3  13... a8b8  14. c3a4  14... c6d4  15. a2c4 Nepomniachtchi's opening experiment is a success: White has the more comfortable game. 15... c7c6  16. f3d4  16... e5d4  17. d2f4 [%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 17... d7e6  18. f1e1  18... a6a5  19. d1f3 White has many promising continuations. 19... b8b7  20. e4e5  20... f6d5  21. e5d6  21... e7d6  22. f4d6  22... d8d6  23. f3e4  23... d5f4  24. e4e5  24... d6e5  25. e1e5  25... e6c4  26. d3c4  26... b7b4  27. e5c5  27... d4d3  28. c2d3  28... f4d3  29. c5c6  29... d3e5  30. c6c7  30... e5c4 Now a draw is inevitable. 31. a4c5  31... c4b2  32. c5d7  32... f8e8 