White needs the opponent's knight in the center to gain tempos for his central pawns to advance.
1. d2d4  1... g8f6  2. g1f3  2... d7d5  3. e2e3  3... c7c6  4. c2c4  4... e7e6  5. b1c3  5... b8d7  6. d1c2  6... f8d6  7. f1d3  7... d5c4  8. d3c4  8... e8g8  9. e1g1  9... b7b5 Shankland was very successful with this concrete,  double-edged line against Ding Liren last year. But his choice is peculiar as one other top player who enjoys playing this as Black is... Korobov! 10. c4e2  10... c8b7  11. e3e4  11... e6e5  12. d4e5  12... d7e5 