[%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Now White is losing.
1. d2d4  1... g8f6  2. c2c4  2... e7e6  3. b1c3  3... d7d5  4. g1f3  4... c7c6  5. e2e3  5... b8d7  6. f1d3  6... d5c4  7. d3c4  7... b7b5  8. c4e2 [%c_effect e2;square;e2;type;Interesting;persistent;true] I wouldn't call this move a \"sideline\", but it's much less popular than 8.Bd3. 8... a7a6 Black has many ways to play and I leave the subtleties of move orders to the Semi-Slav experts. Some possibilities: 9. e1g1  9... c6c5  10. d4d5  10... e6d5  11. c3d5  11... c8b7  12. d5f6  12... d7f6  13. a2a4  13... b5b4  14. b2b3 A new move. Caruana's game is a little passive at this point, perhaps influenced by the fact that he just needed a draw. 14... f8d6  15. c1b2  15... e8g8  16. h2h3 White has an excellent square for a knight or bishop on c4, but Black has a potent pair of bishops pointing at White's king, plus free development. The position is balanced. 16... f6e4  17. d1c2  17... d8e7  18. a1d1  18... a8d8  19. e2c4  19... e4g5  20. f3g5  20... e7g5  21. f2f4  21... g5e7  22. c2e2  22... d6c7  23. f1e1  23... g8h8 [%c_effect h8;square;h8;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Vachier-Lagrave wants to place the pawn on f6 to reduce the strength of the white bishops—an understandable decision. The machine, however, prefers 24. e2g4  24... f7f6  25. g4e6 [%c_effect e6;square;e6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] 25... e7e6  26. c4e6  26... b7e4 The position is equal again. 27. e6c4  27... a6a5  28. g1f2  28... h7h5  29. g2g3  29... h8h7  30. f2e2  30... h7g6  31. c4d3  31... e4d3  32. d1d3  32... d8d3  33. e2d3  33... f8d8 We will have some interesting adventures in this endgame, which can be explained by the importance of the game and, mainly, by the little time on the clock. 34. d3e2  34... c5c4 [%c_effect c4;square;c4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] A bold decision. Needing victory, Vachier-Lagrave sacrifices a pawn in an attempt to complicate the game. 35. b3c4  35... c7b6  36. c4c5 [%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] There is no need to return the pawn. 36... b6c5  37. e1c1  37... c5f8 Again the endgame is equal. There are many possibilities for both sides in the next few moves, but I will advance the analysis to the next moment of emotion. 38. g3g4  38... h5g4  39. h3g4  39... b4b3 [%c_effect b3;square;b3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 40. c1c3  40... d8b8  41. c3c4  41... f8b4  42. e2d3  42... b8h8  43. c4c1  43... h8h4  44. b2d4  44... h4g4  45. c1b1  45... g4g2  46. b1b3  46... g2a2  47. e3e4  47... a2a4  48. b3b1 White has lost a pawn, but has enough activity for a draw. 48... g6f7  49. b1c1  49... a4a3  50. d3c4  50... b4d2  51. c1f1  51... a3h3  52. f1a1  52... d2f4  53. a1a5  53... f4e3 [%c_effect e3;square;e3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] This allows an immediate draw. 54. d4c3  54... e3f2  55. a5a6  55... h3e3 