The half-open b- and c- files are White's main compensation. Gukesh needs to fix the weakness of the c5-square as soon as he can.
1. d2d4  1... g8f6  2. c2c4  2... e7e6  3. g2g3  3... d7d5  4. f1g2  4... d5c4  5. g1f3  5... f8b4  6. c1d2  6... a7a5 Topalov had used this line as a main anti-Catalan weapon in two WCC matches, against Kramnik and Anand. 7. a2a3  7... b4d2  8. b1d2  8... b7b5  9. b2b3 A topical line. White gains full compensation for the pawn, but Black can be quite satisfied with the opening outcome as he manages to trade a bunch of pawns on the queenside. 9... c4b3  10. d1b3  10... c7c6  11. e1g1  11... e8g8  12. b3b2  12... b8d7 