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  13. f1c1 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. 13... c8b7  14. f3e1  14... e6e5  15. d4e5  15... d7e5  16. b2e5  16... d8d2  17. c1d1  17... d2h6  18. e5c7 So far, both players have been following the game of their compatriot Erigaisi versus Carlsen. 18... f8b8 [%c_effect b8;square;b8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Praggnanandhaa makes an improvement upon that game $1 19. e1d3 The c5-outpost is super-tempting for the knight. 19... f6d5  20. c7e5 [%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;Interesting;persistent;true] Gukesh needs the minor pieces on the board if he wants to play for an edge. 20... b8e8  21. e5b2  21... h6d6 The queen is back into the game, simultaneously covering the c5-spot. 22. a1c1  22... d6e7  23. d3c5  23... b7c8 In comparison with the Erigaisi-Carlsen game above, this bishop is working now nicely. 24. e2e3  24... b5b4 [%c_effect b4;square;b4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The last white queenside pawn is traded; Black does not risk to lose. 25. g2d5 It is time to regain the pawn. 25... c6d5  26. a3b4  26... a5b4  27. b2b4 Theoretically, White can still claim some edge as the isolani is a relative weakness. However, there are a few factors that make this advantage insignificant. First and foremost, the white king is not safe enough. Second, with the disappearance of the queenside pawns, even in a worse-case scenario, Black can even consider sacrificing the isolani in order to achieve a defendable three- versus four-rook endgame. 27... c8e6  28. b4d4  28... e8d8  29. c5d3  29... h7h6  30. d3f4 An inaccuracy. 30... e6g4 [%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Praggnanandhaa is grabbing his chance to activate the bishop. 31. d1d2  31... g4f3  32. d2c2  32... e7d7 [%cal Gc2c7] With the powerful bishop on f3, Black does not need to worry about the seventh-rank infiltration. In fact, he can think, even start dreaming, about an attack. 33. f4d3  33... d7h3  34. d3e1  34... f3e4 The tension on the light squares starts to feel vivid. 35. c2d2  35... h3h5  36. d4c5  36... d8d7  37. c1d1  37... d7a7  38. f2f3 It is Gukesh who is now trying to fix a draw. 38... a7a5  39. c5d4  39... e4f3  40. e1f3  40... h5f3  41. d4f4  41... f3h5 Keeping as complicated as possible. Without the queens, it would be an instant draw. 42. e3e4  42... d5e4  43. d2d8  43... a8d8  44. d1d8  44... g8h7  45. f4e4  45... g7g6 Praggnanandhaa has won a pawn but is not yet winning. His chances are once again related to the weakness of the white king. 46. d8d2  46... h5h3  47. e4e1  47... h3c8  48. d2f2 If the queens or the rooks are somehow traded, Gukesh would hold comfortably. Thus, Black keeps annoying his opponent with constant raids against his relatively poor king. 48... c8c5  49. g1g2  49... c5c6  50. g2g1  50... c6b6  51. g1f1  51... b6a6  52. e1e2  52... a6b7  53. e2f3 [%c_effect f3;square;f3;type;Blunder;persistent;true] And Praggnanandhaa's strategy suddenly gives fruits $1 53... b7f3  54. f2f3  54... a5f5 [%c_effect f5;square;f5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] This is the point: all the major pieces are traded. And despite the fact that the black pawns are getting doubled, one of them is extra $1 55. f3f5  55... g6f5  56. f1f2  56... h7g6  57. f2f3  57... g6g5 Black's plan is to give back the pawn at the right moment in order to infiltrate the enemy camp. 58. h2h3  58... g5f6 [%c_effect f6;square;f6;type;Blunder;persistent;true] This is the moment when Praggnanandhaa misses the win $1 59. f3f4  59... f6e6  60. g3g4 [%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Gukesh survives $1 60... f5g4  61. h3g4  61... e6f6  62. f4f3  62... f6e5  63. f3e3  63... e5d5  64. e3d3  64... d5d6  65. d3d4 Keeping the opposition. Some attention is still needed, but White is safe.