Eric beats Nepo!

[Hans Jung]

A dominant win!

[John Upper]

[Event "Airthings Masters MCCT Prel 2022"]
[White "Hansen,Eric"]
[Black "Nepomniachtchi,Ian"]
[Site "Online"]
[Round "13.4"]
[Annotator ""]
[Result "1-0"]
[Date "2022.02.13"]
[WhiteElo "2606"]
[BlackElo "2773"]
[PlyCount "105"]

1. e4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} c5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:0:5]} e6 {[%emt 0:0:1]} 3. g3 {[%emt 0:1:5]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:0:20]} 4. Bg2 {[%emt 0:0:4]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:0:7]} 5. Qe2 {[%emt 0:0:18]} d5 {[%emt 0:0:5]} 6. exd5 {[%emt 0:0:5]} Qxd5 {[%emt 0:0:9]} 7. O-O {[%emt 0:0:6]} Be7 {[%emt 0:0:2]} 8. Re1 {[%emt 0:1:34]} O-O {[%emt 0:0:5]} 9. b3 {[%emt 0:0:14]} Nd4 {[%emt 0:1:27]} (9... Qh5 $0 $11 )10. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:0:20]} Qxd4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 11. Nc3 {[%emt 0:0:11]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 12. Rd1 {[%emt 0:2:7]} (12. a4 $0 $14 )e5 {[%emt 0:0:19]} 13. Bb2 {[%emt 0:0:12]} Bg4 {[%emt 0:0:22]} 14. Bf3 {[%emt 0:0:1]} Bxf3 {[%emt 0:0:7]} 15. Qxf3 {[%emt 0:0:2]} e4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 16. Qe2 $1 {[%emt 0:0:56]} Bf8 {[%emt 0:1:47]} 17. d3 {[%emt 0:2:40]} exd3 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 18. Rxd3 {[%emt 0:0:1]} Qb4 $1 {[%emt 0:0:1]} 19. Rad1 {[%emt 0:0:6]} Rxd3 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 20. Rxd3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Re8 {[%emt 0:0:47]} 21. Qf3 {[%emt 0:0:2]} h6 {[%emt 0:1:46][#]} ({ Black should try} 21... Qb6 $0 $14 )22. Kg2 $1 {[%emt 0:0:3]} Re6 {[%emt 0:1:51][#]} (22... Be7 $0 $0 $142 )23. Rd8 $1 {[%emt 0:0:32]} Qb6 {[%emt 0:0:34]} 24. Rb8 {[%emt 0:0:16]} Rc6 {[%emt 0:0:2]} 25. Nd5 {[%emt 0:2:36]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:0:3]} 26. Qxd5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Qc7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 27. Be5 {[%emt 0:0:17]} Qe7 {[%emt 0:0:3]} 28. c4 {[%emt 0:0:11]} Re6 {[%emt 0:1:16]} 29. Bf4 {[%emt 0:0:10]} Rc6 {[%emt 0:0:41]} 30. h4 {[%emt 0:0:8]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:0:52]} 31. h5 {[%emt 0:0:3]} g5 {[%emt 0:0:26]} 32. hxg6+ {[%emt 0:1:36]} Kxg6 {[%emt 0:0:7]} 33. Be5 {[%emt 0:1:10]} ({ Don't play} 33. g4 $6 Kh7 34. Kf1 Kg8 $0 $18 )f6 {[%emt 0:0:45]} 34. Bf4 {[%emt 0:0:23]} Bg7 $2 {[%emt 0:0:51]} (34... h5 35. Ra8 a6 )35. g4 {[%emt 0:0:13]} Qe6 {[%emt 0:0:33]} 36. Qh5+ {[%emt 0:0:1]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:0:2]} 37. Rxb7 {[%emt 0:0:1]} Qe4+ {[%emt 0:0:45]} 38. Kg3 {[%emt 0:0:9]} f5 {[%emt 0:0:58]} 39. Qxf5+ {[%emt 0:0:8]} Qxf5 {[%emt 0:0:1]} 40. gxf5 {[%emt 0:0:1]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 41. Rxa7 {[%emt 0:0:6]} Bd4 {[%emt 0:0:25]} 42. Be3 {[%emt 0:0:2]} Bc3 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 43. Kg4 {[%emt 0:0:4]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:0:17]} 44. Bf4 {[%emt 0:0:51]} Bd4 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 45. Be3 $0 $11 {[%emt 0:0:16]} (45. f3 $0 $18 )Bc3 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 46. Rd7 {[%emt 0:0:12]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:0:5]} 47. Rd5 {[%emt 0:0:10]} Ra6 {[%emt 0:0:5]} 48. Rxc5 {[%emt 0:0:8]} Rxa2 {[%emt 0:0:1]} 49. Rb5 {[%emt 0:0:3]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:0:11]} 50. Rb7+ {[%emt 0:0:9]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:0:2]} 51. Rb6+ {[%emt 0:0:1]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:0:1]} 52. c5 {[%emt 0:0:5]} Ra1 {[%emt 0:0:13]} 53. Rxh6 {[%emt 0:0:6]} 1-0

[Victor Plotkin]

Eric qualified for play-off (against Esipenko) above Aronian, Mamedyarov, Duda and Giri - they didn't qualify.

[Hans Jung]

Oh wow! Playoff as well! Go Eric! Very exciting!

[Victor Plotkin]

Eric finished 5-th, Esipenko 4-th. Top 8 qualified. If I understand correctly, the winner plays against the winner of the match Nepo (1) - Keymer (8).