GM Hauchard (2497) – GM Nakamura (2699) [D37]
Gibraltar (5), 31.01.2009
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 dxc4 5.e3 a6 6.Bxc4 c5 7.dxc5 Qxd1+ 8.Kxd1 Bxc5 9.Ke2 b5 10.Bd3 Bb7 11.b3 Nbd7 12.Bb2 Ke7 13.Rac1 Rac8 14.Rhd1 Bd6 15.Kf1 Nc5 16.Be2 Rhd8 17.h3 b4 18.Nb1 a5 19.Nbd2 a4 20.Bc4 Nd5 21.Nd4 a3 22.Ba1 Be5 23.Nf5+ Kf6 24.Nd4 Ke7 25.Nf5+ Kf6 26.Nd4 Kg6 27.Nxe6 Nxe6 28.Bxe5 Nb6 29.Ke2 Rc5 30.f4 Nxc4 31.Nxc4 f6 32.Bd6 Rb5 33.g4 Kf7 34.h4 h5 35.f5 Nf8 36.Bf4 Rxd1 37.Rxd1 Kg8 38.Rd8 hxg4 39.Bd6 Rxf5 40.Rxf8+ Kh7 41.Rb8 Bf3+ 42.Kf2 Be4+ 43.Kg3 Rf3+ 44.Kxg4 f5+ 45.Kg5 Rf2 46.Rxb4 Rxa2 47.Nxa3 Rg2+ 48.Kf4 Rg4+ 49.Ke5 Rxh4 50.Bc5 Rh5 51.Bd4 Kg6 52.Nc4 Kg5 53.Nd6 Bd3 54.Rb7 g6 55.Rg7 Bc2 56.b4 Kg4 57.Rxg6+ Kf3 58.Rf6 White wins 1–0
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[Apology for double-posting a comment, but I’m X-refing this, and it’s better to use the post that has the actual game.]
The game had two crucial moments. Trying to generate winning chances, Nakamura challenged the a1-h8 diagonal by 22…Be5!? This allowed a discovery on the undefended Bishop by 23.Nf5+, but Hikaru had calculated that it was safe for him to move out of check and defend the Bishop by 23…Kf6, even though this walks the monarch out to the center and hangs a K-side pawn. White went back 24.Nd4, and the players repeated moves 24…Ke7 25.Nf5+ Kf6 26.Nd4. Hikaru could have claimed a draw, or tried the double-edged 26…Nc3!?, but went to the discovery well once too often by 26…Kg6? allowing 27.Nxe6! Evidently he miscalculated something in the resulting tactics.
Indeed, there is an amazing temptation in those tactics. The main line in the capturing melee appears to be 27…Bxa1 28.Nxd8 Rxd8 29.Bxd5 Rxd5 (protecting the N on c5) 30.Rxa1 Ba6+. Now the natural 31.Nc4 is met by the incredible 31…Nxb3!! 32.axb3 Bxc4+ 33.bxc4 (33.Ke1 stays alive) Rxd1+ 34.Rxd1 b3 with two passers on the 6th against the Rook. But alas White has 31.Kg1! and after 31…Be2 32.Rdc1 Rxd2, the N on c5 is no longer protected!
So I would bet that Nakamura was tempted by the brilliancy and overlooked that his Knight on c5 would be unprotected. We’ve all done that…
Big-mouthed Naka gets what he deserves: He’d probably claim that his opponent was just lucky. In fact, I find it quite amusing that Naka loses to a 2400-player. It should serve as a wake-up call for him. There’s a reason why he’s not a 2700+ player. And this loss is one of them.