World Chess Championship Game 2 Recap | IT FINALLY HAPPENED!

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[@noone-ld7pt]

Can we talk about how insanely lucky we are to have freakin Fabiano Caruana giving in depth analysis of the world chess championship games? I mean the guy is the third highest rated player in the history of the game, the only one to play a full WCC match against Carlsen without losing a single classcial game and has the highest rating performance ever acheived in a top level tourament (3098 in sinquefield 2014 for those wondering). And we get a thorough presentation of his completely unique insights and thoughts on the most prestigeous event in the game; what a time to be alive! Thank you so much doing this guys, please know that it is incredibly appreciated!

[@jandime9540]

Well put

[@thinboxdictator6720]

Vishi with Krush did great job commentating.

[@michaelrocke7917]

Yes. Very well said.

[@michaelrocke7917]

Thank you Fabiano

[@SCCH286]

Hopefully he'll be playing in the next one!

[@s4m3r]

These recaps are literally changing the way I view the game. Fabiano is the best chess communicator I’ve heard thus far. The fact that this is free is unbelievable. Thank you guys so much

[@anonanon6764]

This should be the official post match analysis

[@brandondaniels9471]

Wouldn't mind seeing like 4-5 super GMs analyzing these games together like Fabi, Magnus, Hikaru, Vishy, Aronian, etc.

[@bradonschley6531]

Fabi I'm a huge fan of yours and I was super proud of your performance in the Chessable Masters tournament! Your Qf8 move against Artemiev was one of the coolest moves I've ever gotten to see live and I jumped out of my seat when I realized what was happening 😂

[@sawqs94]

in his latest episodes Fabi confessed that this move wasn't even good, I think it was episode #28

[@AbhishekKumar-uu4uj]

Does someone have link of the game

[@shawnpealer1383]

I

[@radul.6166]

This is the best commentary channel of them all - and there are many. Not only gives the best insights into the game, but also into the context. Christian and Fabiano complement each other perfectly.

[@slowslav6653]

Ding said he did not even consider gxf6. This just says everything about his form.

[@Corteum]

The Chinese govt should get him some upgrades. They do a lot of research on genetic engineering for intelligence enhancement.

[@ItsAsparageese]

@@Corteum He's plenty brilliant. He's suffering from the pressure. Illness is not the same thing as incompetency

[@Corteum]

@@ItsAsparageese He IS brilliant. No doubt about it. But there's always room for improvement :) cheers

[@willfranklyn2]

Sad to see Ding struggling so much. I hope he can fight back next game and give Ian some issues on the board. Amazing commentary by the both of you. Fabi is an insane analysis and I love the insights.

[@tranquilitytranquility1407]

I agree with Fabi about the effects of Covid. It affected many people psychologically. Getting back to feeling normal was hard, at the beginning even being in a social situation or a crowded place was weird and uncomfortable. And China had some inhumane lockdowns very recently and only just opened up. I don’t know Ding’s exact personal circumstances, but it can very legitimately still affect him, especially in a high pressure situation like the World Match.

[@vartananq]

The rotation of the board is the one that gives away the outcome this time

[@jasonmdt]

was thinkin the same thing

[@ItsAsparageese]

Great, thanks for spoiling. /s I don't personally mind knowing the outcome but the comments about this are so oblivious to being spoilers themselves. I don't get why people are drawing inferences from the board. The match colors alternate of course, so if these guys' board keeps alternating then us viewers get a nice consistent "Nepo on nearside, Ding on farside" layout. If this perspective correlates with the winner then that's just happenstance.

[@kpNov23]

​@@ItsAsparageeseonly a fool would expect not getting spoilers by going to the comment section before the end of the video.

[@ItsAsparageese]

@@kpNov23 Fair argument, but I think the irony is still strong with these particular comments

[@WiesoNurMistnamen]

Nepos look after h3 was priceless

[@asprinama]

Outstanding commentary from you guys. With all due respect Fabi is on a league on its own when it comes to analysing games

[@nilsp9426]

I sincerely hope that this match will not be decided by nerves or mental struggles as - in my view - was the last WC match. I am sure Ding has the resourcefulness and experience to bounce back and make the best of the situation. I wish all the best to Ding and look forward to a match between two players at the peak of their career. That said I am wondering if this is symptomatic of the world we live in: we expect big successes all the time and even at the very top players have become more and more interchangeable. If one player has a bit of a slump, there are ten young players smelling blood. There is more media than ever, more competition than ever, more tournaments than ever, more distractions than ever - and very little certainty about even the near future. Maybe we all are a bit too hard on others and ourselves and have to get back out of overdrive. In that regard I value Ding's openness about his current mental state, even if it is probably not the best mental game towards Nepo in terms of success.

[@toodle361]

Glad that you are covering this match

[@AroundWayOther]

ty for the coverage y’all !

[@unfixablegop]

If Nepomniachtchi crushes Ding all the way, that will make Carlsen look even better.

[@zaganzz]

I enjoyed this in depth recap of the games as you guys go into what the analysis of positions are. Thank you Fabiano and Cristian!

[@regibaldroger]

Dear Fabiano & Christian, thanks for your great streaming and podcast service. I love Ben Johnson´s podcast also. You are sharing so much joy and wisdom with all of us listeners. Hope to see Fabi in the next World Championship match

[@dellayassine]

"Let's not spoil it" *analyses from the black side* hmmm, I wonder who won...

[@dellayassine]

I did follow the coverage and know the result, but it's pretty funny still

[@AyaanKhan-tb2ot]

Why can't this be a coincidence lol

[@ItsAsparageese]

​​​@@AyaanKhan-tb2ot I don't get it either lol, the matches alternate, so if these guys' board perspective alternates then we get a nice consistent Nepo-nearside Ding-farside layout every day. It seems like a practical decision to me. I like it much more than having it always from white's perspective or something. People seem determined to infer spoilers lol, in fact the comments about it are what's really spoiling the result for anyone

[@scipionedelferro]

Insanely good analysis of the game, the best I've seen so far. Really explain all the ideas behind the positions. No comparison with Hikaru recaps.

[@alexandruandrei2045]

Sublime breakdown of the match! You guys are awesome!

[@macchiavelli199x]

Obviously you guys' post-game analysis are always fire & much appreciated but I should applaud the thumbnail game here, it's always on point since day 1 🔥

[@kipperjones8072]

Great video thank you both

[@coolcat23]

Thank you, this is gold!

[@ctrl-alt-del0]

Good recap, thanks guys!

[@aleextk]

Great analysis! It would be nice to include the overhead of the players (who plays black and white) similar to Agadmator or Gothamchess board layout

[@ScotchGambino]

great analysis. sounds like Ding is not quite full strength but i’m rooting for a turnaround and a great match will develop.

[@jiggs8073]

I love this series. I can feel my chess brain expanding. Thanks so much :) :)

[@user-zo9nk6yd3f]

the H3 makes the competion interesting, looking forward for the next game. Thank you guys for the analysis, really cool stuff!

[@ralphdrees4413]

Not entirely related but given the talk of Ding’s seconds, I would LOVE to have Fabi finally comment on video gate prior to game 4 of his title attempt.

[@Solvir]

He’s already commented on this a number of times, even in a previous C2 episode (I don’t remember which one).

[@SCCH286]

What happened?

[@CaslavNorisavljevic]

@@SCCH286 promo video of the chess camp accidently leaked a screen of open chessbase. It featured some lines in the french iirc, an opening that wasn't relavant at all in that match. Fabi wasn't to bothered since it's rare that anythung phases him. Basically ot happened. They should have edited it out. The public made a bigger deal of it than it was

[@SCCH286]

@@CaslavNorisavljevic Thanks for the explanation. I agree that it wasn't relevant for the match, but it's still very sloppy from fide (or whoever did the promo) to show that. It also shows that fabi is very complete in his prep by studying opening with little % of happening.

[@apollo3340]

I was looking for a good channel that analyzes the games without spoiling anything, so I hope this can be it! My only question would be whether you have black at the bottom because that's the color that won? If so, then it's still being spoiled. Anyway, thanks guys, it's great to have your analysis!

[@nicholas8666]

Modern chess is so fixated on specific theory(basically what the engines say), that every small deviation like this h3 shocks grandmasters, even if there's no concrete reason to dislike it. It's not the reason Ding lost and yet that's all people talk about, and in a negative way, simply because it's unorthodox. In the past people would just say it's creative and give it a thorough examination(without engines) to see if there's a clear refutation. Of course, I'm not referring to Fabi, his analysis is legendary.

[@exagian]

The best review of the game I've watched. Cristian, great job getting Fabi to explain the plans, lines and concepts for all of us... even if those can be obvious for you too. Fabi I always like your analysis, but this was one was really good. Your capacity to explain in ways that most chess players without a title can understand the game is amazing... Keep up the great job guys!

[@yhayon]

This game is insane. 🎉🎉

[@turkiekhalid]

I can’t believe there is a board analysis. This is great!

[@SCCH286]

Amazing recaps! Keep it up. Hopefully next WCC you'll both be too busy to do recaps ;)

[@alcubierrevj]

Fabi proves elite talent can also be an elite teacher.

[@Kendrizzle55]

Fabi being a g with the pink mug brass knuckles. Lol

[@Qumec59]

Thanks for an awesome recap and insights guys! Please keep them coming! It would be amazing to see some of your favourite games analyzed on the channel in the future. PS. Board orientation also can spoil a little :)...

[@ItsAsparageese]

Why can't it be coincidence? Or just alternate the same way the match does, so we get consistent Nepo-nearside Ding-farside each day? Comments like yours are the only spoilers here

[@Ben-ff6hc]

​@@ItsAsparageese Standard practice everywhere in chess is for it to be from white's point of view. If it's from Black's, it's almost always because that player won. That + the title definitely gave away the result

[@ItsAsparageese]

@@Ben-ff6hc I'm not mega experienced in the chess world but I've seen loads of analysis of historical games from mixed perspectives according to whose play is being studied/what kind of lessons are being taught. Seems weird for there to be a convention about that. I'm not denying your statement, it makes sense that that would be historically accurate; I'm just saying that it's apparently not all THAT thoroughly standardized in the broader online chess world, at least not these days 🤷

[@Ben-ff6hc]

@@ItsAsparageese Yeah, that exception is present when you're focusing on that specific player, but that's not happening here. For a current match that isn't focused on one specific player, it makes no sense to show black's point of view ever unless they won (which obviously is a bad thing here since we're talking about spoilers) It's not even a historical thing, that's always true, even now I cannot think of the last time Black's point of view was shown in an important game just for fun

[@ItsAsparageese]

@@Ben-ff6hc Fair enough, you make a good point about this being a review of a game that's being studied for the sake of the whole game and not from the perspective of any particular player. I can see the argument for standardization there. Personally I'd rather it flip every time so that it correlates with which player is on which visual-side, but that's just preference and I can see the logic in keeping the piece colors static and flipping the players instead

[@blundernator7794]

Wow. Very great video. Thank you

[@MrWill830]

Let's gooooo been waiting for it

[@bugmonkey9226]

fabi is a human database

[@_tnk_]

New here and loving this recap series! Only wish it would be released faster, can’t resist clicking on Agadmator’s channel first even though I would otherwise prefer this

[@ItsAsparageese]

I'm glad they take their time, I'd rather have Fabi not rush his analysis. We can't expect him to do analysis this comprehensive as fast as other players might do theirs

[@brandondaniels9471]

37:14 -- Tell us _'How You Really Feel,'_ Fabi 😅😅

[@edtapia8580]

Fabi won late TT today. I wish he would stream more often

[@ericnaslund5275]

On high-profile blunders, don't forget Kramnik vs Deep Fritz 2006. The match was drawn, and Kramnik blundered mate in 1 in a drawn position to lose game 2. This became known as the "Blunder of the century", and its quite possible that had Kramnik not blundered game 2, he would have drawn the match.

[@patrickdaly1088]

Great analysis, as per usual. At the least, Ding is usually pretty good with his back against the wall, better than Nepo would be. I hope Ding can pull himself together well enough to strike back, hopefully this loss will motivate him to get back into it.

[@StevenStJohn-kj9eb]

Would you say that the game 6 loss in the last WCC was a psychological blow for Ian? Or was it more the second loss? It will be interesting to see if Ding can be resilient after this loss.

[@ThePolymathlete]

The whole "don't show weakness" argument seems like a very regressive and unhealthy attitude. I appreciate Ding's candidness.

[@thinboxdictator6720]

Sure. Just recall Nepo's last WC break,when Carlsen physically exhausted him before breaking emotionally. It's top level competition. There's a lot in stake.

[@ItsAsparageese]

AGREED. I'm so grateful Ding was open about his struggles and I really admire that he chose to be. Not only do I think that's a healthier choice for him than keeping it in (especially because he should ideally be met with lots of compassionate support, no one should have to shove down those feelings or it just makes one feel more isolated) ... but also in the greater view, we should consider what's more important: A tiny piece of psychological strategy in a game with many many factors, OR having a famous figure be honest about stress and emotional health while being viewed by a community full of people who deal with disproportionately high stress and disproportionately harsh self-criticism? Ding is a frickin' hero

[@NotQuiteFirst]

"Whatever happened to Gary Cooper...the strong, silent type?"

[@ItsAsparageese]

@@NotQuiteFirst What happened to more men being the "strong silent type"? For a start, the high rates among men of heart disease and depression and suicidality, that's a lot of what happened. Let's not romanticize objectively harmful behaviors/shame people for honesty

[@JlecHuk]

@@ItsAsparageese pussy ass n-word

[@RG001100]

;) spoilers are annoying for recap-as-entertainment. But, I think it’s fine that a big draw to an analysis is getting a deeper understanding of what happened.

[@vitamincpluszink7717]

Wild thumbnail

[@ritikhans372]

thanks guys

[@harryh2185]

15:15 Interesting that the latest Stockfish does not give a higher evaluation for getting the initiative. Actually, weaker engines like Fritz 16 preferred Qxf6 here. Probably because their code says: "Doubled pawns are bad."

[@oscaro3977]

No I dont think so. In the engines mind both moves are draws if played perfectly and I dont think it understands anything less than perfect play so it doesnt take into account that it is easier for black to play with g×f6. Engines cant understand the human element of games.

[@harryh2185]

@@oscaro3977 Interesting point. So from the engine perspective, getting the initiative is not part of playing perfectly?

[@ronjohnson9690]

I was very impressed with the solid analysis given with Fabi and Chirilla for this game. Nepo's steady and stable performance had to be a shocker for Ding who had planned a surprise opening. And it only got worse as the game went on. Nepo will handle the memory of his win much more calmly than Liren ever will the loss. Unsettling and groundshaking, I can only hope Ding can overcome the setback.

[@triflomastera4882]

just leaving a comment for the algorithm, love you guys

[@danphillips8530]

a player David Anton some thing did some thing like this in one of his games

[@keshabroy6094]

Please reverse the board n keep white pieces towards lower side of the board. Its easy to follow

[@kathryncollings9421]

Very good!

[@brudiallen]

Thanks for keeping it Spoiler-free. Y'all are the best

[@Em4gdn1m]

Dude.... Nepo is RIPPED. Never knew.

[@abramisme]

I watch you guys if I really wanna understand the game, I enjoy how fabi gives the idea and the moves are made. Maybe think about a script next time or an outline for the flow to be smoother. It seems like you all just jump and and have at it. Which works but I feel like if you all both had the goals in front of you it would run even better. Easy example is go move by move include time and highlight these crazy movies just like you are already doing.

[@frankjohnson123]

The rarest fourth move is surely Bh6!

[@thomaswyss5828]

Black could have gone for the old line just taking on d4 without a6. After the rather useless h3 that is very safe.

[@yviruss1]

Nice.

[@iamnothing8533]

I really want Ding to win,but Ian is so strong

[@jsrob]

Which player is playing white/black? thanks

[@lindenlonstrup3326]

Ding needs to rally and fight back. It kinda feels like its going to be a one sided WC

[@r.m2192]

We’ll see. It’s only game 2 so there are many chances to fight back

[@styxsoul3552]

dw you didn't spoil it at all😂

[@yangmillsmassgap6535]

I think this game proves Ding made the wrong choice with Rapport as a second seeing that their playing styles are completely different and these new ideas aren't compatible with Dings style of play.. idk, maybe i'm wrong

[@thinboxdictator6720]

You're right, you're wrong.

[@adityavv96]

Ding chose him for his creative style of play. Not necessarily opening ideas , and also for music 😅

[@yangmillsmassgap6535]

@@adityavv96 but ding is finding it hard to apply these ideas, eg h3 today made no impact

[@phenix2403]

iirc Ding might not be used to working with seconds. Him and Wesley are the only two top players i know who usually dont have any. He might not have gone as in-depth as he should have with their ideas

[@sreekanth7223]

Now I see the point in Magnus not opting to face the challengers

[@sneak2attack]

Please flip the board

[@Feedroid]

Why doesn't Fabi ever give the intro?

[@taku112]

Fabiano Caruana should be world champion.. l fell in love with chess because l want to play fabi 1 day next championship match should include Fabiano

[@oldoddjobs]

If only he had the chance

[@taku112]

@@oldoddjobs if he works hard and get back to his calculating self he will definately beat whoever wins this world championship

[@ItsAsparageese]

@@oldoddjobs There are some intense up-and-comers in the competition but Fabi is the only player to play a WCC against Magnus and not lose a single classical game. He's absolutely a contender

[@BobbyBobBob1]

Please put white back at the bottom ! Great video thanks

[@jasonquinlan731]

I play h3 all the time🤪.

[@lifter1000]

I don't understand why Fabi is not playing instead Ding, he is much stronger ❗

[@lolvonlolipopp]

Spoiling is not a thing in chess. Don't worry about it.

[@StarryNightGazing]

Ding shouldn't have opened up? Showed weakness? What a regressive take. Disappointed.

[@dallastaylor6741]

Hello chess friends~~~ I am just wondering, why is the analysis from the black perspective? I’m not complaining or anything, just curious

[@abhinaycpian]

This time u spoiled it in the title 😅

[@jjr6929]

So, white played a "semi-useful" move at move #4......hmmm

[@thijsbeentjes4008]

Idea is to surprise the opponent obv

[@lifter1000]

Even Hikaru is much stronger than Ding ❗

[@dalwand]

I think it is a STRENGTH of Ding to show his weakness. It is completely outdated and of a past time to think "you should not show weakness". By naming it, he can see it, and in the end, it helps him more than just "stonewalling" and "keeping it all inside". I think Ding gives a great example here.

[@cjikeako]

All this is very nice when you say it, but in the end. He's down a game against a brutal player. "Showing your Weakness" is rubbish when it stops you from getting your lifelong dream of the highest prize in your profession. If Ding had focused more on getting rid of said weakness, we wouldn't be here. There's no prize for "Showing Your weakness" And it's the worst thing you can do in a sport where knowing the opponent's weakness can be the difference between winning or losing.

[@crushedscouter9522]

Outdated? Of the past? This is one of the dumbest things I've ever read. You have no idea what it means to be a competitor.

[@oldoddjobs]

I think it's a strength to show strength

[@macchiavelli199x]

So true, Nepo's psychology OTB in 2021 WC should be an example. The more you try to shove it away, the more it will slowly destroy you, and acknowledging it is the best solution imo. Tbf Ding has always been this low-key guy who's candid about his feelings but a beast over the board even when he surpassed 2800 in 2019. Personally I'm hoping to see that form again in future rounds 😎

[@joseluisalvarezcardenas8286]

I agree with you. He will come back stronger.

[@bits_for_bytes]

Ding has a girlfriend, it’s his second

[@bharlesCabbage]

💀

[@ChatmanAI]

Please don’t spoil the game with the thumbnail

[@oraz.]

You can spoil it. Anyone that doesn't know the result before the video is living under a rock.

[@drnantz]

Spend 10 minutes defending h3. It sucked and cost him time and space.

[@calebwhiting8744]

Hahaha you still spoiled it by putting the black pieces on the bottom.

[@kc910]

It’s a recap. Spoiler is implied. 😊

[@peterhardie4151]

Very sorry for Ding. COVID was a difficult time.

[@martinprivat5908]

Why do you show the game from blacks perspective, is there a specific reason for that (honest question)?

[@jandime9540]

I think it was more of a subconscious decision because.. spoiler lol...... black won the game. Usually when we analyze past games, it feels better to analyze from the perspective that has a big attack / wins in the game, especially if youre trying to learn from the attack. If youre looking at a game specifically to learn about successfully defending, then you would normally look from the perspective of the side mostly defending throughout the game.

[@petercraig6990]

Please stop interupt Fabio while talking.

[@singh.jayesh1866]

Please be a bit more quick I honestly havnt watched any other analysis and I will defer to Fabi's bcoz he is just that awesome❤

[@dandecastro51]

It's embarrassing how badly ding is playing...

[@alainzanchetta]

Isn't displaying black at the bottom of the screen already a spoiler ?

[@cjikeako]

Why do I feel Ding would have given a better performance if it was Magnus he was playing against?

[@Isaiah_McIntosh]

Because you're delusional

[@user-qu8tp1hj4o]

I guess it make sense because if it was Magnus he probably would have less pressure because everybody would expect him to lose…

[@cjikeako]

@@user-qu8tp1hj4o and also because he knows he is playing against the very best in the world, so no time for baby antics and complaints

[@thomasdequincey5811]

Why is the board orientated from black's point of view?

[@oscaro3977]

Because (spoiler) Black won and usually in analysises you look from the pov of the victor in order to see the important breakthroughs and attacks.

[@thomasdequincey5811]

​​@@oscaro3977 Yes, but they said they didn't want to give away any spoilers, and as soon as I saw the board orientated from blacks view point I knew black had won. Edit: Otherwise, why do it?

[@rajsub3884]

Happy to ses nepo victory

[@FarCrySource]

Nepo will become the new world chess champion! Russia on top again, after Anand and Magnus!

[@WiesoNurMistnamen]

It is a individual championship and Nepo plays under FIDE flag

[@FarCrySource]

@@WiesoNurMistnamen it's the nationality that counts

[@thinboxdictator6720]

​@@FarCrySource no it doesn't. Especially now.

[@user-qu8tp1hj4o]

And Magnus is still on top, just not the world champion by choice

[@iamnothing8533]

Ding just overrated

[@mirazhossainanik3554]

Why don't you post a little early? I am quite sure you guys don't need much preparation for analysis and there might have three or four quality recaps posted at least some hour earlier than yours.

[@Solvir]

It depends on what time zone you’re in though. The games are played in the middle of the night US time, so I’m sure they do the recap as soon as they can, including the editing.