[Event "FIDE Candidates 2024"] [Site "Toronto, Canada"] [Date "2024.04.20"] [Round "13.4"] [White "Gukesh D"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2743"] [BlackElo "2760"] [Annotator "WGM Katerina Nemcova"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C65"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation"] [StudyName "2024 FIDE Candidates and Women's Candidates Annotations Part II"] [ChapterName "Gukesh D - Firouzja, Alireza"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/1tCLzmR6/rt1tPMNs"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. O-O Nd4 6. Nxd4 Bxd4 7. Nd2 c6 8. Bc4 d6 9. c3 Bb6 10. Bb3 a5 11. Nc4 Ba7 12. Ne3 O-O 13. Qf3 d5 14. Bc2 g6 15. Re1 Be6 { The position is equal, and perhaps it is Black who is more comfortable with his nice control over the center. } 16. exd5 cxd5 17. h3 Re8 18. Ba4 e4 19. dxe4 dxe4 20. Qe2 Re7 21. Nf1 Qc7 22. Bb3 a4 23. Bxe6 Rxe6 24. Be3 a3!? 25. c4!? (25. bxa3 Qxc3 { leaves Black pleased with this trade of pawns, keeping the doubled pawns on the a-file under further attack. }) 25... Nh5 26. g3 Bc5 27. b3 f5 28. Bxc5 Qxc5 29. Rad1 Rf8 { The position is still about equal, but one feels that Black is growing hopeful about his chances on the kingside. His advanced e- and f-pawns, together with the supportive rooks and knight, are ready to plan something dangerous. } 30. Rd5 Qe7 31. f4!? { A controversial move. On the one hand, it makes further attack on the kingside difficult as it stops the ...f5-f4 break, but on the other hand, it creates a passed e4-pawn. } 31... Nf6 32. Rd2 g5?! { This is a carefully planned move, one that is typical for such a structure. Black does not mind sacrificing the pawn, and if White refuses to take it, the attack aims to create another weakness on f4 and via the open g-file. Unfortunately for Firouzja, things don't turn out as expected. } (32... h5 { is an engine recommendation that also aims for attack and sacrifice, but in a different way: } 33. Ne3 h4!? 34. gxh4 (34. g4!?) 34... Rd8 $15 { and Black is happy about White's damaged pawn structure. }) (32... Qc7 { is also a good alternative. }) 33. Ne3 (33. fxg5?! { is not recommended for White as Black has some strong ideas in his pocket. After } 33... Nd7! { the knight leaps to e5 and f3, and the g5-pawn may be later recaptured with the black queen. }) 33... gxf4 34. gxf4 { Suddenly White is happy for the inclusion of g-pawn exchanges. The white knight blocks well on the e3-square, and it dangerously attacks the f5-pawn. } 34... Qf7 35. Kh2 (35. Nxf5? { would fall into the trap. After } 35... Nh5! { White's position collapses. }) 35... Nh5 36. Qf2 Rg6 37. Rd5 Ng7 38. Red1 { Doubling rooks is almost always a good idea. Here it give further control of the d-file and creates possibilities of invading the seventh rank. } 38... Rh6 39. Rg1 Rg6 40. Rgd1 Rh6 41. Rg1 { Having reached move 40, the players now received (much needed) additional time on their clocks. } 41... Rg6 42. Qh4 { Despite the engine's evaluation of rough equality, this position is much easier to play for White. His pieces are all in great shape, and now the task is to activate them even more. Meanwhile, Black has to figure out how to untangle his pieces. } 42... Rxg1 43. Kxg1 Kh8?! { Inaccurate, giving White time to coordinate his pieces. } (43... Qg6+!? 44. Kf2 Ne6 { gives Black a better game, as the queen takes control of the g-file and the knight gets developed. }) 44. Kf2 Rg8 45. Qg5?! (45. Qh6! { is winning for White. With this Gukesh will either get very active pieces or exchange queens, leading to a winning endgame. } 45... Qe7 (45... Qg6 46. Qxg6 hxg6 47. Rd6 { transposes into the game. }) 46. Rd6 { and White will jump with his knight to d5, with the position soon becoming unbearable for Black. }) 45... Qg6? { A key moment in the game, leading to a terrible endgame. In a post-game interview, Gukesh mentioned that he was "very happy" to see this played on the board. } (45... Ne6! { was the only move that saves the day for Black. If } 46. Qxf5 Qg7! 47. Qe5! Qxe5 48. Rxe5 Nxf4 49. Rxe4 Nxh3+ { leaves very good drawing chances for Black. }) 46. Qxg6 hxg6 47. Rd6 { The endgame looks very good for White. The d6-rook is activated, targetting the g6-pawn, and it is ready to hassle the queenside with Rd6-b6. The a3-pawn is also more trouble than weapon for Black. } 47... Re8!? { Firouzja sacrificing a pawn in the attempt to get some counterplay. } (47... Kh7 { is passive and promises nothing worthwhile. After } 48. Rb6 Rb8 49. Nd5 $18 { White slowly but surely would close things out by improving his king and pushing pawns on the queenside. }) 48. Rxg6 Ne6 49. Nd5 Nd4 (49... e3+!? { , sacrificing another pawn, may have been the best chance here. After } 50. Nxe3 (50. Kxe3? Nf8+!! $19) 50... Nxf4 { the black knight is suddenly active, looking at the h3-pawn (but not thinking about capturing it right now due to Rg6-h6!) and potentially Nf4-d3-c1 to capture the a2-pawn. }) 50. Rb6 Nc2? { Too slow. Black should have tried for the ...e4-e3 sacrifice one final time. } (50... e3+!? 51. Nxe3 Re4! { targetting the f4-pawn } 52. Nd5 Re2+ 53. Kg3 Rxa2 { and trying for counterchances with his a3-pawn. }) 51. Rxb7 Re6 52. Re7! $18 { White plays accurately now, leaving Black with no chances. } 52... Rh6 53. c5 Nd4 54. Kg2 Rg6+ 55. Kf2 Rh6 56. b4! Rxh3 57. Kg2 Rh6 58. Rb7 Kg8 59. b5 Kf8 60. b6 Rg6+ 61. Kf2 Rh6 62. Rc7 Rh2+ 63. Kg3 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0