[Event "Round 6: Alireza Firouzja - Fabiano Caruana"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2022.06.18"] [White "Alireza Firouzja"] [Black "Fabiano Caruana"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Abasov"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E06"] [Opening "Catalan Opening: Closed"] [StudyName "Candidates Tournament 2022: GM Nijat Abasov annotations"] [ChapterName "Alireza Firouzja - Fabiano Caruana"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/450dtcgH/STNHHuOr"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 { The Catalan } 3... d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Qd3!? { We have already witnessed quite a couple of times in this tournament that the players avoid entering the principled lines and deviate with extremely rare continuations at the beginning of the game. With 6.Qd3 in this position I have only 14 games in my database. Surprisingly, 12 of these games were played by big GMs! Ex-Vice World Champion Boris Gelfand tested this move thrice. } (6. O-O { is the main move }) (6. Qc2 { has been played thousands of times too }) (6. Nc3 { is the third option which has also been played over thousand times. }) 6... c5 (6... b6 { looks natural too. } 7. cxd5 { as it happens often in QGD structures, once Black plays ...-b6, White better captures on d5. } 7... Nxd5 (7... exd5 8. Nc3 { shall lead to a slightly more comfortable position for White }) 8. Nc3 Ba6 9. Qc2 c5 10. O-O Nc6 { Happened in the game Bluebaum,M - Oparin,G. It seems for me to be the easiest way for the equality with Black. }) 7. O-O (7. dxc5 Na6 { looks somehow weird for White since the Queen is going to run under the attack after ... -Nxc5. }) 7... cxd4 (7... Nc6 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. a3 Be7 11. Rd1 { happened in the game Lysyj,I - Shuvalova,P (Cheliabinsk, 2021) and I like White's position here. Perhaps this is the type of position Alireza was aiming for. }) 8. Nxd4 Nc6!? (8... e5 { weakens the f5-square } 9. Nf5 { White immediately takes the advantage of it } 9... d4 $146 (9... dxc4 10. Qxd8 Bxd8 11. Nd6 Nc6 12. Nc3 Be7 13. Nxc4 Be6 14. Bxc6 Bxc4 15. Bxb7 { and White were better in the game Gelfand,B - Ganguly,S (Riga, 2021) }) 10. Nxe7+ Qxe7 { and after } 11. b4!? { looks promising for White }) 9. cxd5 { was spent after 12 minutes of thinking. I believe Alireza was just trying to remember his notes, cause there was already a game played in this position a couple of months ago, and it would be surprising if he hadn't checked that game.., } 9... Nxd4 (9... Nb4!? { would transpose to Closed Catalan with 6.Qc2 var. after } 10. Qb3 e5! 11. Nb5 (11. Nc2 Nbxd5 12. Nc3 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Rb8) 11... Nbxd5 12. N1c3 Be6 13. Nxd5 Bxd5 14. Bxd5 Qxd5 15. Bg5 Qxb3 16. axb3 a6 { and the game ended in a game Carlsen,M - Wei,Y (Wijk aan Zee, 2018) }) 10. Qxd4 Nxd5 { I believe this was the critical position of the game. Basically, in the next move, White decides how the game will continue. White perhaps should have spent more time here trying to evaluate the alternative possibilities and go for the most principled continuation. } 11. Rd1 { frankly speaking, this seemed like a "lazy move" from Firouzja. White improved the positioning of the f1-Rook, however, it has no real threat or anything. } (11. Bxd5? { is not good in a view of } 11... Bf6! 12. Qd3 exd5 { or even ...-Qxd5 } 13. Rd1 Re8 { and the absence of the g2-Bishop doesn't look any good for White. }) (11. Qd3!? Bf6 12. Nd2 $132 { White is bringing the Knight to -e4. }) (11. Nc3!? { looked like the most challenging by White } 11... Bf6 (11... Nxc3 12. Qxc3 $16) 12. Qc4 Bxc3!? (12... Nxc3 13. bxc3 Qa5 14. Be3 Qxc3 15. Qa4 { and White has the well-known Catalan pull with the Bishop on -g2. } 15... Qxa1?! 16. Rxa1 Bxa1 17. Bg5! { threatening Be7 } 17... Bf6 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Be4 $14 { Black has difficulties with developing the pieces. } 19... Rd8 20. Bd3 Bd7?! 21. Qh4 f5 22. Qg5+ Kh8 (22... Kf8 23. Qh6+ Kg8 24. g4 $18) 23. Qf6+ Kg8 24. h4 $18) 13. bxc3 Bd7 14. Qb3 Qa5 (14... Bc6?! 15. c4 Ne7 16. Bxc6 Nxc6 17. Qxb7 $14) 15. c4 Nc3 16. Qxb7 $36) 11... Bf6 12. Qg4 Bd7 { Watching the game live, I started to like Black's position here more. It felt like making moves with the Black is easier. } 13. Nd2 { is another move White takes too 'lightly'. White's position was already not better, and he had to fight for equality. } (13. e4 Nb6 (13... Nb4?? 14. e5 $18) 14. Qh5 { threatening e5. } 14... Qc7 15. Bf4 Qc2 16. e5 g6 17. Qf3 Bc6 18. Qb3 Qxb3 19. axb3 Bg7 20. Nc3 { and the position should be equal. }) 13... Qe7 14. Nf3 (14. e4 e5 15. Qe2 Nb4 16. Nb1) (14. Ne4 { looked like the logical follow-up of 13.Nd2. } 14... Be5 15. Nc5 { was another way to play for a draw. } 15... Qxc5 16. Bxd5 f5 17. Qc4 Qd6 18. Bf4 exd5 (18... Bxf4?? 19. Bxb7 $18) 19. Rxd5 Be6 20. Rxd6 Bxc4 21. Bxe5 Bxe2) 14... Rac8 15. e4 { now it's more like Black's having the Catalan pull with the Bishop on -f6. I'd try to fight against it but offering the Bishop trades } (15. Bg5!? Bxg5 (15... Rc2? { is not good due to a beautiful tactical motif } 16. Rxd5! exd5 17. Bxf6! { and Black loses the material. } 17... Qxf6 18. Qxd7 $16) 16. Qxg5 Qxg5 17. Nxg5 Rc2 { now both the b2 and e2-pawns of White are hanging but after } 18. Rab1! { White maintains equality. } 18... Rxe2 (18... h6 19. Nf3 Rxe2?? { only traps the own Rook. } 20. Nd4 Re5 21. f4 Rh5 (21... Re3 22. Kf2 Re8 23. Nc2 $18) 22. Bf3 Rh3 23. Rbc1 $18) 19. Bf1 Re5 (19... Rc2 20. Bd3 Rc7 21. Bxh7+ Kh8 22. Bd3) 20. f4 Re3 (20... Rf5 21. Bd3 $18) 21. Kf2 Re8 22. Nf3 { The Knight is heading to -e5. And if } 22... f6 23. Nd4 $16 { Black's having trouble with piece coordination. The next moves for White are Bg2; Rd2 etc. }) 15... e5! 16. Qh5 Nb4! { Now Black's clearly more comfortable in this position. White has to be extremely accurate in order not to get into any trouble. } 17. Bg5!? { White tries to simplify the position. I'd play this move too. } (17. Bh3 { offering the exchange of light-squared Bishops would make perfect sense too but after } 17... Bxh3 18. Qxh3 Nc2 19. Rb1 Rfd8 { followed by ...-Nd4 looked only pleasant for Black. }) 17... Bxg5 18. Nxg5 { White threatens checkmate in 1. } 18... h6 { The only move. Obviously. } 19. Nf3 Nc6 20. Rxd7? { Was played after 6 minutes of thinking and is a tactical blunder. White wanted to trade off the pieces and draw the game, but they overlook a simple 2 move nuance after their position is nearly losing. } (20. Bh3 { doesn't look great for White in a view of } 20... Bxh3 21. Qxh3 Qb4! { and now both e4- and b2-pawns are hanging. White's in trouble here. }) (20. a3!? { hence looks like a reasonable move. White covers the b4-square and are ready to play Bh3 with the next move. }) (20. b4!? { looked like solving White's problems too. } 20... Nxb4 (20... a6 21. a4) (20... Qxb4?? 21. Rxd7 $18) 21. Qxe5 Qxe5 22. Nxe5 Ba4 23. Rd6 Rfe8 24. f4) 20... Qxd7 21. Bh3 { and after spending 10 minutes in this position Caruana goes for } 21... f5! { Now White realizes they have lost the material. It's extremely rare to see Firouzja blundering like that! } (21... Qd6 22. Bxc8 Rxc8 23. Kg2 { is something Firouzja's aiming for by sacrificing the exchange on the 20th move. }) 22. exf5 (22. Bxf5 Qe8 23. Qg4 { would perhaps give White slightly more practical chances for a miracle than what happened in the game. } 23... Rd8 24. Rc1 { is clearly much better for Black, but the game is going on so far. } (24. Nh4 Nd4 25. Ng6 Rf6 26. Rc1 Nxf5 27. exf5 Qd7 $19)) 22... Rce8 (22... Rcd8 { could have also been played } 23. f6?! Qf7 $19) 23. Nh4 (23. f6 { is just bad in a view of } 23... Qf7 $19 { and White loses the f-pawn in a view of a pin along the f-file. }) 23... e4! { It's important for the side that has the material advantage to create a play on either flank or the center. With ...-e4, Black intends to go for ...-e3 next, and create a strong play against the White King. } 24. Rd1 Qf7 (24... Nd4 25. Qg4 Rd8 { was an alternative for Black } 26. Re1 Rfe8 $19) 25. Qe2 Qxa2 26. Ng6 Rf7 27. Nf4 (27. Qc2 { is not only restricting the a2-Queen for a bit - by covering the b3-square, etc, but also it sets a small trap as in case of } 27... e3 { which is to be the main concern of White in the position, White may simply capture the pawn } 28. fxe3 { and if Black is careless and play } 28... Rxe3?? { White wins the game on the spot! } (28... Qa5 { and Black should still be winning }) 29. Qxc6! $18 { A beautiful nuance after the game is over. White's winning. }) 27... Qb3 { the Queen is well placed on b3. It eyes many squares as well as supports the following ...-e3 } 28. Bg4 { White wants to get the Bishop to h5, most likely. } 28... e3 29. Kg2 (29. Bh5 { doesn't win material in a view of } 29... exf2+ 30. Qxf2 Rxf5 { and since the d1-Rook is hanging, White doesn't win the Rook on e8... }) 29... Rd8! { One of the cleanest ways to convert the material advantage is to trade the pieces. Fabi's last move basically forced the Rooks exchange. } 30. Rxd8+ Nxd8 31. fxe3 Rc7 { Now Black activates the Rook and is threatening ...-Rc2, winning the Queen. } 32. Kh3 { getting the King out of the same rank as the Queen. } 32... Nf7 { now the Knight rejoins the party. White's position is hopeless. } 33. Bf3 Rc2 34. Qd1 Ng5+ 35. Kg4 Nxf3 36. Qd8+ Kh7 37. Kxf3 Qxb2 38. Qe8 Qf6 39. e4 Rxh2 40. Qd7 Qc3+ 41. Kg4 Qd2 42. Qa4 { After 6 rounds we have 2 clear favorites in the tournament and the rest group that has shown mediocre performance so far. It feels like Alireza is having has extra pressure on his shoulders and hence he can not deliver what he has. Let's see if he can fix the situation after the rest day! Stay tuned! } 0-1