[Event "FIDE Candidates 2024"] [Site "Toronto, Canada"] [Date "2024.04.10"] [Round "6.3"] [White "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2727"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteFideId "5029465"] [BlackElo "2760"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "12573981"] [Annotator "Zaven Andriasyan"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B57"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation, Anti-Sozin Variation"] [StudyName "FIDE Candidates"] [ChapterName "Vidit vs Firouzja"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/4cmeeRC9/kQDWP2og"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bc4 { We have the Sozin Attack, popularized by Bobby Fischer and later adopted by players like Garry Kasparov and Veselin Topalov. } 6... Qb6 7. Nb3 e6 8. Bf4 Qd8 { This move has been played only twice before! The last instance was when Boris Gelfand used it against Samvel Ter-Sahakyan in 2021. Unfortunately, that game also ended disastrously for Black. } 9. Qd2 $146 { In the game mentioned above, Ter-Sahakyan chose the 9.Be2 continuation. } 9... a6 10. a3 b5 11. Be2 Bb7 12. O-O-O Qb6 13. g4 Qxf2 { The pawn is poisoned, and Black will pay a high price for taking it! The evaluation instantly jumps to almost +4. It was better to play. } (13... Rd8 14. Be3 Qc7 15. g5 Nd7 16. f4 Nc5 { White still maintains the initiative, but this position is certainly better for Black. }) 14. e5 Nd7 (14... dxe5 15. Be3 Qg2 16. Rhg1 Qxh2 17. Rh1 Qg2 18. Rdg1 Ne4 19. Qe1 { The black Queen is trapped. }) 15. exd6 { White wins the sacrificed pawn back and gains a strong position with a pawn wedge on the d6 square, which paralyzes Black's army. } 15... Qb6 16. Be3 Qd8 17. Rhf1 Nce5 18. Qd4 Rc8 19. Qa7 Bc6 20. Qxa6 Ra8 21. Ba7 { The first line but, however there was an awesome variation with... } (21. Nxb5 Rxa6 22. Nc7+ Qxc7 23. dxc7 Ra8 24. Ba6 $18) 21... g6 22. Bxb5 Bh6+ 23. Kb1 Bxb5 24. Nxb5 O-O 25. Nc7 Nxg4 26. Nxa8 Qxa8 27. Qe2 Qxa7 28. Qxg4 { White is up an exchange and a pawn! The game essentially went downhill when Black captured the poisoned pawn. } 28... Bg7 29. Qc4 Qb7 30. Qc7 Qb5 31. Rf4 Qe2 32. Rd2 Qe5 33. Rfd4 Nf6 34. Qc5 Nd5 35. Ka2 Qf6 36. c3 Bh6 37. Rxd5! { Returning the exchange but leaving Black defenseless. } 37... exd5 38. Rxd5 Bf4 39. d7 Rd8 40. Nd4 { Unable to find a defense against White's numerous threats, Firouzja resigned, bringing an end to the nightmare. } 1-0