[Event "Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge"] [Site "Weissenhaus, Germany"] [Date "2024.02.11"] [Round "1.4"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2760"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteFideId "12573981"] [BlackElo "2830"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "1503014"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/AAArmstark"] [FEN "brnbqknr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/BRNBQKNR w HBhb - 0 1"] [Variant "From Position"] [ECO "?"] [Opening "?"] [SetUp "1"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/FO3zez69/Fyww80x0"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%eval 0.13] [%clk 1:29:58] } 1... e5 { [%eval 0.38] [%clk 1:25:45] } 2. b4 { [%eval 0.26] [%clk 1:25:15] } 2... b5 { [%eval 0.38] [%clk 1:24:15] } 3. Nh3 { [%eval 0.44] [%clk 1:23:42] } 3... Nce7 { [%eval 0.54] [%clk 1:02:55] } 4. f4 { [%eval 0.41] [%clk 1:06:08] } 4... exf4 { [%eval 0.57] [%clk 1:01:48] } 5. O-O { [%eval 0.42] [%clk 1:01:42] } 5... Ng6 { [%eval 0.43] [%clk 0:59:54] } 6. d3 { [%eval 0.32] [%clk 0:59:01] } 6... Bf6 { [%eval 0.42] [%clk 0:57:55] } 7. Bxf6 { [%eval 0.28] [%clk 0:54:11] } 7... Nxf6 { [%eval 0.29] [%clk 0:57:52] } 8. Nxf4 { [%eval 0.32] [%clk 0:53:41] } 8... Qe5 { [%eval 0.37] [%clk 0:52:59] } 9. Qg3 { [%eval 0.28] [%clk 0:50:52] } 9... Re8 { [%eval 0.75] [%clk 0:46:29] } 10. Nxg6+ { [%eval 0.77] [%clk 0:47:26] } 10... hxg6 { [%eval 0.8] [%clk 0:46:26] } 11. Qxe5 { [%eval 0.72] [%clk 0:47:19] } 11... Rxe5 { [%eval 0.76] [%clk 0:46:10] } 12. Rb3 { [%eval 0.75] [%clk 0:47:17] } 12... a6 { [%eval 0.97] [%clk 0:44:04] } 13. Ra3 { [%eval 0.94] [%clk 0:37:56] } 13... Bb7 { [%eval 1.05] [%clk 0:42:56] } 14. Rc3 { [%eval 0.94] [%clk 0:36:50] } 14... Ne8 { [%eval 1.09] [%clk 0:41:36] } 15. Nb3 { [%eval 1.02] [%clk 0:34:45] } 15... O-O { [%eval 1.19] [%clk 0:41:12] } 16. Nc5 { [%eval 1.21] [%clk 0:30:17] } 16... Bc8 { [%eval 1.26] [%clk 0:39:42] } 17. Ra3 { [%eval 1.31] [%clk 0:29:58] } 17... Nf6 { [%eval 1.31] [%clk 0:28:05] } 18. Nxa6 { [%eval 1.28] [%clk 0:26:35] } 18... Bxa6 { [%eval 1.35] [%clk 0:27:55] } 19. Rxa6 { [%eval 1.32] [%clk 0:26:28] } 19... d5 { [%eval 1.25] [%clk 0:27:50] } 20. exd5 { [%eval 1.26] [%clk 0:25:38] } 20... Nxd5 { [%eval 1.2] [%clk 0:27:47] } 21. a3 { [%eval 1.16] [%clk 0:25:30] } 21... Ne3 { [%eval 1.22] [%clk 0:26:46] } 22. Re1 { [%eval 1.25] [%clk 0:25:21] } 22... Rfe8 { [%eval 1.21] [%clk 0:26:39] } 23. Rc6 { [%eval 1.16] [%clk 0:21:39] } 23... Nxd1 { [%eval 1.32] [%clk 0:26:19] } 24. Rxd1 { [%eval 1.21] [%clk 0:21:37] } 24... R8e7 { [%eval 1.06] [%clk 0:24:35] } 25. Rd2 { [%eval 1.28] [%clk 0:19:43] } 25... g5 { [%eval 1.22] [%clk 0:22:53] } 26. h3 { [%eval 1.21] [%clk 0:17:57] } 26... Rf5 { [%eval 1.35] [%clk 0:20:18] } 27. d4 { [%eval 1.1] [%clk 0:11:52] } 27... Re1+ { [%eval 1.53] [%clk 0:18:02] } 28. Kh2 { [%eval 1.46] [%clk 0:11:47] } 28... Rff1 { [%eval 1.38] [%clk 0:16:54] } 29. Rc3?! { [%eval 0.66] [%clk 0:09:03] } (29. Rd3! { kept a significant edge: } 29... Re2 (29... f5 { The point is that now this fails to } 30. Rf3 { , which forces trades under more favorable circumstances, as after } 30... Rxf3 31. gxf3 Re2+ 32. Kg1 { , Black has not achieved anything. The c7-pawn still falls, and the c2-pawn is protected. It's counter-intuitive that allowing the rook to reach the seventh rank was the only way to keep an advantage. But such is an endgame against Magnus: if the path to an advantage is there at all, it will not be intuitive. }) 30. Rg3 f6 31. Rxc7 { with a likely win. }) 29... f5 { [%eval 0.71] } { The most active and testing defense. } { [%clk 0:12:09] } 30. Kg3 { [%eval 0.79] [%clk 0:08:57] } (30. Rf3 Rxf3 31. gxf3 Re3 { is actually activating for Black. It's not the seventh rank, but it does feature two immobilized targets, so it makes sense that this is more active defense than in the line after 29. Rd3!. }) 30... Kh7?? { [%eval 2.25] [%clk 0:03:43] } (30... g6! { was the only defensive try: } 31. Rf2 Rg1! { With the f5-pawn protected, what else can White play for? } 32. d5 (32. Rxc7 Re3+ 33. Rf3 Re2 { showcases the active idea behind 31. ... Rg1!. }) 32... Re7 33. Rc6 Kh7 { with the point that, if White's c6-rook ever leaves the c-file, ... Re7-e3+ is a real threat. But as long as White's rook is on the c-file, the rook both defends the c-pawn from e7 while eyeing the key e3-square. } 34. Kf3 Ra1 $10 { and now White has to start retreating to defend his weaknesses! }) 31. Rf2 { [%eval 2.01] [%clk 0:08:29] } 31... f4+ { [%eval 1.99] [%clk 0:03:31] } (31... Rg1 32. Rxf5 { is why 30. ... g6 was necesary. }) 32. Kf3 { [%eval 1.6] [%clk 0:08:25] } 32... Rg1 { [%eval 2.34] [%clk 0:03:25] } 33. Kg4 { [%eval 2.24] } { Defending the f-pawn came at the cost of allowing White's king to activate. This removes the key defensive ideas of ... Re1-e3+. } { [%clk 0:06:10] } 33... Kh6 { [%eval 2.13] [%clk 0:02:31] } 34. Rxc7 { [%eval 1.75] [%clk 0:04:40] } 34... Re3 { [%eval 1.33] [%clk 0:01:07] } 35. Kf5 { [%eval 1.28] [%clk 0:04:29] } 35... Rge1?? { [%eval 5.22] } { Black is lost now. } { [%clk 0:00:32] } (35... g6+ { was the only testing try } 36. Kf6 (36. Kg4?? Rg3# { would be unfortunate. }) 36... Rge1 { but White is much better after (and only after) } 37. Kf7! { with the idea of getting out of potential mating nets by eyeing the g8-square, of all places! } (37. Rd2?? f3 { allows Black to resume mating threats! }) (37. d5 Re5! { also uses mating threats to force } 38. g4 fxg3 { with drawing chances abound. })) 36. Rc6+ { [%eval 5.27] [%clk 0:04:11] } 36... Kh5 { [%eval 5.12] [%clk 0:00:29] } 37. Rg6 { [%eval 5.12] [%clk 0:04:00] } 1-0