[Event "FIDE Candidates Chess Tournaments 2024"] [Site "Toronto"] [Date "2024.04.09"] [Round "5"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2760"] [BlackElo "2789"] [Annotator "IM Robert Shlyakhtenko"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C54"] [Opening "Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/HtoJYoEo"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by IM Robert Shlyakhtenko } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 h6 6. b4 Be7!? { An interesting interpretation of this position. Black's plan is connected with a quick ... d7-d5. } 7. Qb3 (7. b5?! Na5 8. Nxe5 Nxc4 9. Nxc4 d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 { leaves Black with obvious and more-than-sufficient compensation for the pawn. }) 7... O-O 8. a4 d6 9. Nbd2 Nb8! { Preparing ... c6 and ... d5. } 10. d4!? { A new and ambitious try: if Black does nothing to oppose White's space advantage, he will be clearly worse. At the same time, White risks overextending, and I think Nakamura very convincingly showed the downsides of Firouzja's approach. } (10. O-O c6 11. Qa2 d5 12. Bb3 Qc7 13. a5 Be6 14. Re1 Nbd7 { was a draw in Caruana – Praggnanandhaa, Baku, 2023, when Black had solved his opening problems. }) 10... exd4 11. cxd4 a5! (11... d5 12. exd5 Nbd7 13. a5! { and White prevents ... Nd7-b6. }) 12. e5!? { Probably the best try. } (12. b5 d5! 13. exd5 Nbd7 { In this version, Black is completely fine. }) 12... Nh5 { Continuing enterprising play. } (12... Nfd7 { is simpler, but also poses fewer problems for the opponent. }) 13. b5 Nf4 14. g3 d5! 15. Bf1 Ne6 16. Bg2 c6 17. O-O Nd7 18. Bb2 (18. Ba3!? { looks better. The trade of dark-squared bishops is positionally desirable for White. }) 18... Nb6 19. bxc6 bxc6 20. Bc3 c5 21. Rfb1 Ra6 { Black based his play on this defense. It becomes clear that White has no claims to an advantage. } 22. dxc5 (22. Bxa5 Rxa5 23. Qxb6 Bd7 { and Black wins back the pawn. }) 22... Bxc5 23. Qb5 Qc7 24. Rc1?! { Continuing unjustified play for a win. } (24. Bxa5 Qa7) 24... Qa7 25. Qe2 Bd7 (25... d4!? { is also tempting. }) 26. Bf1 Nc4 27. Nb3 Bb6 28. Rd1 Qa8 (28... Qb7 { is more accurate, since Black creates the additional threat of ... Bb6xf2+. }) 29. Bg2 Nc5?! { Both of White's knights are fighting for the d4-square: Black should not trade off either of them! } (29... Rc8!? 30. Nbd4 (30. Rxd5 { is too coffeehouse a move to be dangerous: } 30... Qxd5!? 31. Nh4 Nf4! 32. gxf4 Qe6 { and Black meets } 33. Bb7? { with } 33... Nd6!) (30. Nfd4 Ng5!) 30... Nc5!) 30. Nxc5 Bxc5 31. Nh4 (31. Nd4!? { is more natural. In the game, White gained no benefit from the knight on h4. }) 31... Nb6 32. Bd4 Bxd4 33. Rxd4 Ra7! { Improving the worst-placed piece. } 34. h3 { Beginning a long-winded plan of bringing the knight to f5. In the meantime, Black is able to significantly improve the coordination of his pieces. } 34... Rc7 35. g4 Qc8 36. Qd2 Rc5 37. Qf4!? Re8 (37... g5 38. Qf6! Rc6 39. Nf5! { was Firouzja's idea. }) 38. Nf5 Bxf5 39. gxf5 Qc7 40. Re1 Nd7 41. e6!? Qxf4 42. Rxf4 Nf6 43. Rd4 (43. Rf3! { , preparing Rf3-b3, would have maintained the balance. Firouzja realized a move too late that the rook belongs not on the d-file, but on the open b-file. }) 43... Kf8 44. Rd2 fxe6 45. fxe6 Ke7 { The position is still equal, but the trend of the game is now in Black's favor, as White must constantly worry about the weak e6-pawn. } 46. Rb2 Rec8 47. Bf1 Ne4 48. Bd3 Nc3?! { A careless move. } 49. f4! { Seizing the chance to create counterplay. Note that with the knight on c3, Black cannot trade a pair of rooks with ... Rc5-c1. } 49... d4 50. Rg2 g5 51. f5 Nd5 52. Re4 Nb4 53. f6+?! { Keeping the position complex, but ultimately making only White's task more difficult. It is hard to judge if Firouzja was still playing for a win, or if he felt that the rook endgame after 53. Rxd4 was more difficult to hold than it really is. } (53. Rxd4 Nxd3 54. Rxd3 Rxf5 55. Re2) 53... Kxf6 54. Rf2+ Rf5 55. Rxf5+ Kxf5 56. e7 Nxd3 57. e8=Q Rxe8 58. Rxe8 Nf4 { This position is objectively drawn, but clearly only Black is playing for a win. } 59. Kf1 (59. Ra8 { is met by } 59... Ke4! { and the a5-pawn is immune. }) 59... d3 60. Kf2 Nxh3+ 61. Ke3 g4 { Now, at the end of a long game, in severe time pressure, came the fatal blunder... } 62. Kxd3?? (62. Rf8+ { was one of many ways to hold a draw. } 62... Ke5 63. Rg8 h5 64. Rh8 Nf4 65. Re8+ Ne6 66. Rh8) 62... g3! { Agony. Firouzja must have missed } 63. Rf8+ (63. Rg8 g2! (63... Kf4!? 64. Ke2 h5 { even this is winning. }) 64. Rxg2 Nf4+ $19) 63... Ke6 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1