[Event "Candidates"] [Site "Toronto"] [Date "2024.04.15"] [Round "10.4"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2803"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [BlackElo "2760"] [BlackTeam "FRA"] [Annotator "GM Eugene Perelshteyn"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B90"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Freak Attack"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/Y3CSSDZo"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by GM Eugene Perelshteyn } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Rg1!? { A rare but trendy move. In my database, it's only the 11th (!) most-played move in this position. Caruana clearly wanted a big fight! The idea is to push g2-g4 with a big attack. } 6... h5 { Firouzja took a long time on this reply, clearly taken aback by Fabi's choice. Life is not easy for a Najdorf player as you have to know so much theory! } 7. Bc4 $146 { A quick reply and it looks like a novelty already! } (7. Bg5 { was played in a recent game between Carlsen and Firouzja. } 7... Nbd7 8. Bc4 g6 9. Qd2 { with a similar structure as the current game but here the knight is on d7 rather than c6. Carlsen ended up winning in 46 moves in Carlsen – Firouzja, Chess.com, 2023. }) 7... g6!? { The fighting Dragondorf! One the most exciting setups in the Sicilian. Black combines Najdorf ideas (a6) with a Dragon (g6+h5) to stop White's expansion on the kingside. Often Black keeps the king in the center and launches the attack with ... b7-b5. I recommend this setup for Black via a transposition in my Chessable course: Lifetime Repertoires: Hyper-Accelerated Dragon (https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-hyper-accelerated-dragon/course/131928/) } 8. Bg5 Bg7 9. Qd2 { Fabi prepares to castle long, getting ready for a big fight ahead. } 9... Qa5 { Perhaps Alireza didn't like this line: } (9... Nc6 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. e5 { but here Black has a cool idea } 11... Nh7! (11... dxe5? 12. Qxd8+ Kxd8 13. Bxf7 $16) 12. exd6 Nxg5 13. Qxg5 Qxd6 $17 { with a big edge as the g7-bishop dominates the long diagonal. }) 10. O-O-O Nc6 11. Nb3 (11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Rge1 { avoids the endgame that happened in the game. But knowing that Firouzja is a fierce attacker, perhaps Fabi didn't mind the endgame. }) 11... Qxg5! { A pretty tactic and objectively the best move! } 12. Qxg5 Bh6! { Now you can see how an early ... h7-h5 move can be justified! } 13. h4 Be6? { After playing quite well and creatively, Alireza makes a serious mistake. } (13... Bxg5+ 14. hxg5 Nh7 15. f4 Bg4 16. Rd2 O-O { leads to a roughly equal position. }) 14. Be2? { Fabi returns the favor! A surprise double miss for 2800-level players. } (14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. e5! { A spectacular pawn sacrifice based on a mini-tactic, as Black can't take back with the knight. } 15... dxe5 (15... Nxe5? 16. f4 Bxg5 17. hxg5 $18 { and Black loses a piece }) 16. Qxh6 Rxh6 17. Nc5 $16 { and Black is busted with a triple pawn stack on the e-file. }) 14... Kf8 (14... Bxg5+ 15. hxg5 Nh7 { as mentioned earlier is much easier with full equality. }) 15. Nd4 Nxd4 16. Rxd4 Rc8 17. f4 Bxg5 18. hxg5 Ng4 19. Rf1 $14 { Now White is a bit better with a strong pawn structure. } 19... Bd7 20. Kd2 Bc6 21. Nd5 f5!? { Firouzja stays true to his style and plays the most entertaining move. It's also one of the best moves in the position! } 22. gxf6 Nxf6 23. c4 { White builds a pawn bind with c4- and e4-pawns, but Black doesn't have any bad pieces, and thus should keep equality with accurate play. } 23... Kg7 { A temporary pawn sacrifice for activity. Black will win e4-pawn and activate his knight next. } (23... Kf7 24. e5 Nxd5 25. cxd5 Bb5! { This is not an easy move, but this keeps equality. }) 24. Nxe7 Nxe4+ 25. Kd1 Ng3 26. Re1 Nf5 { Well-played by Alireza, and Black is still about equal. } 27. Nxf5+ gxf5 28. Bd3 Rcf8 29. Rxd6 Rf6 30. c5 h4? { Time pressure and nerves. } (30... Rxd6 31. cxd6 Rd8 32. Bxf5 Rxd6+ 33. Kc2 Rf6 { and Black win will his pawn back with equality. }) 31. Re7+! { Fabi seizes the opportunity! } 31... Kg6 32. Re5! Rh5 33. Bf1?! { Too passive. } (33. Rd8 { leads to a winning edge. }) (33. Kd2 { is good as well. }) 33... Rxd6+ 34. cxd6 Rh8 35. Re6+ { Both players are in severe time pressure here. } (35. Bd3! { Sometimes you have to admit you made a mistake! The bishop returns back to the same square, and it's the best move :) }) 35... Kf7?! { Black walks into a discovery tactic. } (35... Kg7 { was more accurate, and Black should hold this. }) 36. Bc4! Rd8 { This logical move doesn't really do much, but Firouzja is desperately trying not to flag with seconds on the clock. } 37. Ke1! { Simple and strong, Caruana is winning now. } 37... Kg7 38. Kf2 a5 39. a3 b5 40. Bd3 { The time scramble is over and White is left with a healthy extra pawn. Additionally, the f5-pawn is quite weak and Black is lacking counterlplay. Fabi brings home the victory: } 40... Bd5 41. Re7+ Bf7 42. Bxb5 Kf6 43. Rc7 Rxd6 44. Rc6 Rxc6 45. Bxc6 Bb3 46. Bd7 Kg6 47. Kg1 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0