[Event "FIDE Grand Swiss 2025"] [Site "Samarkand, Uzbekistan"] [Date "2025.09.15"] [Round "11"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Niemann, Hans Moke"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2746"] [BlackElo "2733"] [Variant "Standard"] [Annotator "Foisor Sabina"] [ECO "A28"] [Opening "English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line"] [StudyName "2025 FIDE Grand Swiss"] [ChapterName "Giri, Anish - Niemann, Hans Moke"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/V6oU1CPk/OW7MWXJv"] [Orientation "white"] { This was certainly a tough game to comment on, but we must give credit where credit is due. Congratulations to GM Anish Giri on winning the FIDE Grand Swiss and securing his spot in the Candidates. The finish was certainly one for the books. } 1. c4 { Both players followed the main line of the Four Knights Variation of the English, which should allow Black to equalize. } 1... Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e3 Bb4 5. Qc2 Bxc3 6. Qxc3 (6. bxc3 { seems more logical, helping to support the center, but Black has had a bit of success recently. For instance: } 6... d6 7. e4 O-O 8. Be2 h6 9. O-O b6 10. d3 Nh7 11. Be3 f5 12. exf5 Bxf5 13. h3 Nf6 14. Qb3 Kh8 15. Rad1 Qe7 16. Rfe1 Qf7 { gave Black a good position, which he went on to convert, in Zemlyanskii – Suleymanli, Fujairah, 2025. }) 6... Qe7 7. a3 { This has been essayed by many top players, including Carlsen. The idea is of course to gain space on the queenside with b2-b4 followed by Bc1-b2. After all, the English can also be viewed as a Sicilian with an extra tempo, so many of the ideas are similar. } 7... d5 8. d4 exd4 9. Nxd4 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 c5 (10... O-O 11. Bd2 Rd8 { leads to an equal position, but as opposed to the game, more pieces remain on the board. }) 11. Qh4 Be6 { This allows simplifications to an endgame where White maintains the pair of bishops, which gives a pleasant edge, in my opinion. } (11... dxc4 { seems to be the most-played move, as seen in } 12. Bxc4 O-O 13. O-O Be6 14. Bd3 h6 15. Bc2 Rfd8 16. Re1 Nd5 17. Qg3 Qc7 18. e4 Qxg3 19. hxg3 Ne7 20. Be3 b6 21. Red1 Nc6 22. Rxd8+ Rxd8 23. Rd1 Rxd1+ 24. Bxd1 f5 25. exf5 Bxf5 26. Kf1 Nd4 27. g4 Bc2 28. Bxd4 Bxd1 29. Be5 { when a draw was agreed in Donchenko – Zanan, Pardubice, 2025. }) (11... g5!? { is the engine's choice, and Black gains some initiative as follows (but more in-depth analysis is necessary before trying this at home). } 12. Qxg5 Rg8 13. Qf4 Rg4 14. Qf3 dxc4 $13) 12. cxd5 Nxd5 (12... Bxd5 { allows a similar version of the game } 13. Bb5+ Nd7 14. Qxe7+ Kxe7 15. f3) 13. Bb5+ Bd7 14. Qxe7+ Nxe7?! (14... Kxe7 { Although the d5-knight can be easily chased away, it feels like Black should capture like this as to keep the knight in the center for a bit longer. This allows the h8-rook to come into play faster. }) 15. Be2 Rc8 (15... O-O { feels more natural. }) 16. f3 f6 17. Kf2 Kf7 18. Rd1 Be6 19. h4 b6 { Placing the pawns on the opposite color of the remaining bishop makes sense, but it feels like Black delayed activating his pieces and allowed White to slowly gain momentum. } (19... Rhd8 20. e4 Nc6 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. Be3 Nd4 23. Rd1 Rd7 { and Black is okay. }) 20. e4 Nc6 21. Be3 Na5? { Probably thinking of gaining some active play, Hans chooses the wrong square for his knight. } (21... Ne5! { would have made White's life more difficult, as chasing the knight from e5 would mean weakening the pawn chain and allowing ... Ne5-g4. } 22. g4 Rhd8 23. g5 Bb3 24. Rd2 Nc4 { Here, we can see something resembling the active play Black may have hoped for in the game. }) 22. Rd6?! { This allows Black to simplify the position with ... Rh8-d8! Instead, } (22. Rac1 { threatens b2-b4, opening up the position for the bishops. } 22... Nb3 (22... Rhd8 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. b4 cxb4 25. axb4 Nb3 26. Rc3 $16) 23. Rc3 Rhd8 24. f4) 22... Rhe8?! (22... Rhd8 { would have been a much better option for equality, but maybe Hans was still hoping to keep more pieces on the board as to try to push for a win?! }) 23. g4 Nb7?! (23... Red8! { could offer the equality once again. }) 24. Rd2 Na5 25. Rd6 Nb7 26. Rdd1! { Anish decides to press further. } 26... Na5 27. Rac1 { White is back to the plan that supports b2-b4! } 27... Ke7? (27... Nb3 { seems to be the only way to stop White's plan. } 28. Rc3 c4 29. g5 Nc5 $13) 28. Ba6 Rcd8 29. Rxd8 Rxd8 30. b4! Nb3 31. Rc3 Rd6 (31... Kd6 32. f4 { should win, as followed by f4-f5 with a decisive advantage. } (32. Rd3+ { simply repeats } 32... Ke7)) (31... cxb4 32. axb4 { opening the c-file can only benefit White. }) 32. bxc5 bxc5?! (32... Nxc5 { was the last chance to try to hold, though after } 33. Bb5 a6 34. Be2 Rc6 35. Rc1 { White continues to press. }) 33. Rxb3! Bxb3 (33... Rxa6 { leads to an opposite-colored bishop endgame down a pawn. But, with the rooks on the board and a passive king, Black has little hope to hold. } 34. Bxc5+ Kd8 35. Rb7 Bd7 36. Kg3 Kc8 37. Rb1 $18) 34. Bxc5 Kd7 35. Bxd6 Kxd6 36. g5!! { Maybe unexpected, but this is the only winning move. Otherwise, Black manages to create a fortress as follows: } (36. Ke3 h6 37. h5 Ke5 38. f4+ Kd6 { and now White has to be mindful of ... Bb3-d1. It is important for White to maintain some entrances for his king on the kingside. }) 36... Be6 37. Ke3 Kc5 (37... Ke5 38. f4+ Kd6 39. gxf6 gxf6 40. Kd4 $18) (37... f5 38. exf5 Bxf5 39. Bd3 $18) 38. Kf4 Kd4 39. gxf6 gxf6 40. a4! { And now comes the patience that is required to win such an endgame, advancing the a-pawn first to deflect Black's king form the center and, only then, creating a passed pawn of one's own. } 40... h6 41. a5 Bd7 42. Be2 Kc5 (42... Bh3) 43. e5 { The time to create the passed pawn has come and now it is all over. } 43... Kd5 44. exf6 Ke6 45. f7 Kxf7 46. Ke5 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0