[Event "Norway Chess"] [Date "2023.06.03"] [Round "7.4"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2785"] [BlackElo "2764"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C11"] [Opening "French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation"] [StudyName "2023 Norway Chess"] [ChapterName "Firouzja, Alireza - Caruana, Fabiano"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/VyyigSOi/Ey2JNl2b"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e6 { Is this a jab at a certain former world champion who played the French against him in the first round? Or an homage to his opponent's federation? Or is the French just having a moment? } 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Qb6 9. Qd2 Qxb2 10. Rb1 Qa3 11. Ncb5 Qxa2 12. Rd1 Rb8 13. Nc7+ Kd8 14. Ncb5 { the "best" move, although the sacrifices have been tried with both knights. } (14. Ncxe6+ { was tried unsuccessfully once: } 14... fxe6 15. Nxe6+ Ke7 16. Nc7 d4 17. f5 (17. e6 { was another try, coming out of a different move order (capturing with the other knight on move 14). } 17... Kd8 18. Bxd4 Kxc7 19. exd7 { when } 19... Bxd7 { would be winning. } (19... Qe6+?? { was Black's choice, and he was lost after } 20. Be5+ Kd8 21. dxc8=Q+ Kxc8 { if White found the crushing } 22. Bc4!! (22. c3 { lost the advantage, and White eventually lost in Harper – Warner, Hastings, 2013. }) 22... Qe8 23. O-O $18)) 17... Ndxe5 { and that was that. Doghri – Nikolenko, Moscow, 1991. }) (14. Ndxe6+) 14... Nc5 15. Bd3 Nxd3+ 16. Qxd3 Bd7 $146 (16... Qa5+ { was tried unsuccessfully in the only game to reach this position. } 17. Kf2 Nxd4 18. Bxd4 Bd7 19. Rb1 Rc8 20. Nd6 Bxd6 21. exd6 Qa6? (21... b6 $14) 22. Bxg7 Qxd3 23. Bf6+ Ke8 24. cxd3 Rg8 25. Rxb7 { and White won on move 38 in Abergel – Fridman, Germany, 2014. }) 17. Nd6 { White immediately drifts. This is less sound with the king not tucked away. } (17. O-O Nxd4 18. Bxd4 Qa6 19. Nxa7 Qxd3 20. Rxd3 b5 { where White has compensation for the pawn due to his activity, but not much more. }) 17... Bxd6 18. exd6 Qc4 19. Qd2 f6! { Excellent homework from Fabi. Black's position looks discoordinated, but the bishop can quickly re-enter the game now, and he has no weaknesses that can be exploited. } 20. Nxc6+ bxc6 21. Qa5+ Ke8 22. Qxa7 Rb2! { Excellent calculation. } 23. Qa8+ Kf7 24. Qxh8 Qxc2 25. Bd2 Qe4+ 26. Kf1 (26. Kf2 Qxf4+ { would be an easy move to miss back on move 22, but presumably Fabi saw it. }) 26... Qd3+ 27. Ke1 c5! { Sacrificing the h8-rook because you've calculated that you have a mating attack five move laters is impressive enough. But when the fifth move is such a "quiet move" making space for the light-squared bishop, that's even more remarkable. } 28. h4 Bb5 29. Kf2 Rxd2+ 30. Rxd2 Qxd2+ { Now, Fabi just gobbles up pawn after pawn until White resigns. } 31. Kg3 Qe3+ 32. Kh2 Qxf4+ 33. Kg1 Qd4+ 34. Kh2 Qxh4+ 35. Kg1 Qd4+ 36. Kh2 Qe5+ 37. Kg1 Qxd6 38. Rxh7 Qf8 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1