[Event "FIDE Candidates Tournament"] [Date "2022.06.27"] [Round "9.1"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Rapport, Richard"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2793"] [WhiteTeam "France"] [BlackElo "2764"] [BlackTeam "Hungary"] [Annotator "Aagaard"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C65"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense"] [StudyName "2022 FIDE Candidates - Annotated by GM Jacob Aagaard"] [ChapterName "Firouzja, Alireza - Rapport, Richard"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/fhBzjnqz/4YSVEPla"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,57,19,38,25,7,30,29,22,22,12,21,8,-8,-17,-2,12,-44,-22,-19,-6,-10,26, 18,12,25,27,2,1,-13,1,1,19,14,0,-28,-43,-43,-51,-51,-51,-69,-58,-58,-17,-31, -31,-79,-31,-87,-95,-97,-78,-106,-61,-62,-42,14,-82,-93] Firouzja's, Ding's and Radjabov's first wins came in round 9. This is shocking for different reasons. Firouzja and Ding were among the rating favorites, while Radjabov was predicted by me to win no games and it turns out had to be forced to do so... In this game Rapport makes an early strategic mistake that leads to a heavy attack on the dark squares that he never fully recovers from, no matter what Stockfish says. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. O-O Nd4 6. Nxd4 Bxd4 7. c3 Bb6 8. Na3 c6 9. Ba4 d6 10. Bb3 Qe7!? (10... h6 { has been played often. This only once before. }) 11. Nc4 Bg4?! $146 { Not an improvement. Later we shall see that the e1-square is useful for White and the bishop on g4 is a target. } (11... Bc7 12. f4 b5? 13. fxe5 dxe5 14. Ne3 $16 { was not a success for Black in Karjakin - Vidit, Moscow 2019, although he later won the game. But 12...Bec8-e6 is only marginally worse for Black. }) 12. Qe1 Bc5? { In reality this is the move that loses the game. The coming assault on the dark squares may swing around a bit in terms of computer evaluation, but in practice the position is very dangerous for Black and Rapport was not able to keep it together when he undeservedly got the chance. } (12... Bc7 13. f4 $14 { was also pleasant for White, but at least the bishop has a function beyond being a target. }) 13. Kh1 a5 14. f4!? { It is easy to understand Firouzja's optimism. } (14. a4 $16 { was also good. }) 14... a4 15. Bc2 b5 { This looks to be played without a sense of danger. But all other moves are worse. } 16. fxe5 dxe5 17. Nxe5! $16 Qxe5 18. d4 Bxd4 19. cxd4 Qxd4 20. Be3? { A very natural looking move, but it was better to be able to get the bishop to the a1-h8 diagonal: } (20. Bd2!! { would have given a winning initiative. } 20... Qxb2 (20... O-O? { is met with } 21. Bc3 { followed by Qg3 and h3, winning a piece. }) 21. Rc1! $16 Qe5 (21... Qxa2 22. h3 Bh5 23. e5 Nd5 24. Qh4 Be2 (24... Bg6 25. Bxg6 fxg6 26. Qg4 $18) 25. Rf2 Bc4 26. e6 fxe6 27. Bb4) 22. Bc3 Qe7 23. Bd1! Bxd1 24. Bb4 Qe6 25. Rxd1 { with a winning attack. }) 20... Qxb2 21. Qf2 Be6 22. Bd4 Qb4 23. Bc5 Qc3 24. Rac1 Rd8 25. Bb1 Qe5 26. Qh4 Bc4? (26... Rd7 $13 { would have kept he position incredibly complex. Now White is allowed to squeeze through on the dark squares. }) 27. Rf5 Qb2 28. Rg1?! (28. Re1! { was much stronger. }) 28... Be6?! (28... Rd2 29. Qg5 Be6 30. Rf4 Kd7 31. Qxg7 Ne8 32. Qxb2 Rxb2 33. Bd4 Rxb1 34. Rxb1 Rg8 $16 { would have retained drawing chances. }) 29. Qg3! Nd7 (29... Bxf5 30. exf5 { would give White a lot of big threats. }) 30. Bd6! $18 { Black is suffocated in the center. There is surprisingly nothing left to play for. } 30... Qd4 31. Rff1 h5 32. e5 Qg4 33. Qe3 h4 34. h3 Qh5 35. Be4 Qh6 36. Qf3 f6 37. Bxc6 Kf7 38. Bxb5 Qh5 39. Qe4 Nxe5 40. Be2 Qg5 41. Bxe5 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0