[Event "FIDE Candidates Tournament"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2022.06.30"] [Round "11.2"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2793"] [WhiteTeam "France"] [BlackElo "2766"] [BlackTeam "FID"] [Annotator "Aagaard"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C42"] [Opening "Russian Game: Kaufmann Attack"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/fhBzjnqz/gnskWFwL"] [Orientation "white"] { Alireza apparently played a lot of bullet against Daniel Naroditsky last night. It did not help his performance in today's game, which was frankly awful. Kramnik got a bit of flack for saying that the level of this Candidates tournament has been low. I think he is right. The reason Nepomniachtchi is cruising to the end is that his level has not dipped, even if he appears to be no better than he was when he played against Carlsen in the World Championship match. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. c4 { Not highly theoretical, but the purpose of the opening these days is to get a game and pose your opponent with independent problems, not to prove an advantage (which we all know is not there). } 5... Nc6 6. d3 Nf6 7. d4 Be7 8. d5 Ne5 9. Nd4 O-O 10. Nc3 Bg4 11. f3!? { Still part of the preparation. } (11. Be2!? Bxe2 12. Qxe2 Re8 13. O-O c6 14. dxc6!? bxc6 15. Rd1 $14 { is another way to play. Black should be safe everywhere. }) 11... Bd7 12. Be2 c6 13. O-O cxd5 14. cxd5 Qb6 15. Kh1 Rac8 { We have reached the end of Firouzja's preparation, and like Nakamura and Caruana in the two previous rounds, he decides that with his pieces on the first rank, and in general pointing nowhere, it is time for a brutal attack on the kingside. It is a simple violation of the basic laws of chess and it just does not work. } 16. g4? (16. f4 Nc4 17. b3 Ne3 18. Bxe3 Rxc3 19. Bg1 { White would still have the tiniest of advantages. }) 16... h6 17. h4? Rfe8 18. g5? hxg5 19. hxg5 Nh5 20. Kg2 Ng6! 21. f4 Nhxf4+! { With all the pieces in the game, it is not surprising this works for Black. } 22. Bxf4 Qxb2 23. Ne4 Rc4!? { There was a beautiful complicated win with } (23... Bd8! 24. Nxd6 Rxe2+ 25. Qxe2 Qxd4 26. Nxc8 Qxf4!! { and Black will end with an extra piece in all lines. What Nepomniachtchi played was better. The advantage is not reliant on long variations. }) 24. Be3 { The white minor pieces are set up for a combination. } 24... Bxg5! 25. Rb1 Qxa2 26. Ra1 Rxd4! { Clear and simple and not the only move that wins. } 27. Rxa2 Rxd1 28. Bxd1 Bxe3 29. Nxd6 Re7 30. Bb3?! { Another bad move, but at this point it hardly matters anymore. } (30. Re2 f6 { would also leave Black with a winning position. A few more moves would have to be played. }) 30... Bc5 31. Nxb7 Bb6 32. Bc4 Re3 33. Kh1 Bh3 34. Rc1 Bf5 35. Bf1 Be4+ { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1