1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bc4Nf64.Ng5d55.exd5Na56.Bb5+c67.dxc6bxc68.Bd3Nd59.h4h610.Qh5Qf611.Ne4Qe612.b3g613.Qe2f514.Nec3Bg7Firouzja has succeeded with14...Nf4as Black before. at least in blitz.15.Qf1e416.Be2Bg717.Bb2Nd3+?!18.cxd3exd319.Kd1dxe2+20.Qxe2Qxe2+21.Kxe2Ba6+22.Kd1O-O-O23.Na4Bxb224.Nxb2Rd425.Kc2Rhd826.h5⩲although his 86-move win earlier this year had little to do with the
opening in Nepomniachtchi – Firouzja, Chess.com, 2023.15.Bb2N...Previously tried was15.Nxd5Qxd5?(15...cxd5!is an unexplored
alternative that seems to favor Black and was presumably Caruana's idea in
choosing 14. ... Bg7.16.Bb5+(16.Bb2O-O17.O-ONc6∓is such a
dominant space advantage for Black.)Nc617.Bb2O-O18.Na3Nb419.O-O-O∞)16.f3Be617.Bb2O-O18.Nc3Qd619.O-O-ORae820.Qe3c521.Ba3Rc822.g4±with a nice attack in Poetsch – Eichler, Schwarzach, 2017.15....O-O16.Na3e417.Bc4Nxc418.Qxc4Rb819.O-O-ORb420.Qe2a521.Rhe1?!...21.Nxd5!cxd522.Bxg7!Kxg723.d3!Qe524.Qd2!?A series
of surprising trades that leave White's king apparently vulnerable, but
Black's pieces are ill-equipped to invade. Instead, if Black's queen drifts
towards White's king, the black king itself will feel drafty.Qa1+25.Nb1Qxa226.Qc3+d427.Qc7+Kg828.h5g529.Qc621....a422.g3axb323.axb3Qd624.f3Qc525.Nab1Re826.fxe4...26.Ba3is easy to dismiss as
being too materialistic, butQa527.Nxd5cxd528.Bxb4Qxb429.d4!is a nice way to neutralize Black's bishop pair with one astute move.26....fxe427.Ba3Qa528.Bxb4Nxb429.d4?!...29.Qc4+!Kh7(29...Be630.Qxe4Kh731.Re3±)30.Re3Re5could lead to an incredible mess:31.h5gxh532.d4exd333.Rxe5Bxe534.cxd3Bf535.Rd2with the computer insisting
this is equal (obviously).29....e3!Black commits to an incredibly
tactical shootout and emerges on top.30.Kb2h5Black threatens ...Bc8-g4
to win back material, and there's nothing to do about it, as the rook cannot
vacate the d-file and concede the d4-pawn to Black's dark-squared monster.31.Na3Bg432.Qc4+Kh733.Qf7Rf833...Qd8∓34.Qe7Bxd135.Rxd1Rf2?35...c5!36.Nc4Qa637.Qxc5e238.Rc1(38.Nxe2?Qa2+-+)Rf3∓36.Ne4??...36.Nc4!Rxc2+37.Kb1Qf538.Nxe3!Qf239.Qxb4!(39.Nxc2??Qxc2+40.Ka1Qxc3+41.Kb1Qc2+42.Ka1Qa2#)Rb2+40.Ka1?!and Black has no forced win.36....Rxc2+37.Kb1...37.Nxc2Qa2+38.Kc3Nd5+39.Kc4Qxc2+40.Nc3Qxc3#37....Rf2!38.Ng5+...38.Nxf2Qxa3∓38....Kh839.Qe8+Rf840.Qxg6Qf5+41.Qxf5Rxf542.Re1Bxd443.Nc2Bc344.Nxe3...44.Rxe3Rf1+-+44....Rxg50-1 Black wins.0-1