[Event "Superbet Chess Classic Romania"] [Site "Bucharest, Romania"] [Date "2023.05.14"] [Round "8.3"] [White "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2724"] [BlackElo "2785"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D14"] [Opening "Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Trifunovic Variation"] [StudyName "Superbet Romania GCT"] [ChapterName "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof - Firouzja, Alireza"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/gLTaYxXi/Snni0Uil"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. e3 Bf5 7. Nf3 e6 8. Qb3 Bb4 9. Bb5 O-O 10. Bxc6 Bxc3+ 11. Qxc3 Ne4 12. Qa3 bxc6 13. Rc1 g5?! (13... f6 14. h3 a5 15. Rxc6?! Qe8! 16. Rc7 Qb5 { and White's king is endangered. }) 14. Bg3 Rc8 15. Nd2 Nxg3 16. hxg3 Kg7 17. Rc5! { White has successfully locked the center, which means he can keep the untouched h1-rook where it is without having to worry about the king being exposed on e1. } 17... Rh8 18. Ra5 Rc7 19. Rxa7 Rxa7 20. Qxa7 h5 21. b3 h4 { Now White is a clean pawn up and welcomes Black's attempts to storm the flanks, as they will lead to simplifications and nothing more. } 22. gxh4 gxh4 23. Nf3 Bg6 24. Rh3 Qa8 25. Qxa8 Rxa8 26. a4 Bc2 27. Rxh4 Bxb3 28. Rg4+ Kf8 29. Rf4 Ra7 30. a5 Ba4 31. a6 Bb5 32. Ng5 Bxa6 33. Nxe6+ Ke7 34. Ng5 f6? { Now White should be able to pick up the f-pawn and secure the full point. } (34... Kf8 { is more stubborn. It is harder to make progress gainst the weak f-pawn when it is still on its starting square. }) 35. Nh7 f5 36. Rxf5 Bd3 37. Re5+ Kd6 38. Ng5 Ra2 39. Nh3 Bc4 40. g4? (40. Nf4! Ra1+ 41. Kd2 Ra2+ 42. Kc3! { and it turns out the f-pawn did not need to be protected. } 42... Rxf2 (42... Ra3+ 43. Kb4 Rb3+ 44. Ka4 Rb2 45. Re6+ Kd7 46. f3 { and White's king is perfectly happy being aware from the actions, as the kingside pawns are both defended and poised to advance. The difference, however, is that White's knight is far better placed on f4 than in the game on h3. } 46... Rxg2 { does not hold. } 47. Nxg2 Kxe6 48. Ka5! Kd6 49. Kb6 Bb5 50. Ne1 { and the knight makes its way over to the c6-pawn. }) 43. g4 Rf1 { A crucial loss of tempo. The knight was functional on f4, after all! It also controls the e6-square, allowing the rook to advance, and the g6-square, helping the pawn advance as well. } 44. g5 Rg1 45. g6 Ba2 46. Re6+ Kd7 47. Rf6 Ke7 48. Rf7+ Ke8 49. Ra7 $18) 40... Re2+?? { Now, White is winning. The king can afford being cornered into the queenside as the rook and knight function well to march the g-pawn up the board. } (40... Ra1+ 41. Kd2 Ra2+ 42. Kc1 c5!? { keeps Black in the game. The knight is currently frozen, so White will likely play } 43. Rf5 { when after } 43... Kc6 44. Rf8 cxd4 45. exd4 Ra1+ 46. Kb2 Ra2+ 47. Kb1 Rd2 { Black has excellent drawing chances. }) 41. Kd1 Ra2 42. g5 c5 43. g6 Bb3+ 44. Ke1 Ra1+ 45. Ke2 Ra2+ 46. Kf3 c4 47. Re8 Ra7 48. Rd8+ { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0