[Event "85th Tata Steel Masters"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"] [Date "2023.01.29"] [Round "13.5"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "Maghsoodloo, Parham"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2735"] [BlackElo "2719"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B92"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/gbi5O625/owby5cN9"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Be3 Be6 9. O-O Nbd7 10. a4 Rc8 11. a5 O-O 12. Bf3 Ne8 13. Qd2 h6 14. h3 (14. g4 { The point of Black's 12. ...Ne8 is clear if White attempts to push the pawns. } 14... Bg5! $15) 14... Nef6 15. Rfd1 (15. g4 { Now, after Black's 13. ...h6, the knight has a new home if needed. } 15... Nh7! $15) 15... Re8 16. Qe1 Rc6 17. Nd2 Nf8 18. Nf1 Ng6 19. Ng3 Qc8 20. Rd2 Nh4 21. Be2 Rxc3! { Thematic, but was it forced? Strictly speaking, no, but White has clear plans with Nc3-d5 and exd5 otherwise, and Black's game is much easier to play after the sac. } (21... Nh7 22. Nd5 { White should attempt to transform the structure before Black can capture on c3 with confidence. } 22... Bxd5 23. exd5 Rc7 (23... Rxc2 24. Rxc2 Qxc2 25. Qb4 $16)) (21... Ng6 22. Qb1! { I like this idea. White over-protects the c2-pawn as to move the knight off the targeted c3-square, playing Nc3-d5, transforming the structure with exd5, and preparing to roll b2-b4. }) 22. bxc3 d5 { A thematic break every Najdorf player dreams of, and a clear explanation of why ...Rxc3 is such an important idea in the opening. } 23. f3 Qxc3 24. Bf2 d4 25. Rdd1 Qc7 26. c3?! { A strangely impatient choice from the experienced player. } (26. Bd3 Rc8 { Perhaps White's lack of clear plan, or ability to ever liberate the light-squared bishop from guard duty, encouraged Aronian's erroneous c-pawn push. }) 26... dxc3 27. Bb6 Qc6 28. Rdc1 Rc8 29. Bd1 Nd7 30. Ba4 Qc4 31. Bf2 Bb4 32. Nf1 Ng6 33. Ne3? (33. Bxd7 { White saves the a-pawn after } 33... Bxd7 34. Ne3 Qc7 35. Nd5 Qd6 36. Nb6) 33... Qc7 34. Bxd7 Qxd7 { Now, White has no Ne3-d5, nor any long-term way to guard the a-pawn without being rendered completely passive. } 35. Rcb1 Bf8! { A lovely move, showing Black's willingness to switch plans. With a rook on the b1-square, pushing ...c3-c2 becomes more attractive than continuing to round up the weak a5-pawn. } 36. g3 c2 37. Rc1 Bb3 { Black is strategically won. } 38. Qe2 Rc6 39. Kg2 Bb4 40. Rxc2 Bxc2 41. Nxc2 Bc5 42. Rb1 Bxf2 43. Qxf2 Rd6 44. Re1 Qd8 45. Ne3 Rd2 46. Re2 Rxe2 47. Qxe2 Qxa5 { White had nothing better than returning material and allowing the trades, but now he is just lost. } 48. Nd5 Qa3 49. Qd2 Ne7 50. Ne3 Nc6 51. Nf5 Nd4 52. Nxd4 exd4 53. Qxd4 Qa2+ 54. Kg1 a5 55. h4 a4 56. h5 Qb1+ 57. Kg2 Qc2+ 58. Kh3 a3 59. g4 a2 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1