[Event "Grand Chess Tour: Sinquefield Cup 2024"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2024.08.23"] [Round "05"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2751"] [BlackElo "2746"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C50"] [Opening "Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal"] [StudyName "2024 Sinquefield Cup"] [ChapterName "Firouzja, Alireza - Giri, Anish"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/kueFp0uL/rtFkfdip"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 2:00:51] } 1... e5 { [%clk 2:00:56] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 2:01:17] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 2:01:22] } 3. Bc4 { [%clk 2:01:42] } 3... Nf6 { [%clk 2:01:47] } 4. d3 { [%clk 2:02:06] } 4... Bc5 { [%clk 2:02:13] } 5. O-O { [%clk 2:02:25] } 5... d6 { [%clk 2:02:05] } 6. c3 { [%clk 2:02:43] } 6... a5 { The fourth-most popular move here. } { [%clk 2:02:26] } 7. h3 { White responds in kind, with the fifth most common response. } { [%clk 2:02:38] } (7. Re1 { is more popular. } 7... O-O 8. h3 h6 9. Nbd2 Be6 10. Bb5 Qb8 11. Nf1 Qa7 12. Be3 Bxe3 13. Nxe3 Ne7 14. a4 Ng6 $10 { is the main line, with still over 100 games in the database, including many with GM Ding Liren playing the black side. }) 7... O-O { [%clk 2:02:25] } 8. Bb3 { [%clk 2:02:47] } 8... h6 { [%clk 2:01:29] } 9. Re1 { [%clk 2:01:38] } 9... Re8 { [%clk 2:01:05] } 10. Nbd2 { [%clk 1:55:11] } 10... Be6 { [%clk 1:59:44] } 11. Ba4 { [%clk 1:55:35] } 11... Qb8 { [%clk 1:59:50] } 12. Bxc6 $146 { [%clk 1:53:34] } (12. Nf1 { and }) (12. d4 { are the most logical moves, and indeed the main choices. Here, Black should be aware that } 12... b5! { is the point behind ... Qd8-b8. } 13. dxc5 bxa4 14. Qxa4 Ne7 15. cxd6 cxd6 16. Nh4 g5 17. Nhf3 Ng6 18. Nf1 $10 { has been seen a small handful of times, never producing any decisive results. }) 12... bxc6 { [%clk 1:59:23] } 13. Nf1 { Black has been in preparation until here, but now goes into a long think. } { [%clk 1:52:46] } 13... Bb6!? { Not the most accurate. Better was } { [%clk 1:39:45] } (13... a4! { as to meet } 14. Ng3 { with } 14... Qb6 { to provoke } 15. d4 (15. Re2 { is also about equal }) 15... exd4 16. cxd4 Bb4 17. Bd2 Bxd2 18. Qxd2 Reb8 $15 { trading off White's remaining bishop and pressuring the exposed b-pawn thanks to the containment courtesy of the a4-pawn. }) 14. Ng3 { [%clk 1:51:17] } 14... a4 { [%clk 1:20:52] } 15. d4 { [%clk 1:43:28] } 15... Qa7 { [%clk 1:07:37] } 16. Be3 { [%clk 1:41:16] } 16... Qa5 { [%clk 1:02:57] } 17. Qc1 { [%clk 1:20:30] } 17... Kh7 { [%clk 1:03:05] } 18. Nh4 { [%clk 1:19:09] } 18... Ng8 { [%clk 0:53:13] } 19. Nhf5 { [%clk 1:10:30] } 19... c5?! { Too slow. Black needs to be prepared to rebuff the knight with ... Ng8-e7, which he could achieve now, but won't be able to now that he is a half-turn behind the below lines: } { [%clk 0:44:27] } (19... Bxf5 20. Nxf5 Ne7 { gave up the bishop pair, sure, but after } 21. Ng3 (21. Nxg7? { doesn't work now: } 21... Kxg7 22. Bxh6+ Kh7 23. Qg5 Ng6 { leaves White with no way to make progress. }) 21... c5 { , White's center comes under fire. } 22. dxe5 dxe5 $10 { reaches a position that appears similar to the game, but with Black's knight better placed and White's knight pushed back! }) 20. dxe5 { [%clk 0:59:01] } (20. Nxg7! { Apparently, this works, but it's really hard to believe. } 20... Kxg7 21. d5 Kh7 (21... Bd7 22. Bxh6+! Nxh6 23. Qg5+ Kf8 (23... Kh7?? 24. Nh5! Rg8 25. Nf6+ Kh8 26. Qxh6#) 24. Re3! Bb5 (24... Ng8? 25. Rf3 c6 26. Nh5 { with the threat of Rf3xf7+ and Qg5-g7 mate! }) 25. Rf3 Re7 { is the engine's best try, but after } 26. Qxh6+ Ke8 27. Nf5 { Black has no choice but to return material, when } 27... Kd7 28. Nxe7 Kxe7 29. Qh4+ $18 { gives White a winning combination of attacks against Black's exposed king and a barrage of passed kingside pawns. }) 22. dxe6 Rxe6 23. c4 $16 { is clearly better for White, due to Black's exposed king and damaged pawns. }) 20... Bxf5 { [%clk 0:40:34] } 21. Nxf5 { [%clk 0:58:52] } 21... dxe5 { [%clk 0:39:29] } 22. c4 { A clever move. } { [%clk 0:51:12] } 22... Rad8 { [%clk 0:39:35] } (22... Ne7? 23. Bxh6! { was White's point, as now } 23... Nxf5 (23... gxh6?? 24. Qxh6+ Kg8 25. Qg7#) 24. Bd2 { comes with tempo courtesy of c3-c4!. }) 23. Rd1 { White is simply better, as Black no longer has the bishop pair to compensate for the horrible queenside. The remaining black bishop also needs serious assistance getting better. Still, it's not like White has a clear winning plan. } { [%clk 0:48:47] } 23... Qa8 { [%clk 0:39:42] } 24. Rd5 { [%clk 0:48:09] } 24... c6 { [%clk 0:37:38] } 25. Rxd8 { [%clk 0:48:01] } 25... Rxd8 { [%clk 0:37:51] } 26. Qc2 { After the exchange of one set of rooks, we enter the maneuvering phase of the game, which lasts quite some time. } { [%clk 0:47:17] } 26... Qa6 { [%clk 0:32:46] } 27. Rc1 { [%clk 0:43:27] } 27... Rd7 { [%clk 0:29:41] } 28. a3 { [%clk 0:32:40] } 28... Nf6 { [%clk 0:26:51] } 29. Qe2 { [%clk 0:29:28] } 29... Qc8 { [%clk 0:26:07] } 30. Qc2 { [%clk 0:28:32] } 30... Qa6 { [%clk 0:24:34] } 31. Qc3 { [%clk 0:24:08] } 31... Qa5 { [%clk 0:23:14] } 32. b4 { [%clk 0:14:54] } 32... axb3 { [%clk 0:13:15] } 33. Qxb3 { [%clk 0:15:19] } 33... Bc7 { [%clk 0:08:12] } 34. g3 { [%clk 0:10:33] } 34... Qa6 { [%clk 0:06:16] } 35. Kg2 { [%clk 0:10:03] } 35... Rd8?! { White's point is to meet } { [%clk 0:04:53] } (35... Nxe4 { with } 36. Qc2 Nf6 37. Nxh6+ g6 38. Ng4 $16 { and an initiative. But }) (35... Kg8 { was reasonable prophylaxis. } 36. Re1 Ba5 37. Rb1 Bc7 $16 { and White has to find a new plan of action. }) 36. Ra1!? { The solid, mature way to keep an advantage without undertaking risk. } { [%clk 0:08:46] } (36. Bxh6! { was again a serious possibility. } 36... gxh6 37. Qe3 Ng8 38. Qf3 { is a nice idea, preparing Qf3-h5 when } 38... Nf6 { is best, but allows } 39. Nxh6 Kg7 (39... Kxh6? 40. Qxf6+ Kh7 41. Qxf7+ Kh6 42. Qxc7 $18) 40. Nf5+ Kh8 41. Ne7 $18 { when the engine is very optimistic. Black's king is exposed, the white rook can enter the game via Rc1-c3-f3, and Black's dark-squared bishop hardly deserves to be called an "extra piece." }) 36... Qc8 { [%clk 0:04:08] } 37. Qc2 { [%clk 0:08:45] } 37... Qd7 { [%clk 0:02:06] } 38. Rb1 { [%clk 0:07:01] } 38... Ba5!? { [%clk 0:01:57] } 39. Bxc5 { [%clk 0:06:40] } (39. Rb3 { was even better, keeping queens on to leave threats of the kingside attack on the table. }) 39... Qd3 { [%clk 0:02:18] } 40. Qxd3 { [%clk 0:06:56] } 40... Rxd3 { Things are different now that Black has successfully removed the queens. } { [%clk 0:02:47] } 41. Rb7?! { An inaccuracy that lets Black back in the game! } { [%clk 0:06:11] } (41. f3 { was more solid: } 41... Rd2+ 42. Kf1 Nh5 { is enough to scare off most chess players. White's king appears much weaker, and there is obvious pressure on the g3-pawn. But } 43. Bb4! Bxb4 44. axb4 { gives White a clear passer: } 44... g6 45. g4! Nf4 46. Ne7 $16 { when the b-pawn should almost certainly be decisive. }) 41... Nxe4 { [%clk 0:03:03] } 42. Be3 { [%clk 0:05:57] } 42... Kg6?? { An oversight. Black did not need to defend the pawn, as: } { [%clk 0:02:58] } (42... Rxa3 43. Rxf7 Kg6! 44. Rf8 Bb4 { forces a concession from White's pieces. } 45. Nh4+ Kh7 46. Rc8 Bc5 { when Black removes White's defender of the f2-pawn. Now, } 47. Bxc5 Nxc5 48. Rxc6 Nd3 49. Rc7 Ra2 $10 { gives Black activity in the form of lasting pressure on the f2-pawn. This should be a relatively simple draw. }) 43. Ne7+ { Black loses the c-pawn, with more tactics to follow } { [%clk 0:05:15] } 43... Kf6 { [%clk 0:02:28] } (43... Kh5?? 44. g4+ Kh4 45. Nf5# { would have been an amusing mate. }) 44. Nxc6 { [%clk 0:05:40] } 44... Bd2 { [%clk 0:00:39] } (44... Nd6 { is a little more prudent, but } 45. Nxa5 Nxb7 46. Nxb7 Rxa3 47. c5 { should be winning, as well. }) 45. Rxf7+! { White simplifies into a won endgame. } { [%clk 0:05:36] } 45... Ke6 { [%clk 0:01:07] } 46. Re7+ { [%clk 0:05:53] } 46... Kd6 { [%clk 0:01:05] } 47. Rd7+ { There's no escaping it! } { [%clk 0:06:05] } 47... Kxd7 { [%clk 0:01:21] } 48. Nxe5+ { [%clk 0:06:32] } 48... Kd6 { [%clk 0:01:48] } 49. Nxd3 { [%clk 0:06:57] } 49... Bxe3 { [%clk 0:02:16] } 50. fxe3 { [%clk 0:07:20] } 50... Nd2 { [%clk 0:02:43] } 51. c5+ { [%clk 0:07:12] } 51... Kd5 { [%clk 0:03:11] } 52. a4 { [%clk 0:07:04] } 52... Nc4 { [%clk 0:03:34] } 53. Kf3 { [%clk 0:07:18] } 53... g5 { [%clk 0:04:03] } 54. e4+ { [%clk 0:04:14] } 54... Kd4 { [%clk 0:04:28] } 55. e5 { [%clk 0:03:44] } 55... Kxd3 { [%clk 0:04:02] } 56. e6 { White has too many pawns. } { [%clk 0:04:09] } 56... Ne5+ { [%clk 0:04:01] } 57. Kg2 { [%clk 0:04:33] } 57... Nc6 { [%clk 0:04:23] } 58. a5 { Black resigned. A lovely conversion from Firouzja after a hard-fought game. } { [%clk 0:05:00] } 1-0