[Event "Sinquefield Cup"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/uMvPaU6p/6fm98el7"] [Date "2022.09.04"] [Round "3.4"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Aronian, Levon"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2778"] [WhiteTeam "France"] [BlackElo "2759"] [BlackTeam "United States"] [Annotator "John Watson"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C50"] [Opening "Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/uMvPaU6p/6fm98el7"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. h3 O-O 6. Nc3 Na5 { Unusual. } (6... h6 { and }) (6... d6 { are far more common. }) 7. a3!? (7. Nxe5 { has no obvious answer. Perhaps } 7... Qe7 (7... d6 8. Ng4 Nxc4 9. dxc4 Bb4 10. Nxf6+ Qxf6 11. Bd2 Re8 $14) 8. Bxf7+ Rxf7 9. Nxf7 Qxf7 10. O-O Nc6 { is unclear. }) 7... Nxc4 8. dxc4 d6 (8... Re8 9. Bg5 c6) 9. Bg5 Be6 10. Qd3 h6 11. Bh4 g5? { An astonishing move, not so much because sacrificing on g5 is so dangerous (and good), but because in practical terms it's so extremely difficult to defend such positions. On the other hand, some strong commentators were skeptical about the value of 12 Nxg5. } (11... a5 { and }) (11... c6 { are solid moves. }) 12. Nxg5! hxg5 13. Bxg5 Kg7 14. f4! (14. Qg3 Nh5! (14... Rh8) 15. Qh4 f6 { wins for Black. }) 14... exf4 (14... Qe8 15. Bxf6+! Kxf6 16. f5 Ke7 17. g4! (17. fxe6 $16) 17... Bd7 18. Nd5+ Kd8 19. b4 Bb6 20. g5 { is crushing. }) (14... c6 15. f5 Bc8 16. O-O-O) 15. Ne2 c6 { An excellent defensive try. } (15... Rg8 { loses to } 16. Nxf4 Kf8 17. Nxe6+ fxe6 18. Bxf6 $18) 16. b4! (16. Rf1 { loses to } 16... Qa5+! { (the point of ...c6) } 17. Kd1 (17. c3 Bf2+ 18. Kxf2 Qxg5 $19) 17... Bd4! { attacking g5. }) (16. Nxf4 Qa5+! { also wins for Black. }) 16... Be3 (16... Bf2+ 17. Kxf2 Nxe4+ 18. Qxe4 Qxg5 19. Nxf4 Rae8 20. Rhe1 $16) 17. Rf1 Kg6 (17... Qb6 18. Qc3?) 18. h4 (18. Bh4! { is also strong, but that's not obvious, and the h4 pawn is involved in some of the nice mates that follow. }) 18... Bxc4! { A nice try in a desperate situation. } (18... Qe7 19. Rxf4! Bxf4 20. Nxf4+ Kg7 21. e5 dxe5 22. Bxf6+! Qxf6 (22... Kxf6 23. Nh5#) 23. Nh5+) 19. Qxc4 d5 20. Qb3 (20. exd5 Qxd5 21. Qc3! { also seems to work because of the tactic } 21... Ne4 22. Qxe3! fxe3 23. Nf4+ Kg7 24. Nxd5 cxd5 (24... e2 25. Rf5) 25. Bxe3) 20... Re8 (20... Qd6 { is probably best, although } 21. Nxf4+ Bxf4 22. Bxf4 Qe7 23. e5 Ne4 24. O-O-O $16 { is obviously difficult to defend. }) 21. Bxf4 Bxf4 22. Nxf4+ Kh7 23. O-O-O Nxe4 (23... Rxe4 24. Nh3!) 24. Ne2? { Firouzja said that he was trying to make a practical move (possibly in view of time considerations), making sure to prevent ...Qf6 and target f7, but White actually had a forced win with } (24. Nxd5! cxd5 25. Rxf7+ Kg6 26. Rxd5! Qxh4 27. Qf3 Nf6 (27... Qh6+ 28. Kb1 Nd2+ 29. Rxd2) 28. Rxf6+! Qxf6 29. Qh5+ { (Firouzja missed this move) } 29... Kg7 30. Rg5+ Kf8 31. Rf5 { and White will pick up another pawn afer taking the queen. }) (24. Nh5! { is also strong, e.g., } 24... f6 25. Rf5 Re6 26. Qf3 Qd6 27. g4 Kh8 28. g5! Rf8 29. Nf4) 24... Nd6?? { Black can limit White's advantage by } (24... Re7 { , when } 25. Rf5 (25. Ng3!?) 25... Qf8 26. Qf3 Qg7 { gives counterplay. }) 25. Qd3+ Kh8 26. Qd4+! Kh7 27. Ng3 Qb6 { There's no defense now. } 28. Qd3+ Kg8 29. Nf5 Nxf5 30. Qxf5 Qe3+ 31. Kb1 Qe6 (31... Re7 32. Rd3 Qh6 33. Rg3+ Kf8 34. Rf4 a5 35. Rg6 Qh8 36. Rf6 $18) 32. Qf2 a5 (32... Rad8 33. Rd4 Re7 34. Qg3+ Kh7 35. Qg5! $18) 33. Rd3 axb4 34. Rg3+ Kf8 35. Rf3 Kg8 36. Rxf7 Rxa3 37. Rf8+ Kh7 38. Qf7+ { 1-0 White wins. } (38... Qxf7 39. R1xf7+ Kg6 40. h5+! { wins a rook. }) 1-0