[Event "Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz 2023"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.11.14"] [Round "01"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2765"] [BlackElo "2742"] [TimeControl "600+5"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C65"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/xvsLbn0g/Kju6k42J"] [Orientation "white"] { Firouzja crashes through on the kingside after a Petrosian-esque display of prophylaxis. } 1. e4 { [%clk 0:25:17] } 1... e5 { [%clk 0:25:17] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 0:25:25] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 0:25:25] } 3. Bb5 { [%clk 0:25:33] } 3... Nf6 { [%clk 0:25:20] } 4. d3 { [%clk 0:25:41] } 4... Bc5 { [%clk 0:25:23] } 5. Bxc6 { [%clk 0:25:49] } 5... dxc6 { [%clk 0:25:32] } 6. h3 { [%clk 0:25:50] } 6... Qe7 { [%clk 0:25:30] } 7. Nc3 { [%clk 0:23:16] } 7... Bd7 { [%clk 0:24:54] } 8. Qe2 { [%clk 0:22:26] } 8... O-O-O { [%clk 0:22:16] } 9. Be3 { [%clk 0:22:34] } 9... Bd6 { [%clk 0:22:15] } 10. a3 { [%clk 0:22:36] } 10... Kb8 { [%clk 0:19:04] } 11. Nd2 { [%clk 0:21:14] } 11... Be6 { [%clk 0:19:12] } 12. b4 { [%clk 0:21:19] } 12... g6 { [%clk 0:18:41] } 13. Rb1 { [%clk 0:18:54] } 13... Nh5 { [%clk 0:17:56] } 14. O-O { [%clk 0:13:34] } 14... f6 { [%clk 0:14:48] } 15. Rfd1 { [%clk 0:11:37] } 15... Qf7 { [%clk 0:12:53] } 16. f3 { [%clk 0:11:26] } 16... Nf4 { [%clk 0:11:08] } 17. Qf2 { [%clk 0:11:35] } 17... b6! { Black shuts down any counterplay. } { [%clk 0:11:12] } (17... a6?! 18. a4 g5 19. b5 { is far preferable for White. }) 18. a4 { [%clk 0:07:10] } 18... g5 { [%clk 0:09:47] } 19. a5 { [%clk 0:07:05] } 19... h5 { [%clk 0:08:06] } 20. Bxf4 { [%clk 0:05:18] } (20. axb6 cxb6 21. b5 c5 { and Black can return to the kingside. }) 20... exf4 { [%clk 0:07:46] } 21. d4 { [%clk 0:03:35] } 21... g4 { Firouzja's execution has been flawless so far. } { [%clk 0:07:32] } 22. h4 { [%clk 0:03:44] } (22. axb6 cxb6 23. d5 cxd5 24. exd5 Bc8 25. Nc4 Be5 26. Nxe5 fxe5 $17) 22... Rhg8 { [%clk 0:07:00] } 23. axb6 { [%clk 0:02:54] } 23... axb6 { [%clk 0:06:48] } 24. Qf1 { [%clk 0:02:11] } (24. Ne2 gxf3 25. Nxf3 Bh3 26. Ne1 { could be a way to cover the g3-square, but } 26... Rxg2+ 27. Nxg2 Rg8 $17) 24... gxf3 { [%clk 0:03:02] } 25. Nxf3 { [%clk 0:02:19] } 25... Bc4 { [%clk 0:02:54] } 26. Qe1 { [%clk 0:01:30] } 26... Rg3 { [%clk 0:01:56] } 27. Rd2 { [%clk 0:01:01] } 27... Rdg8 { [%clk 0:02:00] } 28. Kh1 { [%clk 0:01:07] } 28... Qd7 { [%clk 0:01:36] } 29. Kh2 { [%clk 0:00:26] } 29... Rxf3! { The knockout. } { [%clk 0:01:19] } 30. gxf3 { [%clk 0:00:32] } 30... Rg3 { [%clk 0:01:27] } 31. Kh1 { [%clk 0:00:37] } 31... Rxf3 { [%clk 0:01:31] } 32. Rh2 { [%clk 0:00:36] } 32... Rf1+ { [%clk 0:00:39] } 33. Qxf1 { [%clk 0:00:45] } 33... Bxf1 { [%clk 0:00:48] } 34. Rxf1 { [%clk 0:00:54] } 34... f3 { [%clk 0:00:58] } 35. e5 { [%clk 0:00:54] } 35... fxe5 { [%clk 0:01:07] } 36. Ne4 { [%clk 0:01:02] } 36... exd4 { [%clk 0:00:59] } 37. Nxd6 { [%clk 0:01:11] } 37... Qxd6 { [%clk 0:01:08] } 38. Rxf3 { [%clk 0:01:19] } 38... Qxb4 { [%clk 0:01:16] } 39. Rhf2 { [%clk 0:01:17] } 39... Qe1+ { [%clk 0:01:21] } 40. Kg2 { [%clk 0:01:23] } 40... Qe4 { [%clk 0:01:27] } 41. Kf1 { [%clk 0:01:23] } 41... Qxh4 { [%clk 0:01:33] } 42. Ke2 { [%clk 0:01:27] } 42... c5 { [%clk 0:01:29] } 43. Kd3 { [%clk 0:01:31] } 43... Kb7 { [%clk 0:01:36] } 44. Rf1 { [%clk 0:01:37] } 44... Qg4 { [%clk 0:01:43] } 45. Rf7 { [%clk 0:01:37] } 45... h4 { [%clk 0:01:48] } 46. R1f4 { [%clk 0:01:40] } 46... Qg6+ { [%clk 0:01:54] } 47. Kd2 { [%clk 0:01:44] } 47... h3 { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:02:02] } 0-1