[Event "Riga"] [Site "Riga"] [Date "2021.11.03"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Najer, Evgeniy"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C43"] [WhiteElo "2770"] [BlackElo "2654"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 {The experienced Najer decided to tame the young tallent with a solid Petroff. What's more, the last time he had played this opening was in 2004, when Firouzja was a one year old...} 3. d4 Nxe4 4. dxe5 d5 5. Nbd2 Nxd2 6. Bxd2 Be7 ({On the other hand, Najer is an expert of this line, but as White. Here is a game of his:} 6... h6 7. b4 c5 8. Bb5+ Nc6 9. O-O Be7 10. bxc5 Bxc5 11. Rb1 O-O 12. Re1 Bg4 13. h3 Bh5 14. Bd3 {Najer,E (2648)-Andreikin,D (2726) Sochi 2020}) 7. c3 (7. Bd3 c5 8. c3 {is the common move order.}) 7... c5 8. Bd3 Nc6 9. O-O Bg4 10. Re1 {The pawn structure forces White to search for an attack on the kingside, whereas his opponent would try to keep him busy in the center.} Qd7 11. h3 Bh5 12. Bf4 Qe6 {The pawn needs to be blocked. Another question is if the queen is the best piece for that purpose.} ({The natural} 12... O-O {can be met with} 13. Qc2 Bg6 14. Bxg6 hxg6 15. Rad1 {with an advantage for White. In this line Black will always have to worry about the e5-e6 breaks. On the other hand, a solid blockade of the e-pawn will give Black a chance to recapture on g6 with the f7-pawn, thus eliminating the attack once and for all.}) 13. Be2 $1 {Firouzja's play is very logical and straightforward. The queen is freed.} O-O 14. Qd2 Bg6 {This also seems forced.} ({For the natural} 14... Rad8 $2 15. Ng5 Bxg5 16. Bxg5 {wins material for White.}) ({Whereas if Najer prepares the Ra8-d8 maneuver with} 14... h6 {then} 15. Nd4 cxd4 16. Bxh5 {wins a hefty bishop pair for White.}) 15. Rad1 Be4 { A risky decision.} ({However, Black cannot solve his problems with trades:} 15... d4 16. cxd4 cxd4 17. Nxd4 Nxd4 18. Qxd4 Qxa2 19. Bc4 Qa5 20. e6 $1 { and White's initiative is annoying.}) 16. Ng5 {Still winning the bishop pair.} Bxg5 17. Bxg5 d4 $146 {This is a novelty and it follows the general idea of striking in the center. However, since a lot of files and diagonals are opened Najer has more problems to solve.} ({In an earlier game, White preserved his advantage after} 17... h6 18. Be3 d4 19. cxd4 Rfd8 20. Qc3 Qg6 21. g3 cxd4 22. Bxd4 Qe6 23. Kh2 Rac8 24. Qe3 Bf5 25. Bc3 {So,W (2760)-Yu,Y (2738) Jerusalem 2019}) ({White is also significantly better in the possible endgame after} 17... Nxe5 18. f3 Bg6 19. f4 Nc6 20. Bg4 Qd6 21. Qxd5) 18. Bf1 (18. f4 $5) 18... Qg6 19. Qf4 {Once more, very logical and straightforward play from Firouzja who fights back in the center and proves that his pieces are better prepared for the task.} Bc2 20. Rd2 Rae8 21. Bh4 Kh8 (21... a6 $5 {to prevent White's next idea was perhaps more accurate.}) 22. f3 {Further limiting the bishop.} ({As now Firouzja had the interesting resource} 22. Bb5 $5 {with a serious edge in all lines. The young GM might have worried about the liquidation into an opposite-colored bishop ending after} Qf5 (22... dxc3 23. bxc3) (22... d3 23. Re3) 23. Qxf5 Bxf5 24. cxd4 cxd4 25. Bxc6 bxc6 26. Rxd4 { White is up a pawn, but the opposite-colored bishops certainly provide Black drawing chances.}) 22... a6 23. Bf2 Rd8 24. Rc1 Bb1 ({Or} 24... Bf5 25. cxd4 Nxd4 26. Bxd4 cxd4 27. Kh2 {and the d4-pawn is doomed.}) 25. cxd4 Nxd4 26. Bxd4 cxd4 27. a3 Ba2 28. Rxd4 {Up to here Firouzja completely outplayed his opponent, but around here he rushed and almost missed the win.} ({Both} 28. b4) ({And} 28. Kh2 {were depriving Black of any chances.}) 28... Qb6 29. Rcd1 Rfe8 30. Kh2 {That is the real mistake.} ({Instead} 30. b4 $1 {would have converted the advantage without any unpleasant surprises. In comparison to the game continuation, the line} Rxd4 31. Qxd4 Qxd4+ 32. Rxd4 g5 33. Rd7 b5 34. Ra7 Rxe5 35. Rxa6 Bc4 (35... Bb3 36. Kf2) 36. Bxc4 bxc4 37. Kf2 $1 {leaves Black no chances.}) 30... Rxd4 31. Qxd4 Qxd4 32. Rxd4 {It seems as there is no difference, but Najer has a nice resource now:} g5 $3 {This quickly leads to a rook endgame, full of survival chances for the defender.} 33. Rd7 b5 34. Rd6 ({ With the king on h2, the line} 34. Ra7 Rxe5 35. Rxa6 Bc4 $1 36. Bxc4 bxc4 37. Rc6 Re2 $1 {leads White nowhere.}) 34... Rxe5 35. Rxa6 Bc4 36. Bxc4 bxc4 37. a4 {This seems like White's best try. Firouzja wants to defend his passer sideways.} ({Rather than} 37. Rc6 Rb5 {when the a-pawn would not make too many moves.}) 37... Rc5 38. Rb6 c3 39. bxc3 Rxc3 40. a5 Kg7 41. a6 Ra3 {The a6-pawn is dangerous, but while bringing in the supporters White will have to part with his kingside pawns. Objectively, it is a draw.} 42. Kg3 Ra2 $1 {That forces White to abandon the pawn early.} 43. f4 gxf4+ 44. Kxf4 Rxg2 45. Ke5 Ra2 $1 46. Kd6 f5 $1 {The key resource. The f-passer is really dangerous.} ({Not} 46... Kg6 47. Kc7+ Kg5 48. Kb7 f5 49. a7 Rxa7+ 50. Kxa7 f4 51. Rb5+ Kh4 52. Rb3 {when White wins.}) 47. Kc7 f4 48. Kb8 f3 49. a7 f2 50. Rb1 f1=Q {But at the very final moment Najer succumbs to the pressure.} ({Firouzja rightly pointed out that this pawn should not have been given that easily and indeed, Black makes a draw after} 50... Kg6 $1 51. a8=Q ({Or} 51. Rf1 Rb2+ 52. Kc7 Ra2) 51... Rxa8+ 52. Kxa8 Kg5 53. Rf1 Kh4 54. Rxf2 Kxh3 55. Kb7 h5 56. Kc6 Kg3) 51. Rxf1 Rb2+ 52. Ka8 Rb3 53. Rc1 Kg6 54. Rc7 h5 55. Rb7 {The king is out.} Rxh3 56. Rb6+ Kg5 57. Kb7 Ra3 58. Ra6 Rb3+ 59. Kc7 {The king marches all the way to h7.} 1-0