[Event "Tata Steel Masters"] [Site "?"] [Date "2021.01.16"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D53"] [WhiteElo "2862"] [BlackElo "2749"] [Annotator "chess.com,thechesscorner"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] {[%evp 0,79,22,18,25,22,22,23,23,22,24,26,28,27,18,23,18,18,18,18,19,19,18,17, 25,30,23,23,26,32,34,35,44,44,41,46,51,42,29,29,29,29,34,34,34,34,34,0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,-16,0,0,-52,-35,-50,-47,-108,-104,-118,-102,-111,-70,-70,-70,-113,-78,-94, 261,271,257,282,29989,29990,29991,29992,29993,29994]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Be7 {The QGD specialists Kramnik and Short often used this line, which means it cannot be bad for Black.} 7. cxd5 ({ It was great to see the return at least in online games of two living chess legends in the following game last year:} 7. e3 O-O 8. Bd3 c5 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Bxe7 Nxe7 11. O-O b6 12. Be4 Rb8 13. Rc1 Ba6 14. Re1 cxd4 15. Nxd4 Nc5 { when Black did not have any problems out of the opening in Lautier,J (2658) -Kramnik,V (2753) Chess.com 2020}) 7... Nxd5 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. e4 {Now after the knight trade...} (9. Rc1 $5) 9... Nxc3 10. bxc3 O-O {...the position is similar to the Neo-Tarrasch Defense. It should be noted though that Carlsen has a lot of remarkable wins in this pawn structure (although he typically gets it from the Grunfeld Defense.)} 11. Bd3 c5 12. O-O cxd4 13. cxd4 b6 14. a4 {N A logical novelty. White frees himself of the isolated pawn and creates a weakness for the opponent instead.} ({An earlier game saw White trading way too many pieces after} 14. Rc1 Nf6 15. Qe2 Bb7 16. Rfd1 Rac8 17. h3 Rfd8 18. Rxc8 Rxc8 19. e5 Nd5 20. Qe4 g6 21. Qg4 Kg7 22. Nh4 Qg5 23. Qxg5 hxg5 { Obolentseva,A (2324)-Girya,O (2456) Moscow 2019}) 14... Bb7 15. a5 bxa5 16. Rxa5 Nf6 17. Re1 Rfd8 18. Qa1 {The world champion puts pressure on the queenside, but in reality he is waiting for a good moment to strike in the center.} Qc7 $1 {A cool move by Firouzja. The pawn is not in danger.} 19. h3 ({ After} 19. Rxa7 Rxa7 20. Qxa7 {Black would regain it with a draw after} Ra8 21. Qc5 Qxc5 22. dxc5 Rc8) 19... a6 20. Rc5 {Before doing anything concrete in the center, Carlsen tries a couple of other ideas.} ({The breakthrough is already possible:} 20. d5 exd5 21. e5 Ne4 22. Nd4 {with compensation for the pawn, but the world champion waits for a better moment.}) 20... Qf4 21. Re5 {Intending to trap the queen with g2-g3.} Nd7 22. Ra5 Nf6 {Not much progress here. Then it is time for the standard break:} 23. d5 $1 exd5 24. e5 {The point behind the sacrifice. Diagonals and files are opened for the white pieces, as well as a fabulous outpost in the center.} Ne4 {This diagonal should be locked.} 25. Qd4 {That is the difference with the similar line from above. Carlsen wants to gain a few tempi chasing the enemy queen backwards.} Rdc8 {So far, Firouzja has defended well and now he threatens to swap a pair of rooks with Rc8-c1.} 26. Raa1 ({Instead, White could have set a trap with} 26. Bf1 {since then} Rc1 $2 {drops material due to} ({However, Black can repeat the moves with} 26... Qf5 27. Bd3 Qf4) 27. g3) 26... a5 27. Rab1 Bc6 {Firouzja wants to keep his extra pawn.} ({However, a more cautious player, like Peter Leko or Tigran Petrosian, might have chosen the relieving} 27... Ba6 $5 {Black gives back the pawn but successfully dries the game after} 28. Bxa6 Rxa6 29. Qxd5 Nc3 (29... Ng5 $5 {in order to swap the knights also makes perfect sense.}) 30. Qd7 Qc4 31. Rb7 Qe6 {with a likely draw.}) 28. e6 $1 {Carlsen is not shy to sacrifice a second pawn in return for another fabulous outpost and more initiative!} fxe6 29. Ne5 Qf6 30. f3 ({Apparently, White did not sacrifice a couple of pawns only to chicken out and go into defense after} 30. Bxe4 dxe4 31. Nxc6 Rxc6 32. Qxe4 Rca6 33. Ra1) 30... Ng5 31. Rb6 {Pushing the black pieces even further.} Be8 32. Qe3 $1 {The most dangerous move for the second player.} ({The more forcing option} 32. f4 Ne4 33. f5 {allows Black a chance to trade the queens with} ({Once again} 33. Bxe4 dxe4 34. Qxe4 a4 {makes little sense for White.}) 33... Qe7 $1 34. fxe6 ({Or} 34. Rxe6 Qa7 $1 ({But beware of the trap} 34... Qc5 $2 35. Rxe4 $1 dxe4 36. Rxe8+ $1)) 34... Qc5 {and Black is safe.}) 32... a4 { If you do not know what to do, why not promote a new queen?} ({Instead:} 32... Nf7 {is not solidifying the position. It only helps White after} 33. Ng4 Qc3 34. Rxe6) (32... Qe7 $1 33. f4 Ne4 34. Bxe4 dxe4 35. Kh2 a4 36. Qxe4 a3) 33. Ng4 Qd8 $1 {As expected, the machine is not impressed by White's play so far and promises a large advantage for the second player. Until Carlsen captures the pawn:} ({Instead:} 33... Qe7 {would have forced Black into gloomy defense with} 34. h4 Nf7 35. Rxe6 {As:} Qxh4 $4 {loses on the spot:} ({Therefore, the ugly} 35... Qf8 {should be played, but White is definitely happier here.}) 36. Rxe8+ Rxe8 37. Qxe8+ Rxe8 38. Rxe8#) 34. Rxe6 $1 {Then all is re-evaluated...} ({Now} 34. h4 {is not possible due to} d4 35. Qf4 Nh3+ 36. gxh3 Qxb6) 34... Nxe6 (34... a3 35. f4 Nxe6 36. Qxe6+ Kh8 37. Nxh6 Bh5 $1 38. Re5 Rc1+ 39. Kh2 Qf8 40. Rf5 Qe8 {stockfish evaluates this complicated position as 0.0} 41. Qxd5 Rd8 42. Qa5 Ra8 (42... Rxd3 43. Rxh5 g6 44. Rh4) 43. Qd5) 35. Qxe6+ Bf7 $4 { An automatic defense and a human instinct to bring more defenders around the king that loses on the spot!} ({The only defense is} 35... Kh8 $1 {The point is that after} 36. Nxh6 {Black is not forced to take and has a chance to organize his defenders with} Bh5 $3 37. Ng4 ({Or else the pin saves the day after} 37. Re5 Rc1+ 38. Kh2 Qc7 $1 39. f4 Rc6 $1) 37... Qf8 {It seems as White has nothing better than} 38. Re5 {when Black even has a choice to go for the risky double-edged position with} Rc1+ ({Or he can practically force a draw instead with} 38... Qf7 39. Rxh5+ Qxh5 40. Ne5 Re8 {when White has a choice of perpetual checks but nothing more:} 41. Ng6+ ({Or} 41. Nf7+ Kg8 42. Nh6+ Kh8 43. Nf7+) 41... Kh7 42. Nf4+ Kh8) 39. Kf2 Qf7 {and anything can still happen.}) 36. Nxh6+ $1 {Of course!} gxh6 37. Qxh6 {The light-squared bishop stands on the road of the black pieces and, therefore, he cannot survive.} Qc7 {After this, mate is inevitable.} ({More resilient is} 37... Rc7 38. Re5 $1 Be8 39. Rg5+ Qxg5 40. Qxg5+ Kf8 {Although here too White should win, for instance after } 41. Qf4+ Rf7 42. Qd6+ Re7 43. Qf6+ Rf7 44. Qh8+ Ke7 45. Qe5+ Kf8 46. Qxd5) ( 37... a3 38. Bh7+ Kh8 39. Bg6+ Kg8 40. Qh7+ Kf8 41. Qxf7#) (37... Ra7 38. Bh7+ Kh8 39. Bf5+ Kg8 40. f4 $1 Re7 (40... a3 41. Bh7+ Kh8 42. Bg6+ Kg8 43. Qh7+ Kf8 44. Bxf7 Qb6+ 45. Kh2 $18) 41. Bh7+ Kh8 42. Bd3+ Kg8 43. Re5 Rxe5 (43... Bg6 44. Qxg6+ Rg7 45. Qe6+) 44. Bh7+ Kh8 45. Bg6+ Kg8 46. Qh7+ Kf8 47. Qxf7#) 38. Qh7+ Kf8 39. Qh8+ Bg8 40. Qh6+ {And Firouzja resigned, not waiting for the mate.} (40. Qh6+ Kf7 (40... Qg7 41. Qd6+ Kf7 42. Qe7#) 41. Bg6+ Kf6 42. Bh5+ Kf5 43. g4#) 1-0