[Event "Superbet Classic 2023"] [Site "Bucharest ROU"] [Date "2023.05.10"] [Round "5"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Ding Liren"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C65"] [WhiteElo "2785"] [BlackElo "2788"] [Annotator "Robert Ris"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] {[%evp 0,103,28,21,21,22,6,6,6,6,22,0,0,-1,27,13,27,14,0,0,-22,-12,0,0,0,-23,1, -21,-6,9,-23,-22,-22,-16,-20,-21,-27,-32,-1,-39,-33,-24,-13,0,-10,-28,0,0,-30, -12,-29,-29,-14,-65,-65,-65,-40,-56,-54,-91,-92,-115,107,128,128,128,137,119, 137,137,122,123,123,142,160,167,185,193,213,213,268,289,293,298,318,230,369, 399,407,405,409,441,553,447,520,578,668,668,668,668,668,665,668,668,668,675] Super GM Ding Liren won the 2023 World Chess Championships. Being the new World Champion, it did not stop him from playing due to numerous invitations from chess organizers. Our featured game is played in the ongoing 2023 Superbet Classic. Unfortunately, this is his first defeat being World Champion against the young Super GM Alireza Firouza. Let's witness how white won against the fashionable Berlin Defense using the 5. c3 line} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 {The Berlin Defense.} 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 {Yes, previously, we featured the 5. 0-0 variation but today, Super GM Alireza Firouzja will show us the purpose of this move. Of course, the main idea is to prevent the knight at c6 from posting at d4.} O-O 6. O-O d5 7. Nbd2 ({IF} 7. exd5 Qxd5 8. Bc4 Qd7 9. Nbd2 a5 10. Ne4 Be7) 7... dxe4 8. dxe4 a5 9. Qc2 {Typical placement of the queen at c2.} Qe7 10. a4 Nb8 ({IF} 10... Na7 11. Be2) 11. h3 (11. Re1 Rd8 12. h3 h6 13. Nf1 c6 14. Bc4 Na6 15. Ng3 Qc7 {[%emt 0:00:09] ½-½ (82) Nepomniachtchi,I (2795)-Ding,L (2788) Astana 2023 Game}) 11... Rd8 12. Be2 Nbd7 13. Re1 Nf8 14. Nb3 Bb6 15. Nfd2 {Lots of transition formation from white.} Be6 16. Nc4 Bxc4 17. Bxc4 Ne6 18. g3 h5 {Black starts to weaken white's kingside.} (18... Rd6) 19. Kg2 (19. h4 Ng4) (19. Be3 Bxe3 20. Rxe3 h4) 19... h4 20. Qe2 g6 ({IF} 20... hxg3 $6 21. fxg3) ({IF} 20... Rd7) 21. Nd2 Nc5 22. Nf3 hxg3 23. fxg3 Ncxe4 ({IF} 23... Nfxe4 $2 24. b4 Nxc3 25. Bg5 Nxe2 26. Bxe7) 24. Ng5 $2 ( {IF} 24. Ba2 $1 Nf2 $2 ({IF} 24... Bf2 25. Rf1 Bxg3 26. Ng5 Nxg5 (26... Bf4 27. Nxe4 $16) 27. Bxg5) (24... Kg7 25. g4) 25. Nxe5 $18) ({IF} 24. g4 Nd6 25. Qxe5 Qxe5 26. Nxe5 Nxc4 27. Nxc4 Nd5 $14) 24... Nd6 $1 {Nice...} ({IF} 24... Nxg5 25. Bxg5 Rd6 26. Qxe5) 25. Ba2 (25. Bb3) 25... Re8 $6 ({Better is} 25... e4 $1 26. Bf4 Nh5 $1 27. Bxd6 (27. Qg4 Kg7 28. Bxd6 Rxd6 29. Nxe4 Rd3 30. Nf2 Re3 31. Rxe3 Qxe3 32. Rf1 f5 33. Qf3 Re8 $19) 27... Qxg5) 26. h4 $6 ({IF} 26. Bf4 Nh5 ( 26... exf4 $2 27. Qxe7 Rxe7 28. Rxe7 $16) 27. Bxe5 (27. Qxe5 Qd7 28. Qd5 Nxf4+ 29. gxf4 Kg7) 27... Qxg5) 26... Kg7 ({IF} 26... Rad8 27. Rf1 Kg7) 27. Rf1 (27. Bf4 Nfe4 $1 (27... Nde4 $5) 28. Ne6+ (28. Bc1 Nxg5 29. Bxg5 f6 $19) (28. Nxe4 exf4 $19) 28... fxe6 29. Bxe5+ Nf6 30. g4 Kh7 31. h5 Nf5 32. hxg6+ Kxg6) 27... Rad8 {The position is complicated, can black maintain being a pawn up?} (27... Qd7 28. Qf3 Qc6 29. Qxc6 bxc6 30. Bd2 Re7 $17) (27... e4 28. Bf4) 28. Bd2 { Yes, a must move to free the other rook. At sight, I do not see how white has won this game.} (28. h5) 28... e4 29. Bf4 {The threat is to take the knight at d6, then Nxf7.} e3 30. Rad1 {Preventing black's plan of Rd2.} Nfe4 $2 ({ Better is} 30... Nde4 $1 31. Rxd8 (31. Nxf7 Rxd1 32. Rxd1 Nf2 33. Re1 Qd7 $19) (31. Bxe3 Rxd1 32. Rxd1 Nxg5 33. hxg5 Qe4+ 34. Qf3 Qxf3+ 35. Kxf3 Rxe3+) 31... Rxd8 32. Nxe4 Qxe4+) 31. Bxd6 Nxd6 32. Bxf7 {Pretty exciting game, very intense.} Nxf7 (32... Rf8 33. Ne6+) 33. Rxf7+ Qxf7 34. Nxf7 Rxd1 ({IF} 34... Kxf7 35. Rxd8 Rxd8 36. Kf1) 35. Qxd1 Kxf7 ({IF} 35... e2 36. Qd7 e1=Q 37. Ne5+ Kh8 38. Qxe8+ Kg7 39. Qxg6+ Kh8 40. Nf7#) 36. Qe2 Ke7 $2 ({IF} 36... Kg7 37. Kf1 (37. h5 gxh5 38. Qxh5 Re6 $11) 37... Re5 38. g4 Bc5 39. Ke1 Bd6) 37. Kf1 Rf8+ 38. Ke1 {This move holds the e pawn from promoting.} Rf2 39. Qg4 Kf6 ( 39... Rxb2 40. Qxg6) 40. Qg5+ Kf7 41. Qd5+ {Still not easy for white, but high possibility to win.} Kf6 42. g4 Rxb2 43. g5+ Ke7 44. Qe5+ Kd7 45. Qg7+ Kd6 46. Qxg6+ Ke5 {King must go near the e pawn} 47. Qe8+ Kf4 48. g6 Rb1+ ({IF} 48... e2 49. g7 Kf3 50. Qf7+ (50. g8=Q Bf2#) 50... Ke3 51. Qe6+ Kf3 52. Qf5+ Ke3 53. g8=Q) 49. Ke2 Rb2+ 50. Kd3 Rd2+ 51. Kc4 Rg2 {World Champ Ding Liren may have panicked, but did not realize this move was a mistake.} (51... e2 52. g7) 52. Qf7+ {Very entertaining game from both GMs. Congratulations to Super GM Alireza Firouzja, he held his hopes high and deserved a fantastic win. What a fighting game, I have never thought black would lose having a solid and good defense in the middle game, still, anything can happen in chess. Thanks to all of you, enjoy your weekend. God Bless...} (52. Qf7+ Ke4 (52... Kg3 53. g7 $18) 53. Qd5+) *