[Event "XTX Markets LCC Elite 2025"] [White "Firouzja,Alireza"] [Black "Shankland,Sam"] [Site "London"] [Round "1.2"] [Annotator "TA"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Date "2025.11.26"] [WhiteElo "2762"] [BlackElo "2649"] [PlyCount "78"] [TimeControl "60"] {[%evp 21,78,16,18,16,16,17,19,12,19,26,83,50,75,75,103,75,76,81,103,103,104,72,72,72,77,75,87,89,110,100,129,90,108,108,108,105,104,93,119,105,123,36,44,45,50,45,50,54,56,0,74,31,65,0,78,0,80,0,87]} 1. d4 {[%emt 0:0:2]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:0:10]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:0:6]} g6 {[%emt 0:0:6]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:0:5]} d5 {[%emt 0:0:5]} 4. cxd5 {[%emt 0:0:5]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 5. e4 {[%emt 0:0:9]} Nxc3 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 6. bxc3 {[%emt 0:0:6]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:0:2]} 7. Bc4 {[%emt 0:0:10]} O-O {[%emt 0:0:29]} 8. Ne2 {[%emt 0:0:6]} c5 {[%emt 0:0:9]} 9. O-O {[%emt 0:0:11]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:0:8]} 10. Be3 {[%emt 0:0:6]} Na5 {[%emt 0:0:54] 10...Bg4 is the modern continuation.} 11. Bd3 {[%emt 0:3:25]} b6 {[%emt 0:0:10]} 12. Rb1 {[%emt 0:11:13] D87: Exchange Grünfeld: Classical Line: Variations without ...cxd4.} e5 {[%emt 0:7:14]} 13. dxc5 {[%emt 0:1:21]} Be6 {[%emt 0:1:10] Black sacrificed a pawn} 14. cxb6 {[%emt 0:1:2]} axb6 {[%emt 0:5:35]} 15. Bxb6 {[%emt 0:0:20]} Qc8 $146 {[%emt 0:1:30]} (15... Qd7 $11 )({Predecessor:} 15... Qd7 16. Bb5 Qxd1 17. Rfxd1 Bxa2 18. Rb4 Rfb8 19. Bc7 Rb7 20. Bc6 Rxb4 21. Bxa8 Rb5 {1-0 Mecking,H (2567)-Mekhitarian,K (2511) BRA-ch Internet 1st 2008 (2.1)} )16. a4 {[%emt 0:3:28][%cal Ya2a4,Ya4a5][%mdl 32]} Nc4 {[%emt 0:2:7]} 17. Bxc4 {[%emt 0:1:37]} Bxc4 {[%emt 0:3:48]} 18. a5 {[%emt 0:2:30]} Qc6 {[%emt 0:4:12]} 19. Qc2 {[%emt 0:3:34]} Rfc8 {[%emt 0:2:8]} 20. Rfe1 {[%emt 0:11:53]} Be6 {[%emt 0:8:7]} 21. Nc1 {[%emt 0:28:21]} Qxc3 {[%emt 0:1:50]} 22. Qxc3 {[%emt 0:0:5]} Rxc3 {[%emt 0:0:3]} 23. Ne2 {[%emt 0:0:44][%cal Yc1e2,Ye2c3,Yc3b5,Yb5c7][%mdl 32]} Rc4 {[%emt 0:1:39]} 24. Rec1 {[%emt 0:3:18]} Rxe4 {[%emt 0:9:28]} 25. Nc3 {[%emt 0:1:2]} Rh4 {[%emt 0:0:56]} (25... Rc4 26. Nb5 $16 )26. Nb5 {[%emt 0:1:41] [#] Threatens to win with Nc7.} Bh6 {[%emt 0:6:30]} 27. Rd1 {[%emt 0:12:45]} Bf5 {[%emt 0:2:24]} 28. Ra1 {[%emt 0:0:26]} Bc2 {[%emt 0:1:38]} 29. Nc7 {[%emt 0:15:9]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:6:49]} 30. Re1 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Bd2 {[%emt 0:5:11]} 31. Re2 {[%emt 0:0:0]} (31. Rxe5 $2 Bf4 (31... Bc3 32. Ree1 $17 )32. Re2 (32. Re8+ $2 Rxe8 33. g3 Bxc7 $19 )Bxc7 $19 (32... Rxc7 $2 33. Bxc7 Bxc7 34. Rxc2 $18 ))(31. g3 $16 Re4 32. Rxe4 Bxe4 33. h3 )Bc3 $14 {[%emt 0:0:3]} 32. Rc1 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Bd3 {[%emt 0:0:7]} 33. Ra2 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Bd4 {[%emt 0:1:41]} 34. Rd2 {[%emt 0:0:35]} Ba6 {[%emt 0:4:15]} 35. h3 {[%emt 0:0:5]} (35. Rb1 $14 Bxb6 36. axb6 (36. Nxa6 Bxa5 37. Rd5 Rhc4 $17 ))Bb7 {[%emt 0:2:37]} (35... Bxb6 $11 36. axb6 Rb4 )36. Rb1 {[%emt 0:1:41]} (36. a6 Bxa6 (36... Bxb6 $2 37. axb7 Rf8 38. Nd5 $18 )37. Bxd4 Rxd4 $17 )Bc6 {[%emt 0:3:46]} 37. Rc1 {[%emt 0:0:55]} Bb7 {[%emt 0:0:36]} 38. Rdd1 {[%emt 0:0:41]} (38. a6 Bxa6 (38... Bxb6 $2 39. axb7 Rf8 40. Nd5 $18 )39. Bxd4 Rxd4 $17 )({White should try} 38. Bxd4 $16 Rxd4 39. Rdc2 (39. Rxd4 exd4 40. Kf1 d3 $11 ))Rf4 {[%emt 0:2:24]} ({Much worse is} 38... h5 $6 39. a6 Bxb6 (39... Bxa6 40. Bxd4 Rxc7 41. Rxc7 $16 )40. axb7 $16 )(38... Bxb6 $11 {keeps the balance.} 39. axb6 Rb8 )39. Rd2 {[%emt 0:0:29]} (39. a6 $16 Bxb6 (39... Bxa6 40. Bxd4 Rxc7 41. Rxc7 $16 )40. axb7 )Rh4 {[%emt 0:19:51] Weighted Error Value: White=0.24 (precise) /Black=0.16 (very precise) Blunder Elo (mw_local): 2370 (13.7) 2400 (13.0) Mistake: White=4 Black=4 Inaccurate: White=4 Black=2 OK: White=4 Black=3 Best: --- Black=1} (39... Bxb6 $11 40. axb6 Rb4 )1/2-1/2