[Event "SuperUnited Croatia Rapid 2023"] [Site "Zagreb"] [Date "2023.07.06"] [Round "5.5"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C54"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2835"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] [TimeControl "1500+10"] {[%evp 12,103,4,2,30,20,43,27,25,14,36,27,53,47,49,24,89,100,94,97,100,89,99, 109,185,179,174,170,135,134,227,187,216,200,222,174,219,161,213,172,166,166, 176,170,169,170,231,178,181,172,174,175,175,180,187,175,202,193,191,167,223, 244,234,225,233,229,177,177,224,231,234,200,282,282,252,16,20,0,371,353,323,0, 0,0,562,555,662,647,647,632,568,564,406,395] The development of chess skills takes a while but with effort and patience, it takes no time to learn chess opening theories & knowing your opponents strengths and weaknesses. One chess Super GM that resembles the criteria I mentioned is Alireza Firouzja. His chess growth evidently shown in his current FIDE Rating of 2777 and Rank No. 6 in the World is Outstanding. Let's check his game when he won against World Champion Magnus Carlsen in the 2023 SuperUnited Croatia Rapid (FM Jesse Noel Sales).} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 3. Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 4. d3 {[%emt 0: 00:04]} Bc5 {[%emt 0:00:24]} 5. c3 {[%emt 0:00:21]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 6. Bg5 {[%emt 0:00:32]} h6 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 7. Bh4 {[%emt 0:00:02] THE ASSIGNMENT: Looks like white is inviting black to push the g pawn to g5 but must be aware of white's b4 move.} a5 {[%emt 0:00:06] C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3.} (7... g5 $5 {[%CAl Rg5h4]} 8. Bg3 a5 $11) 8. O-O { [%emt 0:00:32] [#]} Bb6 $146 {[%emt 0:00:38]} ({Predecessor:} 8... Bd7 9. Na3 Bxa3 10. bxa3 O-O 11. Rb1 Rb8 12. Bb5 Be6 13. d4 Bg4 14. Bxc6 bxc6 15. dxe5 Bxf3 16. Rxb8 Qxb8 17. Qxf3 {½-½ Gukesh,D (2732)-Carlsen,M (2853) Norway Chess 11th 2023 (4)}) 9. Kh1 {[%emt 0:02:04]} g5 {[%emt 0:01:30] White has an edge.} 10. Bg3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Nh5 {[%emt 0:00:57]} 11. Nbd2 {[%emt 0:01:31] [%CAl Yd3d4]} Bg4 {[%emt 0:02:35]} 12. h3 {[%emt 0:01:35]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 13. Bb5 {[%emt 0:01:58]} Nf4 {[%emt 0:03:04]} (13... Ba7 $11 {keeps the balance.}) 14. Nc4 $16 {[%emt 0:00:31]} h5 {[%emt 0:05:14]} 15. Nxb6 {[%emt 0: 01:45]} cxb6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 16. Nd2 {[%emt 0:00:13][%CAl Yd3d4]} Kf8 { [%emt 0:03:36]} 17. d4 {[%emt 0:02:27]} Ne7 {[%emt 0:00:20]} (17... Rc8 $16) 18. Bxd7 $18 {[%emt 0:01:11]} Qxd7 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 19. dxe5 {[%emt 0:00:24]} dxe5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 20. Nf3 $1 {[%emt 0:00:17][%csl Yd7,Ye5,Yg5][%mdl 64] Discovered Attack} Qc7 {[%emt 0:01:43]} (20... Qxd1 $16 21. Raxd1 (21. Rfxd1 f6 $16) 21... f6) 21. Nxg5 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 22. Qc2 {[%emt 0: 02:21]} Neg6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 23. Rad1 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 24. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:19]} Ne6 {[%emt 0:00:54]} (24... Qe7 $142 25. c4 h4) 25. Nh4 {[%emt 0:02:10]} Nxh4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 26. Bxh4 {[%emt 0:00:01][%CAl Yg3h4, Yh4f2,Yf2e3][%mdl 32]} f6 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 27. f3 {[%emt 0:01:44]} b5 {[%emt 0: 00:10]} 28. Bf2 {[%emt 0:00:51]} Qc4 {[%emt 0:01:14]} (28... Qc6 {was worth a try.} 29. Qe2 Nf4) 29. b3 {[%emt 0:01:49]} Qc6 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 30. Be3 { [%emt 0:00:05]} Rxd1 {[%emt 0:00:31]} 31. Rxd1 {[%emt 0:00:04]} ({Don't take} 31. Qxd1 Rd8 32. Qc2 Rd6 $16) 31... Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 32. Rxd8 {[%emt 0:00: 12]} Nxd8 {[%emt 0:00:02][%mdl 4096] Endgame KQB-KQN} 33. Qd3 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Nf7 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 34. c4 {[%emt 0:00:37]} bxc4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 35. bxc4 { [%emt 0:00:00][%CAl Yb3c4,Yc4c5][%mdl 32]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:00:41]} (35... a4 $142 36. Qd5 Nh8) 36. c5 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Nf7 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 37. Kh2 {[%emt 0:00: 15]} a4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 38. Qd5 {[%emt 0:01:35]} Qb5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 39. Bf2 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Nh8 {[%emt 0:04:42] [#]} (39... Qc6 $142 40. Be3 Nh8) 40. f4 $1 {[%emt 0:00:16][%mdl 512]} Qb2 {[%emt 0:00:54] [#]} (40... Nf7 41. fxe5) 41. Bg3 {[%emt 0:00:48][%CAl Rf4e5]} exf4 {[%emt 0:00:13]} (41... Nf7 $142 42. fxe5 fxe5) 42. Bxf4 {[%emt 0:00:05] e5 would be deadly.} Nf7 {[%emt 0:00:01] Prevents e5} 43. Be3 $2 {[%emt 0:01:48]} (43. Qxh5 $18 {Hoping for Qg4+.} Qxa2 44. Qg4+ Kf8 45. Qc8+ Kg7 46. Bd6) 43... Ne5 $11 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 44. Bf4 { [%emt 0:00:14] And now Bxe5 would win.} (44. Qd2 {simplifies} Qxd2 45. Bxd2 Nd3 46. Be3) 44... a3 $2 {[%emt 0:00:52][%mdl 8192] [#]} (44... Nf7 $1 $11 { and Black has nothing to worry.}) 45. Bxe5 $1 $18 {[%emt 0:00:29]} fxe5 { [%emt 0:00:01] KQ-KQ} 46. Qe6 $2 {[%emt 0:00:07]} (46. Kg3 $18) 46... h4 $1 $11 {[%emt 0:00:22]} 47. Qg4+ {[%emt 0:00:14]} Kf7 $2 {[%emt 0:00:43][%mdl 8192]} ( 47... Kf8 $11) 48. Qxh4 $18 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Qxa2 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 49. Qh7+ { [%emt 0:00:02][%mdl 64] Skewer} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 50. Qxb7 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Qc4 {[%emt 0:00:06] Prevents Qa6+.} 51. Qb6+ {[%emt 0:00:16]} Kg5 {[%emt 0:00: 05]} 52. c6 {[%emt 0:00:13][%mdl 64] Amazing grit by SuperGM Alireza Firouzja. His patience and keen eye did not allow World Champ Magnus Carlsen to look for any possible winning counter offensive. Fantastic perseverance to improve chess skills on an impressive high note. I hope you liked this game and learned from it. Thank you.} 1-0