[Event "Norway Chess"] [Site "Stavanger NOR"] [Date "2021.09.14"] [Round "7"] [White "Alireza Firouzja"] [Black "Ian Nepomniachtchi"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2754"] [BlackElo "2792"] [PlyCount "113"] [EventDate "2021.09.07"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 {The Giuoco Piano.} 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d6 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 {The Re1 move provides a space for the knight at b1 to f1 square as well as supporting the e4 pawn.} a5 8. h3 {Avoiding the Bg4 pin.} Ba7 9. a4 h6 10. Nbd2 Be6 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. Nc4 {Now, its a different story after the exhange of bishops.} Nh5 13. Be3 Bxe3 14. Rxe3 {Eliminating dangerous black dangerous bishop.} Nf4 15. Ncd2 {Since the f-file is opened, white must be aware of any attacks by black and also must consolidate right placement of pieces.} Qf6 16. Nh2 Kh8 17. Qf1 {These are defensive moves by white. GM Nepomniachtchi is dangerous to play with.} Rf7 {Piling up the forces...} 18. Ndf3 Raf8 19. g3 {Slowly... white is reducing the pressure at kingside.} Nh5 20. Rd1 {Now....d4 move seems ripe to push.} Qe7 21. Kg2 {Slowly...but surely.. .} Qe8 22. Rd2 Ne7 23. Qd1 {Ready to push d4 pawn and eyeing the knight at h5.} Ng6 24. d4 exd4 25. cxd4 Nf6 26. Qc2 {Checking on g6 knight.} e5 27. dxe5 dxe5 {Here: we reached an interesting position....If you play white? what are your plans? write down in piece of paper. Evaluate...} 28. Rc3 c6 29. Rd6 {I think this is a reversal of position. Black is defending now.} Rd7 30. Rcd3 Rff7 31. Nf1 {This knight is heading to f5 or c4 via e3 as an option.} Rxd6 32. Rxd6 Rd7 33. Rxd7 Qxd7 {The position reach a Queen and Knight endgame. Find any weakness both sides.} 34. N1d2 Nh5 35. Kh2 {Black's threat is Nf4 ch, this king's side step is necessary.} Nf6 36. Qc3 Qc7 37. Kg2 c5 38. Qd3 {Having this type of position, white looks like has more play.} Ne7 39. Nc4 Nc6 40. Qd6 {Very nice....take the exchange or give up your c7 square and move somewhere else.} Qd7 41. Nfxe5 Nxe5 42. Qxe5 Qxa4 43. Qxc5 Qc2 44. e5 {Now, white is pawn up.} Ng8 45. Qd5 Qb3 46. e6 {Slowly inching to victory.} b5 47. Qa8 Kh7 ({ If} 47... Qxc4 48. e7 {wins.}) 48. Qe4+ Kh8 49. Nxa5 {Two pawns up now.} Qxb2 50. e7 Nxe7 51. Qxe7 {1 piece up...black must resign here.} b4 52. Qe8+ Kh7 53. Qe4+ Kh8 54. Qd5 {Placing the queen at d5 to control diagonal h1 to a8 to avoid any checks and guarding b3 square as well.} Qa3 55. Nb3 Qa4 56. Nd4 Qe8 57. Qb7 {Black Resigns. Wonderful game by young GM Alireza Firouzja. He just beaten the 2021 World Championship Challenger GM Ian Nepomniatchtchi. I hope you have learned about these games and have a nice day. Go to Homepage, play the chess engine, listen to music while having a cuppa!!!} 1-0