[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