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This was a nervous game. One can sense that these two brilliant players lost their confidence in what has been a difficult tournament for both of them. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.h3 h6 6.c3 d6 7.Nbd2 a6 The Italian has so many details that sometimes it's difficult to keep up. When to play h3, when to play h6, whether Black should play a6 or a5, whether White should advance the pawns on the queenside or just play on the kingside, should he pin the knight with Bg5 or not, and so on. It's necessary to study dozens of hours and many games to start understanding these things. 8.b4 Ba7 9.a4 Be6 Another difficult Italian question: when to take on e6, or in a similar way, when to take on e3. Most of the time I have no clue what's the right answer. 10.Bxe6 Firouzja decides to go for it. fxe6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Re1 Qe8 13.Nf1 Nh5 14.Ra2! Notice that Duda played a similar move in his game today. I just love these rook moves. The rook protects the kingside from here. Nf4 15.Kh2 Qf7 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Nxe3 Kh8 I don't understand the point of this move very well. It was, however, played in two grandmaster games. 18.Ng4 A new move and the first choice of the computer. 18.Ng1 had been played before. 18...Ne7 19.Ng1! The idea is to play g3, sending the knight back. 19.g3? Nxh3 20.Kxh3 Qxf3 19...Neg6 20.g3 Nh5 21.Kg2 Nf6 22.Nf3 Qd7 23.Nfh2 Qc6 24.Qb3 Rae8 25.h4 Firouzja could have started play on the queenside. 25.Rb1 and the position is comfortable for White. The idea ia a5-c4-b5 and so on. 25...Nh5 25...Qd7 26.Re3? A horrible blunder. 26.d4! with advantage for White. 26...b5? Returning the favor. 26...Nhf4+! Not a difficult move for Radjabov, a player that used to strike with the King's Indian. 27.gxf4 exf4 27...Nxf4+ 28.Kg1 h5 29.Nxe5! dxe5 30.Nf3 and White is fighting for equality. 28.Rh3 28.h5 Nh4+ 29.Kh3 g5‼ a fantastic computer move. Obviously, it was not necessary to see this to play the sacrifice. 29...fxe3 30.Kxh4 exf2 31.Rxf2 Qd7 with some advantage for Black. 30.Re1 30.hxg6 Nxg6 31.Re1 f3 with a strong attack. 30...Re7! Followed by Qe8xh5 with a strong attack. 28...h5 regaining the piece with the advantage. 27.Nf3 Qd7 28.Qd1 28.c4 with the advantage. 28...Nf6 29.Nfh2 29.Nxf6 Rxf6 30.axb5 axb5 31.h5 Ne7 32.d4 with a clear advantage. 29...Qc6 30.Ra3 Kh7 31.Kg1 Rf7 32.axb5 axb5 33.d4 Ref8 34.Ra2 Qc4 35.Rb2 Ra8 36.Rf3 Raf8 37.Re3 Ra8 38.Nxf6+ gxf6 38...Rxf6? 39.h5 Ne7 40.dxe5 dxe5 41.Ng4 wins. 39.Nf3 Ne7 40.Nd2 Qc6 41.dxe5 fxe5 42.Rf3 Rg7 43.Kh2 This allows Radjabov to activate his queen. 43.Qb3! with the idea of playing Ra2 and controlling the a-file. Ng6 43...Qd7 44.Ra2 44.Kf1 with the advantage. 43...Qe8! 44.Qb3 Qg6 Now Radjabov is fine. 45.Ra2 Rxa2 46.Qxa2 Qg4 47.Re3 Rf7 47...Ng6! was better. 48.f3 Qh5 49.Qxe6 Nxh4! 50.Qh3 50.gxh4? Qxh4+ 51.Qh3 Qf2+ mates. 50...Qg5! 51.Re2 Ng6 with a good position for Black. 48.f3 Qg6 49.Nf1 Now we get some more maneuvering. Qf6 50.Qf2 Rf8 51.Nd2 Ra8 52.Nb3 Ng6 53.Na5 Rg8 54.Re1 Qf7 55.Nb3 Qd7 56.Ra1 Rg7 57.Nd2 Ne7 58.Qe3 Ng8 59.Nf1 Nf6 60.Qe2 Nh5 61.Qf2 Qc6 62.Qe3 Qc4 63.Nd2 Qc6 64.Rg1 Qa8 65.Nf1 Qd8 66.Qf2 Black has to fight against Ne3-g4. Qe8 66...Qf6 67.Ne3 Rg8 And it's not easy for White to support Ng4, for instance: 68.Kh3 68.Ng4?? Rxg4 68...d5! 69.Ng4 Rxg4! 70.Kxg4 dxe4 71.Kh3 exf3 with excellent chances. 67.Ne3 Nf6 67...Qf7 68.Qe2 Preparing Ng4. Rxg3!? 69.Rxg3 Qf4 70.Qe1! Nxg3 71.Ng2! Nf1+ 72.Kg1 Nh2! 73.Nxf4 Nxf3+ 74.Kf2 Nxe1 75.Nxe6 Nc2! 76.Nxc7 Na3 with a drawn endgame. 68.Qe2 Qh5 68...Rg8 69.Ng4! Nxg4+ 70.fxg4 and White is better. 69.Kh3? 69.Rg2 69...Kh8? 69...Nxe4! 70.g4 Ng5+ 71.Kg3 Nf7! 72.Qxb5 Qg6 Followed by d5 or e4, and Black has good play. 70.Ng4! Qg6 71.Nxf6 Qxf6 72.Ra1 Qg6 73.g4 Qf7 74.Qe3 Kh7 75.Ra5 Qd7 76.Qd3 c6?! 76...h5! 77.g5 Qf7 78.Qe3 78.Rxb5 Qf4 followed by Rf7, and Black is in time to achieve a draw. 78...Qd7= 77.Ra1 77.Kg2! Preventing Qf7 and White will press a lot in this endgame. 77...Qf7! 78.Qe3 White still has some advantage, but Firouzja is not able to demonstrate any winning attempt. Qf6 79.Kg3 Rc7 80.Rd1 Rd7 81.Rd2 d5 82.Re2 Rf7 83.Kg2 Kg8 84.h5 Kh7 85.Qd3 Kg7 86.Re3 Qf4 87.Re2 Kf6 88.Qd1 Kg5 89.Re1 Kh4 90.Rh1+ Kg5 91.Re1 Kh4 92.Rh1+ Kg5 93.Re1 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Firouzja,A2793Radjabov,T2753½–½2022C54FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament 20228
Nakamura,H2760Caruana,F27831–02022C82Chess.com8
Nepomniachtchi,I2766Ding,L2806½–½2022C47Chess.com8
Rapport,R2764Duda,J27501–02022C26Chess.com8