[Event "Superbet Chess Classic"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2023.05.14"] [Round "8.3"] [White "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D14"] [WhiteElo "2724"] [BlackElo "2785"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "Poland"] [BlackTeam "France"] [WhiteTeamCountry "POL"] [BlackTeamCountry "FRA"] {[%evp 0,95,19,31,43,-23,33,17,37,29,27,29,36,41,18,13,13,15,28,-14,13,14,14,12,37,38,42,21,32,16,36,40,33,45,50,47,64,62,75,77,89,93,122,79,109,96,122,84,105,106,84,84,75,79,77,55,56,59,59,44,94,113,130,33,83,78,88,92,92,99,153,132,150,147,147,163,142,129,222,146,159,87,210,189,230,234,248,235,248,300,300,300,270,296,317,325,330,307]} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. e3 Bf5 7. Nf3 e6 8. Qb3 Bb4 9. Bb5 {After the game, Duda revealed that he was not feeling quite well prior to the game and did not object the draw. This might have been the reason for his opening choice, a calm Exchanged Slav.} O-O 10. Bxc6 {Kramnik and Anand discussed this line at their WCC match in Bonn.} Bxc3+ 11. Qxc3 Ne4 {An ambitious move, which was played after a prolonged thought. Firouzja was clearly in a fighting mode.} ({Many strong players, including Anand, choose to defend instead with:} 11... Rc8 12. Ne5 Ng4 $1 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The point: Black does not want to have a backward pawn, but chooses to sacrifice it instead for activity.} 13. Nxg4 Bxg4 14. Qb4 Rxc6 15. Qxb7 Qc8 16. Qxc8 Rfxc8 17. O-O a5 {with compensation for the pawn thanks to the active rooks. The opposite-colored bishops also point toward the draw being the most likely result as in the recent game, Bok,B (2616)-Bacrot,E (2648) Chess.com INT 2022}) ({Instead, what White is hoping for is} 11... bxc6 12. O-O {which is favorable for White, as the black pawn structure has been compromised.}) 12. Qa3 bxc6 13. Rc1 {Now White has everything that he wants from the pawn structure. Both c6- and a7-pawns are weak and long-term targets. Black needs to find something concrete, right now.} g5 {And what can be more concrete than this $2} 14. Bg3 {Duda is also taking his time.[#]} ({He might have been tempted at the beginning by the idea} 14. Nxg5 $5 {[%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;Interesting;persistent;true]} Nxg5 15. h4 Ne4 16. f3 {in order to regain the piece with} Nf6 ({However} 16... h5 {seems solid enough for Black here.}) 17. g4 Bg6 18. h5) 14... Rc8 $146 {A novelty and a bad sign for Black. Passive defense is the last thing he needs.} ({The predecessor saw:} 14... h5 15. h4 ({However, the immediate} 15. Nd2 $5 {[%c_effect d2;square;d2;type;Interesting;persistent;true] looks better for White as well.}) 15... g4 16. Nd2 Nxg3 17. fxg3 Qc7 18. Kf2 e5 {which is more in the spirit of the position, Simon,H (2140)-Boehnke,M (2163) Germany 2018}) 15. Nd2 $1 {[%c_effect d2;square;d2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] A strong move that sucks the energy away from the black pieces while further weakening the dark squares.} Nxg3 ({In case of} 15... Nxd2 16. Kxd2 f6 17. Rc5 {the white king is perfectly safe, whereas the same cannot be stated about the black queenside pawns.}) 16. hxg3 Kg7 17. Rc5 {That's the problem. There are too many convenient outposts on the dark squares.} Rh8 {The only way to get some play is to advance the h-pawn and open some files for a kingside activity.} 18. Ra5 Rc7 {A rook on the seventh rank is the last thing Firouzja wants to see; therefore, he swaps it before it becomes too dangerous.} ({If} 18... h5 19. Rxa7 h4 20. gxh4 gxh4 21. Nf3 {and it is White who attacks first after Nf3-e5 $1}) 19. Rxa7 Rxa7 20. Qxa7 h5 21. b3 ({Sending the knight towards the center at once might have been even more convincing for White} 21. Nf3 h4 22. Ne5 Bg6 23. gxh4 gxh4 24. Rh3 {with White's edge.}) 21... h4 ({For now, Black could deprive the knight of a central outpost with} 21... g4 $5 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;Interesting;persistent;true] Then} 22. Ke2 h4 23. Rxh4 Rxh4 24. gxh4 Qxh4 25. Qb8 Qh1 {leads to definite counterplay for Black.}) 22. gxh4 gxh4 23. Nf3 {Now Duda is in control, although the many open spaces always provide chances for a counterplay to the opponent.} Bg6 24. Rh3 ({Both} 24. a4 $5 {[%c_effect a4;square;a4;type;Interesting;persistent;true]}) ({And} 24. Kf1 $5 {[%c_effect f1;square;f1;type;Interesting;persistent;true] with the idea to meet} Qa8 {with} 25. Qxa8 Rxa8 26. a4 Rb8 27. Nd2 Bc2 28. Ke2 $1 {[%c_effect e2;square;e2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] seems more accurate for White.}) 24... Qa8 $1 {[%c_effect a8;square;a8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Now Firouzja manages to exploit the relative weakness of the white queenside just in time.} 25. Qxa8 Rxa8 26. a4 Bc2 {In order to defend the c6-pawn.} ({Instead} 26... Rb8 27. Ne5 Rxb3 28. Rxh4 Ra3 29. Nxc6 Rxa4 {leads Black to a gloomy position. Is this defendable or not $2}) 27. Rxh4 Bxb3 28. Rg4+ $1 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] A nasty in-between check.} Kf8 29. Rf4 Ra7 {A difficult decision and, objectively, not the best one.} ({A better chance would be} 29... Ke7 $1 {[%c_effect e7;square;e7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] with the idea to meet} 30. Ne5 f6 31. Ng4 Rxa4 32. Nxf6 {with} c5 $1 {[%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) ({But not} 29... Bxa4 30. Ng5 $1 {[%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] when White wins the most important e6-pawn.}) 30. a5 $1 {[%c_effect a5;square;a5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} ({The inclusion of the moves} 30. Ng5 Kg7 31. a5 Bc4 {does not help White.}) 30... Ba4 31. a6 ({Also good is} 31. Ne5 Kg7 32. a6 f6 33. Nd3 Bb5 34. Nc5 e5 35. Rg4+ Kh6 36. dxe5 fxe5 37. f3 {with decent winning chances for the first player.}) 31... Bb5 32. Ng5 Bxa6 {A sad necessity.} ({Or else Black is losing on the spot after} 32... Kg7 33. Rxf7+ $1 {[%c_effect f7;square;f7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} Rxf7 34. Nxf7 Kxf7 (34... Bxa6 35. Nd8) 35. a7) 33. Nxe6+ Ke7 34. Ng5 f6 ({The last try is to hold passively with} 34... Kf8 {although this should not be enough after something like} 35. Nf3) 35. Nh7 {Winning a second pawn, and the rest should have been easy for White, had not it been the time trouble.} f5 36. Rxf5 Bd3 37. Re5+ Kd6 38. Ng5 Ra2 39. Nh3 Bc4 40. g4 {A slip $1} (40. Nf4 $1 {[%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] first would have deprived Black of the sudden chance.}) 40... Re2+ {The fatal 40th move $1} ({Firouzja missed the suddenly gifted chance.} 40... c5 $1 {[%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] would put White's win in jeopardy; for example,} 41. f4 Re2+ 42. Kd1 cxd4 43. exd4 Rg2 44. g5 Rg3 45. Nf2 Rg1+ 46. Kd2 Rg2 {and nothing is clear yet $1}) 41. Kd1 Ra2 42. g5 {Now it is all over for Black.} c5 43. g6 Bb3+ 44. Ke1 Ra1+ 45. Ke2 Ra2+ 46. Kf3 c4 47. Re8 Ra7 48. Rd8+ 1-0