[Event "Superbet Chess Classic"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2023.05.10"] [Round "5.2"] [White "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C65"] [WhiteElo "2785"] [BlackElo "2789"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] {[%evp 0,103,19,31,34,19,13,4,25,30,22,-6,1,-15,15,19,27,1,17,5,-17,4,21,21,17,-32,3,-9,23,16,-23,-18,-10,-26,-27,-27,-3,-39,-20,-28,-40,-36,-9,-39,23,-118,-98,-39,-22,-8,-8,-62,-15,-66,-9,-66,-52,-53,-45,-51,5,-48,71,25,158,98,123,123,123,123,117,123,123,123,141,154,157,165,185,185,235,276,282,298,299,207,303,317,360,390,377,399,445,514,452,454,596,604,625,631,648,648,654,654,662,667]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O d5 7. Nbd2 dxe4 8. dxe4 a5 9. Qc2 Qe7 10. a4 Nb8 {Kramnik tried this once, against Carlsen, and they are not the only world champions who have been here before.} 11. h3 {Yes, you guessed it right $1 So far both players followed a crucial game from the world championship match in Kazakhstan.} ({In Astana, Ding faced instead:} 11. Re1 Rd8 12. h3 h6 13. Nf1 c6 14. Bc4 Na6 15. Ng3 Qc7 16. Ba2 b5 17. Qe2 Rb8 18. Nh4 Bf8 19. Qf3 bxa4 20. Bxh6 {and managed to survive his opponent's fierce attack after} Nc5 {Nepomniachtchi,I (2795)-Ding,L (2788) Astana 2023}) 11... Rd8 12. Be2 Nbd7 13. Re1 Nf8 14. Nb3 Bb6 15. Nfd2 Be6 16. Nc4 {All of this seems very logical. White gains the bishop pair.} Bxc4 17. Bxc4 Ne6 18. g3 {[#]} h5 $5 $146 {[%c_effect h5;square;h5;type;Interesting;persistent;true] A move that Firouzja did not like. He felt as if his opponent is weakening too much. On the other hand, Ding is working on the creation of some outposts around the opponent's king.} ({The predecessor saw:} 18... h6 19. Kg2 Rd7 20. Nd2 Qc5 21. Nf3 Qxc4 22. Nxe5 Qc5 23. Nxd7 Nxd7 24. Be3 Qc6 {Anand,V (2757) -Vidit,S (2722) Kolkata 2019}) ({Instead} 18... Nc5 {\"is just equal\" (Firouzja)}) 19. Kg2 {That is the correct approach.} (19. h4 $2 {[%c_effect h4;square;h4;type;Mistake;persistent;true] allows the black knight too comfortable squares close to the king and after} Ng4 20. Rf1 Qf6 {Black has a strong attack.} ({Or even} 20... Nf4)) 19... h4 20. Qe2 g6 {\"A terrible move, weakens his king.\" (Firouzja)} ({Indeed, a move like} 20... Rd7 $5 {[%c_effect d7;square;d7;type;Interesting;persistent;true] both overprotecting the vital f7-point, and preparing the counterplay along the d-file would have been in the spirit of the position. Then} 21. Nd2 Nc5 22. Nf3 Ncxe4 {would be a far inferior version of the game continuation for White and Black should do very well, say} 23. Nxh4 Bxf2 ({Or even} 23... Rad8)) 21. Nd2 $1 {[%c_effect d2;square;d2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] A very strong idea by Firouzja. The light squares are the sore points in the black camp therefore he is quickly transferring his forces towards the objects.} Nc5 22. Nf3 hxg3 ({This time} 22... Ncxe4 {does not suffice due to} 23. g4 $1 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) 23. fxg3 Ncxe4 24. Ng5 {All of this is very straightforward and logical, but based on a miscalculation.} ({Instead, in the studio White was very anxious about the super-idea} 24. Ba2 $3 {[%c_effect a2;square;a2;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] \"Prophylactical move, stops Ne4-d6 which was the whole problem for me during the game.\" (Firouzja), and indeed, White would be clearly on top then after, say,} Kg7 ({And if} 24... Rd7 {this time} 25. Qc2 $1 {[%c_effect c2;square;c2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] works.}) 25. Ng5) ({\"First I thought that I am winning with\"} 24. Qc2 {\"but then I saw\"} Qc5 $1 {[%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] \"and that was the first cold shower. \" (Firouzja) Since} 25. Rxe4 Nxe4 26. Qxe4 Qf2+ 27. Kh1 Rd1+ {is mate.}) 24... Nd6 $1 {[%c_effect d6;square;d6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} ({Definitely not self-pinning with} 24... Nxg5 $2 {[%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} 25. Bxg5 {when both bishops squeeze Black out.}) 25. Ba2 Re8 26. h4 ({Unfortunately for White, he thought that he does not have} 26. Bf4 $5 {[%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;Interesting;persistent;true]} Nh5 27. Qxe5 {Due to the strong resource} (27. Rad1 $5 {[%c_effect d1;square;d1;type;Interesting;persistent;true] However, this move leaves the situation unclear, say} Nxf4+ 28. gxf4 Kg7 29. Qxe5+ Qf6) 27... Qd7 $1 {[%c_effect d7;square;d7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] (Firouzja)} 28. Qd5 Nxf4+ 29. gxf4 Kg7 {and Black is indeed better.}) 26... Kg7 27. Rf1 {\"I felt I should not be worse here with this strong bishop (Ba2). But perhaps my other bishop is bad\" (Firouzja)} Rad8 28. Bd2 e4 $1 {[%c_effect e4;square;e4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Ding is en route to proving his opponent wrong.} 29. Bf4 $1 {[%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Sharpens up the game to the maximum in the forthcoming time trouble.} ({Rather than} 29. Rae1 e3 30. Bc1 Qe5 {which leaves White no practical chances at all.}) 29... e3 {This pawn could have been huge $1} 30. Rad1 Nfe4 {Alas, in the heat of the battle, and in the midst of the time trouble, the world champion errs and misses a brilliant win.} ({Ding saw the move} 30... Nde4 $1 {[%c_effect e4;square;e4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] but after} 31. Nxf7 {The Chinese GM missed the best continuation.} ({White does not have} 31. Bxf7 Rxd1 32. Rxd1 Nxg5 {Due to the same in-between crafty little check after both} 33. Bxe8 (33. hxg5 Qe4+ $1 {[%c_effect e4;square;e4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 34. Kg1 Rh8) 33... Qe4+ $1 {[%c_effect e4;square;e4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) 31... Rxd1 $3 {[%c_effect d1;square;d1;type;Brilliant;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] A move which Firouza explained as a counterintuitive and difficult move for a human to find, as Black is giving away the open file. This is indeed true; however, it is the e-pawn that matters here and therefore the remaining black rook does a phenomenal job from where it stands. For example} (31... Rd2 {(Ding), \"but I don't think it is a good move. \" (Firouzja)} 32. Rxd2 Nxd2 33. Bh6+ Kh7 34. Rf4 Nh5 $2 {[%c_effect h5;square;h5;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} ({Apparently} 34... Nde4 {is still unclear, at least according to the machine.}) 35. Ng5+ Kxh6 36. Rf7) 32. Rxd1 Nf2 33. Re1 ({The line} 33. Rf1 Qe4+ 34. Qf3 e2 $3 {[%c_effect e2;square;e2;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] is particularly pretty} 35. Bh6+ Kh7 36. Ng5+ Kxh6 37. Nxe4 exf1=Q+ 38. Kxf1 N2xe4 {and Black wins.}) 33... Qe4+ 34. Qf3 Nd3 35. Re2 ({Or} 35. Bh6+ Kh7 36. Re2 Qxf3+ 37. Kxf3 Nc1 $1 {[%c_effect c1;square;c1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}) 35... Nxf4+ 36. gxf4 Nh5 $1 {[%c_effect h5;square;h5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] and White position burns down in flames.}) 31. Bxd6 $1 {[%c_effect d6;square;d6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Firouzja speculated that his opponent decided to force a draw in the coming time trouble.} Nxd6 32. Bxf7 Nxf7 33. Rxf7+ Qxf7 34. Nxf7 Rxd1 35. Qxd1 Kxf7 ({Or perhaps the world champion missed that in the line} 35... e2 36. Qd7 e1=Q 37. Ne5+ $1 {[%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Is he getting mated $2 Say} Kh6 38. Ng4+ Kh5 39. Qh7+ Kxg4 40. Qxg6#) 36. Qe2 Ke7 {The last straw. \"He left the g6-pawn very weak.\" (Firouzja)} ({Instead Black had decent chances of holding on with} 36... Kg7 $1 {[%c_effect g7;square;g7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 37. Kf1 Bc5 $1 {[%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] \"Activating the bishop.\" (Firouzja)}) 37. Kf1 $1 {[%c_effect f1;square;f1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] White releases the queen.} Rf8+ 38. Ke1 Rf2 39. Qg4 Kf6 40. Qg5+ Kf7 41. Qd5+ Kf6 42. g4 $1 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] And once the pawns come to help, it is all over. The problem for Black is that the pawns are moving while creating mating nets.} Rxb2 43. g5+ Ke7 ({Or else} 43... Kg7 44. Qe5+ {would win the g6-pawn with check safter} Kg8 (44... Kf7 45. Qf6+) 45. Qe6+) 44. Qe5+ Kd7 45. Qg7+ Kd6 46. Qxg6+ {The rest was easy for Firouzja.} Ke5 47. Qe8+ Kf4 48. g6 Rb1+ 49. Ke2 Rb2+ 50. Kd3 Rd2+ 51. Kc4 Rg2 52. Qf7+ 1-0