[Event "88th Tata Steel Masters"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"] [Date "2026.01.27"] [Round "9.5"] [White "Jorden van Foreest"] [Black "Vincent Keymer"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2703"] [BlackElo "2776"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "51"] [GameId "2273118207799361"] [EventDate "2026.01.17"] {[%evp 0,51,29,22,17,18,22,20,22,17,27,6,6,11,11,8,12,16,15,-13,-20,-47,0,5,-3,3,15,18,46,22,39,44,44,44,33,33,41,46,143,130,130,137,137,137,137,505,537,620,606,614,606,573,1207,1341]} 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. Bf4 {The London system. Seeing attacking games like this, where the attack is based on White's control of e5, it is difficult to imagine that the early Bf4 used to be considered innocuous.} e6 4. e3 Bd6 5. Bd3 Bxf4 6. exf4 Qd6 7. Qd2 b6 8. Nc3 c5 9. h4 {All this had been played before.} Nc6 {But this is a new move} ({that probably would better have been replaced by} 9... a6 {to prevent the later Bb5.}) 10. h5 Bb7 11. h6 g6 12. Bb5 c4 ({Seeing the rest of this game you realise that} 12... O-O {would be far preferable, even though White after} 13. Bxc6 {would be somewhat better.}) 13. Ne5 Ng8 {If this is necessary, Black is in deep trouble.} (13... O-O {was indicated, even though White after} 14. Bxc6 Bxc6 15. g4 {would have a comfortable attack.}) 14. O-O-O f6 {That's what Black intended with his previous move, but now White can strike.} ({After the most natural move} 14... Nge7 {White would win a pawn with} 15. Bxc4 {as} dxc4 16. Ne4 {would be disastrous for Black.}) 15. Nxc4 {A winning piece sacrifice.} dxc4 {Relatively best would be eating humble pie and play on with a pawn less after} (15... Qd7 {but it is difficult to bring oneself to such modesty.}) 16. d5 exd5 {Now there were several promising attacking moves, but White's next move is by far the strongest.} 17. Qe3+ Kf8 ({Also after} 17... Qe7 18. Qh3 {Black would be lost.}) 18. Rxd5 Qe7 19. Qd2 Ne5 {There was not much choice.} (19... Z0 {The threat} 20. Re1 {was too strong.}) 20. fxe5 Bxd5 21. Nxd5 Qc5 22. Nf4 {Another nice move. White sacrifices another piece, but it cannot be taken.} c3 ({After} 22... Qxb5 23. Qd6+ Kf7 ({or} 23... Ke8 24. Re1) 24. e6+ Ke8 25. Nd5 {Black will be overwhelmed, e.g.} Rc8 26. Nc7+ Rxc7 27. Qxc7 Ne7 28. Qb8+ {and Black will come out a rook down.}) 23. Qd7 Qe7 24. Qd5 Re8 ({After} 24... Rc8 {White wins by} 25. Ne6+) 25. Bxe8 fxe5 ({After} 25... Qxe8 {comes} 26. Ne6+ {with a quick mate.}) 26. Bxg6 {and a cute move at the end. Black resigned.} ({After} 26. Bxg6 exf4 (26... hxg6 {will cost the queen after} 27. Nxg6+) {would come} 27. Qa8+ {and mate.}) 1-0 [Event "88th Tata Steel Masters"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"] [Date "2026.01.24"] [Round "7.4"] [White "Gukesh, D.."] [Black "Anish Giri"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A29"] [WhiteElo "2754"] [BlackElo "2760"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "74"] [GameId "2272870743806009"] [EventDate "2026.01.17"] {[%evp 0,74,28,-23,-23,-24,-20,-17,-17,-23,-9,-7,-7,3,30,-8,-8,-23,-14,-8,-3,-25,14,16,14,16,4,-4,4,5,60,33,33,41,40,30,44,31,52,53,21,52,49,19,10,-38,-43,-30,-30,-30,-30,-49,-39,-47,-30,-37,-34,-34,-34,-58,-53,-57,-57,-393,-394,-414,-544,-533,-538,-538,-538,-540,-556,-566,-564,-569,-590]} 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bc5 {This natural move was for a long time considered weak.} 7. d3 ({The supposed refutation} 7. Nxe5 {turns out not to be so great after} Nxc3) 7... O-O 8. Qb3 Nde7 9. O-O h6 10. a3 Nd4 11. Nxd4 exd4 {Black has nothing to complain about the opening.} 12. Ne4 Bb6 13. Qc2 a5 14. Bd2 a4 15. Bb4 Re8 16. Nc5 Bxc5 17. Bxc5 Nf5 {A superficial observer - like me when I first saw this position - might think that White was a bit better because of his two bishops. But this is not the case.} 18. Be4 Ra6 {Black is ready to make his pawn on d4 unassailable with b6 and c5.} 19. e3 {White realises that he can't win the pawn on d4.} ({After} 19. Qc4 Ra5 20. Bxf5 Bxf5 21. Rfe1 {Black would have a surprising way to get an advantage with} Be6 {and if White then follows his plan with} 22. Qxd4 {there would follow} Qg5 23. Rac1 ({or} 23. Bb4 c5) 23... b6 {and White's bishop would be lost.}) 19... dxe3 20. fxe3 {White's center is shaky.} Qg5 {Black keeps the tension.} ({After} 20... Nxe3 21. Bxe3 f5 {Black would have a tiny advantage.}) 21. Rf4 b6 22. Qc4 ({The best was simply} 22. Bb4 {After} c5 23. Bc3 Nxe3 24. Qf2 {White would have active play for the pawn that he lost.}) 22... Ra7 23. Bb4 c5 24. Qb5 {After this move, things go very wrong for White.} ({His best chance was} 24. Bxf5 Bxf5 25. e4 {After} Be6 26. Qb5 Rd7 27. Bc3 Red8 {Black would be clearly better, but it is still a difficult fight.}) 24... Rae7 25. Bd2 Nd6 {With not much time on the clock Giri chooses a simple move that gives him a clear advantage.} ({During the game Giri thought (and he was right) that} 25... Nxg3 {would be the winning move, but the sequel after} 26. hxg3 Rxe4 27. dxe4 Qxg3+ 28. Kh1 {would be extremely complicated, with Black still being a rook down.}) 26. Qxb6 Nxe4 27. dxe4 Rxe4 28. Rxe4 Rxe4 29. Qc6 Qg4 30. Qxc5 ({Perhaps White should have shed a pawn here with} 30. Bc3 {but after} Rxe3 31. Rf1 {Black's winning chances would have been considerable.}) 30... Rc4 31. Qd6 ({Here} 31. Qd5 {was the only way to resist. Also then Black would have a very strong attack against the white king.}) 31... Qe4 {Now White is powerless against Black's attack.} 32. Kf2 Bb7 33. Rf1 Rc6 {All Black's pieces work optimally together.} 34. Qd8+ Kh7 35. Bc3 Rxc3 {An elegant way to win.} 36. bxc3 Qg2+ 37. Ke1 Ba6 {White resigned as he is losing his rook.} 0-1