Tata Steel 2020

[Look]

Hi,

From second round game Duda-Firouzja :

[d]3r2k1/p3b1pp/2p1p3/8/2K1P3/2N2RB1/P1n3PP/8 b - - 0 25

Position after 25.Rf3. The f3 rook is in a miserable position , Firouzja played ... Rd7 and the game went for a draw. My old laptop likes ...g5 with the idea of g4 . White seems to be in a semi zugzwang . Black king in this endgame can become active too. What lines occur after ... g5 , I think strong computer analysis is needed here.

The game:

[pgn]
[Event "82nd Tata Steel GpA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2020.01.12"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Duda, J."]
[Black "Firouzja, Alireza"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D20"]
[WhiteElo "2758"]
[BlackElo "2723"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2020.01.10"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 e5 4. Nf3 exd4 5. Qxd4 Qxd4 6. Nxd4 Bc5 7. Nb5 Na6 8.
Bf4 Nf6 9. N1c3 Ng4 10. Bg3 O-O 11. Bxc4 c6 12. Nd6 b5 13. Bb3 Nxf2 14. Rf1
Nd3+ 15. Kd2 Nxb2 16. Rab1 Nc4+ 17. Nxc4 bxc4 18. Bxc4 Rd8+ 19. Kc2 Nb4+ 20.
Kb3 Be6 21. Bxe6 fxe6 22. Rbd1 Be7 23. Kc4 Nc2 24. Rxd8+ Rxd8 25. Rf3 Rd7 26.
Ne2 Rd2 27. Nf4 e5 28. Nd3 Na3+ 29. Kb3 Nb5 30. Bxe5 Rxg2 31. Rg3 Rxg3 32. Bxg3
Nd4+ 33. Kc4 Nf3 34. Bb8 a5 35. a4 Nd2+ 36. Kd4 Nb3+ 37. Kc4 Nd2+ 38. Kd4 g5
39. Ne5 Bf6 1/2-1/2
[/pgn]

[Look]

Round 4 So-Firouzja :

[d]2rr2k1/4bppp/pqn2n2/1p2p3/6b1/PP1BPN2/1BRNQPPP/2R3K1 b - - 0 18

Here Firouzja played the wrong move 18 ... Na7 . After exchange of all rooks white plays h3 , black has to give bishop pair advantage to white as otherwise e5 pawn might be lost. Move like 18 ... Qb7 deserves attention.

[d]6k1/4bp1p/p5p1/1pn1p3/6P1/PP2P2P/1BB2P2/6K1 b - - 0 30

Firouzja played ... e4 to establish the knight to d3. White meanwhile slowly attacks the N with his king and bishop. Black's knight has no particular square to go even though it is on an outpost (over extended). As a result black loses e4 pawn. The move 30 ... f6 deserves attention.

The game:

[pgn]
[Event "82nd Tata Steel GpA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2020.01.14"]
[Round "4"]
[White "So, W."]
[Black "Firouzja, Alireza"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D27"]
[WhiteElo "2765"]
[BlackElo "2723"]
[PlyCount "93"]
[EventDate "2020.01.10"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. b3 cxd4 8. Nxd4
Be7 9. Bb2 O-O 10. Be2 Bd7 11. Nd2 Nc6 12. Rc1 Rc8 13. N4f3 b5 14. a3 Qb6 15.
Rc2 e5 16. Bd3 Rfd8 17. Qe2 Bg4 18. Rfc1 Na7 19. Rxc8 Rxc8 20. Rxc8+ Nxc8 21.
h3 Bxf3 22. Qxf3 Qd8 23. Qe2 Qd5 24. Bc2 Nd6 25. Qd3 Qxd3 26. Bxd3 Nd7 27. g4
g6 28. Ne4 Nxe4 29. Bxe4 Nc5 30. Bc2 e4 31. b4 Nd3 32. Bc3 Kf8 33. Kf1 f5 34.
Ke2 Bd8 35. Bxd3 exd3+ 36. Kxd3 Kf7 37. e4 fxg4 38. hxg4 g5 39. Kd4 Bb6+ 40.
Kd5 Bxf2 41. Kc6 Ke6 42. Kb7 Kd7 43. Kxa6 Kc6 44. e5 Be3 45. e6 Bc1 46. a4 bxa4
47. Be5 1-0
[/pgn]

[Chessqueen]

GM Giri is in trouble against the Young Lad Firouzja
https://en.chessbase.com/post/tata-stee ... -2020-live
[d]8/1p5p/2p2k2/p7/P4KP1/7P/1P6/8 b - - 0 1 [d][FEN/]

[Look]

GM Giri is in trouble against the Young Lad Firouzja
https://en.chessbase.com/post/tata-stee ... -2020-live
[d]8/1p5p/2p2k2/p7/P4KP1/7P/1P6/8 b - - 0 1 [d][FEN/]

Firouzja won the game in a complicated endgame.

[pgn]
[Event "82nd Tata Steel GpA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2020.01.16"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Firouzja, Alireza"]
[Black "Giri, A."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D31"]
[WhiteElo "2723"]
[BlackElo "2768"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "2020.01.10"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 c6 6. Qc2 Nf6 7. e3 Nh5 8. Be5
Nd7 9. Be2 Nxe5 10. dxe5 g6 11. Bxh5 gxh5 12. Nge2 f6 13. exf6 Bxf6 14. Rd1 O-O
15. O-O Kh8 16. e4 d4 17. Nf4 Be5 18. Nd3 Bg7 19. Ne2 h4 20. h3 Qe7 21. e5 Rd8
22. f4 Bf5 23. Kh2 Qe6 24. Ng1 Bh6 25. Nf3 Qe7 26. Kh1 Bxf4 27. Qc5 Qxc5 28.
Nxc5 Bc2 29. Rxd4 Rxd4 30. Nxd4 Be3 31. Nce6 Bg6 32. Rf3 Bh6 33. Nf5 Bxf5 34.
Rxf5 Be3 35. Rf3 Re8 36. Rxe3 Rxe6 37. Kg1 Kg7 38. Kf2 Kg6 39. Re4 Re7 40. Kf3
Kf5 41. Rxh4 Kxe5 42. Re4+ Kf6 43. Rxe7 Kxe7 44. Kf4 Kf6 45. g4 a5 46. a4 h6
47. h4 Ke6 48. g5 hxg5+ 49. Kxg5 Kf7 50. Kf5 b5 51. Ke5 1-0

[/pgn]

[Look]

Round 6: Yu Yangyi-Firouzja

[d]2rq1rk1/1p1nbpp1/p2p3p/P2Ppb2/1PP5/4B3/3NBPPP/2RQ1RK1 b - - 0 17

Black played ... Nf6. Aiming at ... Ng4 and consequently gaining a bishop pair advantage. But this maneuver weakens c5 square and takes time as white can counter in the queen-side. Black has choices including ... Bg6.

Later:

[d]2Rb4/1p1r2pk/p2P3p/P1B1pp2/1Pb5/2N2P2/5KPP/8 w - - 0 34

White missed Bb6 which could make some troubles for black. After Na4 draw is near.

The game:

[pgn]
[Event "82nd Tata Steel GpA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2020.01.17"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Yu Yangyi"]
[Black "Firouzja, Alireza"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2726"]
[BlackElo "2723"]
[PlyCount "71"]
[EventDate "2020.01.10"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf3 Qc7 8. a4
Be7 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O Be6 11. a5 h6 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. exd5 Bf5 14. c4 Nd7 15.
b4 Rac8 16. Rc1 Qd8 17. Nd2 Nf6 18. Qb3 Qd7 19. Rfd1 Ng4 20. Bxg4 Bxg4 21. f3
Bf5 22. c5 Qb5 23. Qc4 Bd3 24. Qxb5 Bxb5 25. Ne4 Rfd8 26. cxd6 Rxc1 27. Rxc1
Bxd6 28. Bb6 Rd7 29. Rc8+ Kh7 30. Bc5 Bc7 31. Kf2 f5 32. Nc3 Bc4 33. d6 Bd8 34.
Na4 Bb5 35. Nb6 Bxb6 36. axb6 1/2-1/2
[/pgn]

[Look]

Game Round 8 Van Foreest-Firouzja Ended in a draw. Using the new released Stockfish 11 some alternatives:

[d]r1bqkbr1/1p2pp1p/p2p2p1/3Nn1P1/3QP2P/8/PPP2P2/R1BK1BR1 b q - 0 12

Firouzja played ... Be6 . Alternative is ... Bg7.

[d]1r2kbr1/1p2pp1p/pNnpb1p1/6P1/4PP1P/8/PPP5/R1BK1BR1 b - - 0 16

Firouzja played ... Bg7 , another move is ... f5.

[d]1r6/3k2bp/2np4/1p1N3p/5P2/2P1BK2/P7/1R6 w - - 0 33

Nb6 for white seems stronger than played Rg1. But result might have been a tie anyway.

The game:

[pgn]
[Event "82nd Tata Steel GpA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2020.01.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Van Foreest, Jorden"]
[Black "Firouzja, Alireza"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2644"]
[BlackElo "2723"]
[PlyCount "73"]
[EventDate "2020.01.10"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Rg1 Nc6 7. g4 g6 8. g5
Nd7 9. h4 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Ne5 11. Kd1 Rg8 12. Nd5 Be6 13. Qb4 Rb8 14. f4 Nc6 15.
Qb6 Qxb6 16. Nxb6 Bg7 17. c3 f5 18. gxf6 Bxf6 19. Nd5 Kd7 20. Rh1 Bg4+ 21. Be2
Bxe2+ 22. Kxe2 b5 23. Be3 Bg7 24. Rad1 b4 25. e5 bxc3 26. bxc3 Rb2+ 27. Kf3 Rf8
28. exd6 exd6 29. Rb1 Rb5 30. Rxb5 axb5 31. Rb1 Rb8 32. h5 gxh5 33. Rg1 Bh8 34.
Rg5 Ne7 35. Nxe7 Kxe7 36. Rxh5 Bxc3 37. Ke4 1/2-1/2
[/pgn]

[Look]

Round 9 Firouzja-Carlsen :

[d]rn1qrbk1/1bp2p1p/p2p1np1/1p2p3/3PP3/P1P2N1P/1PBN1PP1/R1BQR1K1 w - - 0 14

The move d5 was played. Early release of tension. Giving c5 to black's knight. One alternative is b4 .

[d]r1r2bk1/2q2p1p/b1pp1np1/p1nPp3/P1P1P3/4NN1P/R1B2PP1/2BQR1K1 w - - 0 22

Game move was ... Nc5 . Attacking the base of the pawn chain with minor pieces, knights directly , Ba6 indirectly. Black's d6 pawn is safe. Nimzowitsch in his "My system" explains about pawn chains too.

[d]2r5/3q1pk1/b2p1npb/p2Pp3/n3P2P/B4QP1/2BN2K1/1R3N2 w - - 0 36

Nxa4 played , Rest is a matter of technique.

Game:

[pgn]
[Event "82nd Tata Steel GpA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2020.01.21"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Firouzja, Alireza"]
[Black "Carlsen, M."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C92"]
[WhiteElo "2723"]
[BlackElo "2872"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2020.01.10"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 d6 5. c3 a6 6. Ba4 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1
Re8 9. Nbd2 Bf8 10. h3 b5 11. Bc2 Bb7 12. d4 g6 13. a3 Nb8 14. d5 c6 15. c4
Nbd7 16. a4 Qc7 17. b3 Rec8 18. Ra2 bxc4 19. bxc4 a5 20. Nf1 Ba6 21. Ne3 Nc5
22. Nd2 cxd5 23. cxd5 Rab8 24. Ba3 Qd8 25. Qf3 h5 26. Raa1 Bh6 27. Rab1 Rxb1
28. Rxb1 Kg7 29. Nef1 h4 30. Ne3 Bf4 31. Nef1 Qc7 32. g3 hxg3 33. fxg3 Bh6 34.
h4 Qd7 35. Kg2 Nxa4 36. Bxa4 Qxa4 37. Bxd6 Qd4 38. Qf2 Qxf2+ 39. Kxf2 Bxf1 0-1
[/pgn]

[Chessqueen]

Did Firouzja lost on time to Carlsen ?

[Look]

Did Firouzja lost on time to Carlsen ?

Chessbase article says Firouzja resigned.

[Look]

Round 10 : Caruana-Firouzja

[d]3r2k1/p4p1p/1p2nqp1/1Brp4/PN3p2/7P/1P1Q4/1K1R1R2 b - - 0 27

Black plays ... d4 . The plan to push pawns forward in the middle-game is wrong as it weakens black's king. Black may wait for end-game to use his king supporting pawn pushes. One alternative is ... Kg7 .

[d]3r2k1/p4p1p/1p2nq2/1B3rp1/P2p1p2/3N1R1P/1P1Q4/1K4R1 b - - 0 30

Move ... Kf8 was played, ... Kh8 or ... h5 was safer.

[pgn]
[Event "82nd Tata Steel GpA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2020.01.22"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Caruana, F."]
[Black "Firouzja, Alireza"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E71"]
[WhiteElo "2822"]
[BlackElo "2723"]
[PlyCount "95"]
[EventDate "2020.01.10"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. h3 O-O 6. Be3 Nc6 7. d5 Ne5 8. f4
Ned7 9. g4 c6 10. Nf3 cxd5 11. cxd5 b6 12. Nd4 Nc5 13. Qf3 Bb7 14. g5 Nfxe4 15.
Nxe4 Bxd5 16. Nf6+ exf6 17. Qxd5 Re8 18. Nc2 fxg5 19. O-O-O gxf4 20. Bd4 Bxd4
21. Qxd4 Ne6 22. Qd2 Qf6 23. Kb1 Rac8 24. Bb5 Red8 25. Nb4 d5 26. Rhf1 Rc5 27.
a4 d4 28. Nd3 Rf5 29. Rf3 g5 30. Rg1 Kf8 31. h4 h6 32. hxg5 hxg5 33. Rh3 f3 34.
Bc4 Ke7 35. Bxe6 Kxe6 36. Qh2 f2 37. Rf1 Kd7 38. Rh6 Qe7 39. Rxf2 Rxf2 40. Qxf2
Kc8 41. a5 bxa5 42. Qc2+ Kb8 43. Nc5 Rd6 44. Rh8+ Rd8 45. Qb3+ Kc7 46. Qb7+ Kd6
47. Rh6+ f6 48. Ne4+ 1-0
[/pgn]