Buzz to Brilliance

Alireza Firouzja – Fabiano Caruana
11th Norway Chess; Stavanger, June 3, 2023
French Defence C11

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Qb6 9. Qd2 Qxb2 10. Rb1 Qa3 11. Ncb5. It is interesting to note that Caruana, with White, preferred here instead 11. Bb5 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 a6 13. Bxd7+ Bxd7 14. Rb3 Qe7 15. Rxb7 Qd8 16. 0-0 Rb8 17. Rxb8 Qxb8 18. f5 Qc8 19. f6 gxf6 20. Qf4 Qc4 21. exf6 Rg8 22. Nxd5 exd5 23. Re1+ Kd8 24. Qb8+ Bc8 25. Qa7 Be6 26. Bb6+ Kc8 27. Qa8+ Kd7 28. Qb7+ Kd6 29. Ba7 Rxg2+ 30. Kxg2 Qg4+ 31. Kh1 Qf3+ 32. Kg1 Qg4+ 33. Kh1 Qf3+ ½ : ½ Caruana – Robson, 60th U.S. Chess Championship, Saint Louis 2016.
11. ... Qxa2 12. Rd1 (12. Rb3 Rb8∞)
12. ... Rb8 13. Nc7+ Kd8 14. Ncb5 Nc5 15. Bd3 Nxd3+ 16. Qxd3 Bd7. A new move by Caruana, but more of form than of substance, because 16. ... Qa5+ 17. Kf2 Nxd4 18. Bxd4 Bd7 also looks playable, Abergel – Fridman, 34th German Schach Bundesliga, Viernheim 2014.

17. Nd6? As it will be demonstrated, this is not the way to find compensation for the two Pawns minus. White should have castled now.
17. ... Bxd6 18. exd6 Qc4 19. Qd2 f6! The Black King is heading to f7, so as to free the h8-Rook.
20. Nxc6+ bxc6 21. Qa5+ If 21. Bxa7 then 21. ... Rb2 with a dominating position.
21. ... Ke8 22. Qxa7 Rb2!

23. Qa8+? The Black Rook has apparently been a temptation that was hard to resist. However, it must be said that White’s situation was already compromised enough without Firouzja making it worse.
23. ... Kf7 24. Qxh8 Qxc2 25. Bd2 Qe4+ 26. Kf1 Qd3+! 27. Ke1

27. ... c5! The threat of ... Bd7-b5 with mate to follow forces Black to give up a piece.
28. h4 Bb5 29. Kf2 Rxd2+! 30. Rxd2 Qxd2+ 31. Kg3 Qe3+ 32. Kh2 Qxf4 33. Kg1 Qd4+ 34. Kh2 Qxh4+ 35. Kg1 Qd4+ 36. Kh2 Qe5+ 37. Kg1 Qxd6. Caruana can be happy with his five Pawns for the Exchange.
38. Rxh7 Qf8! 0 : 1.

Another brilliant attack was carried out by Caruana, who is leading the pack so far. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Norway Chess.