1. e2e4  1... c7c5 Props to Firouzja for willingly entering super sharp territory. This is the attitude needed to win an event like this one, even if it backfired in this particular game. 2. g1f3  2... d7d6  3. d2d4  3... c5d4  4. f3d4  4... g8f6  5. b1c3  5... a7a6  6. f2f3  6... e7e5  7. d4b3  7... c8e6  8. c1e3  8... f8e7  9. d1d2  9... e8g8  10. e1c1  10... b8d7  11. g2g4  11... b7b5  12. g4g5 All of this has been seen many times before, and it is one of the biggest mainlines of the Najdorf. Now, in modern times, people have been trying …Nh5 here, with interesting complications to follow—I played this move myself once against Areschenko in a tiebreak game at last year's World Cup. But, Firouzja goes for the old mainline. 12... b5b4 Objectively, there is nothing wrong with this move, but in practice, it strikes me as a poor choice. Black's position is very hard to play and one missed detail in preparation review, or one mistake over the board, can lead to an immediate disaster. I actually had this position myself last year against Duda, and he went down even harder than Firouzja did. Somehow it feels like the choice is impractical, even if it doubtlessly holds objectively. 13. c3e2  13... f6e8  14. f3f4  14... a6a5  15. f4f5  15... e6c4 A very rare move, which Firouzja quickly blitzed out, surely indicating he was still in his preparation. 16. c1b1  16... a5a4  17. b3c1  17... d6d5  18. f5f6 This is surely the most challenging move. Black is okay but has to defend very carefully. 18... g7f6  19. g5f6 Firouzja started burning time here. His position is not bad yet, but it is difficult to play. 19... d7f6  20. e2g3  20... c4f1  21. h1f1  21... a4a3 The machine claims this is the best move by a wide margin. In a higher chess sense, I am sure this is true. But, that is a very, very bad sign for Black as now after the natural b2-b3, White's king is safe on the queenside and Black has no notable counterplay. 22. b2b3  22... g8h8  23. e4d5 Now, the machine claims Black can keep things somewhat complicated (though he is still clearly worse) with the only move Qc7. Good luck finding that—in practice, this feels crazy difficult for a human to do. 23... e8d6  24. d2b4 Nice and simple. White grabs the pawn, and since Black has played a4-a3 and White got b2-b3 in, he never has to worry in the slightest about the b-file. Black is absolutely busted and White has no shortage of ways to finish off the game. 24... a8c8  25. e3b6  25... d8d7  26. b4e1 A rather sadistic move. Black is unable to protect e5. The rest requires no commentary.