1. d2d4  1... g8f6  2. c2c4  2... e7e6  3. b1c3  3... f8b4  4. g1f3  4... d7d5  5. d1a4  5... b8c6  6. c1g5 Mamedyarov  likes to sacrifice pawns in the opening, but this time it seems as he felt victim of Aronian's famous opening laboratiry. 6... d5c4  7. a2a3  7... b4c3  8. b2c3  8... d8d5 "I thought I remember everything about this move, but I  obviously did not. Or maybe this was just a bad position (for me)?"  (Mamedyarov). 9. g5f6  9... g7f6  10. g2g3  10... c8d7  11. a4c2  11... c6a5  12. e2e4  12... d5d6  13. f1g2  13... a5b3 A novelty in comparison to a very old game. 14. a1d1 "One pawn or two pawns, it is not a big difference" (Mamedyarov).  14... d6a3  15. e1g1  15... e8c8  16. c2e2 "It is already very bad position (for  me)" (Mamedyarov). The knight on b3 is a monster that does not allow White a chance to use the open files. But this is not its only advantage. 16... d7b5  17. d1b1  17... c7c6  18. f1d1  18... a7a5 Aronian makes progress on the queenside while  Mamedyarov simply waited in the past few moves. With his next move he  tries to get rid of the black knight and open files on the queenside. 19. f3d2 However, now comes a piece of magic: 19... b3d4 Obviously  foreseen by Aronian in advance. 20. c3d4  20... d8d4 The pawns get into motion. 21. b1a1  21... a3b2  22. a1b1  22... c4c3 The point behind Black's sacrifice. 23. e2f3  23... d4d2  24. b1b2  24... c3b2 The sacrifice works spectacularly well.  Nominally speaking, the queen is stronger than the rook and the three  pawns. But this pawn on b2, is it just a pawn? It is almost nine pawns  right now! 25. g2f1 Allows a beautiful finish. 25... h8d8 Not a bad move, but...very uncharacteristic for Aronian. He  misses beautiful tactics. 26. d1b1  26... b5f1  27. g1f1  27... d2c2 A second slip in a row.