Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee, 2021

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bxc6 dxc6 {I play this. White must never move that c-pawn and leave d3 hanging.} 6. O-O {I delay 0-0 till I see where the Black King goes.} 6... Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. g4 {8...Bg6 9.Nxe4 is a hot pawn I'd never take till I had few more bits out.} 8... Nxg4 {Game on.} 9. hxg4 Bxg4 10. Be3 Be7 {Currently theory. The idea is to hold the e-pawn with Bf6 after playing f5.} 11. Kg2 f5 12. Qe1 {Breaking the pin before it gets too troublesome.} (12. a3) 12... Bxf3+ 13. Kxf3 f4 14. Bd2 g5 {This looks alarming. White has to hold their nerve.} 15. Bc3 {The game revolves the attack on the Black e-pawn.} 15... Bf6 16. Nd2 Qe7 17. Rh1 h5 18. Ke2 g4 19. f3 {Now 0-0-0. White cannot take on g4.} 19... g3 {This gums up the Kingside.} 20. Kf1 {Now 0-0-0.} 20... h4 21. Rh3 {Now Castle.} 21... a5 {Not liking that. Black's middle game plan is not to castle.} 22. a4 b6 23. Kg2 c5 24. Qb1 {This odd looking move is the prelude to putting pressure on the e5 pawn.} 24... Kf7 {The King is to be used as a Kingside defender.} 25. b3 Rad8 26. Nc4 Kg6 {see previous note, but the King is subject to tactical tricks on the Kingside.} 27. Qb2 Rh5 28. Rah1 {White is hitting the loose pawns. Is this tying the Black pieces down....} 28... Rdh8 {...or are White pieces tied down attacking. Now What?} 29. Qa1 {White shuggles his bits looking to zugzwang Black.} 29... Kg7 30. Bb2 Kg6 31. Qb1 Rd8 32. Qe1 Kg7 33. Qa1 Rdh8 34. Na3 {White is sniffing about trying sneak a way in.} 34... Kg6 35. Nb5 Bg7 36. Nc3 {White has seen a way in. Sac back the extra bits ideas.} 36... Qd8 37. Ne2 {Now Black has to watch the e5 and h4 pawns and Nxf4+ ideas.} 37... R8h7 38. Qe1 {Part two of the plan, activate the White Queen.} 38... Qd6 39. Qc3 c6 {I'd have left pawn alone b6 is now a target, Bf6 and see what happens.} 40. Qc4 {White is in, Black cannot cover every threat including a new hit on the e6 square.} 40... Rh8 41. Ba3 {An awkward pin. Black is running out of moves.} 41... Qf6 {The Queen holds h4 the h8 Rook will going to b8 to hold b6.} 42. Qa6 Rb8 43. Bc1 {Setting up Bxf4 or Nxf4 tricks.} 43... Bh6 44. Qa7 Qd8 45. Bb2 {45...Bg7 46.Nxf4+ everything Black does here leads to a tactical shot.} 45... Qc8 46. Qe7 {This will do as will 46.Rxh4.} 46... Bf8 47. Nxf4+ {The shot that has been hanging over this game for the past 10 moves. 1-0.} 47... exf4 {Black resigned we play on.} 48. Rxg3+ {Playing to the crowd. 48 Qf6+ works as well.} 48... fxg3 49. Qf6+ Kh7 50. Qf7+ Kh6 51. Bc1+ {The idea behind the Rxg3+ sac.} 51... Rg5 52. Rxh4 {Checkmate - good game.}