Olympiad Round 5. | CHESS AT THE BAG OF CATS

Not very inspired today, from neither the women’s team, nor for us in the open section. There were many interesting games today, and I enjoyed scrolling through the top matches for such a long time that I forgot to go to dinner. So, consider the game below the top of the iceberg.
   [Event "Chennai Chess Olympiad Open"]  [Site "Chennai"]  [Date "2022.08.02"]  [Round "5"]  [White "Giri, Anish"]  [Black "Hansen, Eric"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "E11"]  [WhiteElo "2760"]  [BlackElo "2606"]   1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Bb4+ (4... Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2  b5 8. a4 b4 9. Nfd2 {is the main line here, and it explains my comment to move  8.}) 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O dxc4 {It is rather uncommon to take on c4 in  this position. I presume Eric's choice of line is an expression of ambition.} (  {The idea behind the Bf8-b4-e7 maneuver, is usually to leave the bishop on d2  in a bad place, further away from its ideal square on b2, thus forcing it to  move early on.} 7... c6) 8. Qa4 (8. Qc2 b5 9. a4 b4 {and Bd2 is in the way of  the knight (see comment on move 4.).}) 8... Bd7 (8... a6 9. Qxc4 b5 10. Qc2 Bb7  11. Rc1 {would give White and extra tempo in a famous line (here Bd2 is a very  good move to have played).}) 9. Qxc4 Bc6 10. Rc1 (10. Nc3 {has been played a  number of times, and Giri's move order, might just be a way to give the  opponent something extra to think about.}) 10... Nbd7 11. Nc3 a6 12. Bf4 Rc8  13. a3 Nd5 14. b4 (14. Nxd5 Bxd5 15. Qc2 Bd6 16. Ng5 Nf6 17. Be5 g6 18. e4 {  also looks better for White.}) 14... N7b6 {At this stage there is nothing  wrong with Black's position.} 15. Qd3 Nxc3 (15... Nxf4 16. gxf4 f5 {, followed  by Kh8 and g5, has been played in similar situations, and here it seem quite  good.}) 16. Rxc3 Nd5 $6 {This invites a promising sacrifice. I wonder what mad  Eric Hansen go for this line; if he thought it gave him chances?} (16... Bb5 $1  17. Qe4 c6 18. h4 {is a suggestion from the engine. With an equal game.}) 17.  Rxc6 $1 {Clearly, yes, there are no longer any pieces in Black's position that  can fight properly for the light squares.} Nxf4 (17... bxc6 18. Bd2 a5 19. Ne5  {is even worse.}) 18. gxf4 bxc6 19. Rc1 (19. Qxa6) 19... Bd6 (19... a5 20. bxa5  Ra8 {, looks like a good alternative, not allowing White to build a solid  chain of pawns.}) 20. e3 h6 21. Qxa6 $2 {Giri did not produce his best level  today. This pawn is not urgent to take, and the queen is needed on the  kingside.} (21. Rxc6 g5 22. fxg5 hxg5 23. Qe4 $16) 21... Ra8 22. Qd3 g5 $1 23.  fxg5 hxg5 24. h3 f5 25. Rxc6 {Eric is back in the game!} Qf6 $1 26. Nd2 g4 27.  hxg4 fxg4 28. Ne4 Qf5 $2 {I am guessing there was time trouble involved. It is  rarely a good idea to double the heavy pieces with a queen in front, and here  it is really quite puzzling.} (28... Qh4 $1 29. Rc2 Qh2+ 30. Kf1 g3 31. Ng5)  29. Rc2 Ra7 30. Rd2 (30. Qb3 $1) 30... Be7 31. Ng3 Qg5 ({Black could have  fought on in a depressing endgame with} 31... Qxd3 32. Rxd3 Bd6 33. Ne4 e5) 32.  Qb3 Kh8 33. d5 Rd8 34. Rd3 exd5 35. Bxd5 Qe5 36. Qc4 (36. Be4 $1 {wins for  White since the rook on a7 is out of the game after the exchange of the of the  d-rooks:} Rxd3 37. Qxd3 Bd6 38. Qd1 $1 Rxa3 39. Qxg4 {and Black will soon have  to give up material.}) 36... Bh4 37. Ne2 $2 {The amount of mistakes at this  stage of the game surprise me somewhat. I would certainly not have committed  less myself, but I expect more of these guys. Again, time trouble is the  likely explanation.} Bg5 $2 (37... Qf6 $1 38. Nf4 g3 {and the game is once  again balanced, although it is in no way easy to explain why.}) 38. Kg2 Rd6 39.  Nf4 Bxf4 40. exf4 Qf6 {Perhaps Black lost on time, and perhaps he realized  that he is playing without his rook on a7, and resigned. (I got a complaint  that I did not explain properly why Peralta resigned against Mamedyarov, two  rounds ago. Perhaps it is so that you can learn something from trying to grasp  it yourself. Perhaps I am just lazy.)} 1-0