[Event "XVII Campeonato Continental"] [Site "Medellin, Colombia"] [Date "2024.05.30"] [Round "9"] [White "Vivas Zamora, Fabian Ernesto"] [Black "Corrales Jimenez, Fidel"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2385"] [BlackElo "2545"] [Annotator "Lu,Max"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B67"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation"] [StudyName "2024 American Continental Championship"] [ChapterName "Vivas Zamora, Fabian Ernesto - Corrales Jimenez, Fidel"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/0UbLVlAk/GUZDnPDB"] [Orientation "white"] { After losing to the author of this article in round five, Fidel was on a hot streak with 2½/3, displaying great technique to convert small advantages. In this game, he once again demonstrates superb endgame finesse and allows his opponent no chances to escape. } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 Bd7 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O e6 { A typical Classical Sicilian, sharp with opportunities for both sides. } 9. f3 (9. f4 { is the main move. }) 9... Be7 10. Kb1 Nxd4 { A rarer sideline, but the engine's top move. Logically, Black hopes to pull the White queen into a worse position while allowing for himself to build up the attack on the queenside. } 11. Qxd4 Qc7 12. Bxf6?! { The first move out of theory. As a Sicilian player myself, I struggle to understand why White would play this move unprompted, not even waiting for ... h7-h6. Perhaps he fantasized about winning the d6-pawn, but most Sicilian players know that it is simply a mirage, and Black has more than enough compensation with the two bishops. } 12... Bxf6 13. Qxd6 Qxd6 14. Rxd6 Ke7 15. Rd3 Rac8 { Already, we can see that the activation of Black's pieces along the open lines is uncomfortable for White. } 16. Nd1 h5 17. Nf2 Rc7 { Doubling on the c-file is natural, but White will play c2-c3 at some moment and then Black will be left wondering what his next plan is. Continuing to gain space on the kingside and limit White's pieces with } (17... g5 { was an alternative plan. }) 18. f4 Rhc8 19. Rd2 (19. e5? { fails to } 19... Bxe5! 20. fxe5 Rxc2 { with a double threat of ... Rc2-c1+ and ... Rc2xf2. } 21. Rxd7+ Kxd7 22. Nd3 Rd2 $19 { and Black's other rook will invade the second rank, while White's pieces are stuck snoozing. }) 19... g5 { A thematic Sicilian pawn break that every player should know! } 20. g3 Bc6 21. Be2 gxf4 22. gxf4 Bg7 { Sidestepping any e4-e5 attacks for good while also preparing ... Bg7-h6 to threaten the vulnerable f4-pawn. } 23. Bxh5 Bh6 24. Rf1? { In an attempt to sneakily set up a discovery against the f7-pawn, White overlooks a tactical combination that costs him one of his two extra pawns and allows Black a winning initiative. } (24. Rdd1 { was better, allowing Black to recapture the pawn and maintaining a solid position. } 24... Bxf4 25. Rhf1 Bb5 26. Nd3 Bxd3 27. cxd3) 24... Bb5 25. Nd3 { How did Corrales crash through White's position? } 25... Rxc2! { Winning back the first pawn, with a little more. } 26. Rxc2 Bxd3 27. Rf2 Bxe4 { There goes the second pawn. White finds himself stuck in an unbreakable pin at the mercy of Black's two bishops. } 28. Bd1 (28. Kc1 { fails to } 28... Bxf4+) 28... f5 { Corrales is in for the long haul. By cementing his powerful light-squared bishop and fixing the f4-pawn on a dark square, he foreshadows his plan of steamrolling White with his connected passed pawns (to be). } 29. b3 Rd8?! (29... Bxc2+ 30. Bxc2 Rd8 { would've been an improved version, as White's c2-bishop is much worse than when it was on f3 as in the game. }) 30. Bf3 Bxc2+ 31. Kxc2 b6?! { Another slightly careless inaccuracy, though Black is still very much winning. } (31... b5 { in one swoop would've saved a move and prevented White from gaining another tempo with Bf3-e2. }) 32. Be2 b5 33. a4 { The more pawns traded, the better for White. Naturally, he tries to achieve this aim through undermining Black's queenside structure. } 33... bxa4 34. bxa4 Rd4? { Hasty. There was no need to allow White to fix the a6-pawn on a light square, and the f4-pawn wasn't going anywhere. This was the only moment where Corrales was in danger of losing his winning position; he should've followed the old Soviet maxim "Do not rush." } (34... a5 { seems like quite a natural move, saving the a-pawn and preparing ... Rd8-d4 next. } 35. Kc3 Bg7+ 36. Kc4 Rb8 { The rook will get to the fourth rank, and now White's a4-pawn proves to be a liability. }) 35. Kc3 { is perhaps the move Corrales missed, though it was not the only move. } (35. a5 { was another possibility, fixing the a6-pawn. It relies on the same idea that to capture the pawn, Black must uncoordinate his pieces, allowing White to get an attack and harass the black pawns. } 35... Ra4 36. Kb3 Rxa5 37. Bc4 Ra1 38. Kc2 Re1 39. Bxa6 Re4 40. Bd3 Ra4 (40... Rxf4 41. Rxf4 Bxf4 42. h4 { is a theoretical draw. }) 41. Kb3 { and White forces Black's rook off the fourth rank. }) 35... Bg7 (35... Rxa4 36. Bc4! { and suddenly Black finds his pieces awkwardly uncoordinated. White will play Rf2-e2 and win the e6-pawn, which cannot be defended, after which he will have very good drawing chances. }) 36. Kb3 a5 { Now Corrales hits on the right idea. } 37. Bc4 Re4 { Protecting against any Rf2-e2 threats. } 38. Re2 { White decides to go for it anyway, trading into a losing endgame. Opposite-colored bishops with two connected passed pawns is a draw, but with the additional a-pawn and right-colored bishop (a1 is a dark square), it is winning. White was short of time and spent nearly all his time trying to evaluate the losing endgame. } 38... Rxe2 39. Bxe2 Bh6 40. h4 Bxf4 { The rest is easy. } 41. Kc4 Kd6 42. h5 e5 43. Bf1 e4 44. Kd4 Bh6 45. Bh3 Bg7+ 46. Ke3 Ke5 47. Ke2 f4 48. Bg2 f3+ 49. Bxf3 exf3+ 50. Kxf3 Kd4 51. Ke2 Kc3 52. Ke3 Kb4 53. Kd3 Kxa4 { With this win, Corrales propelled himself back into the pack of tournament leaders with 7/9. Resilience pays off! This endgame masterclass was emblematic of Corrales' play throughout the tournament, slowly grinding down his opponents. Moreover, he showed that opposite-colored bishop endgames are not always draws! } 0-1