[Event "1st Easter Bassano Festival open A"] [Site "Bassano ITA"] [Date "2021.04.04"] [Round "7"] [White "Bjerre, Jonas"] [Black "Dragnev, Valentin"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2550"] [BlackElo "2559"] [Annotator "jonas"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D78"] [Opening "Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Classical Variation, Original Defense"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/0iVkxKw7/h41Rmz46"] [Orientation "white"] { After a good start to the tournament, I had made two rather disapointing draws in rounds 5 and 6 - meaning this game was crucial for the tournament. } 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 c6 5. Bg2 d5 6. O-O O-O 7. b3 Bf5 8. Bb2 Nbd7 9. Nbd2 b5 10. Nh4 Be6 11. Qc2 bxc4 12. bxc4 Qa5 13. Rfc1 { Preparing the capture on d5 by controlling the c-file } 13... Rab8 14. cxd5?! { In fact the position was not quite ready for this idea yet. } 14... cxd5 15. e3 { Allowing the bishop from g2 to join the action via f1. } 15... Qa6?! { Now I get the slight pressure I was looking for } (15... Rfc8! { A very surprising move, giving up two rooks for the queen. Which is quite difficult to predict and estimate } 16. Qxc8+ (16. Bc3 { Possibly the best objectively, but then black has no issues }) 16... Rxc8 17. Rxc8+ Bf8 $15 { My pieces struggle to coordinate properly, while black's are very active. For instance: } 18. Rc2 g5 19. Nhf3 Bf5 20. Rcc1 g4 21. Nb3 Qd8 { when my king might come under attack. }) 16. Bf1 Qb7 17. Nb3 Rfc8 18. Qd3 Ne4 19. Ba3 Bf6 20. Na5 (20. Qa6 { Should be slightly more pleasant for me }) 20... Qb6 21. Qa6 { Attempting to win a tempo with the knight before exchanging queens, I give him a chance to use the c3 square though } 21... Nc3 (21... Qxa6 22. Bxa6 Rc3! { Looks like the way to go for black } 23. Rxc3 Nxc3 { When Nc6 is not in time due to Rb6 } 24. Bd3 { I would still prefer white though }) 22. Nb3! { Looks strange with the Knight jumping back and forth, but my opponent now finds himself in a somewhat akward pin along the c-file } 22... Rc6 23. Qxb6 axb6 24. Bb4 Rbc8 25. f3 g5 26. Ng2 Bf5 27. g4 { The knight is trapped! It certainly looks like it should find it's way out at some point, but with the time ticking down and no extra 30 minutes at sight on move 40, it's not the most pleasant situation for my opponent. } 27... Bg6 28. a4 e6 29. Kh1 { Hiding from potential discoveries } (29. Kf2 { Going for Ke1-Kd2 was interesting as well, but seemed unrealistic to me: } 29... Nb8 30. Ke1? Na2! $17 { Is a nice trick } (30... Nxa4 { works as well } 31. Rxc6? Nxc6 32. Rxa4 Bc2!) 31. Rxc6 Nxc6) 29... Bd8 30. Ne1 Nb8 { Black is ready with Na2 trickery again, plus I saw no further ways to improve my position: } 31. a5 { Time to test my opponent's defence } 31... bxa5 32. Nxa5 R6c7? (32... Bxa5 33. Bxa5 { Looks scary with the stranded knight, but } 33... Nb5! { probably saves the day } 34. Rxc6 (34. Rc5 Nd6 35. Bb4 { White can maybe still pretend }) 34... Nxc6 35. Bxb5 Nxa5 36. Rxa5 Rc1) 33. Bc5 Nb1 34. Nb3! (34. Raxb1?? Bxb1 35. Rxb1 Rxc5!) 34... Be7 (34... Rb7 35. Raxb1 Bxb1 36. Rxb1 $18) 35. Bd3 { Finally the knight is trapped! The rest shouldn't be too difficult. } 35... Bxc5 36. dxc5 Nd7 37. Bxg6 hxg6 38. Raxb1 Nxc5 39. Nxc5 Rxc5 40. Rxc5 Rxc5 41. Kg2 Kg7 42. Kf2 Rc3 43. Rb7 Kf6 44. Ke2 Rc8 45. Rb2 Rh8 46. Kd3 Ke5 47. f4+ gxf4 48. Nf3+ Kd6 49. exf4 Rh3 50. Ke2 g5 51. fxg5 e5 52. Rb6+! Kc5 53. Rh6 { I was slightly unlucky to get black in both remaining games, which resulted in 2 draws, a shared 3.-4. place and a rating gain of 7 elopoints. } 1-0