[Event "2024 Southwest Class"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/1LK2x3ba/iZEWWDSL"] [Date "2024.02.17"] [Round "5.1"] [White "Dudin, Gleb"] [Black "Yoo, Christopher"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2527"] [BlackElo "2595"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E49"] [Opening "Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Botvinnik System"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/1LK2x3ba/iZEWWDSL"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 c5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. f3 b6 10. Ne2 Ba6 11. O-O Bxd3 12. Qxd3 Re8 13. Ng3 Nc6 14. Bb2 { As IM Robert Shlyakhtenko explains in a forthcoming series in Chess Life magazine on this structure, White's plan here (after the exchange of light-squared bishops) is based on achieving e3-e4. This almost always requires a bishop on b2 to defend the d-pawn. If White's center gets rolling, White is better. If not, the bad bishop proves a liability. } 14... h5 15. Rae1 h4 (15... g6 { is also seen somewhat regularly. }) 16. Nf5 h3 17. g4 { Several moves have been tried here, including: } (17. Ng3 { and even }) (17. gxh3 { but the text is not uncommon, either. }) 17... g6 18. Ng3 Rc8 $146 (18... Qd7 { was the seen in the only game reaching this position previously. }) 19. Qd1 cxd4 20. cxd4 Na5 21. e4 Qc7?! { The queen does not make much of a threat on the c-file. After all, Rf1-f2 is likely one of White's ideas regardless of whether it rebukes the enemy queen. } (21... Nc4 22. Bc1 dxe4! 23. fxe4 Qd6!? { It makes more sense to pressure the weak a-pawn before White can get anything rolling with the center. } 24. Rf2 (24. Bf4 Qxa3) (24. e5 { is, of course, not a real threat, thanks to } 24... Qd5 25. Rf2) 24... Nh7 25. e5 Qd5) 22. Rf2 (22. e5 { was also promising: } 22... Qc2 23. Qxc2 Rxc2 24. Rf2 Rc4 25. Rd1 Nh7 26. Rd3 $14) 22... Nh7 23. e5 Qc4 24. f4 Qb3 25. Qxb3 Nxb3 26. Nf1 Na5?! (26... Nf6! { was a resourceful way to create complications, and White ends up being the one in real danger if he has not done some deep calculation: } 27. Re3 Nxg4 28. Rxb3 Nxf2 29. Kxf2 Rc2+ 30. Kg3 Rg2+ 31. Kxh3 Rg1 32. Ne3 Kg7 { White can answer the impending mating threat and retain an advantage, but it would have been interesting to see how he handled this variation in the game. The only move is: } 33. Ng2! Rb1 $14 { and White is better but Black has some chances, particularly since White's bishop is not much of a force. }) 27. Re3 Nf8 28. Rxh3 Ne6 29. Ne3 Red8 30. Nf5! { A key tactical idea, with White now being the one threatening mate in many variations. } 30... Rc7 (30... gxf5? 31. gxf5 Nc4 { The knight cannot be saved, as attempts like } (31... Nc7 { allow } 32. f6 { which forces mate! }) 32. Bc3 Kf8 33. fxe6 Ke7 (33... fxe6 34. f5 $18) 34. f5 $18) 31. Nh6+?! (31. Rh4! { A fantastic prophylactic move. Now, ...Ne6-g5 would not come with tempo on the rook, so f4-f5 is a real threat. } 31... Rdc8 32. Nh6+ Kg7 33. f5! Ng5 34. f6+ Kf8 35. Nf5! $18 { threatening mate! this is why the rook needed to be off h3. }) 31... Kg7 32. g5 (32. Nf5+ { was best. }) (32. f5 { is less effective now. } 32... Ng5! 33. f6+ (33. Rh4 Rh8! $15) 33... Kf8 34. Rd3 $16 { allows Black's king more coverage. }) 32... Nc4 33. Bc3 Nxa3?? (33... Rdc8! 34. f5 Nxg5 35. f6+ Kf8 36. Rd3 (36. Bb4+ Ke8 { as White now has to deal with the h3-rook. })) 34. f5! gxf5 (34... Nxg5 { now fails, as the a3-knight now hangs. } 35. f6+ Kf8 36. Bb4+ Ke8 37. Rxa3 $18) 35. Nxf5+ Kg8 (35... Kg6 36. Rh6+ Kxg5 37. Bd2+ Nf4 (37... Kg4 38. h3#) 38. Rxf4 $18) 36. Nh6+ Kg7 37. Nf5+ Kg8 38. Bb4 Rc1+ (38... Nc2 39. Be7 $18) 39. Kg2 Rc2 { and Black resigns before White can choose between 40. Rxa3 and a number of other tempting options, all of which reach time control. } 40. Rxa3 { For instance, this wins. All White had to do was avoid } (40. Bxa3? { allowing } 40... Nf4+ { after which, frankly, White might still be winning. }) 1-0