[Event "U.S. Open Championship and State Tournam"] [Site "Norfolk, Virginia, US"] [Date "2024.07.28"] [Round "2.8"] [White "Huston, Gus"] [Black "Rutten, Alexander"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2395"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [BlackElo "2136"] [BlackTeam "NED"] [Annotator "IM Robert Shlyakhtenko"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B99"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Main Line"] [StudyName "2024 Tournaments of State Champions"] [ChapterName "Huston, Gus - Rutten, Alexander"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/2q59AWVe/IfKnJ7NZ"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by IM Robert Shlyakhtenko } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 { Gus switched to the Open Sicilian not too long ago, with great effect. I am among his recent victims. } 3... cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Nbd7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O Be7 10. g4 h6 11. Qh3!? { A rare but not unknown move in otherwise well-charted waters. } (11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. h4 Nb6 13. g5 Bxd4 14. Rxd4 Qc5 { has been played many times, for example in the game Hong – Brodsky, St. Louis, 2022 in the U.S. Junior Championships, which I annotated for Chess Life Online. }) 11... Rg8 { Essentially forcing White to sacrifice a piece. Among the alternatives, 12. ... Nd7-c5 is most common. } 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. e5 { This looks like a better practical try than } (13. g5!? Bxd4! (13... hxg5? 14. Nxe6!) 14. Rxd4 hxg5 15. e5 { where Black can equalize with, for example, } 15... dxe5 (15... d5 16. Bg2 gxf4 17. Bxd5) 16. Rc4 Qd8 17. Ne4 Nf6 18. fxe5 Nxe4 19. Rxe4 Bd7) 13... dxe5 14. Nxe6 { Gus played all of this quickly, indicating that he was still in preparation. This position is a significant test of Black's defensive skills; already, he has to find a non-obvious only move. } 14... fxe6? { After this move, Black's position cannot be held. } (14... Qc6! { had to be played, intending to recapture on e6 with the queen. Of course, White has many tempting options here (including, but not limited to,15. Bg2, 15. g5, 15. Nxg7+, and 15. Ne4), and in each of these cases Black will face difficult practical problems. }) 15. g5 Ke7 (15... Be7 { is met by } 16. Qxe6 Rf8 (16... Nf6 17. Qb3!) 17. Qg6+! Rf7 18. Nd5 Qc5 19. b4! { and Black must go for a lost endgame after } 19... Qc6 20. Qxc6 bxc6 21. Nc7+) 16. Ne4! { An excellent move, after which Black's position is hopeless. White improves the position of his pieces before regaining material; now additional attacking motifs (e.g., Qh3-a3+) are introduced. } 16... hxg5 17. fxg5 Bxg5+ 18. Nxg5 Nf6 19. Qa3+ Ke8 20. Bb5+! Bd7 21. Nxe6 Qb6 22. Bxd7+ Nxd7 23. Rd6 { Black resigned; any queen move loses material. } 1-0