[Event "U.S. Open Championship and State Tournam"] [Site "Norfolk, Virginia, US"] [Date "2024.07.28"] [Round "3"] [White "Managadze, Nikoloz"] [Black "Lawrence C Kaufman"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2374"] [WhiteTeam "GEO"] [Annotator "IM Robert Shlyakhtenko"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B53"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/2q59AWVe/N7fvNPab"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nf6 5. e5!? { A tricky line, but one in which Black is objectively doing very well. } 5... Nc6 6. Bb5 Qa5+! { Thanks to this move, Black is equalizing at the very least. } 7. Nc3 Qxb5 8. Nxb5 Nxd4 9. Nfxd4?! { The most common move, but there is a concrete problem. } (9. Nbxd4 dxe5 10. Nxe5 { may be objectively better, but after } 10... g6 { Black can be happy with his position. The secure positions of White's knights in the center are temporary, while Black's bishop pair is as permanent as he wishes it to be. Importantly, } 11. Nb5 { is met by } 11... Nd5 12. c4 a6!) 9... dxe5 10. Nc7+ Kd8? { What a difference on move makes! } (10... Kd7! { was the right square. The following line is nearly forced and leads to a clearly better position for Black, which makes me question why strong players have continued to play this line as White. } 11. Nxa8 (11. Ndb5 Rb8 12. Be3 b6 13. O-O-O+ Kc6 { also does not threaten Black. }) 11... exd4 12. Bf4 e5! 13. Bxe5 { and now, with the king on d7, Black is able to play } 13... Bd6 14. Bxd4 Re8+ 15. Be3 Nd5 16. O-O-O Nxe3 17. fxe3 Kc6 18. Rxd6+ Kxd6 19. Rd1+ Kc6 20. Rd3 Re5! { and White still cannot save the the a8-knight: } 21. Rc3+?! Rc5 22. Rxc5+ Kxc5 23. Nc7 Bd7! 24. e4 Kd4 { with an easily winning endgame. }) 11. Nxa8 exd4 12. Bf4 e5? { A miscalculation. } (12... Bf5 13. O-O-O d3! { was necessary, trying to keep the d-file blocked. Now after } 14. Rxd3+!? Bxd3 15. Rd1 e6 16. Rxd3+ Nd7 { Black is fine. }) 13. Bxe5 Bb4+ 14. c3! (14. Kf1? Re8 15. Bxd4 b6 16. Nxb6 axb6 17. Bxb6+ Kd7 { 0-1 Szabo,L-Larsen,B Christmas Congress 1956/57-32 Premier Hastings (8) is still fine for Black. Incredibly, this position was reached in Szabo - Larsen, 1957! }) 14... Re8 15. O-O-O! { Managadze finds the only refutation. } 15... Rxe5 16. Rxd4+ Bd7 17. cxb4 { White is up material, and there is still no easy way for Black to win the knight on a8. } 17... Kc8 (17... b5 18. Kd2! Rd5 19. Rxd5 Nxd5 20. Rc1 Bc8 21. Rc5 Bb7 22. Rxb5 Kc8 { will win back the knight, but now Black faces a lost ending. }) 18. Rhd1? (18. Rc4+! Bc6 19. a4 { was much stronger. }) 18... Re8? (18... b5! 19. R1d3 Re1+! 20. Kd2 Re7 { would put up significant resistance. White has to find } 21. f3! (21. Rc3+ Kb7 22. Nc7 { allows } 22... Ne4+ { ; this is why Black had to include a check on e1. }) 21... Kb7 22. g4! h6 23. h4 g5 24. hxg5 hxg5 25. Rd6 Be6 26. Rd8 { in order to maintain an advantage. }) 19. R1d3! { A check on c3 is next, and White saves his knight. } 19... Re1+ (19... Kb8 20. Rxd7 Nxd7 21. Rxd7 Kxa8 22. Rxf7 { is easily winning. }) 20. Kd2 Rf1 21. Rc3+ Kb8 22. Nc7 Rxf2+ 23. Ke1 Rxb2 24. Ne8!! { A wonderful move, destroying Black's coordination. Now the game is decided. } 24... a5 25. Nxf6 Bc6 26. Nd7+ Kc7 27. bxa5 Rxa2 28. Ne5 Rxa5 29. Rd7+ Kc8 30. Nxc6 bxc6 31. Rxf7 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0