[Event "US Amateur Team North"] [Site "Schaumburg, IL"] [Date "2022.02.20"] [Round "5"] [White "Chandran, Kapil"] [Black "Ladan, Nicholas"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2445"] [WhiteTeam "UChicago A"] [BlackElo "2256"] [BlackTeam "GM Wannabes"] [Annotator "JJ Lang"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C69"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Normal Variation"] [StudyName "USATN 2022 - Game Highlights w/Annotation"] [ChapterName "Chandran, Kapil - Ladan, Nicholas"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/3rh4t8h2/YRpSGlnu"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O Qf6 6. d4 exd4 7. Bg5 Qe6 { This move is less accurate than the standard 7...Qd6, as it allows white to centralize the queen and preserve hope for an attack rather than trading into an endgame. } 8. Qxd4 Bd7 9. c4 (9. Nc3) 9... f6 10. Bf4 c5 11. Qd3 O-O-O 12. Nc3 g5 13. Bg3 Ne7 14. Rfe1 Rg8 (14... h5! 15. Nd5 (15. h4 g4 16. Nd2 Ng6 { followed by Bd6 would accentuate white's weakened kingside }) 15... Nxd5 16. cxd5 Qf7 { provides black with attacking chances }) 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. cxd5 Qb6 (16... Qg4 17. b4) 17. Nd2 (17. e5 f5) 17... h5!? { What a difference a few tempi makes. With the queen further from the kingside and white's pieces closer to the queenside, this attack is too slow. } (17... Qxb2 18. a4 (18. Nc4 Qd4 19. Qxd4 cxd4 20. Rec1 Kb8 21. Rab1 b5) 18... Qd4 19. Qxd4 cxd4 20. Rec1 c5 21. Nb3 b6 22. a5 f5 23. f3 f4 24. Bf2 Kb7 25. axb6 Kxb6 26. Rab1 Bb5 27. Be1 Kb7 28. Nxc5+ Bxc5 29. Rxc5) 18. Nc4 Qb5 19. f3 (19. b4 Qxb4 (19... cxb4 20. a4 bxa3 21. Rec1) 20. Reb1 Qa4 21. d6) 19... h4 20. Bf2 h3 21. g4! { Wonderful prophylaxis: there is no way for black to exploit the b8-h2 diagonal, so it is not actually a weakness. } (21. a4 Qb4 22. Rec1 (22. Reb1 Bxa4 23. b3) 22... Bxa4 23. b3 Bxb3 24. Nd2 c4 25. Nxc4) 21... Be8 22. Rec1 Bd6 23. a4 Qd7 24. b4 Bf4 25. Be3 f5 26. gxf5 Bh5 27. bxc5 Qg7 28. c6 { and white breaks through first. } 28... Bxh2+ 29. Kxh2 g4 30. cxb7+ Kd7 31. Bf4 g3+ 32. Kg1 Bxf3 33. Qxf3 Qd4+ 34. Qe3 (34. Be3) 34... Qh8 (34... h2+ 35. Kg2 h1=Q+ 36. Rxh1 Qxc4 37. Rhc1) 35. Ne5+ { 1-0 Black resigns. } 1-0