[Event "Round 1: Jagirapu, Harshin Reddy - Shlyakhtenko, Robert"] [Site "https://lichess.org/broadcast/2026-labor-day-norm-invitational-gm-a/round-1/ZUl6ZZg1/SWWnHwhO"] [Date "2026.09.03"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Jagirapu, Harshin Reddy"] [Black "Shlyakhtenko, Robert"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2342"] [WhiteTitle "FM"] [WhiteFideId "39910679"] [BlackElo "2407"] [BlackTitle "IM"] [BlackFideId "30936934"] [TimeControl "90+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A11"] [Opening "Réti Opening: Anglo-Slav Variation, with g3"] [StudyName "Labor Day Wrap-Up 2026"] [ChapterName "Jagirapu, Harshin Reddy - Shlyakhtenko, Robert"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/4umbGLPz/O5ema2RA"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. Nf3 { [%clk 1:28:37] } 1... d5 { [%clk 1:30:40] } 2. g3 { [%clk 1:28:50] } 2... Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:03] } 3. Bg2 { [%clk 1:29:02] } 3... c6 { [%clk 1:30:16] } 4. c4 { [%clk 1:28:01] } 4... Bg4 { Black employs a confrontational set-up against White's Reti opening. } { [%clk 1:29:05] } (4... dxc4 { is the main line, when } 5. O-O Nbd7 6. Qc2 Nb6 7. Na3 Be6 8. Ng5 Bg4 9. Nxc4 { regains the pawn only temporarily, but } 9... Bxe2 10. Ne5 Bh5 11. Re1 { is thought to give White some decent compensation, although Black should be equal after } 11... h6 { when both the drawish 12. Ne4 and the chaotic 12. Ngxf7 are viable. }) 5. Ne5 { [%clk 1:26:57] } 5... Be6 { [%clk 1:26:29] } (5... Bf5 { is also fine, but } 6. Qb3 { is a bit more promising now, as } 6... Nbd7 7. d4 Qb6 8. Nxd7 Bxd7 9. Nc3 dxc4 10. Qxc4 $14 { offers White a slight edge due to the space advantage after ... e7-e6 or the possibility of d4-d5 after ... g7-g6. }) 6. cxd5 { [%clk 1:25:58] } 6... Bxd5 { [%clk 1:24:37] } 7. Nf3 { [%clk 1:26:11] } 7... g6 { Black makes the first deviation from the main lines. } { [%clk 1:22:46] } (7... c5 { is the main move by far. } 8. Nc3 { is now met by } 8... Bc6 9. O-O e6 $14 { with a playable position. } { [%cal Gf8e7] }) (7... e5!? { has also been tried, intending } 8. Nc3 Bxf3 9. Bxf3 Be7 10. O-O O-O $14 { when Black has the better center in exchange for the bishop pair. }) 8. Nc3 { [%clk 1:26:02] } 8... Bg7 { [%clk 1:22:49] } 9. O-O { [%clk 1:23:04] } 9... O-O { [%clk 1:23:09] } 10. d3 { [%clk 1:20:37] } 10... Na6!? { The most popular move, albeit in a very small sample size. } { [%clk 1:15:51] } (10... Bxf3 { is actually the engine's choice. But now, } 11. Bxf3 Na6 { eschews ... e7-e5 ideas. Instead, the knights will have some decent play in the center. }) 11. Bd2 { [%clk 1:10:34] } (11. e4 { promises White a good game: } 11... Be6 12. d4 Qc8 13. Bf4 $16 { The strong center provides White a solid plus. }) 11... Be6 { [%clk 1:03:26] } 12. Qc1 { [%clk 0:58:21] } 12... Re8 { [%clk 1:00:24] } 13. Bh6 { [%clk 0:53:06] } 13... Bh8!? { [%clk 1:00:39] } (13... Bg4 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. Ne5 Qd4 { Black doesn't have much to fear, apparently, after } 16. Nxg4 Qxg4 17. h3 Qd4 18. a3 Nc7 $14) 14. h3 { White is in time to cover a key square. } { [%clk 0:51:14] } 14... Nd5 { [%clk 0:52:09] } 15. Rd1 { [%clk 0:51:20] } 15... Nxc3 { [%clk 0:47:19] } 16. bxc3 { [%clk 0:46:14] } 16... Qa5 { [%clk 0:47:47] } 17. Bd2 { The c3-pawn is safely covered and White is without real weaknesses. } { [%clk 0:40:12] } (17. d4 { was also good, but White's flexibility here is rewarded. }) 17... Qc7 { [%clk 0:35:51] } 18. Bf4 { [%clk 0:38:31] } 18... Qa5 { [%clk 0:36:12] } 19. Bd2 { [%clk 0:35:32] } 19... Qc7 { [%clk 0:33:26] } 20. Ng5 { No more repetition! } { [%clk 0:34:22] } 20... Bd7 { [%clk 0:30:27] } 21. Rb1 { [%clk 0:32:11] } 21... Rad8 { [%clk 0:30:18] } 22. c4 { [%clk 0:31:45] } 22... Bc8 { [%clk 0:29:57] } 23. Qa3 { [%clk 0:23:45] } 23... Bg7? { [%clk 0:28:45] } (23... b6 $14 { Stopping White's intended expansion was necessary. }) 24. c5! { [%clk 0:19:58] } 24... Bd4 { [%clk 0:25:16] } 25. Ne4 { [%clk 0:19:21] } 25... Qe5!? { [%clk 0:17:34] } (25... Bf5 { might be the critical try, but White is for choice after } 26. Ba5 b6 27. cxb6 axb6 28. Bxb6 Bxb6 29. Qxa6 Bxe4 30. Qxb6! $16 { White is up a healthy pawn. } (30. Bxe4?? Qxg3+ $19) (30. dxe4!? Rxd1+ 31. Rxd1 Rb8 $13)) 26. Rdc1 { [%clk 0:16:23] } 26... Rd5 { [%clk 0:16:00] } (26... f5 { is another attempt to dislodge White's control of the center. But } 27. Bf4! Qg7 28. e3 e5 (28... fxe4 29. exd4 $16) 29. Bg5 fxe4 30. exd4 Rxd4 31. dxe4 $16 { Black's pieces still make no sense after the complications subsid. }) 27. e3 { [%clk 0:13:02] } 27... Bxc5 { Black has nothing better. } { [%clk 0:16:16] } 28. Rxc5 { [%clk 0:11:30] } 28... Nxc5 { [%clk 0:16:19] } 29. Nxc5 { [%clk 0:10:55] } 29... b6 { [%clk 0:13:01] } 30. Ne4 $18 { The minor pieces are simply much stronger than the rooks with so many pawns remaining. } { [%clk 0:09:40] } 30... Qc7 { [%clk 0:08:25] } 31. Rc1 { [%clk 0:08:38] } 31... Red8 { [%clk 0:07:53] } 32. d4 { [%clk 0:08:53] } 32... Be6 { [%clk 0:07:27] } 33. Bb4 { [%clk 0:06:50] } 33... Re8 { [%clk 0:02:51] } 34. Nc3 { [%clk 0:06:02] } 34... Rg5 { [%clk 0:02:31] } 35. d5 { [%clk 0:05:39] } 35... Bc8 { [%clk 0:01:59] } 36. Nb5 { [%clk 0:04:17] } 36... Qd8 { [%clk 0:01:17] } 37. Nxa7 { [%clk 0:04:32] } 37... c5 { [%clk 0:01:26] } 38. Bc3 { [%clk 0:04:55] } 38... Bb7 { [%clk 0:01:04] } 39. Nc6 { [%clk 0:05:07] } 39... Qd7 { [%clk 0:01:09] } 40. Qb3 { [%clk 0:04:24] } 40... Ra8 { [%clk 0:00:34] } 41. h4 { [%clk 0:03:27] } 41... c4 { [%clk 0:00:49] } 42. Qxc4 { [%clk 0:03:07] } 42... Rg4 { [%clk 0:01:12] } 43. Bd4 { [%clk 0:03:11] } 43... Rc8 { [%clk 0:00:34] } 44. Nxe7+ { [%clk 0:03:17] } 44... Qxe7 { [%clk 0:00:44] } 45. Qxc8+ { [%clk 0:03:42] } 45... Bxc8 { [%clk 0:01:08] } 46. Rxc8+ { [%clk 0:04:07] } 1-0