[Event "NYC Chess Norms Spring 2025"] [Date "2025.03.31"] [Round "8"] [White "Raja Harshit"] [Black "Adewumi, Tanitoluwa"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2474"] [BlackElo "2362"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Annotator "Ostrovskiy, Aleksandr"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B30"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack"] [StudyName "March 2025 NYC Chess Norms"] [ChapterName "Raja Harshit - Adewumi, Tanitoluwa"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/5Ep0IRrb/wDvd2V6b"] [Orientation "white"] { Having secured his IM title by crossing the 2400 rating, Adewumi had his sights set on the next goal: grandmaster! In order to earn his first GM norm, Tani would need to score 7/9 in the event. A tall task as going into the final day he was on 5/7 and due to face GMs Harshit Raja and Mark Paragua. } 1. e4 c5 { The Sicilian is a logical choice for a must-win game. } 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. d3 f6 6. O-O d6 { Already, from the very first moves, we have a fascinating strategic struggle. Black has the bishop pair but zero development! Instead the black pawns form an impenetrable wall to White's pieces while he prepares to start developing. } 7. Nh4! { Raja is not going to sit and wait for Black to consolidate his positional advantage. Instead he starts creating immediate threats. } 7... Qc7 8. f4 Nh6 9. e5?! { An understandable and consistent move with White's strategy, but it turns out to be premature. } 9... dxe5 10. fxe5 Qxe5 { Accepting the pawn and asking White to prove the compensation. } 11. Bf4 (11. Bxh6 Qd4+ 12. Kh1 Qxh4 13. Be3 e5 { Is what the engine recommends, but I don't think this outcome was satisfactory to White after his aggressive pawn sacrifice. Although Black has a damaged queenside pawn structure, he has an amazing bishop pair on a further-opening board. }) 11... Qd4+ 12. Kh1 Nf7 (12... g5 13. Qh5+ Kd8 $19 { The engine has no problem grabbing the material } (13... Nf7?? 14. Bxg5!)) 13. Nc3 Be7 14. Bg3 O-O { Adewumi chooses to play a risk-free and sensible game by developing as quickly as possible instead of hunting for more material. } 15. Qh5 f5 16. Nf3 Qb4 17. Ne5 Qxb2 { Going for pawns as White is still far from serious threats. } 18. Nxf7 Rxf7 19. Be5 Bf6 20. Qe2 Bxe5 (20... c4! 21. dxc4 Ba6 { was a nice and thematic idea for Black to jettison one of the weak pawns in order to open the position to the benefit of his dormant light-squared bishop. }) 21. Qxe5 Qxc2 22. Qxc5 Ba6 23. Rfd1 Bxd3 24. Rac1 Qb2 25. Qxc6 Raf8 26. Qxe6 { The dust settles and Black has kept an extra pawn (he was actually up three pawns at one point!) } 26... f4! { I like this move and, as we'll see, Black's associated plan to open up White's king ends up playing a deciding role in the game! } 27. Nd5 f3 28. gxf3 h6 29. Rc8 (29. Nf6+!? { The engine's recommendation! } 29... Qxf6 (29... gxf6 30. Rc8) (29... Kh8?? 30. Qxf7 Rxf7 31. Rc8+ Rf8 32. Rxf8#) 30. Qxf6 Rxf6 31. Rxd3 Rxf3 32. Rd7 R8f7 33. Rc8+ Kh7 34. Rxf7 Rxf7 35. Rc5 { with a drawable — although not the most fun — endgame. }) 29... Kh7 { Unpinning both rooks while the d3-bishop is defended indirectly by ... Qb2-b1+ motifs. } 30. Rxf8 Rxf8 31. Re1?? (31. Qe3 $15 { would defend the f3-pawn, and the game would go on. }) 31... Rxf3 { Black now has the extra pawn and safer king. } 32. Qg4 Rf2 33. Qg3 Be4+ { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1