[Event "World Junior"] [Site "Mexico City"] [Date "2023.10.02"] [Round "9"] [White "Maurizzi, Marc`Andria"] [Black "Schitco, Ivan"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2555"] [BlackElo "2514"] [Annotator "Andy Woodward"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C70"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Classical Defense Deferred"] [StudyName "Inside Story: February 2024, Woodward on World Juniors"] [ChapterName "Maurizzi, Marc`Andria - Schitco, Ivan"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/5ezlulRC/QKVZThki"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Bc5!? { The fourth most common move. More popular are 4. ... Nf6, 4. ... d6, and 4. ... b5. } 5. O-O Nge7 { Once again, the fourth most common move! Black is trying to get White out of book and just play chess. It turns out that Maurizzi has a pocket full of ideas, even when he is caught by surprise. } 6. c3 Ng6 7. d4 Ba7 8. Bg5 f6 9. Be3 d6!? { A very rare move, and apparently a specialty of the young Indian FM Aradhya Garg! With six games prior to this game (three by Aradhya!) compared to the 164 with 9...0-0, this was definitely not expected. } 10. d5?! { Not the best move, but worth a try. Better was } (10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Re1 { followed by a normal game. }) 10... Bxe3?! { Necessary was } (10... b5! { , as Black can't allow White to have so much counterplay so fast. Things are equal after } 11. Bxa7 { or } (11. dxc6 bxa4! 12. Bxa7 Rxa7 13. Qxa4 Bg4) 11... Nxa7 12. Bc2 O-O { . }) 11. dxc6 b5 12. fxe3 bxa4 13. Qxa4 O-O { [#] } 14. c4! { This is the only move to snatch the advantage. White's next moves are Nc3-d5 and b2-b3 if necessary. } 14... f5 15. Nc3! { Here } (15. exf5?! { looks normal, undoubling the pawns, but it's a mistake. Black has an edge after } 15... Bxf5 16. Nc3 Bd3! { . }) 15... fxe4 16. Nd2! { Stronger than } (16. Nxe4?! Bf5 17. Nfd2 Rb8 { which looks equal to me. }) 16... Bf5 17. Ndxe4 Qh4 18. c5 { Not the only possibility, but this was (I suspect) played with White's next move in mind. White could also try } (18. Ng3!? Bd3 19. Rxf8+ Rxf8 20. Qa5! { , with a double attack, threatening both the c7-pawn and Qa5-d5+, nabbing the bishop. Black has to play } 20... Rf7! { , defending against both threats. After } 21. c5 d5! 22. Nxd5 Qd8! 23. Nc3 h5! { anything could happen. The best move is }) (18. Qc2! { , self-pinning the knight ot the queen, but this also stabilizes the position. Now b2-b3, Rf1-f2, and Ra1-f1 are in the air. White is a bit better after } 18... Ne7 19. Qe2! Nxc6 (19... Bxe4 20. g3) 20. Ng3 Be6 21. Nd5! Bxd5 22. cxd5 Ne7 23. e4 Ng6 24. Qc2 Nf4 25. Nf5 Qg5 26. Rf3 Rf7 27. Raf1 Raf8 28. Kh1 { . }) 18... d5 { [#] } 19. Nd6!! { A stunning knight sacrifice, crashing through the position! } 19... Qxa4 { Black must be careful. Here } (19... cxd6 20. Qxh4 Nxh4 21. cxd6 { is lights out, as the pawns supported by the rooks and knight are too strong. }) 20. Nxa4 Bd3?! { Here } (20... cxd6? { is met by the cute intermediate move } 21. Nb6! { , and White should win after } 21... dxc5 { or } (21... Rab8 22. c7 Rb7 23. cxd6 Rxb6 24. Rxf5) 22. Nxa8 Rxa8 23. Rxf5 { . The right move is: }) (20... Be6! { , and again White has } 21. Nb6!! { , similar to the game. Here White is a bit better after } 21... Rab8 22. Nd7 Rxf1+ 23. Rxf1 Ra8 { . }) 21. Nb6!! { A picturesque position, isn't it? The two white knights and the rook on f1 are all hanging! } 21... Bxf1 22. Nxa8 Rxa8 23. Rxf1 { [#] Now the position has calmed down a lot, and it is much easier to show how White has the advantage. He is up a pawn, and his opponent's king is cut off. } 23... Rd8? (23... d4!? 24. exd4 exd4 25. Re1 d3 26. Nc4 { may give the best chances to hold. Naturally, }) (23... cxd6 24. cxd6 { is unplayable for Black, but }) 24. b4!! { A very easy move to miss, showing Maurizzi's full strength. White consolidates his extra c6-pawn, and proceeds to make use of its full potential. } 24... Ne7 25. Rf7! Nxc6 26. Rxc7 Nxb4 { [#] } 27. Rb7?! { Correct is } (27. Nf5! d4 28. exd4 exd4 29. c6! Kf8 30. a3! { . This is a pretty move, kicking the knight away from its attack on the c6-pawn. White wins after } 30... d3 31. axb4 d2 32. Ne3 Re8 (32... d1=Q+ 33. Nxd1 Rxd1+ 34. Kf2 { is an easy win }) 33. Nd1! Re1+ 34. Kf2 Rxd1 35. Ke2 Rb1 36. Kxd2 Rxb4 37. Kd3 { . }) 27... a5 28. a3? { Losing all the advantage. It was again more accurate to play } (28. Nf5 d4 29. exd4 exd4 30. a3! { , hitting the b4-knight and pushing it to an uncomfortable position. }) 28... Nd3? { Returning the favor. Black had to cover the c7-square with } (28... Na6! 29. Nf5 Nxc5 30. Rxg7+ Kh8 31. Ra7 Nb3 { when White's advantage is manageable. }) 29. c6! Nc5 { Or } (29... Rxd6 30. Rb8+ Kf7 31. c7 Rc6 32. c8=Q Rxc8 33. Rxc8 { and wins. }) 30. Rb6!? { Here } (30. Ra7 Ne6 31. Nf7 { was probably easiest. }) 30... Ne6 31. Nb5 Rc8 32. c7! Nxc7 33. Rc6 { The black knight is pinned, so he has to give up his rook. } 33... Nxb5 34. Rxc8+ Kf7 35. a4! { Putting the final nail in the coffin. The black knight is dominated by White's rook. } 35... Nd6 36. Rc5 Ke6 37. Rxa5 { Maurizzi showcased great understanding of the position, and proved that he is a well-deserving champion. } 1-0