[Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/Jukg6pr8"] [Date "2018.06.12"] [Round "-"] [White "Chaozu"] [Black "LazyPeon"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2212"] [BlackElo "1980"] [TimeControl "2700+45"] [Termination "Normal"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B48"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ErinYu"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/5wYcdjXQ/zEck1Lky"] [Orientation "white"] { Sicilian Defense. Celebrating the impressive achievement of scoring 8/8 in Season 12! Black lost, but where did black go wrong? The answer won't be in here, let's get into it anyway - } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qf3 { A really interesting way of playing the Open Sicilian. It vacates the d-file for the rook and sidesteps an annoying Bb4 pin. On the flipside, it brings the queen out early. } (7. Qd2 { is the main line, followed by } 7... Nf6 8. O-O-O Bb4 9. f3 Ne5 10. Nb3 b5 11. Qe1 { (book move) } 11... Be7 12. f4 Ng6 13. e5 Ng4 14. Ne4 { and so on. }) 7... Nf6 (7... Ne5 { I searched for an hour to find a "refutation" (read: move that doesn't have abysmal winrates) to 7.Qf3, and I think I've finally done it. Just attack the lady. } 8. Qg3 b5 { Karjakin, Sergey - Caruana, F., 0-1, 9th London Classic 2017, https://lichess.org/Xoq5bYkk }) 8. O-O-O Be7 9. Kb1 O-O 10. g4 { Not wasting any time - straight for the king! } 10... Ne5 11. Qg3 d5 { Seeing white advance on the flank, black lashes out in the center. Though in this instance the plan might not work because white already has good control of the center. } 12. f4 Nc4 (12... Nexg4 13. e5 Nxe3 14. exf6 Bxf6 15. Qxe3 b5 { is one way to gain the initiative. The open g-file is difficult for white to utilize because the bishop on f6, and black has the two bishops. However, black is also down a piece. }) 13. Bxc4 { A typical move in the Sicilian. Black's knight on c4 is a strong attacker and threatens to win the two bishops, but it's not attacking if it's captured. Also, the e4-pawn was hanging. } (13. e5 Nxe3 14. Qxe3 Nd7 (14... Nxg4 15. Qg3 f5 16. Nxf5 exf5 17. Nxd5 { is easy to work out when you're playing moves out for fun }) 15. Bd3 { is another way to play the position. The lack of a DSB, however, may hurt white's defensive chances. }) 13... Qxc4 14. e5 Ne4 15. Nxe4 dxe4 16. f5 { Still not wasting any time! } 16... Rd8 (16... f6 { adds to the pawn tension, but the pawn tension favors white's initiative. } 17. g5 { further adds to the tension, and black can't hold on. For example, } 17... fxe5 18. f6 Bc5 19. fxg7 Kxg7 20. Qxe5+ Kg8 21. g6 hxg6 22. Rhg1 { with a winning attack. }) 17. f6 { That's why we played f5, right? } 17... Bc5 18. Nb3 { This move warranted a 10-minute think, but why? The reason appears to be tactical in nature. The f6-pawn affords white very real checkmating possibilities, so aggressive moves are the way to go. The move chosen in-game is one of the more forcing possibilities which still retains a huge advantage. } (18. c3 Bf8 { (computer move) followed by g6 after holds onto the position, and c3 becomes a target a la b5-b4. White still has a very serious advantage, but much of the initiative has already vanished. }) (18. Nf5 Rxd1+ (18... Bd7 19. Ne7+ Kh8 20. fxg7+ Kxg7 21. Bg5 { is similarly optically amazing, but after } 21... Ba4 { (computer move) the position isn't so obvious. }) 19. Rxd1 exf5 20. Rd8+ Bf8 21. gxf5 { is a very winning continuation. }) 18... Rxd1+ 19. Rxd1 Bf8 20. fxg7 Kxg7 (20... Bxg7 21. Rd8+ Bf8 22. Qf4 { with checkmate to come. }) 21. Qf4 b5 22. Rd8 { The mating net is set. } 22... Qb4 23. Bc5 Qe1+ 24. Nc1 h6 { And black gives it up before the coming checkmate. 1-0. Any takeaways? I'm not exactly sure... White understood the opening and associated plans exceptionally well, didn't waste a single tempo, and converted the resulting advantage optimally. The flow of the game impressed me the most. Every move felt natural. Very fun game to analyze and appreciate. Congrats on the 8/8! } 1-0