[Event "Byrne Memorial GM"] [Site "Naperville, IL"] [Date "2023.01.21"] [White "Josiah Stearman"] [Black "Ryo Chen"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Avrukh, Boris"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B62"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation"] [StudyName "Byrne Memorial"] [ChapterName "Josiah Stearman - Ryo Chen"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/9sS1qGlp/Dh6AaNOR"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by GM Boris Avrukh } 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd3!? { An interesting alternative to the well-established } (7. Qd2 { which has been recently quite trendy. }) 7... Bd7!? (7... Be7 { Analyzing this variation I also came to the concusion that this move is worth trying for Black. }) 8. Ndb5 { White plays the most challenging move. } (8. O-O-O a6 { is another theoretical line. }) 8... Nb4! { This has to be played, as otherwise after } (8... Qb8? 9. O-O-O { Black is unable to protect d6-pawn, as in Itgelt-Maghsoodloo, Tornelo INT 2021. }) 9. Qd1 { White's a1-rook has to be protected in order to be able to play a2-a3 in response to Black's ...a7-a6. } 9... Qb8 { Very deep opening knowledge from Chen. In case of } (9... a6 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. a3! $14 { White scored tremedously in practice. }) 10. Bf4! { Definitely the critical line. } 10... e5 11. Bg5 a6 12. Na3 b5 { We have reached a strange version of the Sveshnikov, and by the way: it's still theory. } 13. Nab1 { A new move in this position. Every game here featured } (13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Nab1) 13... d5 { Black could play } (13... Be7 { without fearing } 14. a3 Nc6 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Nd5 Bd8 { with good play. }) 14. Bxf6 gxf6 { Now we have transposed back to the theory of 13.Bxf6. } 15. exd5 $146 { A second novelty in this game. The only previous example here was } (15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Qxd5 Bb4+ 17. c3 Be6 18. Qd3 Bc5 $44 { Black obtained nice compensation in Mastrovasilis,D (2621)-Fier,A (2573) Montesilvano 2022. }) 15... Bf5 { Obviously an idea behind Black's 13. ...d5 break. } 16. Bd3 Nxd3+ 17. cxd3 Bg7 { Black has interesting compensation for being pawn-down thanks to his bishop pair and potential initiaitve on the kingside. } 18. Ne4 (18. Nd2 { would be more challenging. }) 18... Bg6 { Black is preparing ...f6-f5. } 19. h4!? (19. Nbc3 f5 20. Nc5 Qd8 $44) 19... h5 20. Nbc3 f5 21. Ng3 b4 (21... Qb6!? { is worthy of consideration. }) 22. Qa4+? { This is very tempting but not the best move. Better would have been } (22. Na4 Qb7 23. O-O Rd8 24. Rc1 Qxd5 25. Nc5 $13 { with double-edged play. }) 22... Kf8 23. Nd1 Qb5?! { Stronger would have been } (23... e4! 24. dxe4 f4 25. Ne2 Bxe4 26. O-O Rh6 $17 { and Black's bishop pair dominates the board. }) 24. Qxb5 axb5 25. Rc1! Bh6 26. Rc5 Kg7 27. d6 Kf6 28. Ne3? { This was a serious mistake which went unnoticed. Instead } (28. O-O! Ke6 29. Re1 f6 30. d4! { would maintain the balance. }) 28... Rac8? { Both players missed } (28... Ke6! { with the following point: } 29. Rxb5 f4 30. Nd5 Bxd3 $19) 29. Rxc8 Rxc8 30. O-O? { White had to play } (30. Nd5+ Ke6 31. Nxb4 Kxd6 32. Ne2 { with a defendable position. }) 30... Ke6! $19 { This time Chen is not missing his chance. } 31. d7 Rd8! { Of course not } (31... Kxd7? 32. Ngxf5 $15) 32. Nc2 Rxd7 33. Nxb4 Bf8! { Black has reached a winning position and Chen converts his advantage with flawless technique. } 34. Nc6 Rxd3 35. Re1 f6 36. Ne2 Kd7! { There is no reason to allow Ne2-f4+. } 37. Na7 b4 38. Nb5 Rd2 39. a3 f4 { Black decisively activates the light-squared bishop. } 40. axb4 Bxb4 41. Nec3 Bd3 42. f3 Bxb5 { A good practical decision: Black liquidates into an easily winning endgame. } 43. Nxb5 Rxg2+! { The point. } 44. Kxg2 Bxe1 45. Kf1 (45. Na3 f5 { is hopeless for White as well. }) 45... Bb4! { Very precise, now Black forces a winning pawn endgame. } 46. Ke2 Kc6 47. Nc3 Bxc3 48. bxc3 Kc5 49. Kd3 f5 50. Kc2 Kc4 51. Kd2 e4 { A very impressive victory for the talented Ryo Chen. } 0-1