[Event "Round 5: Baron, Tal - Plat, Vojtech"] [Date "2025.07.07"] [Round "5.1"] [White "Baron, Tal"] [Black "Plat, Vojtech"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2436"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteFideId "2809958"] [BlackElo "2487"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "325740"] [TimeControl "90+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B36"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind, Gurgenidze Variation"] [StudyName "July 4th Weekend Wrap-Up"] [ChapterName "Baron, Tal - Plat, Vojtech"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/AkiZlqH4/ygo1f75I"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [UTCDate "2025.07.07"] [UTCTime "16:43:26"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%eval 0.18] [%clk 1:30:57] } 1... c5 { [%eval 0.25] [%clk 1:30:50] } 2. Nf3 { [%eval 0.2] [%clk 1:31:25] } 2... Nc6 { [%eval 0.3] [%clk 1:31:15] } 3. d4 { [%eval 0.27] [%clk 1:31:49] } 3... cxd4 { [%eval 0.27] [%clk 1:31:41] } 4. Nxd4 { [%eval 0.21] [%clk 1:32:17] } 4... g6 { [%eval 0.35] [%clk 1:32:04] } 5. c4 { [%eval 0.4] [%clk 1:32:35] } 5... Nf6 { [%eval 0.48] [%clk 1:32:30] } 6. Nc3 { [%eval 0.41] [%clk 1:33:00] } 6... Nxd4 { [%eval 0.42] [%clk 1:32:57] } 7. Qxd4 { [%eval 0.39] [%clk 1:33:22] } 7... d6 { [%eval 0.46] [%clk 1:33:25] } 8. Be2 { [%eval 0.48] [%clk 1:33:30] } 8... Bg7 { [%eval 0.47] [%clk 1:33:53] } 9. Be3 { [%eval 0.49] [%clk 1:33:31] } 9... O-O { [%eval 0.43] [%clk 1:34:18] } 10. Qd3 { [%eval 0.43] [%clk 1:33:55] } 10... Be6 { [%eval 0.59] [%clk 1:34:13] } 11. O-O { [%eval 0.48] [%clk 1:33:45] } 11... Qa5 { [%eval 0.55] [%clk 1:32:45] } 12. Bd4 { [%eval 0.5] [%clk 1:27:44] } 12... Nd7 { [%eval 0.5] [%clk 1:31:25] } 13. Bxg7 { [%eval 0.48] [%clk 1:26:41] } 13... Kxg7 { [%eval 0.48] [%clk 1:31:52] } 14. f4 { [%eval 0.47] } { The first new move in this Maroczy Bind. } { [%clk 1:26:36] } (14. b3 { has been tried before, when after } 14... a6 15. f4 Nf6 { would again make sense, transposing to the game after } 16. Kh1 Rac8?! { but, in this move order, Black would have had the more ambitious } (16... b5! { when } 17. cxb5 Rfc8 { keeps two rooks active on the queenside as clearer compensation for the pawn. E.g. } 18. Rac1 (18. Rfc1?! axb5 19. Qxb5?? Rxc3! 20. Qxa5 Rxc1+ { The point is that now this comes with check. } 21. Rxc1 Rxa5 $19) 18... axb5 19. Qxb5 { After 18. Rac1, the pawn can be captured. } 19... Qa3 $44 { Black's activity provides compensation, as the knight is stuck defending both the a- and e-pawns, while it itself is coming under fire. })) 14... Nf6 { [%eval 0.34] [%clk 1:28:15] } 15. b3 { [%eval 0.2] [%clk 1:12:02] } 15... Rac8?! { [%eval 0.4] [%clk 1:28:03] } (15... a6 { This was more accurate, retaining the possibility of ... b7-b5 and ... Rf8-c8 if White plays passively with a similar Kg1-h1 idea. } 16. Qd4 $14 { Actively preventing ... Qa5-b6+ as to prepare queenside expansion. } (16. a4 { White wants to play Kg1-h1 before this move, as } 16... Qb6+ $10 { helps undermine the bind. } { [%cal Gb6b3] })) 16. Kh1 { [%eval 0.41] [%clk 1:09:21] } 16... a6 { [%eval 0.5] [%clk 1:28:07] } 17. a4 { [%eval 0.49] } { White demonstrates why Black was one tempi too slow, shutting down ... b7-b5 without even having to shed the b-pawn to ... Qa5-b6+. } { [%clk 1:09:24] } 17... Rfd8 { [%eval 0.89] [%clk 1:19:07] } 18. Rae1 { [%eval 0.51] [%clk 1:05:14] } 18... Qb4?! { [%eval 1.48] } { Black attempts to needle White's queenside. } { [%clk 1:18:00] } 19. Bd1!? { [%eval 0.33] } { This keeps some edge, and is the less risky move. } { [%clk 1:04:27] } (19. f5 { This is the bloodthirsty move. } 19... Bd7 20. g4 (20. Bd1 { But even the safe move is an improvement on the game, as there is no ... Nf6-d7-e5 to counterattack White's f4-f5 push. In fact, Black's position is so dire that the engine suggests that either 20. ... d5 or 20. ... b5 are necessary to get any counterplay. })) 19... Qc5? { [%eval 1.98] [%clk 1:11:00] } (19... b5! { With the knight under-protected, this seems thematic. Of course, White likely did not play f4-f5 as to prevent Black's bishop from covering the b-pawn. But } 20. axb5 axb5 21. Nxb5 { allows the spectacular } 21... Rxc4! 22. bxc4 Bxc4 23. Qd4 Qxb5 { when Black has a pawn for the Exchange as well as play against the e-pawn. After } 24. Rf2 Rb8 $44 { The two rooks do not seem particularly dominant. }) (19... d5 { This was the other tactical idea, again making use of White's inability to play c4xd5 due to the underprotected c3-knight. } 20. exd5 Bd7 $14 { Now, ... b7-b5 is more likely to work, even without anything as absurd as ... Rc8xc4 ideas to justify it. } { [%cal Gb7b5] }) 20. f5 { [%eval 2.01] } { Now, White gets his intended attack. } { [%clk 0:54:37] } 20... Bd7 { [%eval 1.82] [%clk 1:07:36] } 21. Nd5! { [%eval 2.0] [%clk 0:54:38] } (21. g4 { was also possible, but } 21... g5 22. Nd5 b5 $16 { is more effective with the g4-pawn a target. }) 21... Nxd5?! { [%eval 2.77] [%clk 1:05:31] } (21... Rf8 { Most stubborn. } 22. Qc3 Rce8 23. a5 $16 { Still, White follows the maxim of using space to gain more space, and Black's position is getting more difficult to navigate by the minute. }) (21... b5?! 22. fxg6! { This is one reason why White did not want to commit to g2-g4, as the g-pawn would be a target now. But, here, } 22... hxg6 23. axb5 axb5 24. Qc3 $18 { simply allows unfettered play against Black's kingside. }) 22. exd5 { [%eval 2.78] } { White's rooks are now alive! } { [%clk 0:55:05] } 22... Bxf5 { [%eval 2.72] [%clk 1:05:37] } 23. Qc3+ { [%eval 2.48] [%clk 0:54:37] } 23... Kg8 { [%eval 2.72] [%clk 1:05:45] } 24. g4! { [%eval 2.55] [%clk 0:54:41] } (24. Rxe7? Re8! { would have given Black counterplay. } (24... Qxd5?? 25. Qf6 $18) 25. Rxb7 Qxd5 { Now, there is no win with Qc3-f6 as ... Qd5-e6 is not refuted by Re7xe6. } 26. Bf3 $14 { White has a slight edge due to the better structure, but Black's pieces have clear targets to play against. }) 24... Bd7 { [%eval 1.99] [%clk 1:05:27] } (24... Qxd5+ { grabs a pawn with check, but } 25. Rf3! { or even the prosaic } (25. cxd5 Rxc3 26. gxf5 $16 { is enough to win, but the point was }) 25... Be4 26. cxd5 Rxc3 27. Rxe4 $18 { is an even more active way to pick up material, as the f3-knight is not hanging. }) 25. Rxe7 { [%eval 1.77] [%clk 0:45:55] } 25... Be8?? { [%eval 5.01] [%clk 1:05:17] } (25... Qxd5+ 26. Bf3 Qg5 27. Rxf7 Qe5 28. Qxe5 dxe5 29. Bxb7 Bc6+ 30. Bxc6 Rxc6 31. Re7) 26. Qf6 $18 { [%eval 4.94] } { A fantastic positional bind from White. Black's counterplay was neither obvious nor easy to evaluate, but, without it, White turned from a positional grind to an attacking win in only a few turns. } { [%clk 0:40:07] } 26... b5 { [%eval 4.97] [%clk 1:05:46] } 27. Rf3 { [%eval 4.99] [%clk 0:33:01] } 27... Qb4 { [%eval 8.23] [%clk 1:03:29] } (27... Rc7 { was more stubborn, but any retreating move is simply winning for White. }) 28. Bc2 { [%eval 7.92] [%clk 0:28:12] } 28... Qd2 { [%eval #9] [%clk 1:01:57] } (28... Rc7 { is too late: } 29. Bxg6 $18) 29. Bxg6! { [%eval #8] } { Mate is unstoppable with Re7xe8+ to follow, when the king will have nowhere to hide. } { [%clk 0:27:12] } 1-0