1.d4Nf62.Bg5c5While many of the top boards featured the higher-rated player opting for safer opening choices, Kaplan takes the fight right to White in this Trompowsky.3.d5...3.Bxf6This is the main approach to the Trompowsky, damaging Black's pawns before they have a chance to do anything about it.gxf64.d5Qb6is the old main line.3....d64.Nc3...White prepares for e2-e4, but this is actually a bit inconsistent with the threat of Bg5xf6, as ... e7xf6 introduces ideas of ... f6-f5 to undermine White's center.4....h65.Bh4?!...Already, Black should be thrilled with the opening choice.5.Bc1This is the engine's favorite move, and it's even been played at the top level. The reasoning, simply enough, is that Black might not have chose to play what is essentially an Old Benoni with 1. .... c5 if they had the choice, and that the resulting closed-center position is forgiving of the tempo loss of Bc1-g5-c1.5....g56.Bg3...White's bishop is "caged" and out of play. Since Black does not need to play for ... e7-e6, the d6-pawn is strong and thus the g3-bishop is misplaced opposite it.6....Nh5Not the sharpest move, but a bishop pair is still a bishop pair! Instead, the thematic6...b5carves out massive space on the queenside, and7.Nxb5?!Qa5+8.Nc3Ne4exploits White's misplaced dark-squared bishop, as now9.Qd3is well-met withBg7!∓when White really wishes the bishop could come to the d2-square!7.e3Nxg38.hxg3Bg79.Nf3Qa510.Qd2a611.Be2b5Black's pieces will comfortably develop on the queenside now.12.O-OO-O13.Nd1Qc7!?Typically the side with less space (and more bishops) is happy to trade queens. But the position is very dynamic, and after Nc3-d1, White's "lead" in development hardly amounts to an initiative.13...Qxd214.Nxd2f5∓is consistent with having played to win the bishop pair.14.e4e615.c3...15.a4b416.Bc4⩲was a chance to keep Black's pieces tangled, as now both ... Nb8-d7 and ... Bc8-b7 lose the e6-pawn.15....exd516.exd5Nd717.Ne3f5The center is clogged by White's d-pawn, so Black begins the kingside attack.18.Qc2Nb6This is the critical moment. White's d-pawn is under pressure and must be addressed.19.Rfd1?!...White chooses to defend the d-pawn, which turns into a continued commitment to passive defense.19.Bd3!was necessary, not because counterplay is always better than defense, but because it certainly is here.Qf7seems to both defend the f5-pawn and further hammer the d5-pawn, but20.g4!∞gives White control of a long open line, totally changing the character of the play and arguing that Black's kingside pawn pushes are less justified now.19....Qf720.Ne1...Realizing that ... Bc8-b7 is coming, White prepares Be2-f3 for further defense!20....Bd7Surprise! Black keeps the f5-pawn well-guarded as to limit any intended counterplay after ... Bc8-b7.21.Bf3?!...White has managed to keep the pawn, but he has lost any semblance of counterplay and his pieces do not coordinate well. Black's last move 20. ... Bd7 really reinforces this discrepancy.21....Rae822.Rac1h5With no ability to use the e-file or the b1-h7 diagonal, the center is functionally closed as far as White is concerned. This justifies Kaplan's slow expanse of pawns, as there is no quick way to use any of the resulting weak squares.23.Be2Bh624.Ra1Kh825.a4g4With an attack on the e3-knight.26.Nf1Qe7-+This is a striking position. White's bishop is attacked twice, and after Be2-d3 it is trapped by ... c5-c4. And yet, White has no ways to safely defend it. A fantastic display of positional dominance by Kaplan!27.axb5Qxe228.Rxa6Bxb529.Qxe2Bxe230.Rxb6Bxd131.Rxd6Rxe132.Rxh6+Kg733.Re6Be234.Kh2Rxf135.Rxe2Ra836.d6Raa137.d7Rh1#0-1 Black wins.0-1