1.e4c52.Nc3a63.Nge2d64.g3Nf65.Bg2g66.d3Bg77.O-ONc68.h3O-O9.f4Nd710.g4b5The funny thing about the Closed Sicilian is how one subtle shift in move order can be the difference between a tabiya played dozens of times in the database and a fresh position.11.Qe1!?...While this move is thematic for the opening, preparing Qe1-h4 and a kingside attack, we are apparently in a completely fresh position. The early ... Nf6-d7 makes Nc3-d5 less stable, and it's less clear what the follow-up to Qe1-h4 will be, as f4-f5 is met by Black gripping the dark squares with ... Nc6-d4 and ... Nd7-e5.11....b412.Nd5Bb7Without a knight on f6, Black is able to simply "play around" White's knight while keeping ... e7-e6 ideas in reserve to dissuade any Qe1-h4 development.13.f5Nd414.Nxd4Bxd4+15.Kh1e6Black begins to repel White's forces.16.Ne3Nb6?!It seems weird to weaken the f6-square in this way. Black might be playing for ... d6-d5 and opening up the center. But it's not clear why Black was the one who needed to fight for this right now.16...a5would be the thematic way to expand on the queenside with ... Bb7-a6 and play for further expansion. White's kingside play is slow, at best, and so the relatively stable center situation should be in Black's favor.17.c3bxc318.bxc3Bg719.Rb1Rb820.Rxb6!...Black's 16th move baited this sac, with the intention of deflecting the queen off the f6-square and pushing f5-f6. White was right to go for it.20....Qxb621.f6Bh822.Nc4...22.g5might have been more flexible, leaving Ne3-g4 options open and already freeing the f1-rook from covering the f6-pawn.22....Qd8Black pressures the f6-pawn, hoping that g4-g5 clarifies the position in a way that reduces White's options in the future.23.Bf4?...White loses the thread! The intention of this move is clear enough, with the threat of Bf4xd6 forking the b8- and f8-rooks. The desire to provoke ... e6-e5 makes some sense, too, forcing Black to make decisions about pawn placement rather than committing to g4-g5. But the ... e6-e5 push improves Black's light-squared bishop, and if White can't get g4-g5 in safely, then the f6-pawn remains a target.23.g5Bc624.Qg3e5=∞Still, Black's h8-bishop is completely out of play, so White should be at least equal.23....e524.Bg5d5!?This is less complicated than the alternative.24...h6was another way to solve the dark-squared bishop's problems;25.Bxh6Bxf626.Bxf8Bh4!This was a key intermezzo.27.Qd2Qxf8∓White can't break in on the kingside, and the d-pawn is solidly covered. Black's position is easier to play with the bishop pair.25.Ne3?!...It's not clear what was wrong with25.Nxe5whendxe426.dxe4Qe827.Qg3Qe6⩱when Black's pieces are activating but White has a pawn for the Exchange and a good knight.25....dxe426.dxe4Qd3!The d3-square is often an infiltration point in the Sicilian after g2-g3 and Bf1-g2. The weak c- and e-pawns are exposed.27.Nd5Bxd5White threatened Nd5-e7 mate, so this seems prudent!28.exd5Rfe829.Qe3Qc429...e430.Qxd3exd331.Rd1c4-+30.Rf2Rb1+31.Kh2Rd131...e4!was even stronger, with prophylaxis against 32. Be4.32.Qe2?...Down the Exchange, it might seem odd to offer the queen trade. But White still has the passed d-pawn and Black still has an invisible bishop in the corner.32.Be4!It was necessary to stop the e-pawn immediately.Rf1Black might try to trade off their superfluous rook, both so the remaining rook is unopposed and so the f6-pawn is less protected and ... h7-h6 becomes more of an idea.33.Rb2But allowing the f6-pawn to drop is actually not the worst thing for White!Bxf6!?(33...Ra1∓is another option, but the h8-bishop is still a problem.)34.Qd3!Qxd335.Bxd3Rf336.Be4Black has to return material somehow.Rf4is the best of many options.37.Bxf4exf438.Re2Bxc3Black is two pawns up, but39.Bd3!⇆keeps White alive. The opposite-colored bishop endgame without rooks offers drawing chances, but keeping rooks on leaves the a6-pawn exposed.32....Qxe233.Rxe2h634.Be3Bxf6But, suddenly, the bishop is very visible, and Black is up an Exchange for real.35.Bxc5e436.Rxe4...36.Bxe4Rxd5-+36....Be5+37.Rxe5Rxe538.Bd4Re2-+The two Exchanges are too much for the central pawns.39.Kg3Rxd440.cxd4Rd241.Kf4Rxg242.Ke5Kf843.Kd6Ke844.Kc7Rc2+45.Kd6Rxa246.Ke5Kd70-1 Black wins.0-1