[Event "2 League of Macedonia 2025"] [Date "2025.07.08"] [Round "5"] [White "Seitaj, Ilir"] [Black "Burns, Michael"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2301"] [WhiteTitle "IM"] [BlackElo "2039"] [Variant "Standard"] [Board "2"] [Annotator "M.B."] [ECO "B22"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense"] [StudyName "Second League of Macedonia 2025"] [ChapterName "IM Seitaj Ilir-Michael Burns 0-1"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/Cibs7XUn/mV6TAAAo"] [Orientation "black"] 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 { [%cal Gc8f5] } (4... e6 { [%csl Gf6] }) 5. Nf3 Bf5!? { A little surprise that I no longer play... } 6. Be3 cxd4 7. cxd4 { Here, unfortunately i forgot my prep. But fortunately, i spent 10-20 minutes recalling most of it, Since i already had a massive time advantage } { [%csl Gg8] } 7... Bxb1! { Recalled it pretty well! } (7... e6 8. Nc3 Bb4 9. Be2 Qa5 { [%cal Ga5f1] } (9... Nf6 10. O-O Qa5 11. Nh4 { [%csl Gf5] }) 10. O-O) 8. Rxb1 e6 { [%cal Gf8b4] } (8... Qxa2 9. d5 $18) (8... e5) 9. a3 Nf6 10. Bd3 Bd6 { [%cal Gc6e7,Ge7f5] } 11. h3 { Probably designed to prevent Ng4 } (11. O-O O-O 12. Rc1 Rfd8 { [%csl Gf5][%cal Gc6e7,Ge7f5] } 13. Bc4 Qh5 14. g3 h6 15. Qe2 Rac8 16. Kg2 a6 17. Rfd1 Qf5 18. Bd3 Qa5) 11... O-O 12. Rc1 { Wasting tempi, but e5 is equal } 12... Rac8 { [%csl Gc8] } (12... e5 { [%csl Ge1] } 13. dxe5 (13. O-O e4 14. Bc4 Qh5 { [%csl Ge5] } 15. Nd2 Qg6 16. Qb3 Ne7 { [%csl Gf6,Gg6,Gh3][%cal Ge7f5] }) 13... Nxe5 14. Be2 Rad8 15. O-O Nxf3+ 16. Bxf3 Qe5 17. g3 Bxa3 18. Qb3 Qxb2 19. Rb1 Qxb3 20. Rxb3 Bd6 21. Bxa7) 13. O-O Ne7 14. Qe2 Rxc1 15. Rxc1 { [%csl Gc4] } 15... Rc8?! { A slight innacuracy, but it is all equal anyways. Since i was distraught after my play in the first 4 rounds, i simply thought that i was in bad form after all the lost sleep and wanted to play it safe. } (15... Nf5! { [%csl Gf5] } 16. Bc4 Qa5 17. Bd2 Qb6 18. Bc3 Ne7 { [%cal Ge7d5] } 19. b4 Ned5 20. Bb2 Rc8 { I can clearly play for a win here } { [%csl Gb2,Ga3,Gb4,Gd4][%cal Ga7a5] }) 16. Rxc8+ Nxc8 17. Bg5! { This was the flaw in my Rc1-Rc8 Plan } 17... h6 (17... Ne7) 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Be4 (19. Qe4 Qxe4 20. Bxe4 Nb6! $132 { [%csl Gb2,Ga3][%cal Gb6c4] }) 19... Qb3 20. Bc2 Qd5 { Here i thought that the isolated pawn compensated for my doubled pawns, as this was the result of my move h6 } (20... Qa2! { it is all equal but maybe a good way to try and win according to the engine, but uncoordinating the queen was too unatural for me. } { [%csl Gb6,Gd5,Gf5,Gb2,Ge7] } 21. Qe4 f5 { [%csl Gb2][%cal Ga2b2,Gg8f8,Gf8e7] } 22. Qh4 { [%csl Gd6] } 22... Qa1+ { [%csl Gg1] }) 21. Qd3 f5 22. Bb3 Qc6 { [%csl Gc1] } 23. Qd2 (23. d5 Qc1+) 23... Qe4! { [%csl Ge4,Ge7][%cal Ge4b1] } 24. Bc2 Qf4 25. Qd1 Bc7! { [%csl Gd6,Ge4,Gc4,Gb6] } (25... a5 26. g3 { [%csl Gf4] }) 26. d5 exd5? { A bad mistake, based upon not seeing a variation until the end } (26... Qd6! 27. dxe6 Qxd1+ 28. Bxd1 fxe6 29. Nd4 (29. Bb3 Kf7 30. Nd4) 29... Kf7 30. Bb3 { [%csl Ge6,Gc8,Gf5] } 30... Kf6! 31. Nxe6 (31. Bxe6 Ne7 { [%csl Gd4,Gb2][%cal Gc7e5] } 32. Nb5 Be5 { [%csl Ge6,Gb2] } 33. Bc4 Bxb2 34. Nxa7 Bxa3 { [%csl Gg2,Gh3,Gf2][%cal Gf5f4] }) 31... Be5 { [%csl Gb2] } 32. f4 Bxb2 33. a4 h5) 27. g3 Qd6 28. Nh4? { Un-coordinating his knight } (28. Bxf5 Ne7 29. Bb1 Qf6 30. Qe2 Nc6 31. Nh4 Kf8 $14 { I calculated this and believed that black was fine } { [%csl Gd5,Gc7,Gb1,Gf2][%cal Gd5d4,Gc7e5,Gc7b6,Gf6f2] }) 28... Ne7 29. Bxf5 Qe5 30. Qg4+ Kf8 31. Qb4? Bd6! { [%csl Gf2,Gg3][%cal Gd6c5,Ge5e1] } 32. Qxb7?? { Here i felt a little disrespected, since my opponent took this pawn in one second } 32... Bc5? { A messup of the move orders. } (32... Kg7! { And white should resign } { [%csl Gc5][%cal Gd6c5] } 33. Bg4 Qe1+ 34. Kg2 Bc5 { [%csl Gf2] }) (32... Nxf5? 33. Qc8+) 33. Kf1 Kg7 34. Bd3?? (34. Qb5! Bxf2! (34... Nxf5 35. Nxf5+ Qxf5 36. Qxc5 Qb1+ 37. Kg2 Qxb2 38. Qxa7 d4) (34... Qd4 35. Qe2!) 35. Kxf2 Nxf5 36. Nxf5+ Qxf5+ 37. Kg2 Qe4+ { [%csl Ge4,Gd4] }) 34... Qd4 35. Ke2 Qxf2+ 36. Kd1 Qxg3 { The rest is unnessesary } { [%csl Gh4,Gd3] } 37. Nf5+ Nxf5 38. Bxf5 Qf3+ { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%cal Gf3f5,Gf3d1] } 0-1