[Event "U.S. Masters 2023"] [Site "Charlotte"] [Date "2023.11.26"] [Round "9.5"] [White "Tiglon, Bryce"] [Black "Stremavicius, Titas"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2468"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [BlackElo "2563"] [BlackTeam "LTU"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B32"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Kalashnikov Variation"] [StudyName "U.S. Masters 2023"] [ChapterName "Tiglon, Bryce - Stremavicius, Titas"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/DWSre2Gn/yQ2Xc91H"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 g6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Be6 9. Nc2 Bg7 10. Be3 Nf6 11. f3 { More popular is } (11. Be2 { when a recently trending alternative to castling has been } 11... Rc8 12. O-O Ne7 13. Na3 { which does transpose back into familiar territory after } 13... O-O 14. Qd2 Nc6 15. Nc2 Na5 16. b3 b5 17. Rfd1 bxc4 18. b4 Nb7 { when Black's horrible knight gives White more than enough compensation for the pawn. White won in 59 moves in Kramnik – Maghsoodloo, Berlin, 2023. }) 11... O-O 12. Qd2 Rc8 13. Be2 Na5?! { The wrong knight on the wrong rim! Black has had success with } (13... Nh5 14. g3 f5 15. O-O-O!? Qf6 16. Kb1 Qf7 17. Nd5 Nf6 18. Bd3? b5! 19. Na3 Kh8 { when Black is already better. White lost after } 20. cxb5 axb5 21. Nxb5 fxe4 22. Bxe4 Nd4 23. Nxd6 Qd7 24. Bxd4 exd4 25. Nxf6 Qxd6 26. Ng4 Qa6 27. a3 Qc4 28. b4 d3 { and White resigned in Kravtsiv – Ivic, Chess.com, 2023. }) 14. b3 b5 $146 { Consistent with the early ...Ra8-c8 plan. } 15. Nd5 { White has no reason to capture on b5, as after } (15. cxb5 Bxb3! { Black has gained control of the c4-square. }) 15... Rb8?! (15... Nb7!? { might be more reasonable, as White does not want to push b3-b4 with the pawn still on c4, nor does he want to capture on b5 with Black's rook on the c-file. White can occupy b6, but not with any concrete threat. }) 16. O-O bxc4 17. bxc4 Nc6 18. Rab1 Nd7 19. Ndb4! Na5 { Black has no good way to hold the weak d6-pawn, as after } (19... Nxb4 20. Nxb4 { White cannot defend the d-pawn in a way that keeps Nb4-c6 and Nb4xa6 at bay. }) 20. Qxd6 Rc8 21. Qxa6 Nxc4 22. Nc6 Qf6 23. Bxc4 Bxc4 24. Qxc4 Rxc6 25. Qe2 { The dust settles and White is up a clean pawn for his troubles. } 25... Rfc8 26. Nb4 Rc4 27. Nd5 Qe6 28. Rfc1 Qa6 29. Rc3 Qa4 30. Rxc4 Rxc4 31. Rc1 Rxc1+ 32. Bxc1 Bf8 33. Be3 Bc5 34. Bxc5 Nxc5 35. h3 Kg7 36. Qd2 Ne6 37. Kh2 h5 38. Qb2 Nd4 39. Qd2 Kh7 40. h4 Qa3 { With no secondary time control, White does not have time to doublecheck things here. } 41. Kg3? { White misses a clean win beginning with } (41. Qg5! Ne6 (41... Qd6 42. Nf6+ { and the king has no way to avoid both Qg5-h6 mate and Nf6-e8+ winning the queen. }) 42. Qf6 Qa7 (42... Qf8 43. Qxe5 $18) 43. Ne7 Nd8 44. Nf5! Ne6 45. Nh6! $18) 41... Ne6 42. Qc3 Qd6?? (42... Qxa2 43. Qxe5 Qa7 $16 { and White's task is harder without the outside passer to deflect the short-ranged pieces. }) 43. Nf6+ Kh6 (43... Kh8 44. Qc8+ Nd8 45. Ne8 Qe7 46. Nc7 Qd6 47. a4 $18) (43... Kg7 44. Ne8+ $18) 44. Qc8 g5 45. Qg8 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0