[Event "American Cup 2023 Championship Bracket"]
[Site "Saint Louis, United States"]
[Date "2023.03.28"]
[Round "17.1"]
[White "So, Wesley"]
[Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2761"]
[BlackElo "2768"]
[Annotator "Wang, Justin"]
[Variant "From Position"]
[ECO "?"]
[Opening "?"]
[FEN "1k1rr3/ppb1qpp1/2pp1n1p/8/2P1PB2/2P5/PPB1Q1PP/3RR2K w - - 0 19"]
[SetUp "1"]
[Source "https://lichess.org/study/DZGTvv5d/Q5BQfcgl"]
[Orientation "white"]
{ [#] }
19. Qf3 g5 20. Bg3 h5 21. Qf5 h4 22. Bf2 Nh5 23. Kg1 f6 (23... Bb6 { I think Black should trade the dark-squared bishops because Black's bishop is
not useful on c7 and White's c4- and e4-pawns are blocking his light-squared
bishop. However, Black could wait for a long time before playing Bb6. } 24. Bxb6 axb6) 24. b4 Nf4 25. Bd4 Rf8 26. a4 Qf7 27. Bb3 Rde8 (27... Bb6 { I think this
is the last chance to play ...Bc7-b6 because White plays a4-a5 on the next
move. } 28. a5 Bxd4+ 29. cxd4 a6 30. Rb1 d5) 28. a5 { Now it might start to
become difficult for Nakamura to defend against the attack on his king. } 28... Ne6? { This allows White to activate his light-square bishop while getting rid of
the doubled pawns. } (28... Re7 { keeps the c4-pawn pinned. }) 29. Be3? (29. c5 Qe7 (29... Nxd4 30. Bxf7 Nxf5 31. Bxe8 $18) 30. a6 b6 31. cxb6 Bxb6 32. Bxb6 axb6 33. Rd2 $16) 29... Nf4 30. Bd4 a6 { Nakamura corrects his previous mistake. } 31. Rd2 Ka8 32. Ba2?! { White does not have infinite time because Black
still has the threat of ...Bc7-b8. } (32. Rb1 { to prepare b5 on the next move. } 32... Re7 (32... Bb8 33. b5 c5 34. bxa6! cxd4 35. cxd4 $44 { White is quick enough
to make this sacrifice and has threats such as c4-c5. }) 33. Kh1 Qe8 34. Bc2) 32... Qe7?! (32... Bb8) 33. Bb3 Rd8 34. Rdd1 Bb8? { Now it is too late to
play ...Bc7-b8 because White can play b4-b5 already. Black needs to be ready
to meet b5 with ...c6-c5 and ...Bc7xa5. } (34... Rde8 35. b5 c5 36. Bf2 Bxa5) 35. b5 Ba7 (35... c5 36. Bf2) 36. Ba4 Bxd4+ 37. cxd4 cxb5 38. cxb5 Rc8 (38... Qf7! { is not easy to see but Black is threatening ...Qf7-a2, attacking the
bishop on a4 and threatening mate on g2. } 39. Ra1 (39. bxa6? Qa2 40. axb7+ Ka7 41. Qg4 Qxa4) 39... Qc4 40. bxa6 bxa6 $13) 39. bxa6 bxa6 40. Rb1 Rb8 41. Rb6? (41. Bc6+ Ka7 42. Rb6 Rxb6 (42... d5 43. Kf1 Nd3 44. Reb1 $18) 43. axb6+ Kxb6 44. Ra1 $18) 41... Rxb6 42. axb6 Kb8? (42... d5! { blocks
White's queen from moving to a5. }) 43. Qa5 Qb7 44. Bd1? (44. d5 { is the most
straightforward, threatening Bc6 on the next move. } 44... Qc8 45. Bc6 Qg4 46. Qd2 $18) 44... h3? (44... f5 45. h3 { to open the h2-square for the king against any
possible mating threats. } (45. Bf3 g4) 45... fxe4 46. Qxg5 Qf7 47. Qxh4 Qg7 48. Qg4 Qxg4 49. Bxg4 d5 $16 { Black has strong counterplay and might hold this
endgame. }) 45. g3 Ng2 46. Re2 $18 { Now Black's knight is trapped and is
essentially playing down a knight. } 46... Rc8 47. Bb3 Rc1+ 48. Kf2 Rb1 49. Bd5 Qxb6 50. Qxb6+ Rxb6 51. Be6 f5 52. Bxf5 Rb3 53. Be6 Rc3 54. Bxh3 Nf4 55. gxf4 Rxh3 56. Kg2 Rh4 57. fxg5 Rg4+ 58. Kf3 Rxg5 59. h4 Rg8 60. h5 Kc7 61. h6 Kd7 62. h7 Rh8 63. Rh2 Ke7 64. Rh5 Kf7 65. Rh6 d5 66. Rxa6 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0