[Event "USCF/WS/25VP04"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2025.03.12"] [White "Ralls, Richard"] [Black "Sloan, Nicholas"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2372"] [BlackElo "2081"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D35"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation"] [StudyName "Check is in the Mail - October 2025"] [ChapterName "Game 3"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/HpPBisS7/CJQI04OZ"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/jkfrench"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 c6 7. Bd3 Be7 8. Nge2 h6 9. Bh4 O-O 10. Qc2 Re8 11. O-O a6 { 11...Nf6-h5 gains popularity. D36: Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation: Main line (5 Bg5 c6 6 Qc2). } 12. a3 Nf8 13. Bg3 Bd6 $146 { White has an edge. Predecessor: } (13... Ne6 14. f3 Ng5 15. Rad1 Bd6 16. Bxd6 Qxd6 17. e4 dxe4 18. fxe4 { 0-1 Alcala Vitora,W (2068)-Perdomo Araujo,A (1957) Valera op 31th 2012 (6) }) 14. Qd2 Bxg3 15. Nxg3 h5 16. f3 h4 17. Nge2 Ne6 18. Rac1 g6 19. e4 (19. Bb1! $14) 19... h3 20. e5 (20. gxh3 dxe4 21. fxe4 Nh5 $15 (21... Nxd4 22. Qf4 $15)) 20... hxg2 21. Rf2 (21. exf6? gxf1=B (21... gxf1=N? 22. Rxf1 Qxf6 23. Bc2 $19) 22. Rxf1 Qxf6 $19) (21. Kxg2 Nh5) 21... Nh5 22. f4 { Prevents Ne6-g5 } 22... Qh4 { Counterplay White } 23. Na4 Bd7 24. Rc3! Kg7 25. Kxg2 (25. Rxg2? Nhxf4 (25... Nexf4? 26. Rg3 $19) 26. Nxf4 Nxf4 $19) 25... Rab8! 26. Nb6 Rbd8 27. b4 Rh8 28. Kg1 f5! 29. exf6+ Nxf6 { ...Nf6-g4 is the strong threat. } 30. Rg2 Be8 31. Bf5 Ne4! 32. Bxe4 dxe4 33. f5 e3! 34. Rxe3 (34. Qxe3? Qe1#) 34... Nxd4 35. Qc3 (35. Nxd4 { simplifies } 35... Qxd4 36. Qxd4+ Rxd4 37. Re7+) 35... Qf6 36. Nf4 { A dynamic duo of knights. } 36... Rh6 37. Rd3 Bf7 (37... Nxf5? 38. Ne6+ Kf7 39. Nxd8+ $18) 38. fxg6 Bxg6 (38... Qxf4 39. gxf7+ Kf8 (39... Kxf7? 40. Qc4+ Kf6 41. Rf2 $18 { Pin }) 40. Qc5+ (40. Rf2 Qe4) 40... Rhd6 (40... Kxf7? 41. Qc4+ Kf6 42. Rf2 $18 { Pin }) 41. h3 Nf3+ 42. Kh1 $18) 39. Nbd5 { Chess con chili. } 39... cxd5 40. Rxd4 Rc8! { Deflection } 41. Qe3 Re8 { Deflection } 42. Qc3 { Strongly threatening Nxg6. } (42. Qxe8? Qxd4+ 43. Kf1 Qxf4+ $19) 42... Re1+! { Deflection } 43. Qxe1 Qxd4+ 44. Qf2 Qa1+ (44... Qxf2+? 45. Kxf2 Kh7 46. Rxg6 (46. Nxd5 Be4) 46... Rxh2+ (46... Rxg6? { too greedy. } 47. Nxg6 d4 48. Ne5 $18) 47. Ke3 $18) 45. Qf1 Qd4+! { The position is equal. } 46. Kh1 Qe4 { Repels Nf4-e6+ } 47. Qc1 Kf6 48. Qc3+ d4 49. Qg3 Qb1+ 50. Rg1 { A brilliant game! Weighted Error Value: White=0.09 (flawless) /Black=0.05 (flawless) Mistake: White=1 --- Inaccurate: White=3 Black=3 OK: White=19 Black=19 Best: White=3 Black=4 Strong: --- Black=6 } 1/2-1/2