[Event "2023 National Middle School Championships"] [Site "Round Rock, TX"] [Date "2023.04.22"] [White "Sihan Tao"] [Black "Sunny Zhang"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2160"] [BlackElo "1862"] [Annotator "FM Sandeep Sethuraman"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C50"] [Opening "Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/JIs7Thj7/MJcsB36N"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by FM Sandeep Sethuraman } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nc3 { With this interesting deviation from the main lines (c2-c3 and castling), Tao was likely looking to take the game into unfamiliar territory for his lower-rated opponent. } 5... d6!? (5... a6 { is a move to try and keep the dark-squared bishop, but these younger players seem perfectly happy to give up their bishops, and the computer is fine with it so who am I to criticize. (Editor's note: the annotator referring to 'these younger players' is still in high school.) } 6. h3 d6 7. O-O O-O 8. Bg5 { would be a "normal" continuation, where White has ideas to play Nc3-d5 to take advantage of the pin, while Black will likely continue with ... h7-6 and put the light-squared bishop on the e6-square. }) 6. Na4 { The most principled move. White wants to play for an advantage and this is the way to do so. } 6... Bb6 7. Nxb6 axb6 8. a4!? { This is a common motif to play against doubled b-pawns. The idea is to fix them in place and take some space on the queenside, potentially foreshadowing a later c2-c3 and b2-b4. } (8. O-O Na5 { and it looks like Black will also eliminate White's Italian bishop, but White can make use of a common tactic here! } 9. Bd5 c6 10. Bxf7+! { The point of White's last move was to prepare this by provoking ... c7-c6 and thus taking away the retreat for the a5-knight. } 10... Kxf7 11. b4 { and White will take the knight while slightly weakening Black's king, but Black has compensation in the form of White's ruined queenside pawns and a solid center with the open f-file. } 11... Rf8 12. bxa5 Rxa5 13. Be3 { with an approximately equal game with chances for both sides. }) 8... Bg4 9. c3 h6 10. Be3?! { It's hard to call this a mistake, because White is simply developing normally, but it's far too easy to come under pressure with moves like this. The bishop becomes a target after Black's most natural move, so this seems like a case of not taking the opponent's plans into account. } (10. h3 { was natural and strong. Now, } 10... Bh5?! { is an example of how Black's position can quickly deteriorate. } (10... Be6 { is more accurate. } 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. O-O O-O 13. b4 { and White's dark-squared bishop and queenside space give him a nice pull. }) 11. g4! Bg6 (11... Nxg4?? { This never works when White isn't castled: } 12. hxg4 Bxg4 13. Rg1 { and White is simply up a piece. }) 12. O-O! { Castling may seem dangerous with White's kingside structure, but in reality it is very difficult for Black to generate any initiative and her bishop remains sadly trapped on g6. } 12... O-O 13. Re1 $16) 10... d5! { Striking at the first opportunity. This is a great example for all 1. ... e5 players, as this idea frequently rises in both the Italian and Ruy Lopez openings. } 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. h3 Be6 (12... Bh5 { would have been even more accurate to keep pressure on the f3-knight. } 13. g4? { is no good once the center has opened. } (13. O-O O-O 14. Re1 Re8 { and Black is for choice. }) 13... Bg6 { The bishop is happy putting pressure on the weak d3-pawn, and White's king will be loose on both sides of the board. }) 13. Bb5!? { Again, the readiness of these players to part with their bishops is impressive, but here it's ill-advised. } (13. Bd2 { was simple and best. } 13... O-O 14. O-O { and things seem peachy for White, but Black has a counterstrike that ensures equality. } 14... e4! 15. dxe4 Nxc3 16. Bxc3 Bxc4 17. Qxd8 Rfxd8 18. Rfc1 { White has nothing, but neither does Black, and this is a huge improvement over what happened in the game. }) 13... Nxe3 14. fxe3 O-O 15. O-O Qe7 (15... e4!? { It is often a good idea to give a pawn to ruin the structure, but here } 16. dxe4 Qe7 17. Qc2 { makes it very difficult to regain the pawn for Black and after } 17... Rad8 18. Rad1 { White is simply better. }) 16. Qe2 Na7 { Finally the players are warming up to the idea that bishops are preferable to knights. } 17. d4!? { posing some questions, but Zhang comes up with the answers. } (17. Nxe5 Nxb5 18. axb5 Rxa1 19. Rxa1 Bxh3 20. d4 { was also perfectly playable for White, as the g1-king is perfectly safe and White's central majority guarantees equality. }) 17... Nxb5 18. Qxb5?! { Here, the integrity of the queenside structure isn't as important as control of open files, and the a4-pawn eventually becomes a weakness. } (18. axb5 exd4 19. exd4 Rxa1 20. Rxa1 { and White should have no problems equalizing. }) 18... exd4 19. exd4 Ra5 20. Qe2 Qd7 21. Ne5 Qd5 22. b4! { Allowing Black to double the rooks on the a-file would be too much, and Tao recognizes that it is time to act before things get out of hand. } (22. Rf2 { would be natural to double on the f-file and } 22... b5! { ruins White's plans. }) 22... Raa8 23. Qe3 c5!? { This move is fine, but there was really no need to alter the structure this drastically. } (23... Qd6 24. Rf3 f6! { A slower, more controlling approach would have offered Black a safe edge. }) 24. dxc5 bxc5 25. c4! { This intermediate move is likely what was missed by Zhang, and Tao shows his class despite clearly not being in his best form. } (25. bxc5 Bxh3! { begins a long forcing sequence that ends in equality, but Tao probably didn't want to cede a half-point as the 300-point rating favorite with the white pieces. } 26. gxh3 Rfe8 27. Rf5 f6 28. Re1 Rxe5 29. Rxe5 fxe5 30. Qxe5 Qxe5 31. Rxe5 Rxa4 $10) 25... Qd4 26. Qxd4 cxd4 27. c5 { Fixing the b-pawn and flexing White's three-to-one queenside majority, Tao looks to be in prime position to score the full point. } 27... f6 28. Nf3 d3?! { Passed pawns are meant to be pushed, but here Black's pawn is unsupported and can quickly become weak. } 29. Ra3 (29. Nd4! { would have generated great winning chances. } 29... Bd5 30. Rfd1 Be4 31. Nb5 { and the knight will park on d6, putting pressure on the queenside while plugging the d-file and controlling e8. }) 29... Rfd8 30. Rd1 Bf5 31. a5 Rd5 32. Kf2 Re8 { Both players have played this endgame logically so far; White has brought all his pieces into the fray, while Black has consolidated her d-pawn. However, if White makes some consolidating moves, the queenside majority will be decisive, so Black must act quickly. } 33. Rd2 Re4! { Giving up such an advanced pawn is not easy, but Zhang recognizes that the d-pawn is going nowhere, and disrupting White's queenside plans is more important. } 34. Raxd3 (34. Rb3 Rc4 { and Black is suddenly posing unpleasant questions. } 35. Ne1 Rf4+ 36. Ke3 Rdd4 { and Black is at least fine. }) 34... Rxd3 35. Rxd3 Rxb4 36. Rd8+ Kh7 37. Rb8 Rb5 38. c6! { Tao recognizes that such an advanced outside passed pawn is worth being down some material. } (38. a6! { achieves a similar purpose and after } 38... bxa6 39. Rxb5 axb5 40. Nd4 Bd3 41. c6 b4 42. Ke3 Ba6 43. Kd2 { the game should end peacefully. }) 38... bxc6 39. Rxb5 cxb5 40. Nd4 b4! { Winning a critical tempo. } (40... Bd7? 41. a6 Bc8 42. a7 Bb7 43. Nxb5 { would have been hopeless for Black. }) 41. Ke3?! { White misses a chance to force matters. } (41. a6 Bc8 42. a7 Bb7 43. Ke3 Kg6 (43... Bxg2?? 44. Nf3) 44. g4 Kg5 45. Ne6+ Kh4 46. Nxg7 { and both sides will vacuum each others' pawns. }) 41... Bc8 { Preventing the advance of the a-pawn. } 42. Kd2 Ba6 43. Nc2 b3 44. Ne3?? { This is not forcing enough, and it gives Black the decisive edge. } (44. Nd4 { would have won the b-pawn, but Tao was likely scared of } 44... Bf1 { where it seems Black is winning another pawn, but after } 45. g3! Bxh3 46. Nxb3 { White holds. In this case, having a g-pawn is a blessing as it can hold all of Black's three pawns much better than an h- or f-pawn could have. }) 44... Kg6?? { Returning the favor! } (44... f5! { would have given Black a decisive edge, once again. } 45. g3 (45. Nxf5 { fails to } 45... b2 46. Kc2 Bd3+) 45... g5 { And the knight will be kicked with tempo. } 46. Kc3 f4 47. gxf4 gxf4 48. Ng4 Bc4!! { The critical move, freezing the White king, and keeping two advanced passers } 49. Ne5 Bd5 { This square does it all; controls a8, defends b3, and it prepares ... f5-f4-f3. White is helpless against the advance. }) 45. Kc3 f5 46. g3 Kf6 47. Kxb3? (47. Nd5+! { would have held the draw, but it wasn't easy to calculate under time pressure. } 47... Ke5 48. Nc7 Bf1 49. a6 Bxh3 50. a7 Bg2 51. Kxb3 g5 52. Kc3 { and the white king makes it back in time after } 52... f4 53. gxf4+ Kxf4 54. Kd4 $10 { . }) 47... Ke5 { The invasion of the king puts White under great strain and, combined with troubles on the clock, this spells disaster. } 48. Nc4+ Ke4?? { Giving White a huge chance! } (48... Kd5 { Would have forced the knight back and ensured the full point. }) 49. Kb4?? (49. Nd6+! { would have held by attacking from behind. After } 49... Ke5 50. Ne8 g5 51. Kc3 f4 52. gxf4+ gxf4 53. Kd2 $10 { the white king makes it to f2. }) 49... Kf3 50. Nd6 g6 51. h4 h5! { Fixing the structure. The rest is simple. } 52. Kc5 Kxg3 53. Kb6 Bd3 54. Nb5 f4 55. a6 f3 56. a7 Be4 57. Nd6 Ba8 { 0-1 Black wins. White resigned } 0-1