[Event "U.S. Chess Championship - Open"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2024.10.13"] [Round "3"] [White "Niemann, Hans Moke"] [Black "Dominguez Perez, Leinier"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2733"] [BlackElo "2741"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Annotator "IM Robert Shlyakhtenko"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C54"] [Opening "Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo"] [StudyName "2024 U.S. Championship and U.S. Women's Championship"] [ChapterName "Niemann, Hans Moke - Dominguez Perez, Leinier"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/K5XjRsoK/rHcPBsDC"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:29:46] } 1... e5 { [%clk 1:29:47] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:29:34] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 1:29:28] } 3. Bc4 { [%clk 1:28:54] } 3... Bc5 { [%clk 1:28:55] } 4. O-O { [%clk 1:28:07] } 4... Nf6 { [%clk 1:28:49] } 5. d3 { [%clk 1:28:01] } 5... d6 { [%clk 1:28:28] } 6. c3 { [%clk 1:27:51] } 6... O-O { [%clk 1:27:17] } 7. Re1 { [%clk 1:25:32] } 7... a5 { [%clk 1:26:19] } 8. h3 { [%clk 1:25:01] } 8... h6 { [%clk 1:25:18] } 9. Nbd2 { [%clk 1:24:16] } 9... Be6 { [%clk 1:25:07] } 10. Bb5 { [%clk 1:23:56] } 10... Bb6 { [%clk 1:24:52] } 11. Nc4 { [%clk 1:16:45] } 11... Bc5 { At some point, players discovered that Black can just lose a tempo in this way, as the knight on c4 is tactically vulnerable. } { [%clk 1:24:39] } 12. Ba4 { [%clk 1:11:28] } (12. d4 { can be met by } 12... exd4 (12... Na7 { is also fine. }) 13. cxd4 Nxd4! 14. Nxd4 c6 { and Black will win back the piece. }) 12... Bxc4 { [%clk 1:24:07] } 13. dxc4 { [%clk 1:11:18] } 13... Nh5 { I would prefer to play Black in this position. His play looks very easy and logical: ... Qd8-f6 and then ... Nc6-e7-g6, with menacing play on the kingside dark squares. What White is supposed to do is much less clear. } { [%clk 1:24:03] } 14. g4!? { I will say something slightly controversial: I think this was a very good practical decision. The engine suggests other moves, but in no case could the engine convince me that White had any real chances to press. It seemed that Black's decisions were too easy. Niemann's move, on the other hand, sets significant practical problems for Black, even if it is highly risky from a structural viewpoint. In my opinion, since none of White's options here look very appealing, he should look for alternatives before 11. Nc4. But this does not mean that 14. g4 should be condemned. } { [%clk 0:51:17] } (14. Nh2 Qh4 15. Be3 Bxe3 16. Rxe3 Qg5 17. g3 Qg6 { Black has enough counterplay here. }) (14. a3 Bb6 15. b4 (15. Rf1 Ng3 16. Re1 Nh5 { is just a repetition now. }) 15... Qf6 16. Bxc6 { Otherwise, Black would begin the transfer of this knight to the kingside. } 16... bxc6 { The c4-pawn is slightly weak, and Black is completely fine here. }) 14... Nf6 { [%clk 1:17:09] } 15. g5 { [%clk 0:41:27] } 15... hxg5 { [%clk 1:10:15] } 16. Bxg5 { In some sense, White's play has its own logic: Black wasted time in the opening (... Bc5-b6-Bc5 and ... Nf6-h5-f6), and White is trying to punish him for it. However, Black's position is extremely solid and, should Black make the right decision here, he will be fine. } { [%clk 0:39:45] } 16... Qc8?! { Already, this is somewhat inaccurate. } { [%clk 1:09:06] } (16... Qe7! { was the right regrouping. Black intends ... Nc6-d8-e6, bringing another piece to the defense of the kingside. Now after the logical continuation } 17. Kh2 Nd8 (17... Bxf2 { is pointless; White just gains time for the attack. }) 18. Rg1 Ne6 19. Qd2 g6 { White has the resource } 20. Bd7! { with completely unclear play. }) 17. Kh2 { [%clk 0:38:39] } 17... Nh7?! { [%clk 1:06:53] } (17... Qe6 { was better, with a subsequent ... Nc6-e7-g6. }) 18. Rg1! { Niemann correctly continues the attack rather than preventing the exchange of the bishop. } { [%clk 0:29:40] } 18... Qe6 { [%clk 0:59:35] } (18... Nxg5 19. Rxg5 Ne7 20. Qd2 { is unpleasant for Black, e.g., } 20... f6 (20... Qe6 21. Rag1 g6 22. R1g3 { also gives White a strong initiative. }) 21. Rg3 Kf7 22. Rag1 g6 (22... Rg8? 23. Ng5+ $18) 23. Bd1! { with the idea of b2-b4 and a subsequent c4-c5, activating White's light-squared bishop. }) 19. Rg2 { [%clk 0:28:16] } 19... Ne7?! { White is rewarded: this is a serious mistake, after which the move ... Nf6-h7 lacks a point. } { [%clk 0:47:49] } (19... Nxg5 { This was the right time to capture the bishop. After } 20. Nxg5 Qh6 { Black still does not face serious problems. }) 20. Bd2! { [%clk 0:10:26] } 20... Ng6?! { The third inaccuracy, after which White is clearly better. } { [%clk 0:23:58] } (20... f5 { is met simply by } 21. Bc2 f4 22. b4 { , and Black will have problems on the light-squares. }) (20... g6! { Would have given more chances for a successful defense. }) 21. Qe2 { This position is a dream scenario for White. He has a free attack on the kingside without any visible means of counterplay for Black. There is no clear improvement for Black over the next few moves; Niemann simply broke through, despite Dominguez's best attempts at resistance. } { [%clk 0:09:48] } 21... Qf6 { [%clk 0:21:42] } (21... Nf4 { does not help Black after } 22. Bxf4 exf4 23. Rag1 g6 24. Bc2! { followed by Rg2-g4. }) 22. Rg4 { [%clk 0:09:04] } 22... c6 { [%clk 0:17:41] } 23. Rag1 { [%clk 0:08:00] } 23... Kh8 { [%clk 0:16:38] } 24. Bc2 { [%clk 0:05:18] } 24... Bb6 { [%clk 0:06:51] } 25. R1g2 { [%clk 0:00:28] } 25... Bd8 { [%clk 0:01:35] } 26. c5!? { Played simply to help activate the c2-bishop later on. } { [%clk 0:00:-41] } 26... dxc5 { [%clk 0:00:16] } 27. h4 { [%clk 0:00:-50] } 27... c4 { [%clk 0:-4:-20] } 28. h5 { [%clk 0:-2:-45] } 28... Ne7 { [%clk 0:-4:-22] } 29. Rxg7 { That's it: the attack has succeeded. } { [%clk 0:-3:-39] } 29... Rg8 { [%clk 0:-5:-45] } 30. R7g3 { [%clk 0:-10:-14] } (30. Rxh7+!? Kxh7 31. Ng5+ Kh8 32. Qxc4 Rg7 33. Bb3 { was also possible, but unnecessary. }) 30... b5 { [%clk 0:-8:-59] } 31. Ng5 { Trading off one of the main defenders of the kingside. } { [%clk 0:-11:-28] } 31... Nxg5 { [%clk 0:-9:-50] } 32. Bxg5 { [%clk 0:-11:-36] } 32... Qe6 { [%clk 0:-9:-55] } 33. Qf3 { [%clk 0:-12:-29] } 33... Nc8 { Allowing the game to finish even more quickly. } { [%clk 0:-11:-14] } (33... Kh7 { would put up sterner resistance. }) 34. Bf6+! { [%clk 0:-12:-49] } 34... Bxf6 { [%clk 0:-11:-28] } 35. Rxg8+ { [%clk 0:-12:-52] } 35... Kh7 { [%clk 0:-11:-31] } 36. Re8! { Black resigned. It is rare for a game at the top-level to be so one-sided. } { [%clk 0:-13:-26] } 1-0