[Event "Southern California State Championship 2025"] [Site "California"] [Date "2025.05.24"] [Round "06"] [White "Akopian, Vladimir"] [Black "Ghazarian, Kirk"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2595"] [BlackElo "2508"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A06"] [Opening "Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation"] [StudyName "Memorial Day Weekend Wrap-Up"] [ChapterName "Akopian, Vladimir - Ghazarian, Kirk"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/LiBUPbH9/CbZ435fp"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. Nf3 { [%clk 1:30:34] } 1... d5 { [%clk 1:30:23] } 2. b3 { [%clk 1:30:19] } 2... c5 { [%clk 1:30:31] } 3. e3 { [%clk 1:30:44] } 3... a6 { [%clk 1:30:55] } 4. c4 { [%clk 1:23:44] } 4... d4 { [%clk 1:30:47] } 5. exd4 { [%clk 1:23:59] } 5... cxd4 { [%clk 1:31:11] } 6. g3 { [%clk 1:24:26] } 6... Nc6 { [%clk 1:30:07] } 7. Bg2 { [%clk 1:24:46] } 7... e5 { [%clk 1:29:05] } 8. O-O { [%clk 1:24:22] } 8... Bd6 { [%clk 1:27:08] } 9. Re1 { [%clk 1:24:07] } 9... Nge7 { [%clk 1:21:45] } 10. a3 { [%clk 1:19:35] } 10... a5 { [%clk 1:20:05] } 11. d3 { [%clk 1:19:45] } 11... O-O { [%clk 1:20:07] } 12. Nbd2 { [%clk 1:19:38] } 12... Rb8 { [%clk 1:14:44] } 13. c5 { [%clk 0:57:56] } 13... Bxc5 { [%clk 0:59:50] } 14. Nxe5 { [%clk 0:58:10] } 14... Nxe5 { [%clk 0:50:06] } 15. Rxe5 { [%clk 0:58:33] } 15... Bd6 { [%clk 0:50:17] } 16. Re1 { [%clk 0:50:41] } 16... Bc7 { [%clk 0:47:09] } 17. Qh5 { [%clk 0:32:12] } 17... Nf5 { [%clk 0:36:52] } 18. Ne4 { [%clk 0:31:56] } 18... b6 { [%clk 0:23:23] } 19. Bd2 { [%clk 0:27:13] } 19... Ne7 { [%clk 0:19:17] } 20. Ng5 { [%clk 0:22:51] } 20... h6 { [%clk 0:17:12] } 21. Nf3 { [%clk 0:22:31] } 21... Ba6 { [%clk 0:16:01] } 22. Re4 { [%clk 0:21:01] } 22... Qd5 { [%clk 0:11:00] } 23. Qxd5 { [%clk 0:20:04] } 23... Nxd5 { [%clk 0:11:28] } 24. Rxd4 { [%clk 0:20:17] } 24... Rbd8 { [%clk 0:09:29] } 25. Rc1 { [%clk 0:18:41] } 25... Bb8 { [%clk 0:09:55] } 26. Ne1 { [%clk 0:18:02] } 26... Ne7 { [%clk 0:09:25] } 27. Be3 { [%clk 0:14:46] } 27... Bd6 { [%clk 0:08:50] } 28. Ra4 { [%clk 0:08:24] } 28... Rb8 { [%clk 0:06:29] } 29. Bf4 { [%clk 0:07:47] } 29... Rfd8 { [%clk 0:06:35] } 30. Bxd6 { [%clk 0:06:56] } 30... Rxd6 { [%clk 0:07:03] } 31. Re4 { [%clk 0:07:09] } 31... Nc6 { [%clk 0:02:49] } 32. Re3 { [%clk 0:05:31] } 32... Nd4 { [%clk 0:02:54] } 33. b4 { [%clk 0:05:44] } 33... axb4 { [%clk 0:02:43] } 34. axb4 { [%clk 0:06:11] } 34... Rbd8 { [%clk 0:02:05] } 35. Rc7 { [%clk 0:06:08] } 35... Nb5 { [%clk 0:01:34] } 36. Rce7 { [%clk 0:05:59] } 36... Kf8 { [%clk 0:01:21] } 37. Bb7 { [%clk 0:05:23] } 37... Bxb7 { [%clk 0:01:34] } 38. Rxb7 { [%clk 0:05:49] } 38... R8d7 { [%clk 0:01:45] } 39. Rxd7 { [%clk 0:02:01] } 39... Rxd7 { [%clk 0:02:14] } 40. Re4 { [%clk 0:00:54] } 40... Nd4 { [%clk 0:01:39] } 41. f4 { [%clk 0:27:50] } 41... h5 { [%clk 0:27:47] } 42. Kf2 { [%clk 0:27:12] } 42... g6 { [%clk 0:22:20] } 43. Ke3 { [%clk 0:26:36] } 43... Nf5+ { [%clk 0:22:01] } 44. Kd2 { [%clk 0:26:50] } 44... Nd4 { [%clk 0:20:19] } 45. Kc3 { [%clk 0:23:04] } 45... Nb5+ { [%clk 0:20:10] } 46. Kb3 { [%clk 0:23:27] } 46... Rc7 { [%clk 0:17:38] } 47. Rc4 { The critical moment in a battle between the reigning U.S. Senior Champion and a recent participant in the U.S. Junior Championship! } { [%clk 0:20:03] } 47... Ra7?! { Black made the wrong decision here, opting for an open file instead of a half-open file with a target on it. } { [%clk 0:16:54] } (47... Rd7 { The knight is stuck on defense now, and of course Kb3-c2?? loses to ... Nb5-a3+, so it is not so easy to untangle. } 48. Kb2 Nd4 { allows Black to outpost, as } 49. Nc2?! { but after } (49. Kc3 Nb5+ 50. Kd2 Nd4 51. Ke3 Nf5+ { it does not look like White can easily make progress! }) 49... Nf3 $10 { regains a pawn. }) 48. Nc2 { Without knights, White's passed central pawn and play against the weak b6-pawn provide excellent winning chances. So, of course White jumps at the first chance he gets to angle towards a trade of ponies. } { [%clk 0:19:40] } 48... Ke7?! { The natural developing move walks into a concrete rejoinder: } { [%clk 0:15:28] } 49. Nd4! { Black is welcome to move the knight, but Nd4-c6+ will cost a rook. } { [%clk 0:18:25] } 49... Nxd4+ { [%clk 0:14:39] } (49... Ra3+? 50. Kb2 { sees something drop. }) 50. Rxd4 { [%clk 0:18:50] } 50... Ra1 { [%clk 0:12:22] } 51. Kc4 { Black's king is cut off from the b-pawn by multiple files, and White wins with ease. } { [%clk 0:18:46] } 51... Ra2 { [%clk 0:12:32] } 52. h4 { [%clk 0:17:45] } 52... Rg2 { [%clk 0:10:37] } 53. Kb5 { [%clk 0:17:53] } 53... Rxg3 { [%clk 0:10:59] } 54. Kxb6 { [%clk 0:18:18] } 54... Rg4 { [%clk 0:08:44] } 55. b5 { [%clk 0:17:44] } 55... Rxh4 { [%clk 0:10:15] } 56. Kc7 { [%clk 0:17:38] } 56... Rh1 { [%clk 0:09:01] } 57. b6 { [%clk 0:17:45] } 57... Rb1 { [%clk 0:07:53] } 58. b7 { [%clk 0:18:03] } 58... f6 { [%clk 0:07:18] } 59. Re4+ { 1-0 White wins. } { [%clk 0:15:56] } 1-0