[Event "Irwin"] [Date "2025.07.30"] [Round "5"] [White "Rubsamen, Cornelius"] [Black "Truelson, Nels W"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2243"] [BlackElo "2200"] [Annotator "Rubsamen,Cornelius"] [GameId "2205534218412930"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C43"] [Opening "Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Trifunovic Variation"] [StudyName "2025 US Invitationals - Team Hawaii Game Analysis"] [ChapterName "Rubsamen, Cornelius - Truelson, Nels W"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/Lqh3kbIQ/HTUsd4tp"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Bd6 (5... Nd7 { is the main move and very solid. }) 6. O-O O-O 7. c4 Bxe5?! (7... c5 { Maintaining symmetry is Black’s best choice. }) 8. dxe5 Nc6 { Black is trying to solve his opening problems by force, but the approach is very risky. } 9. cxd5 Qxd5 10. Qc2! { White has no choice but to enter the complications. } 10... Nb4 (10... Bf5 { would have been better. }) 11. Bxe4 Nxc2 12. Bxd5 Bf5! { This is a good attempt to secure the knight’s escape route, but it ultimately fails. } 13. g4! { Only move. } 13... Bxg4 14. Be4 { It's all about the c2 square. If the Black knight escapes, White is in trouble. } 14... Nxa1 15. Bf4 f5 16. Bd5+ Kh8 17. Rc1 { The c2 square must be guarded at all costs. } 17... Rad8 (17... c6 { was played instead during an old encounter between the legends Kasparov and Anand, which continued: } 18. Bg2 Rfd8 19. Nd2 Rxd2 20. Bxd2 Rd8 21. Bc3 Rd1+ 22. Rxd1 Bxd1 { Here the Beast of Baku played rather timidly with } 23. f4 (23. Bf1! $16) 23... Nc2 24. Kf2 Kg8 25. a4 a5! 26. Bxa5 Nd4 { The knight escaped and Vishy set up a blockade and easily held. }) 18. Nc3 c6 19. Bg2 h6 20. h4?! { This is inaccurate because the h-pawn can become a target. } (20. h3) 20... Rde8? { Removing the rook from the only open file is not the answer. Now it is simply a matter of technique. } (20... Bh5 21. Rxa1 Rd4 22. Be3 Rxh4 { and Black gets counterplay with his Kingside majority. }) 21. Rxa1 { The knight falls and Black has no counterplay. } 21... g5 22. hxg5 hxg5 23. Be3 (23. Bxg5 { I hesitated to open too many files for Black’s rooks, but in hindsight the open diagonals also favor my bishops. }) 23... a6 24. a4 Kg8 25. f3 Bh5 26. Bc5 Rf7 (26... Rxe5!? { It was time for my opponent to take drastic measures, though this exchance sac would only prolong the game. }) 27. Bd6 Rh7 28. a5 Bf7 29. Ra4 Be6 30. Rb4 Bc8 31. Na4 Kg7 32. Nc5 Kg6 33. Rd4 Rh4 34. Rxh4 gxh4 35. Kh2 Kg5 36. Nd3 f4 37. Nc5 h3 38. Bxh3 Rh8 39. e6 Kg6 40. Kg2 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0