[Event "USCF/WS/23W25"] [Date "2023.09.09"] [White "Burrus, Michael"] [Black "Bashur, Michael"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1499"] [BlackElo "1911"] [Annotator "Irons,Robert"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D53"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined"] [StudyName "Check is in the Mail: November 2023"] [ChapterName "Burrus, Michael - Bashur, Michael"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/MPKW9q1w/GOgCA1TR"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 O-O 8. Rc1 a6?! $14 (8... c6 9. Bd3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nd5 { This capture and knight move are known as the Capablanca maneuver. }) 9. Bd3?! $15 { Now is the time to resolve the pawn tension! } (9. cxd5 exd5 (9... Nxd5? 10. Nxd5 Bxh4 11. Nxc7 Ra7 12. Nxh4 Qxh4 13. Be2 b5 14. O-O $16 { White is better. }) 10. Bd3 c6 11. Bg3 { The position is equal. }) (9. c5 Ne4 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Nd2 { and now different roads lead to equality: } 12... Nf6 (12... f5 13. c6 bxc6 14. Rxc6 e5 15. Nc4 f4!) 13. Nc4 b6 14. Ne5 Nd7 15. Nxd7 Bxd7 16. Be2 e5) 9... c6?! $14 { Better is } (9... dxc4 10. Bxc4 b5 11. Bd3 c5 12. O-O Bb7 $15 { Black has a slight advantage. }) 10. cxd5?! (10. c5 e5 11. dxe5 Ne8 12. Bg3 Nxc5 13. Bb1 $14 { White still has an edge. }) 10... exd5 { Now we have the Carlsbad structure, one of the most common, and one of my favorites -- from either side. } 11. O-O Ne4 { A standard maneuver to chop wood, making it easier for Black to complete development. } 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Nd2 Ndf6 14. Re1 Bf5 15. Ndxe4 Nxe4 16. a3 { The beginning of the minority attack, another standard maneuver in this pawn structure. } 16... Nxc3 17. Rxc3 Bxd3 18. Qxd3 f5 19. b4 Rae8 20. Qb1?! (20. Qd1 { To redirect the queen along on of the other diagonals. The text is intended to support b4-b5, but that would be better done with Rb3. }) 20... f4! { Capturing costs White the game! } 21. Qb3? $17 (21. f3 { Threatening e3-e4. } 21... fxe3 22. Rcxe3 { and Black has nothing better than } 22... Qxe3+ 23. Rxe3 Rxe3 { After the text Bashur doesn't let up until Burrus cries uncle. }) 21... Qf6 22. Qd1 fxe3! $19 23. f3 (23. fxe3 Qf2+ 24. Kh1 Qb2 25. Qc1 (25. Rb3 Qa2 26. Qb1 Rf2 27. Qxa2 Rxa2 28. h3 g5 $19) 25... Qxc1 26. Rexc1 Rf2 $19) 23... e2! 24. Qd2 (24. Rxe2? Rxe2 25. Qxe2 Qxd4+ 26. Qe3 Qxe3+ 27. Rxe3 Kf7 $19 { Black will take over the e-file because White can't trade rooks (the pawn ending is a loser), and so will have to run when challenged. }) 24... Rf7 25. Re3 (25. a4 Rfe7 26. Rb3 b5! $19) 25... Rxe3 26. Qxe3 Re7 27. Qd3 Qf4! { The check on e3 will force the trade of queens and allow Black's rook to prance around in White's vitals. White was convinced. } 0-1