[Event "USCF/WS/22W19 (USA)"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2022.08.12"] [White "Shannon, Paul D."] [Black "Blumberg, David L."] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1934"] [Annotator "Irons,Robert"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E00"] [Opening "Catalan Opening"] [StudyName "Check is in the Mail: July 2023"] [ChapterName "Shannon, Paul D. - Blumberg, David L."] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/NPtInDDv/AlaHDT7h"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Bg2 b5 7. e4 Nbd7?! $14 (7... g6 { is better; not sure yet if the queenside knight belongs on d7 or a6, but I'm pretty sure the dark-squared bishop belongs on the long diagonal. }) 8. Ne2? $15 { Better here is } (8. Nf3 g6 9. O-O Bg7 10. Bf4 $14) 8... g6 9. O-O Bg7 10. Qc2?! $17 { White can play for more here with } (10. Bf4 Nb6 11. a4!? Nxa4 12. Na3 a6 13. Nc4! bxc4 14. Qxa4+ Bd7 15. Qxc4 Bb5 16. Qc2 $15) 10... O-O 11. Bf4 Nb6 12. Nd2 Re8?! $15 (12... a5! $17 { and Black has all the queenside play. }) 13. Rfe1 Nh5 14. Be3 Nf6 15. f3? $19 (15. h3 $15 { serves the same purpose without losing the bishop's protection. }) 15... Nfxd5! $19 16. Bxc5 dxc5 17. exd5 Nxd5 18. Qxc5 Ne3? $17 { Black gets much more with } (18... Nf4! 19. gxf4 (19. Qxb5 Bd7 20. Qc4 Qb6+ 21. Kh1 Nxg2 22. Kxg2 Bb5 23. Qb4 Rxe2+ 24. Rxe2 Bxe2 $19 { with a winning advantage. }) 19... Qxd2 $19 { with a solid advantage. }) 19. Ne4 Nxg2 20. Kxg2 Be6?! $15 (20... Bxb2 21. Rab1 Bg7 22. Qxb5 Re5 23. Qc6 Bd7 24. Qb7 Qe8 $17) 21. N2c3?! $17 { White needs to keep up the pressure or Black's momentum will run him over. } (21. Nf4 $15 { is better than the text. }) 21... Qc8 22. Qxb5? $19 (22. g4 Qxc5 23. Nxc5 Bc4 24. a3 a5 25. g5 Rxe1 26. Rxe1 Rd8 $17 { leaves Black in a better situation than the text. }) 22... Rb8 23. Qe2 Bh3+ 24. Kh1 f5 25. Nd6? { Capitulation. } (25. Rac1 fxe4 26. Nxe4 Qf5 $19 { holds on for a while longer. The text offers a delightful finish! }) 25... Rxe2 26. Nxc8 { Anything else loses material, right? } 26... Bg2+! 27. Kg1 Bd4#! { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1