[Event "XXXIII Pan-American Youth U18 Open"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/NdPr3HIs/jKoEBqUQ"] [Date "2023.08.15"] [Round "5.3"] [White "Singh, Hersh"] [Black "Guo, Andrew"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2068"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [BlackElo "2330"] [BlackTeam "USA"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E81"] [Opening "King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Bobotsov-Korchnoi-Petrosian Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/NdPr3HIs/jKoEBqUQ"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Nge2 a6 (6... c5 { is the main line, where Black looks to play for ... b7-b5 in the Benko/Benoni style: } 7. d5 e6 8. Ng3 exd5 9. cxd5 a6 10. a4 Nbd7 11. Be2 Rb8) 7. Be3 b5!? { Certainly not the main move, nor the most familiar theme without a black pawn on c5, but a playable variation with a couple dozen games in the database. } 8. cxb5 axb5 9. Nxb5 c6 10. Nbc3 Nbd7 11. Nf4 (11. Nc1 { scores better, presumably because Black's ... g6-g5 idea has some bite (as seen in the game below). }) 11... e5 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Be2 Ba6?! $146 { A familiar theme from the Benko gambit, but here White's bishop is not on f1, meaning that White can still castle and, additionally, the bishop might be useful helping control squares like c4 or d3. } (13... d5 14. exd5 g5! 15. Nd3 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Qxd5 17. O-O Ba6 18. Nc1 Nc4 19. Qxd5 cxd5 20. Bxg5 Rfe8 21. Rb1 Nxb2 22. Bxa6 Rxa6 23. Bd2 Rc8 { when Black has full compensation for the pawn, although White held on for a draw in Nikolov – Sethuraman, Sharjah, 2021. }) 14. O-O (14. Bxa6 Rxa6 15. Qe2 Qa8 { would be a thematic follow-up, however after } 16. O-O Re8 17. Rad1 d5 18. Bd4! (18. exd5 g5! 19. Nh3 g4 20. Nf4 gxf3 21. gxf3 Ng6 $13) 18... dxe4 19. fxe4 { White should be happy with the stabilized center and extra pawn. }) 14... Nc4 15. Bxc4 Bxc4 16. Rf2 Qe7 17. Qd2 Rfe8 18. b3? { This move looks like it's asking for trouble, even if there is no concrete danger. } (18. Bd4) 18... Bxb3 19. Rff1 Bc4 20. Rfe1 Ra3 (20... Nd7 { is a nice finesse, as the f6-knight is often the most out-of-play piece in these structures. } 21. Rac1 Ne5 { resuming the threat of ... g6-g5 and gripping the weak d3-square. }) 21. Rac1 Rea8 22. Rc2 Qe5 23. Rec1 Nd7 { A move that would have made more sense is the e5-square were still available. } 24. Nfe2 Qe6 (24... Qe7 { makes more sense, although it feels a bit like an admission of going wrong, but at least there's no tempo on the queen after Ne2-d4. } 25. Nd4 Ne5! 26. h3 (26. f4? Nd3 $17) 26... Qd7 $17 { is a more harmonious grouping of pieces. Black can consider ... h7-h5-h4 and gripping the weak g3 square, playing both flanks while also having the only remaining dynamics in the center. }) 25. Nd4 Bxd4 26. Qxd4 c5 27. Qd2 Ne5 28. Rd1 Bd3 29. Rcc1 c4?! (29... Bc4 { followed by ... Ne5-d3 might make more sense, as the knight will eventually be asked some questions and the bishop's reach will be limited on d3 after ... c5-c4. }) 30. Ra1 Rc8 31. Qb2 Raa8 32. a4 { As the a-pawn starts to mobilize, White's once again for choice, since Black's pieces are disconnected. } 32... Rab8 33. Qd2 Rb3 34. a5 f5 { A necessary counterpunch, but it's not enough. } 35. a6 (35. exf5 Qf6 36. Rdc1 (36. fxg6?? Rxc3! 37. Bg5 Qxg6 38. Qxc3 Qxg5 39. Kh1 Qf4)) 35... fxe4 36. a7 Ra8 37. Nxe4? (37. fxe4 Qg4 { was likely alarming, but White could have calmly played } 38. Kh1! Bxe4 39. Nxe4 Qxe4 40. Re1 Nd3 41. Re2 $16 { and say there's nothing to worry about. }) 37... Nc6? (37... Nxf3+! { actually worked to hold a draw! } 38. gxf3 Bxe4 39. fxe4 Qg4+ 40. Kf2 (40. Kh1? Rd3 41. Qe1 $19 Qxe4+ $19) 40... Rf8+ 41. Ke1 Qh4+) 38. Bf2 { and now White is firmly in control. } 38... Qe5 39. Re1 Rb2 40. Qc1 Rc2 41. Qe3 d5 42. Qc5 Rxa7 43. Rxa7 Nxa7 44. Bd4 (44. Nf6+! Qxf6 45. Re8+ Kg7 46. Bd4 $18) 44... Qf4 45. Qxd5+ { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0