[Event "U.S. National Middle School Championship 2024"] [Site "Atlanta, Georgia"] [Date "2024.05.12"] [Round "07"] [White "Vemparala, Nikash"] [Black "Harish, Neeraj"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2171"] [BlackElo "2293"] [TimeControl "5400+10"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A15"] [Opening "English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/O4mAGfsa/OMnfKfAd"] [Orientation "white"] 1. c4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:29:49] } 2. g3 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 2... g6 { [%clk 1:29:49] } 3. Bg2 { [%clk 1:29:58] } 3... Bg7 { [%clk 1:29:49] } 4. Nc3 { [%clk 1:29:57] } 4... c5 { [%clk 1:29:37] } 5. e4 { [%clk 1:29:48] } 5... Nc6 { [%clk 1:29:14] } 6. Nge2 { [%clk 1:29:34] } 6... d6 { [%clk 1:27:12] } 7. O-O { [%clk 1:28:59] } 7... O-O { [%clk 1:27:12] } 8. d3 { [%clk 1:28:21] } 8... Rb8 { [%clk 1:24:21] } 9. h3 { [%clk 1:25:04] } 9... a6 { [%clk 1:23:18] } 10. a4 { [%clk 1:24:20] } 10... Ne8 { [%clk 1:22:13] } 11. Be3 { [%clk 1:23:28] } 11... Nc7 { [%clk 1:19:18] } 12. d4 { [%clk 1:15:00] } 12... cxd4 { [%clk 1:18:52] } 13. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:15:00] } 13... Nxd4 { [%clk 1:13:44] } 14. Bxd4 { [%clk 1:15:00] } 14... Bxd4 { [%clk 1:13:44] } 15. Qxd4 { [%clk 1:15:00] } 15... Ne6 { [%clk 1:13:43] } 16. Qe3 { [%clk 1:14:16] } 16... a5 { [%clk 1:11:46] } 17. Nd5 { [%clk 1:11:03] } 17... Bd7 { [%clk 1:00:25] } 18. f4!? { White pushes for an advantage on the kingside. } { [%clk 1:02:53] } (18. e5 { immediately makes more sense, improving White's bishop and opening the center for the side with the space advantage. }) 18... Bc6 { [%clk 0:57:16] } 19. f5 { [%clk 0:53:11] } 19... Bxd5 { [%clk 0:53:29] } 20. exd5 { [%clk 0:50:13] } 20... Ng7 { [%clk 0:53:06] } (20... Nc5 { would be more testing. Most likely, Black over-estimated the utility of the c-file and wanted to keep it unobstructed for the rook after ... Rb8-c8. But, as we see in the game, b2-b3 locks everything down, and the g7-knight is unable to prod the weak pawn. }) 21. fxg6 { [%clk 0:48:57] } 21... hxg6 { [%clk 0:52:40] } 22. Rae1 { [%clk 0:48:09] } 22... Rc8 { [%clk 0:46:08] } 23. b3 { [%clk 0:45:53] } 23... Rc7 { [%clk 0:43:34] } 24. h4 { [%clk 0:43:35] } 24... Qc8 { [%clk 0:39:47] } 25. Qg5 { Now, White is clearly better, as it is unclear what Black's pieces are threatening. } { [%clk 0:42:07] } 25... Rd7 { [%clk 0:37:03] } 26. g4 { [%clk 0:37:57] } 26... e5 { [%clk 0:31:23] } 27. dxe6 { [%clk 0:31:00] } 27... Nxe6 { [%clk 0:30:04] } 28. Qf6 { [%clk 0:28:14] } 28... Qd8? { [%clk 0:28:09] } 29. Bd5?! { This keeps a pressing advantage, but missed a rather spectacular knock-out: } { [%clk 0:26:59] } (29. Rxe6! fxe6 30. Qxg6+ Kh8 (30... Rg7 31. Qxe6+ Kh8 32. Qh6+ Kg8 33. Bd5+ $18) 31. Qh6+ Kg8 (31... Rh7 32. Rxf8+ Qxf8 33. Qxf8#) 32. Rxf8+ Qxf8 33. Qxe6+ Qf7 { Black has spent the past five turns trying to prevent a fatal Bg2-d5, but can no longer delay the inevitable. } (33... Rf7 34. Bd5 $18) 34. Bd5! Qxe6 35. Bxe6+ Rf7 36. Kg2 Kg7 37. Bxf7 Kxf7 38. Kf3 $18) 29... Qxf6 { [%clk 0:28:09] } 30. Rxf6 { [%clk 0:26:59] } 30... Kg7 { [%clk 0:27:04] } 31. Bxe6 { [%clk 0:25:41] } 31... fxe6? { This allows White to trade into a winning rook-and-pawn endgame. } { [%clk 0:26:24] } (31... Re7! { was Black's best hope to hold a draw. } 32. g5 Rfe8! 33. Rd1 Rxe6 34. Rxe6 Rxe6 35. Rd5 $16 { when White retains better chances in the complicated rook-and-many-pawns endgame. }) 32. Rxf8 { [%clk 0:25:21] } 32... Kxf8 { [%clk 0:26:24] } 33. Rxe6 { [%clk 0:25:21] } 33... Kf7 { [%clk 0:26:20] } 34. Re4! { Rook endgames have a reputation for being more than a tad drawish, but here White has too many advantages for Black to handle. First, the d6- and g6-pawns are both isolated, making them vulnerable. Second, Black's king cannot reach the queenside. Third, White threatens to create a passed pawn on the kingside. Taken together, and Black's rook and king will both be tied up playing defense while White can continue to push for advantages on both flanks. } { [%clk 0:25:13] } 34... Kf6 { [%clk 0:25:10] } 35. Kf2 { [%clk 0:24:53] } 35... Rc7 { [%clk 0:24:46] } 36. Ke3 { [%clk 0:22:15] } 36... Rh7 { [%clk 0:22:49] } 37. g5+ { The point of 34. Re4: the h-pawn is now protected without either White's rook or king having to drift towards passivity. } { [%clk 0:22:12] } 37... Kf5 { [%clk 0:22:49] } 38. Kd4 { [%clk 0:21:42] } 38... Rh8 { [%clk 0:17:01] } 39. Kd5 { [%clk 0:21:03] } 39... Rh7 { [%clk 0:16:38] } 40. Rd4 { White finally "concedes" the e-file, but only when Black's king is unable to reach it. } { [%clk 0:17:11] } 40... Rh8 { [%clk 0:16:22] } 41. c5 { [%clk 0:16:07] } 41... dxc5 { [%clk 0:15:02] } 42. Kxc5 { [%clk 0:16:04] } 42... Rc8+ { [%clk 0:13:49] } 43. Kb6 { White's king mops up the queenside, and White should be clearly winning if they can hold onto their own queenside pawns. } { [%clk 0:15:40] } 43... Rc3 { [%clk 0:13:49] } 44. Rd5+ { [%clk 0:15:04] } 44... Kg4 { [%clk 0:13:49] } 45. Rb5 { That'll do it! This holds both the b3- and g5-pawns, and Black is powerless. } { [%clk 0:15:04] } 45... Kxh4 { [%clk 0:13:49] } 46. Kxa5 { [%clk 0:14:29] } 46... Rc6 { [%clk 0:12:45] } (46... Rg3 { is too slow. } 47. Kb6 Rxg5 48. Rxg5 Kxg5 49. Kxb7 { is winning: } 49... Kf4 50. a5 g5 51. a6 g4 52. a7 g3 53. a8=Q g2 54. Qa7 $18) 47. Rxb7 $18 { [%clk 0:14:00] } 47... Kxg5 { [%clk 0:12:45] } 48. Kb5 { [%clk 0:14:00] } 48... Rc3 { [%clk 0:12:26] } 49. b4 { [%clk 0:14:00] } 49... Kf4 { [%clk 0:12:26] } 50. a5 { [%clk 0:13:39] } 50... g5 { [%clk 0:12:26] } 51. a6 { [%clk 0:12:54] } 51... g4 { [%clk 0:12:26] } 52. a7 { [%clk 0:12:47] } 52... Ra3 { [%clk 0:12:26] } 53. Kb6 { [%clk 0:12:47] } 53... g3 { [%clk 0:12:26] } 54. Rg7 { [%clk 0:12:44] } 54... Kf3 { [%clk 0:11:45] } 55. Kb7 { [%clk 0:12:41] } 55... g2 { [%clk 0:11:34] } 56. a8=Q { [%clk 0:12:38] } 56... Rxa8 { [%clk 0:11:34] } 57. Kxa8 { [%clk 0:12:38] } 57... Kf2 { [%clk 0:11:34] } 58. b5 { [%clk 0:12:38] } 58... g1=Q { [%clk 0:11:34] } 59. Rxg1 { [%clk 0:12:38] } 59... Kxg1 { [%clk 0:11:34] } 60. b6 { 1-0 White wins. } { [%clk 0:12:38] } 1-0