[Event "U.S. National Middle School Championship 2024"] [Site "Atlanta, Georgia"] [Date "2024.05.10"] [Round "01"] [White "Lavanur, Mahendra"] [Black "Harish, Neeraj"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "1752"] [BlackElo "2293"] [TimeControl "5400+10"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B33"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation"] [StudyName "2024 National Middle School Championship"] [ChapterName "Lavanur, Mahendra - Harish, Neeraj"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/O4mAGfsa/RentaNG0"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 1... c5 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 3. d4 { [%clk 1:29:53] } 3... cxd4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 4. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:29:53] } 4... Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 5. Nc3 { [%clk 1:29:53] } 5... e5 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 6. Ndb5 { [%clk 1:26:47] } 6... d6 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 7. a4 { [%clk 1:25:13] } 7... Bg4 { [%clk 1:29:17] } (7... a6 { is practically the only move played here, but Black's choice is an interesting one. }) 8. f3 { [%clk 1:23:24] } 8... Be6 { [%clk 1:29:17] } 9. Nd5 { [%clk 1:22:12] } 9... Bxd5 { [%clk 1:25:40] } 10. exd5 { [%clk 1:22:09] } 10... Nb8 { [%clk 1:25:40] } 11. Be3 { [%clk 1:19:32] } 11... Nbd7 { [%clk 1:25:11] } 12. Bc4 { Now, Black's position makes sense: the provocation of f2-f3 further hampers White's light-squared bishop. } { [%clk 1:16:58] } (12. c4 { is the standard way to play a Sicilian after exd5, going for the four-on-three majority and queenside breaks. }) 12... Be7 { [%clk 1:23:12] } 13. O-O { [%clk 1:15:29] } 13... a6 { [%clk 1:22:01] } 14. Nc3 { [%clk 1:14:55] } 14... O-O { [%clk 1:18:42] } 15. Qd2 { [%clk 1:08:47] } 15... Nh5 { [%clk 1:07:42] } 16. g4 { [%clk 1:01:48] } (16. a5 { locks the queenside but allows } 16... f5 { which might not be such a big deal: } 17. Bd3 { is prophylaxis against ...f5-f4, which now strengthens White's currently bad bishop. } 17... g6) 16... Nf4 { [%clk 1:07:26] } 17. Bxf4 { [%clk 0:59:05] } 17... exf4 { [%clk 1:07:26] } 18. Kh1 { [%clk 0:47:47] } 18... Ne5 { [%clk 1:02:09] } 19. Bd3 { [%clk 0:44:22] } 19... g6 { [%clk 0:51:14] } 20. Qxf4 { [%clk 0:41:44] } 20... f5 { Black has gotten some play for the pawn, but this still improves White's bishop a bit. } { [%clk 0:51:01] } 21. Qg3 { [%clk 0:38:58] } 21... Nxd3 { A bit complacent, compared to, e.g.: } { [%clk 0:48:08] } (21... fxg4 22. f4 Bh4 23. Qe3 Nxd3 24. Qxd3 Qd7 $15) 22. cxd3 { [%clk 0:37:51] } 22... Qb6 { White's structure is in tatters, but the extra pawn is nice. More importantly, the light-squared bishop got traded off for Black's outposted e5-knight, leaving Black only with a mediocre minor piece. } { [%clk 0:47:51] } 23. Rab1 { [%clk 0:33:27] } 23... Qd4 { [%clk 0:47:04] } 24. f4 { [%clk 0:32:58] } 24... fxg4 { [%clk 0:43:53] } 25. Qxg4 { [%clk 0:32:29] } 25... Rf5 { [%clk 0:43:40] } 26. Rbe1 { [%clk 0:31:14] } 26... Bf6 { [%clk 0:43:17] } 27. Qf3 { [%clk 0:29:21] } 27... Rf8 { [%clk 0:41:44] } 28. Qe4! { White returns the extra pawn to enter an equal rook ending. } { [%clk 0:28:28] } 28... Qxe4+ { [%clk 0:36:43] } 29. dxe4 { [%clk 0:26:27] } 29... Bxc3 { [%clk 0:36:43] } 30. bxc3 { Black admits there was nothing better than regaining the pawn. } { [%clk 0:23:16] } 30... Rxf4 { [%clk 0:36:43] } 31. Rxf4 { [%clk 0:22:56] } 31... Rxf4 { [%clk 0:36:43] } 32. Kg2 { [%clk 0:22:54] } 32... Kf7 { [%clk 0:25:06] } 33. Rb1! { By no means an "only move" but one that illustrates how White was able to hold this endgame. Rather than passively defend the e-pawn or create needless dynamic changes with e4-e5, White activates their own rook to make it equally imposing to Black's. } { [%clk 0:17:18] } 33... Rxe4 { [%clk 0:25:06] } 34. Rxb7+ { [%clk 0:17:18] } 34... Kf6 { [%clk 0:24:48] } 35. Rb6 { Again, activity over material. The h7-pawn is probably the least important one on the board. If White wins either the a- or d-pawn, in contrast, then they have a passed pawn of their own. } { [%clk 0:13:16] } 35... Ke5 { [%clk 0:24:42] } 36. Rxa6 { [%clk 0:12:58] } 36... Kxd5 { [%clk 0:24:42] } 37. a5 { [%clk 0:11:52] } 37... Re2+ { [%clk 0:23:47] } 38. Kg1 { [%clk 0:11:35] } 38... Re7 { [%clk 0:20:04] } 39. Ra8 { [%clk 0:10:35] } 39... Rc7 { [%clk 0:19:32] } 40. a6 { [%clk 0:09:43] } 40... Rxc3 { [%clk 0:19:32] } 41. Ra7 { [%clk 0:09:31] } 41... Ra3 { [%clk 0:13:58] } 42. Rxh7 { [%clk 0:09:11] } 42... Rxa6 { [%clk 0:13:58] } 43. Rg7 { Entering a drawn endgame. } { [%clk 0:09:11] } 43... Ra2 { [%clk 0:13:58] } 44. Rxg6 { [%clk 0:09:11] } 44... Ke5 { Even without the h-pawn, this position is a draw, as White can play Rg6-g3 and create a Philidor position. } { [%clk 0:13:58] } 45. h4 { [%clk 0:08:51] } 45... d5 { [%clk 0:13:21] } 46. h5 { [%clk 0:08:39] } 46... Ra8 { [%clk 0:11:01] } 47. Kf2 { [%clk 0:08:22] } 47... Rh8 { [%clk 0:11:01] } 48. h6 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } { Excellent technique and nerve from White to navigate an imbalanced position and complex endgame without ever faltering. } { [%clk 0:07:56] } 1/2-1/2