[Event "U.S. National Middle School Championship 2024"] [Site "Atlanta, Georgia"] [Date "2024.05.12"] [Round "07"] [White "Lee, Rohan"] [Black "Paragua, Megan Althea"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2123"] [BlackElo "2198"] [TimeControl "5400+10"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B40"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Exchange Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/O4mAGfsa/Y6yEnjlZ"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 1... c5 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 2... e6 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 3. d4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 3... cxd4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 4. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 4... Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 5. Nc3 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 5... Nc6 { [%clk 1:29:57] } 6. Nxc6 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 6... bxc6 { [%clk 1:29:57] } 7. e5 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 7... Nd5 { [%clk 1:29:53] } 8. Ne4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 8... Qc7 { [%clk 1:29:28] } 9. f4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 9... Qb6 { [%clk 1:29:28] } 10. c4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 10... Bb4+ { [%clk 1:29:28] } 11. Ke2 { Those unfamiliar with the Sicilian Four Knights might think something has already gone wrong, but this is actually the main line! } { [%clk 1:30:00] } 11... f5 { [%clk 1:29:28] } 12. exf6 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 12... Nxf6 { [%clk 1:29:18] } 13. Be3 { [%clk 1:29:50] } 13... Qa5 { Also playable, although less popular in recent years. } { [%clk 1:27:46] } (13... Qd8 { is more popular. }) 14. Nxf6+ { [%clk 1:25:49] } 14... gxf6 { [%clk 1:27:45] } 15. a3 { [%clk 1:24:51] } 15... Be7 { [%clk 1:21:46] } 16. Kf2 { [%clk 1:23:24] } 16... h5 $146 { The first new move of the game! } { [%clk 1:16:22] } 17. Qc2 { [%clk 1:22:00] } 17... Rb8 { [%clk 1:14:04] } 18. b4? { Almost as soon as the players leave theory, White makes a mistake. Sometimes, going from having to recall deep memorization to playing a fresh position is a difficult transition, and lots of errors happen at these "pivot points" of theoretical games. } { [%clk 1:14:31] } (18. c5 $16) 18... Rxb4 { [%clk 1:10:19] } 19. Be2 { [%clk 1:04:43] } 19... Rb8 { [%clk 1:08:27] } 20. Qg6+ { [%clk 0:58:35] } 20... Kd8 { Black is showing her superior understanding of the position: her king is perfectly safe here, while White's will soon come under fire. } { [%clk 1:06:31] } 21. c5 { [%clk 0:57:48] } 21... h4 { [%clk 1:01:39] } (21... Rb3! { sets up a dangerous Exchange sac that will see White's king caught in the middle. }) 22. Rhd1 { [%clk 0:48:34] } 22... Rf8 { [%clk 0:54:01] } (22... Rb3!) 23. Qc2 { [%clk 0:44:16] } 23... Kc7 { [%clk 0:47:36] } 24. f5 { [%clk 0:41:49] } 24... e5 { [%clk 0:46:48] } 25. Rd2 { [%clk 0:37:14] } 25... Ba6 { [%clk 0:44:43] } 26. Bf3 { [%clk 0:35:29] } 26... Rfd8 { [%clk 0:43:37] } 27. Rad1 { [%clk 0:24:44] } 27... Qxa3 { [%clk 0:38:19] } 28. Qa2 { [%clk 0:19:14] } 28... Rb3! { Finally! Black crashes through, and White has no compensation for the pawns. } { [%clk 0:37:13] } 29. Ra1 { [%clk 0:18:36] } 29... Rxe3 { The point! } { [%clk 0:36:47] } 30. Qxa3 { [%clk 0:17:07] } 30... Rxa3 { [%clk 0:36:47] } 31. Rxa3 { [%clk 0:17:07] } 31... Bxc5+ { [%clk 0:36:47] } 32. Re3 { [%clk 0:17:07] } 32... Bxe3+ { [%clk 0:36:18] } 33. Kxe3 { [%clk 0:17:07] } 33... d5 $19 { [%clk 0:36:18] } 34. Ra2 { [%clk 0:17:01] } 34... Kb6 { [%clk 0:36:18] } 35. Kd2 { [%clk 0:16:59] } 35... Bc8 { [%clk 0:36:12] } 36. Rb2+ { [%clk 0:16:58] } 36... Kc7 { [%clk 0:36:01] } 37. Bg4 { [%clk 0:16:58] } 37... c5 { [%clk 0:35:40] } 38. Rb5 { [%clk 0:16:58] } 38... c4 { [%clk 0:35:17] } 39. Rb4 { [%clk 0:16:57] } 39... Bb7 { [%clk 0:35:03] } 40. Kc3 { [%clk 0:16:51] } 40... Bc6 { [%clk 0:35:03] } 41. Rb1 { [%clk 0:16:51] } 41... a6 { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:34:41] } 0-1