[Event "National Elementary School Championship"] [Site "Baltimore"] [Date "2023.05.14"] [Round "7"] [White "Rohan Rajaram"] [Black "Wyatt Wong"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2100"] [BlackElo "1962"] [Annotator "IM Sandeep Sethuraman"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D35"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/OZkFHWFD/ggZrUMy4"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 Be7 { Black opts for the more "positionally sound" line. } (6... Bf5!? { is the other option, but it's much less played. } 7. Qf3 Bg6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. Qxf6 gxf6 { and this is why it's rarely seen. The computer might scream that Black is completely fine, but the position just looks ugly for a human and there's always h2-h4-h5 ideas. This was GM Ding Liren's choice against GM Ian Nepomniachtchi in their third round match recently in the Superbet Chess Classic Romania, and Ding was in hot water right out of the opening. }) 7. Bd3 Nbd7 8. Qc2 O-O 9. Nge2 { The main line, but there are several options for White here. } (9. h3!? { is a recent trend with the idea of creating a square on h2 in case of ... h7-h6 and ... Nf6-h5. Also it prevents ... Nf6-g4 or ... Bc8-g4 in many lines and can prepare a g2-g4 push. }) (9. Nf3 { is another classical line like White's choice in the game. White exerts more control over the central squares but gives up the opportunity for the f2-f3 e3-e4 plan that is so effective in the main line. }) 9... Re8 10. O-O Nf8 { The classical plan for Black. The knight is headed to either g6 or e6. } 11. Rad1 g6 { This is the point where Black has to choose between a couple of different paths. } (11... Ng6!? { is a famous plan in many of these QGD structures but not in favor here. } 12. Rfe1 Bd6 { and if White makes a meaningless move like } 13. h3 { then Black is already better after } (13. a3? Bxh2+! { wins for Black }) 13... h6! { when Black uses tactics to the fullest advantage. } 14. Bxf6 (14. Bxg6? hxg5 { and Black is obviously better }) 14... Qxf6 { and Black has won the bishop pair. } 15. Bxg6 Qxg6 16. Qxg6 fxg6 { and the doubled pawns can be traded off with ... g6-g5-g4, when Black is already a slight favorite. }) 12. Bh4 Ne6 { The point: there no Bh4xf6 or Bd3xh7 because of Black's g6-pawn, so this move becomes possible. } 13. f3 { White begins his classical plan. If he achieves e3-e4 without any major concessions, Black is in for a long haul, but if he can't, then the e3-pawn just becomes a weakness. } 13... b5 { Black starts off trying to impede White's e3-e4 push. Both players are playing a fantastically rich strategic game so far. } 14. Bf2 a5 { Black's queenside expansion is also a well-known idea here. This whole game would be perfect to showcase the most common plans and tactics in the Carlsbad pawn structure. } 15. Kh1 { This is reparation for e3-e4. } 15... Bb7?! { Black finally falters. He had to prevent the e-pawn push. } (15... Nh5! 16. e4 Nef4 { and now Black gets counterplay. } 17. Nxf4 Nxf4 18. Rfe1 Nxd3 19. Qxd3 a4 { and the bishop pair compensates for White's central control. Both sides have their own advantages and great chances to play for a win. }) 16. e4! { White gets his dream structure, but Black is by no means out of it. } 16... b4! { It's critical to divert White's pieces from supporting his incoming central advance, and this is not lost on Wong. } 17. Na4 Rc8?! { However, now faced with the prospect of e4-e5 and f3-f4-f5, he panics. Prophylactic measures were in order. } (17... Nd7 { was most accurate. } 18. e5 { is the whole point of White's play. } 18... c5! { and Black has to break before White consolidates. } 19. dxc5 Bxc5 20. Nxc5 Ndxc5 21. Bb5! { Keeping the bishop is important. White is a bit better but after } 21... Rf8 22. Nd4 Qc7 { Black is not in trouble and instead has great pressure on the white center. }) 18. Nc5 (18. e5! { was even stronger. } 18... Nd7 19. f4 { and now Black is always a tempo too slow. After } 19... c5 20. Bb5! { pinning the knight, we see a common problem when Black expands on the queenside: he leaves behind holes. } 20... cxd4 21. Qb3 { and White will win back the d4-pawn with a much better position. }) 18... Nxc5 19. dxc5 Bf8 20. Rfe1 (20. Bd4! { was a nice way to exert pressure. e4-e5 folllowed by f2-f4 is a real threat, and Black's kingside is a bit airy. } 20... Bg7 21. e5 Nd7 22. f4 $16 { Black is being suffocated. }) 20... Rc7 21. e5? { Focusing on tactical principles but failing to evaluate the end position. } 21... Nh5 { Wong folds. The exchange sacrifice would have given him great winning chances! } (21... Rxe5! 22. Bg3 { was surely Rajaram's idea, but } 22... Nd7 23. Bxe5 Nxe5 24. Nf4 Nd7 $17 { and Black is happy to sacrifice the exchange to liberate his pieces and destroy White's pawn center. }) 22. f4 Bh6 23. g3 Bc8! { The bishop has been out of play for long enough; Wong brings it back and now all pieces for both sides are playing, but White's better pawn structure gives him a significant advantage. } 24. Nd4 Ng7 25. Qa4! { Poking at Black's queenside weaknesses. This often becomes a problem in the ... b7-b5 and ... a7-a5 line, especially if White gets his kingside play. } 25... Bd7?! { Black had to go for counterplay } (25... Bg4! { The best chance by far. } 26. Be2 (26. Rd2 Qa8) 26... Bxe2 27. Rxe2 Qa8 { and for the time being, Black's position is hanging by a thread. }) 26. Qxa5 Qb8 27. Qa4 Ra7 28. Qb3 Ne6 29. Nxe6 Bxe6 30. Bd4! $16 { Plugging up the position. Black has no counterplay and the extra pawn will decide the game. } 30... Rb7 31. Rf1 Bg7 32. Rde1 Bh3 33. Rg1 Bg4 34. Be2 (34. h3!? Bxh3 35. g4! { would have been a crazy way to try and win a piece. } 35... h5 36. gxh5 $18 { Black's bishop escapes, but his king will not. }) 34... Qc8?? { Simply a blunder of an exchange, but this is what happens when you lack moves: blunders are inevitable. } 35. Ba6 Bf5 36. Bxb7 Qxb7 37. Rgf1 Qb5 38. a3! { Taking advantage of being up so much material. } 38... Bd3 (38... bxa3 39. Qxb5 cxb5 40. bxa3 { would be completely winning. }) 39. Rf2 Bc4 40. Qxb4 { Now the rest is simple. } 40... Qxb4 41. axb4 Rb8 42. Bc3 d4 43. Bxd4 Rxb4 44. Bc3 Bd5+ 45. Kg1 Rc4 46. Ra1 h5 47. Rd2 Bf8 48. Bd4 Bxc5 49. Bxc5 Rxc5 50. Kf2 Kf8 51. b4 Rb5 52. Rd4 Ke7 53. h3 Ke6 54. g4 Rb8 55. Kg3 Rg8 56. b5 Rc8 57. Ra6 Rb8 58. bxc6 Rb3+ 59. Kh4 g5+ 60. Kxg5 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0