[Event "National Elem School Championship (K-3)"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2023.05.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Sophie Li"] [Black "Kabir Mutha"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "1818"] [BlackElo "1338"] [Annotator "IM Sandeep Sethuraman"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B50"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations"] [StudyName "2023 NES"] [ChapterName "Sophie Li - Kabir Mutha"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/OZkFHWFD/wQu5CGqH"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4!? { The "Italian against the Sicilian" is an interesting try to get a fresh game, but it's known to be not terribly challenging. One reason why is that, with Black's e-pawn still on its starting square, the typical plan of ... e7-e6 to prepare a timely ... d6-d5 break now might come with tempo on White's bishop or, at least, restrict the bishop's reach on the a2-g8 diagonal. } 3... e6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bb3 Nc6 (5... b5!? { The computer's wacky suggestion is actually quite combative } 6. Nxb5 (6. d3 a6 { and Black has just won some queenside space, while allowing ... Bc8-b7 and ... Nb8-d7 in the near future. }) (6. a4? b4 { drops an important pawn. }) 6... Nxe4 { and Black has managed to trade the b-pawn for a vital center pawn. }) 6. d3 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1 a6 9. a4! { Prophylaxis against Black's not-so-subtle plan of ... b7-b5 and ... Bc8-b7, but it's effective and strong. } (9. Bf4 b5 10. a4 b4 11. Nb1 Bb7 { and Black is more than fine. }) 9... b6 10. Bf4 Bb7 11. d4?? { It is hard to justify this move, but it happens sometimes. As a general rule: whenever you see a bishop on f4 or f5, always be careful with the d3-d4 or ... d6-d5 push, as you're setting yourself up for a fork. } (11. h3 { would have been the logical continuation. After } 11... Rc8 12. Ne2 d5 13. Ng3 { , both sides have chances. }) 11... cxd4 12. Nxd4?! (12. Nb1 { would have been my choice, but Black is still clearly up a pawn, and with } 12... e5 13. Bd2 Na5!? { , the game would soon become hopeless for White. } 14. Bxa5 bxa5 15. Nbd2 Rc8 { With the bishop pair and the extra pawn, it's hard to imagine Black not winning this. }) 12... Nxd4 (12... e5?? { maybe White was hoping Black would forget about the intermezzo here. } 13. Nxc6 Bxc6 14. Bg5 { and White has wiggled out of her problems. }) 13. Qxd4 e5 { Now White is simply going to be down a piece, so you might be wondering why this game was chosen, but it is a story of fighting spirit and a refusal to give up by both players. } 14. Bxe5 dxe5 15. Qxe5 Bd6 16. Qf5 Qc7? { Objectively, this doesn't lose the advantage, but practically, it's almost a blunder. Black just won a piece, and there is no need to enter complications after e4-e5. Just keep you piece and convert the advantage without fanciness. } (16... Bc8 17. Qf3 Be5! { Would have created a blockade and effectively ended the game }) 17. e5 Qc6?? { From this move, I think that 17. e5 came as somewhat of a shock to Black, so that makes this an instructive moment. The first mistake is often followed by a series of them, which can result in the complete loss of a winning advantage, or even the complete shift from a winning to losing position. } (17... Qc5! { would have prevented any captures for the time being. No queen move is safe. } 18. Qf4 (18. Qg5 Bc7) (18. g4! { Is the only try to win back the piece, but now } 18... Qc6 { is much more effective. } 19. f3 Bc8 20. Qf4 Bc7 { and Black maintains the extra piece, and with it a clearly winning advantage. }) 18... Bc7) 18. Qf3 Qc8! { Black regains his composure, and at least it's still equal. } (18... Qxf3 19. gxf3 Be7 20. exf6 Bxf6 { would have ended in a pawn-up endgame for White, but the strong dark-squared bishop would make winning chances very hard to come by. } 21. Nd5 Bxb2! $10) 19. Qh3 Qxh3 20. gxh3 Bc5? { Very difficult to explain. Why would you voluntarily double you pawns and deprive your bishop of the best diagonal? } (20... Be7! 21. exf6 Bxf6 { and it's a very similar story to 18 ... Qxf3. Black is completely fine. }) 21. exf6 gxf6 22. Bd5! { Converting the endgame into good knight vs bad bishop. These types of trades are very important. Without its counterpart, the c5-bishop's power significantly weakens. } (22. Nd5? Bxd5 23. Bxd5 Rad8 24. Rad1 { And the presence of opposite-colored bishops guarantees at least some drawing chances. }) 22... Rab8 23. Re4? { White had to take the bishop, after all that was the whole point of 22. Bd5. Now Black isn't pinned anymore, so the next move maintains the bishop pair. } (23. Bxb7 Rxb7 24. Nd5 Kg7 25. b4! { Up a pawn with a beautiful knight on d5, White would be hard-pressed not to win this. }) 23... Bc8 24. Rae1 Bxh3 25. Rh4 Bf5 26. Be4 Bg6 27. Rf4 Kg7! { Black has now consolidated and is again well on his way to gaining a significant edge. } 28. Nd5 Bd4?? { And I spoke too soon. This misses a crucial tactic. } (28... Rfe8 { would have put some pressure on White. } 29. Nxf6?? Re6 { And Black is already winning. } 30. Nd7 Bd6 31. Nxb8 Bxf4 32. f3 Bxb8 { Black is up a piece yet again. }) 29. Bxg6 Be5 { This is what Black was relying on, but it doesn't work } 30. Rb4?? { An unfortunate case of just believing the opponent. } (30. Bd3 Bxf4 31. Nxf4 { would have been so easily winning for White, with the queenside majority and the advantage of having two pieces for the rook. }) 30... fxg6?! { Undoubling the pawns, but it is capturing away from the center. } (30... hxg6 31. Nxb6 Rh8! { and the open h-file is actually rather useful. }) 31. Nxb6 Rfd8 32. c3 Bd6 33. Rb3 Bc5 { Again White finds herself in some trouble. } 34. a5 { An "only move" to save the knight. } 34... Rd2 35. Rf1 Rd6?! { Too complacent, likely result of his huge rating deficit, but it is important not to be intimidated during a game; it rarely leads to a win. } (35... h5 { and White just has no moves! } 36. c4 Bd4 { And Black will win at least his pawn back. }) 36. c4 Re6 37. Nd7?? { Relying on tactics, but missing the opponent's counterblow. } (37. Rd1 Bxb6 38. axb6 Rbxb6 { would have likely ended in a draw, but there are still fireworks to come. }) 37... Bxf2+! { This is the desperado that was clearly missed by White. } 38. Rxf2 (38. Kxf2 Rxb3 39. Nc5 Rxb2+ { and Black gets out of the fork with check. }) 38... Rxb3 39. Nc5 Re1+! { This is why 37. ... Bxf2+ was so important, as it created this intermediate check to escape the fork. } 40. Kg2 Rbe3 41. Nxa6 Ra1 (41... Rc1! 42. c5 Re6 { would have won a pawn. After } 43. Nc7 Re7 44. Nd5 Re5 45. Nxf6 Rexc5 46. a6 Ra1 { , White's pawns are too far apart for her to maintain. }) 42. b4! { Now when the pawns advance together they can prove very dangerous against a pair of rooks. } 42... Re4? { Immediately returning to equality. } (42... h5 { Counterplay against the White king is best. } 43. h4 Re4 44. c5 Rg4+ 45. Kf3 Ra3+ 46. Ke2 Rc4! { and the pawns are immobilized. Black should win rather simply. }) 43. c5 Rg4+ 44. Kf3 Rc4 45. h3 Ra3+ 46. Kg2 Rcc3 (46... Rb3! { was the last chance to immobilize the pawns. }) 47. Nc7 Rg3+ 48. Kf1 Ra1+ 49. Ke2 Ra2+ (49... f5 { might have held something for Black, but with such advanced passers, it's hard to imagine White being in serious peril. } 50. c6 Ra2+ 51. Kf1 { And now Black probably should swallow his pride and accept the repetition like he did in the game. }) 50. Kf1 { And the players agreed to a draw. A fair result for such a fighting game! } 1/2-1/2