[Event "2023 North American Junior U20"] [Site "Dulles"] [Date "2023.12.22"] [White "Iris Mou"] [Black "Sahana Aravindakshan"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2106"] [BlackElo "1964"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B31"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation"] [StudyName "2023 North American Junior U20 Championships"] [ChapterName "Iris Mou - Sahana Aravindakshan"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/PMUD6XkL/4h9N86iI"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. O-O Bg7 6. Re1 Nh6 7. c3 O-O 8. h3 f5 9. e5 Nf7 10. d4 cxd4 11. cxd4 Bb7 12. Na3 c5 13. dxc5 e6 14. Nc4 g5 15. Qd4 f4?! { Black reasons that she is in time for ...h5-h4 and then ...g5-g4, so she is not really ruling out a g-pawn break here. With a more closed center, this would be true. But here, the f4-pawn is so vulnerable that Black is essentially freezing her own g-pawn by playing this move so early. } (15... Rb8 16. Bd2 h5 { is one way of continuing the attack without committing so early. }) 16. b4 h5 17. Nh2 { There was no need to fear ...g5-g4: } (17. a4 g4 18. hxg4 hxg4 (18... Bxf3 19. gxf3 Qh4 20. Bxf4 $18 { and we see why Black's pawn was better back on f5. }) 19. Nh2 $18) 17... Nh6 18. Nd6 Bd5 19. a4 g4? { Ill-timed, but consistent. } (19... Nf5 20. Nxf5 Rxf5 21. Ra3! Rb8 22. b5 $14) 20. Bxf4 { White's grip on the center means Black's attack on the flank is toothless. } 20... gxh3 21. g3 (21. Ra3 { was even more resourceful! } 21... Qh4 (21... Bxg2 22. Rg3 h4 23. Rg5 $18) 22. g3 Qd8 (22... Rxf4 23. Qxf4 Qxf4 24. gxf4 Rf8 25. Rg3 Kh7 26. b5 $18) 23. Bxh6 Bxh6 24. Ne4 $18) 21... Nf5 22. Nxf5! { Psychologically, it is difficult to trade off one's best piece. But Black had just started to activate. White would have far more to worry about after, for instance: } (22. Qd3 h4 { , White has to think carefully about defense. } 23. Nxf5 { Keeping the kingside closed with } (23. g4? { is out of the question thanks to } 23... Nxd6 $19 { when the f4-bishop hangs. }) 23... Rxf5 24. Ng4 h2+ 25. Nxh2 hxg3 26. Qxg3 Qf8) (22. Qd2 Nxd6 23. cxd6 Rc8 $14) 22... Rxf5 23. Qe3?! (23. Nf1 Bb7 (23... h2+ 24. Kxh2 h4 25. Ne3 hxg3+ 26. Kxg3! { is what chess looks like in 2023. We no longer dismiss such silliness out of hand, instead calculating whether this can be refuted. And it can't! } 26... Rg5+ (26... Bxe5 27. Bxe5 Qg5+ 28. Qg4 Rxe5 29. f4 Qxg4+ 30. Kxg4 $18) 27. Bxg5 Qxg5+ 28. Qg4 Bxe5+ 29. Kh3 $18) 24. Ne3 Rf7 25. Kh2 Qc7 26. b5 Raf8 27. Rg1 Ba8 28. Rac1 a6 29. Rgd1 Qb7) 23... Qe7 (23... h4 24. g4 { was White's plan. }) 24. b5 Raf8 25. a5?! (25. Rad1! { would be brilliant prophylaxis against ...Bg7xe5. } 25... Bxe5?? (25... h4 { is maybe best, but still after } 26. Rxd5 exd5 27. a5 $16 { Black's resources are drying up, increasing the odds that White's pawns decide matters on the queenside. }) 26. Bxe5 Rxf2 27. Rxd5! exd5 28. Qh6 Rg2+ 29. Kh1 $18) 25... Qf7 (25... Bxe5!? 26. Ra4 (26. Bxe5 Rxf2 $17) 26... Bxf4 27. Rxf4 Rxf4 28. gxf4 Qg7+ 29. Qg3 Rxf4 $13) 26. Re2 Bc4 27. Rb2 Qg6 28. Qe4 Bd5 29. Qd3 Qe8? { Retreating? In such a position? } (29... h4! 30. Rb4 hxg3 31. Qxg3 Qh5 $13 { and the battle would rage on. }) 30. Qe3?? (30. b6 { Forward! } 30... Qb8 (30... Rxf4? 31. gxf4 Rxf4 32. Qg3 $18) 31. Qd4 $16) 30... h4?! (30... Rxf4! 31. gxf4 Qg6+ 32. Qg3 Qe4! 33. f3 Qd4+ 34. Qf2 Qxf4 $17) 31. Ra4 Qg6 32. a6 Rxf4 33. Rxf4 Rxf4 34. Qxf4 Qd3 35. f3 Bc4?? (35... Qc3 36. Re2 Bc4 37. Qd2 $14) 36. gxh4! { The attack isn't there. } (36. Ng4 { was also sufficient. }) 36... Qd1+ 37. Kf2 Qh1 38. Kg3 Bf1 39. Nxf1 Qg1+ 40. Kxh3 Qxf1+ 41. Rg2 Qh1+ 42. Qh2 Qb1 43. Rg5 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0