[Event "2023 North American Junior U20"] [Site "Dulles"] [Date "2023.12.23"] [White "Pedro Espinosa"] [Black "Erick Zhao"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2238"] [BlackElo "2328"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B40"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: French Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/PMUD6XkL/LMOPTELG"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. Nc3 d5 6. exd5 exd5 7. O-O d4 8. Re1+ Be7 9. Ne4 Nxe4 10. Rxe4 Bf5 11. Re1 O-O 12. d3 Bd6 13. Nh4 Be6 14. Qh5 Qd7 15. Be4 g6 16. Qf3 Be7 17. Ng2 Nb4 18. Qe2 Rfe8 19. Nf4 Bf5 20. a3 Nc6 21. Nd5 Bg4 22. f3 Be6 23. Nxe7+ Nxe7 24. Bg5 Nd5 25. Qd2 Ne3 26. Bf6 Bh3?! (26... Qd6 { was more precise. Black should mind White's bishop pair, and take more care to kick the bishop off f6 while facilitating the trade of its compatriot. } 27. Rxe3 dxe3 28. Qxe3 Bd7! 29. Qg5 Re6 { The point of putting the queen on the sixth rank and the first point of retreating the bishop. } 30. Bc3 Bc6 { The second point! Now White will not have a bishop pair, Black should have an easier time restricting White's dark-squared bishop after ...f7-f6, and Black can claim an advantage due to the extra material. }) 27. Rxe3 dxe3 28. Qxe3 Qe6 29. Qg5 h6 30. Qh4 Bf5 31. Re1 c4 { Black is trying to chip away at White's center. Of course, he could trade bishops, but now it comes at the cost of introducing another White attacker into the fray (after a weakening ...h7-h6, no less). } 32. dxc4? Qb6+ { Now, the trade on e4 either leads to White's lone rook being shut out along the e-file or snapped off. A resourceful idea. } 33. Kg2 Re6 { But first, let's talk to the other bishop! } 34. Bc3 g5 35. Qh5 Bxe4 (35... Rae8 { is even stronger. }) 36. fxe4 Qc6 37. Kg1 Rae8 { Black has prevented the lone white rook from entering the game, trade off the light-squared bishops, and now only has one long-range piece to worry about. Things are going well, but the weaknesses around Black's king means things could get messy, still. } 38. Rf1 Rg6 39. Qf3 Qxc4 40. b3 Qe6 41. Bb2 Rc8 42. c4 Re8 43. Rd1 Qb6+ 44. Kg2 Qc6 45. Rd5 Rge6 46. Qc3 (46. e5!? { At some point, White has to play this unnatural move. The idea is that after } 46... a5 47. a4 { , White is looking to play Bb2-a3-d6 and argue that Black's rooks lack an avenue for activity, while the bishop has planted itself on d6 like a bolder. } 47... R6e7! (47... R8e7? 48. Ba3 Re8 49. Bd6 { would neutralize Black's rooks! }) 48. Bc3 $15 (48. Rd6?! { is sharp. } 48... g4! { is the best move, as White does not want to play Qf3xc6, giving Black the b-file. } (48... Qxf3+?! 49. Kxf3 Re6 50. g4 { and White might have enough counterplay. }) 49. Qd5 Qxd5+ 50. Rxd5 Re6! $19 { when White cannot shut off ...Re6-b6 via Rd5-d6, as the bishop hangs with check. })) 46... f6! { As promised. Black's configuration is perfect, and now White has no way through. } 47. e5 Rxe5 48. Qd3 Re2+ 49. Kh3 Qe6+ { Black does not fall for } (49... Rxb2?? 50. Qg6+ Kh8 51. Qxh6+ Kg8 52. Qg6+) 50. Rf5 Rxb2 { and now it's over. } 51. Qf3 Qe2 52. Qd5+ Kh8 53. Rf3 Qe6+ 54. g4 Qe2 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1