[Event "1000GM Six Day Summer Invitational GM/IM"] [Site "New York"] [Date "2024.07.12"] [Round "4"] [White "Rozman, Levy"] [Black "Lee, Megan"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2348"] [BlackElo "2297"] [Annotator "IM Alex Ostrovskiy"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A29"] [Opening "English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with Nb6"] [StudyName "NYC Norms July 2024"] [ChapterName "Rozman, Levy - Lee, Megan"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/Q0VKAdEG/scQ7bBJS"] [Orientation "white"] { IM Levy Rozman is well known in the world of chess as GothamChess, "the internet's chess teacher." However he has lately abandoned his teaching post and has jumped back in the arena as a player! In his first event back after two years off from OTB play, he posted a 2500+ FIDE performance in the Madrid Chess Festival. His next event was the NYC IM Invitational where he posted a 2581 performance with a massive 8/9 score! Since he won seven games, it was hard for me to choose one. So, I asked which game was his favorite! He highlighted his victory over FM/WIM Megan Lee in round four. } 1. c4 e5 2. g3 { The English Opening but also the Reversed Sicilian. } 2... Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nc3 Nb6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. d3 O-O 9. a3 { Play is very standard so far for both sides. White will often try to advance on the queenside and combine pressure on the long diagonal with pressure on the c-file. } { [%cal Gb2b4] } 9... Re8 { A good plan for FM Lee to focus on the center. The point is to play ... Be7-f8 and ... Nc6-d4 next. } { [%cal Ge7f8,Gc6d4,Re8e2] } 10. b4 Bf8 11. Bg5!? { A rare move, but with a strong pedigree: it was played by Carlsen! Since Black's last move was ... Be7-f8, now Bc1-g5 is quite logical to try to "punish" the idea. However it looks like Black can simply block with ... f7-f6, no? } 11... f6 12. Bd2 { IM Rozman happily retreats and argues that the ... f7-f6 push was a weakening of Black's kingside. } { [%cal Ra2g8] } 12... a5 { Very natural, but it turns out not to be the best idea. } (12... Be6 { To me this move was the most logical to cover the weakened diagonal. Now an instructive sample line goes: } 13. Ne4 Qd7 14. Rc1 Bf7 15. Nc5 Bxc5 16. Rxc5 Nd8! { A nifty positional idea. Black prepares ... c7-c6, which would deal with the c5-rook and the g2-bishop. The e6-knight is also well-placed in the center. } { [%cal Gd8e6,Gc7c6,Rg2c6] }) 13. b5 Nd4 14. Nxd4 exd4 15. Na4! (15. Ne4 { looks more natural, but after } 15... Be6 { The e4-knight can be a bit vulnerable to ... f6-f5 pushes. } { [%cal Ge6d5,Rf6f5] }) 15... Nd5 (15... Nxa4 16. Qxa4 Rxe2 { Black could win a pawn, but White has fantastic compensation. The main issue is that Black really struggles to develop the queenside. here is one sample line: } 17. Qd1 Re8 18. a4 { Cool calm and collected. How can Black develop the queenside?! It is actually near impossible without dropping a pawn. } { [%cal Rg2b7,Rd2a5] } 18... Ra7 19. Re1 Rxe1+ 20. Qxe1 b6 21. Bc6 Bd7 22. Rc1 $18 { Complete domination. The extra pawn is not felt at all. }) 16. Qb3 (16. Qc2 Rxe2 (16... Be6? 17. Nc5 { [%cal Rc5e6,Rc5b7] }) 17. Rae1 $44 { It was possible to still offer the pawn! }) 16... Be6 17. Qb2 { [%csl Rd4] } 17... Bf7 18. Rfe1 Bd6 19. f4!? { The most ambitious move. IM Rozman threatens to take on d4 now since Black won't have ... Bd6-e5. } 19... Qe7 (19... b6! { is a fantastic prophylactic move. Now White cannot take on d4 due to a nasty trick: } 20. Kh1 (20. Qxd4?? Nxf4!! 21. gxf4 Bc5 $19 { The whole point of ... b7-b6! } { [%cal Rc5g1,Rd8d4] }) 20... Ne3! 21. Bxe3 dxe3 $13 { With a very unbalanced position. Note that taking on a8 is never really advisable as our king is so weak after } 22. Bxa8? Qxa8+ 23. Kg1 Bd5 { [%csl Rd5,Rg1][%cal Gd5h1] }) 20. Qxd4 Nb6 { FM Lee was counting on this resource as well as the general activity of her pieces. However, IM Rozman does not fear any ghosts and goes for the critical pawn grab. } 21. e3 { Blocking the vulnerable a7-g1 diagonal. } (21. Nxb6?? Bc5) 21... Rad8 22. Nxb6 cxb6 (22... Bc5 { Perhaps FM Lee was going for this position when she noticed the stunning } 23. Nc8! { desperado which ruins her coordination. } { [%cal Rc8e7] } (23. Nd5?! Rxd5!) 23... Rxc8 24. Qc3 $18 { With a clean extra pawn. } { [%cal Rg2b7] }) 23. Qxb6 Bc7 24. Qxb7 Rxd3 25. Rac1! { Again, IM Rozman shows no fear as he continues grabbing pawns. Black's activity is definitely very real, but she keeps coming up one tempo short of claiming compensation. } (25. Rad1? { Just to illustrate why a move like Ra1-c1 was so important. } 25... Qd8 { Despite a two-pawn advantage, White is very passive and Black has serious pressure. } { [%cal Rd8d1] }) 25... Rxd2 (25... Rd7 { Apparently the best move, when the play can get semi-forced: } 26. Qc6 Qd8! 27. Bc3 Rxe3! 28. Rxe3 Bb6 { Black is playing with utmost energy but even this line doesn't work after some precise moves: } 29. Re1 Rd3! 30. Be4 Rxe3 31. Rxe3 Bxe3+ 32. Kg2 { Despite Black's best efforts, White is still technically winning here. }) 26. Rxc7 Qxa3 27. Rxf7 { Forcing simplifications. } 27... Rxg2+ 28. Kxg2 Qa2+ 29. Kf3 Qxf7 30. Qxf7+ Kxf7 31. Ra1! { If Black was able to eliminate the a5 and b5 pawns from the board, we would have a hold-able four-versus-three rook endgame. I Should mention, though, that this is not a great version though for Black since the f6-pawn would be better off on f7. However FM Lee will not get a chance to do so. } 31... Ra8 32. Ke4 { The king comes to support the b5-pawn and its all over. } 32... Ke6 33. Kd4 Kd6 34. e4 a4 35. Ra3 h5 36. e5+ fxe5+ 37. fxe5+ Ke6 38. Kc5 Kxe5 39. b6 Rc8+ 40. Kb5 Rc2 41. Rxa4 Kd6 42. Rd4+ Ke5 43. Rc4 Rb2+ 44. Rb4 Rf2 45. b7 Rf8 46. Kc6 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0