[Event "FIDE World Cup 2023"] [Site "Baku"] [Date "2023.08.09"] [Round "4.1"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Sarana, Alexey"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2769"] [BlackElo "2685"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D35"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/QLPThvQV/kIjaxenI"] [Orientation "white"] 1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Bb4 6. e3 h6 7. Bf4!? { Not a novelty, but an incredibly rare move in this position. There are whole variations of the Queen's Gambit where White plays Bc1-f4 instead of Bc1-g5, and this is not a position where there is a known justification for this retreat. } 7... O-O 8. Bd3 c5 9. dxc5 Nc6 $146 (9... Bxc5 { was played in the one previous game to reach this position. }) 10. Bd6 Re8 11. Ne2 b6 12. Bb5 Bb7 13. a3 Bxc5 14. Bxc5 bxc5 15. O-O { Taking stock, Black has "won" the opening battle. The "hanging pawns" are powerful, have decent chances of breaking through on the d4-square, and generally keep White's pieces from having any obvious coordination. } 15... Qd6 16. Rc1 (16. b4!? { would require admitting that the position favors Black long-term, but it is justified here. } 16... cxb4 17. axb4 Qxb4 18. Bxc6 Bxc6 19. Ra6 Bb7 20. Qa4! { with compensation, arguing that Black's extra pawn is negated by having three pawn islands to White's one. }) 16... a6 17. Bd3 Ne5 18. Na4 Nxd3 19. Qxd3 Rac8 20. Qb3 Ba8! { A move that illustrates how excellent Black's structure is here. From a8, the bishop is invincible, the half-open b-file becomes a theater of operations for Black, and White still has to mind a potential weakness on g2 after ... d5-d4! Black dominates the full board. } 21. Ng3 d4 { Sometimes, the moves play themselves. } 22. exd4 cxd4 23. Qd3? (23. Rxc8 Rxc8 24. Qb4 Qe5 25. Rd1 Nd5 26. Qxd4 Qxd4 27. Rxd4 Rc1+ 28. Nf1 { Is bleak for White, but at least it trades some pieces off and makes use of Black's bishop's inability to quickly get to the a6-f1 diagonal. }) 23... Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Ng4? { Black misses a brilliant, subtle point. } (24... Nd7!! 25. Qf5 (25. Qd2 Qd5 26. f3 Bc6 { is also crushing, as Black systematically closes off White's most active lines. }) 25... d3 { is winning, as there is no Rc1-c8 motif! }) 25. Qf5! Nf6 (25... Ne5 26. Rc8 { is now available, neutralizing Black's attack. } 26... Bc6 27. Rxe8+ Bxe8 28. Qc8 Kf8 29. Nf5) 26. Nc5 (26. Rc8 { was simpler. }) 26... h5 27. b4?? (27. Qg5 { was necessary, covering the h4-square while also eyeing g7. Multi-purpose moves! Also, Black's knight is tied down to covering the h5-pawn, preventing it from activating as in the game: } 27... Nd5? 28. Nxh5 Qe5 29. Qxe5 Rxe5 30. Nd3 $16) 27... h4 28. Nf1 g6 { The importance of this move is that now Black's knight gains a route to the f4-square. } (28... Nd5 29. f3 Nf4 { is also good, however. }) 29. Qd3 Nh5 30. Qxa6 Qxa6 31. Nxa6 Nf4 { Black is crushing. } 32. Nc7 h3 33. Ng3 hxg2 34. Nxa8 d3 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1