[Event "Open"]
[Site "Saint Louis, US"]
[Date "2024.03.14"]
[Round "51.1"]
[White "Oparin, Grigoriy"]
[Black "Sevian, Samuel"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2673"]
[WhiteTeam "USA"]
[BlackElo "2598"]
[BlackTeam "USA"]
[Annotator "Lang,JJ"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[ECO "A20"]
[Opening "English Opening: King's English Variation"]
[Source "https://lichess.org/study/R6LLNwTu/QZWfEgDM"]
[Orientation "white"]
1. c4 e5 2. g3 c6 3. Nf3 e4 4. Nd4 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nc2 Nf6 7. Nc3 Qe5 8. Bg2 Na6 9. O-O Be7 10. a3 O-O 11. b4 Rd8 12. Bb2 Bf5 13. Ne3 Bg6 14. Qb3 Qh5 15. Rad1 Nc7 16. Qc4 Qe5 17. Na4 Qh5 18. Nc5 b5 19. Qc2 Bxc5 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. bxc5?! { An instructively incorrect decision. Black wants the knight on e6, and now
it has quite a purpose. } (21. Qxc5 Qxc5 22. bxc5 Ne6 { looked grim, but
apparently it is easier to create counterplay thanks to } 23. f4! exf3 (23... Nxc5?? 24. f5 Bh5 25. g4 { was the idea. }) 24. Bxf3 Rac8 25. Kf2 { with the
idea of meeting ... Ne6xc5 with Rd1-c1. } 25... Nxc5 26. Rc1 Nb3 27. Rxc6 Rxc6 28. Bxc6 Rxd2 29. Bxb5) 21... Ne6 22. d3?! (22. g4 { was necessary to stop
Black's threats, but the hole on f4 joins the hole on d4 as a major weakness
in White's position. } 22... Qe5 23. Nf5!? { was White's only chance of making a mess. } 23... Bxf5 24. gxf5 Nd4 25. Qxe4 Nxe2+ 26. Kh1 Qxe4 27. Bxe4 Nd4 $17) 22... Nd4 23. Qb2 Nxe2+ 24. Kh1 exd3 { White's position is beyond salvation. } 25. Qxf6 Qxc5 26. Ng4 Qd4 { There is no attack! } 27. Qg5 Nc3 28. Nf6+ Kh8 29. Rd2 Rd6 30. Ng4 Re8 31. h4 f6 { An excellent defensive showing from Sevian, correctly
determining that White's attack was "all show" and no substance. Nerves of
steel! } 32. Qf4 Qxf4 33. gxf4 Re2 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1