[Event "81st Texas State & Amateur Championship"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2026.05.25"] [Round "06"] [White "Ruiz Castillo, Joshua D"] [Black "Anandh, Vijay Srinivas"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2527"] [BlackElo "2158"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A01"] [Opening "Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern Variation"] [StudyName "2026 Memorial Day Weekend Wrap-Up"] [ChapterName "Ruiz Castillo, Joshua D - Anandh, Vijay Srinivas"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/SNrtQXpx/HbHDWLoE"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. b3 { [%clk 1:30:50] } 1... e5 { [%clk 1:30:06] } 2. Bb2 { [%clk 1:30:52] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 1:30:15] } 3. c4 { [%clk 1:31:19] } 3... Nge7 { [%clk 1:28:51] } 4. e3 { [%clk 1:31:32] } 4... d5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 5. cxd5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 5... Nxd5 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 6. a3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 6... Be6 { [%clk 1:28:25] } 7. Qc2 { [%clk 1:32:32] } 7... Qd7 { [%clk 1:24:17] } 8. Nf3 { [%clk 1:29:42] } 8... f6 { [%clk 1:24:15] } 9. b4 { [%clk 1:29:35] } 9... Bd6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 10. Nc3 { [%clk 1:21:41] } 10... O-O { [%clk 1:08:27] } 11. Bd3 { [%clk 1:18:24] } 11... h6 { [%clk 1:00:28] } 12. Nxd5 { [%clk 0:51:01] } 12... Bxd5 { [%clk 1:00:31] } 13. Bc4 { [%clk 0:50:30] } 13... Bxc4 { [%clk 0:55:19] } 14. Qxc4+ { [%clk 0:49:43] } 14... Kh8 { [%clk 0:53:11] } 15. e4 { [%clk 0:44:38] } 15... Qg4 { [%clk 0:47:00] } 16. O-O { [%clk 0:45:01] } 16... f5 { [%clk 0:43:05] } 17. Rae1 { [%clk 0:42:10] } 17... fxe4 { [%clk 0:39:19] } 18. Rxe4 { [%clk 0:41:01] } 18... Rf4 { [%clk 0:39:38] } 19. Rfe1 { [%clk 0:38:54] } 19... Nd4 { [%clk 0:38:19] } 20. Qd3 { [%clk 0:35:38] } 20... Rxf3 { [%clk 0:26:39] } 21. Qxd4 { [%clk 0:34:41] } 21... Qf5 { [%clk 0:26:57] } 22. Qc4 { [%clk 0:31:04] } 22... Rxf2 { [%clk 0:27:15] } 23. Bxe5 { [%clk 0:20:01] } 23... Rf8 { [%clk 0:19:59] } 24. Bd4 { [%clk 0:17:10] } 24... b5 { [%clk 0:14:41] } 25. Qd3 { [%clk 0:16:43] } 25... Rf4 { [%clk 0:15:07] } 26. Bxa7 { [%clk 0:14:52] } 26... Rh4 { [%clk 0:08:19] } 27. g3 { [%clk 0:14:25] } 27... c5 { [%clk 0:08:46] } 28. Qe3 { [%clk 0:14:08] } 28... Rxe4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 29. Qxe4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 29... Qf2+ { [%clk 0:06:44] } 30. Kh1 { Black has played very well to keep things even until here. } { [%clk 0:15:07] } 30... Bxg3!? { A bold decision, especially with less time on the clock. Black is looking for a perpetual here. } { [%clk 0:05:24] } (30... Qxd2 31. bxc5 Bb8 32. Bb6 Rf2 $10 { wouldn't cost any material, for instance. }) 31. hxg3 { [%clk 0:15:37] } 31... Qxg3 { [%clk 0:05:49] } 32. Qe3 { [%clk 0:14:44] } 32... Rf3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 33. Qe8+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 33... Kh7 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 34. Qe4+ { [%clk 0:15:11] } 34... Kh8 { [%clk 0:06:18] } 35. Bb8! { The mark of a strong player is their ability to pose problems for their opponent even in an objectively equal position. White has been narrowing Black's path for the past few turns. Now, Black only has one move to stay in the game. } { [%clk 0:15:08] } 35... Qh3+ { [%clk 0:06:13] } (35... Qf2! 36. Qe6 { Everything else allows a perpetual. For instance: } (36. Bh2 Rh3 { forces } 37. Qe8+ (37. Qa8+ Kh7 38. Qe4+ $10) 37... Kh7 38. Qe4+ $10) 36... cxb4 (36... Rh3+!? 37. Qxh3 Qxe1+ 38. Kh2 Qxd2+ 39. Qg2 Qd4 { is apparently equal, too. }) 37. axb4 Rf5 38. Qe8+ Kh7 39. Qe4 Kh8 40. Bh2 Rh5 { Again, White has nothing better than } 41. Qe8+ Kh7 { and } 42. Qxh5 Qxe1+ 43. Kg2 Qxd2+ $10 { again gets the rooks off. But at least this way Black clears off White's final pawn! }) 36. Kg1 { [%clk 0:15:24] } 36... cxb4 { [%clk 0:05:21] } (36... Rf5 37. bxc5 Rg5+ 38. Kf2 { White's king begins the great escape! } 38... Rf5+ 39. Ke2 Qh5+ 40. Kd3 Rd5+ 41. Kc2 Rxc5+ 42. Kb2 $18 { Black is out of checks, and White is up a piece! }) 37. axb4 { [%clk 0:15:42] } 37... Rf5 { [%clk 0:05:38] } 38. Bh2 { [%clk 0:15:47] } 38... Rh5 { [%clk 0:04:48] } 39. Re2 { [%clk 0:14:46] } 39... Rh4 { [%clk 0:04:53] } 40. Qe8+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 40... Kh7 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 41. Rg2 { White has consolidated and clarified. } { [%clk 0:00:00] } 41... Rg4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 42. Qe2 { [%clk 0:00:00] } (42. Rxg4 Qxg4+ 43. Kf2 Qxb4 44. Qe3 { probably still wins, but why give up the passer? }) 42... Rxb4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 43. Rxg7+! { This was White's lurking plan to force clarification. } { [%clk 0:00:00] } 43... Kxg7 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 44. Qe7+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 44... Kg6 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 45. Qxb4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 45... Qf5 { Now the only question is whether the one pawn is enough to win. The answer is a definite "yes." } { [%clk 0:00:00] } 46. Qd6+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 46... Kh7 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 47. Bf4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 47... Qg4+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 48. Kf2 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 48... Qh4+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 49. Ke3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 49... Qe1+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 50. Kd4 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 50... Qf2+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 51. Kc3 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 51... h5 { Now White forces mate. But the alternative was no better. } { [%clk 0:00:00] } (51... Qh4 52. Qxh6+! { trades into a won pawn endgame: } 52... Qxh6 53. Bxh6 Kxh6 54. d4 Kg5 55. Kb4! Kf6 56. Kxb5 Ke7 57. Kc6 $18) 52. Qh6+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 52... Kg8 { [%clk 0:00:00] } 53. Qg6+ { [%clk 0:00:00] } 53... Kh8 { [%clk 0:06:20] } (53... Kf8 54. Bd6#) 54. Be5+ { A valiant effort from Black, but it was not quite enough! } { [%clk 0:17:19] } 1-0