[Event "Round 7: Sarana, Alexey - Harsha Bharathakoti"] [Site "https://lichess.org/broadcast/35th-annual-chicago-open/round-7/Ss5fGQb5/Z7OTM0k1"] [Date "2026.05.24"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Sarana, Alexey"] [Black "Harsha Bharathakoti"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2664"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteFideId "24133795"] [BlackElo "2519"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "5078776"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D37"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined: Barmen Variation"] [StudyName "2026 Memorial Day Weekend Wrap-Up"] [ChapterName "Sarana, Alexey - Harsha Bharathakoti"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/SNrtQXpx/LfMuQah4"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:12:00] } 2. c4 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 2... e6 { [%clk 1:12:00] } 3. Nf3 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 3... d5 { [%clk 1:09:25] } 4. Nc3 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 4... Nbd7 { [%clk 1:08:51] } 5. cxd5 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 5... exd5 { [%clk 1:08:51] } 6. Bg5 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 6... c6 { [%clk 1:07:48] } 7. Qc2 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 7... h6 { [%clk 1:06:50] } 8. Bh4 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 8... g5 { [%clk 1:02:17] } 9. Bg3 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 9... Nh5 { [%clk 1:02:17] } 10. O-O-O { [%clk 1:20:00] } 10... Nxg3 { [%clk 1:01:50] } 11. hxg3 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 11... g4 { [%clk 0:59:51] } 12. Nh4 { [%clk 1:19:08] } 12... Nb6 { [%clk 0:59:51] } 13. e4 { [%clk 1:18:57] } 13... Be6 { [%clk 0:59:51] } 14. Bd3 { [%clk 1:18:18] } 14... Qg5+ { [%clk 0:39:13] } 15. Kb1 { [%clk 1:18:18] } 15... dxe4 { [%clk 0:35:27] } 16. Bxe4 { [%clk 1:07:39] } 16... O-O-O { [%clk 0:29:31] } 17. Bf5 { [%clk 0:55:57] } 17... Bxf5 { [%clk 0:22:46] } 18. Qxf5+ { [%clk 0:55:15] } 18... Qxf5+ { [%clk 0:18:55] } 19. Nxf5 { [%clk 0:55:15] } 19... Nd5 { [%clk 0:17:07] } 20. Rde1 { [%clk 0:50:29] } 20... Nxc3+ { [%clk 0:12:17] } 21. bxc3 { [%clk 0:50:29] } 21... c5 { [%clk 0:12:04] } 22. Re4 { [%clk 0:50:13] } 22... cxd4 { [%clk 0:11:20] } 23. cxd4 { [%clk 0:50:13] } 23... Rd5 { [%clk 0:09:56] } 24. Rh5 { White has achieved a bit of an edge out of the opening. Black's bishop lacks targets and the isolated d- and a-pawns have yet to come under fire. Black's scattered kingside pawns are more of a factor. } { [%clk 0:48:19] } 24... Kd7 { The most human move. } { [%clk 0:05:13] } (24... Kb8! { is, counterintuitively, more active! } 25. Rxg4 (25. Re5 { might be better, for what it's worth. }) 25... Ba3 { The threat of ... Rh8-c8 and ... Rc8-c1# mate is massive! } 26. Kc2 { The only way out of the mating net. } 26... Ra5 { Now Black enjoys counterplay on the weak a-pawn. } 27. Rg7 (27. Rf4?! Rc8+ 28. Kd3 Bc1 29. Rf3 Rxa2 { might even favor Black! }) (27. Ng7 Rc8+ 28. Kd3 Ra4 29. Rf4 Rd8 $10) 27... Bf8 28. Rxf7 Rxa2+ $10 { Black should be able to hold. }) 25. Rxg4 { [%clk 0:47:41] } 25... Rb5+ { [%clk 0:05:13] } (25... Ba3 { The same mating net with ... Rh8-c8 is less effective here after } 26. Kc2 { because now } 26... Ra5 27. Ng7! Rc8+ 28. Kd3 Ra4 { runs into } 29. Rf4! $16 { when the f-pawn is going to fall with check. Black's king is much worse here, also because it gets in the way of ... Rc8-d8 ideas like we saw in the above variation. }) 26. Kc2 { [%clk 0:47:41] } 26... Ba3?! { Black's defensive task is already quite difficult. } { [%clk 0:02:26] } (26... Be7 27. Rf4 Bg5 { was more resillient: } 28. Ng7! (28. Rf3?! Ra5 { gives Black more counterplay. }) 28... Rc8+ 29. Kd3 Ke7 30. Nf5+ Kd7 31. Ne3 { and now Black has to commit with } 31... Bxf4 32. Rxb5 Bxe3 33. Kxe3 b6 $16 { and some chance of holding the pawn-down endgame, but not a great one given the split kingside pawns. }) 27. Rf4 { [%clk 0:47:41] } 27... Rc8+ { [%clk 0:01:01] } 28. Kd3 { [%clk 0:47:41] } 28... Bc1 { Now things go from bad to worse. } { [%clk 0:00:51] } (28... Be7 29. Ng7 Rxh5 30. Nxh5 Ke8 31. Ng7+ Kf8 32. Nf5 { is still dominant for White, however. }) 29. Ng7 { [%clk 0:46:45] } 29... Rb2 { [%clk 0:00:25] } (29... Rxh5 30. Rxf7+ $18 { was the point. }) 30. Rxf7+ { [%clk 0:46:40] } 30... Kd6 $18 { With the king exposed, Black's position is hopeless. White's king, in contrast, is somehow perfectly safe. } { [%clk 0:00:25] } 31. f4 { [%clk 0:44:52] } 31... Rd2+ { [%clk 0:00:25] } 32. Ke4 { [%clk 0:44:52] } 32... Re2+ { [%clk 0:00:25] } 33. Kf3 { [%clk 0:44:52] } 33... Rxa2 { [%clk 0:00:24] } 34. Rxb7 { [%clk 0:41:55] } 34... Rc3+ { [%clk 0:00:14] } 35. Kg4 { [%clk 0:41:55] } 35... Rxg2 { [%clk 0:00:14] } 36. Ne8+ { [%clk 0:41:55] } 1-0