[Event "46th Annual Lina Grumette Memorial Day Classic"] [Site "Sonesta LAX"] [Date "2026.05.25"] [Round "5"] [White "Ashwin Damaraju"] [Black "Vahe Baghdasaryan"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2314"] [BlackElo "2262"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [TimeControl "40/80, SD/30, inc/30"] [BlackCountry "AM"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B23"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Closed"] [StudyName "2026 Memorial Day Weekend Wrap-Up"] [ChapterName "Ashwin Damaraju - Vahe Baghdasaryan"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/SNrtQXpx/RcqcjgEx"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. d4 { Traditionally, 2. Nc3 signals a Closed Sicilian with d2-d3 and slow expansion on the kingside. But this is a trendy system against every flavor of Sicilian, aiming for an open position that avoids the theory of Open Sicilians. } 3... cxd4 4. Qxd4 a6 { We can go ahead and guess that Black was going to play the Kan Sicilian! } (4... Nc6 { is typically played, when } 5. Qd3 { is one of the most common retreats alongside } (5. Qe3 { , which I happen to prefer slightly more against 2. ... e6 Sicilians, since it prepares e4-e5 in some cases. })) 5. Qd3 $146 { The sample size was already very small, but this is a new move. } (5. Bf4 { might make the most sense, as now } 5... Nc6 6. Qe3 { keeps the benefit of playing for e4-e5 without the drawback of boxing in the dark-squared bishop! }) (5. b3!? { has also been tried, as if Qd4-e3 is planned, then this is a logical way to develop the dark-squared bishop. }) 5... b5 6. Bf4 (6. a4?! { Against an early ... b7-b5, a2-a4 only makes sense when ... b5-b4 doesn't come with tempo (and can be rebuffed with c2-c3). } 6... b4 7. Nce2 Bb7 $17 { and Black has good pressure on the e4-pawn. }) 6... Bb7 (6... b4!? { could be very strong. } { [%csl Re4][%cal Gc8b7,Gg8f6] }) 7. Nf3 b4 8. Nb1 { Black has relinquished the grip of the c4-square, so this rerouting is logical. } { [%cal Gb1d2,Gd2c4] } 8... Nf6 9. Nbd2 Be7 (9... d6?! { would be consistent, except White has a neat idea with } 10. a3! { now that the f8-bishop is closed off, as } 10... bxa3 11. Qxa3 d5?! { is rebuked by } 12. Qb3 Qc8 13. e5 { with a pleasant position for White. }) 10. Bd6 { It makes sense to pressure the holes on the dark squares. } 10... Bxd6 11. Qxd6 Qe7 12. Qf4 d6 13. e5!? (13. Bd3 { would be the most flexible alternative, but } 13... e5 { would be a logical way for Black to play now that White does not have a knight that can quickly jump to the d5-square. }) 13... dxe5 14. Nxe5 O-O 15. Bd3 Nbd7 16. Nxd7 Nxd7 17. O-O Nc5 { The position coming out of the opening is balanced. Both bishops are good, both knights have potential, and the biggest imbalance will be the half-open c-file versus the half-open e-file. Black's pawn sac is an interesting way to shake things up. } 18. Qxb4 { White accepts the challenge. } (18. Be2 a5 { was the alternative, when } 19. Nc4 Ba6 20. a3 { starts trying to bust up Black's queenside, but } 20... Na4 $13 { keeps things dynamic. }) 18... Rab8 { There is no time to move the d3-bishop as Black now threatens ... Bb7xg2. So, White is parting with the bishop, giving Black compensation for the pawn. } 19. Qf4 (19. Qc3 { would prepare Qc3xd3 but at the cost of allowing } 19... Qg5 { when } 20. f3 { is provoked and } 20... Na4 { still gives Black plenty of counterplay. A cute line continues } 21. Qd4! Nxb2! (21... Qxd2?? 22. Bxh7+ $18) 22. h4! (22. Qxb2?? Bxf3 $19) 22... Qf6 $10) 19... Nxd3 20. cxd3 Rfd8 { Black has play against the b- and d-pawns, but White is indeed up a pawn. } 21. Nc4 Ba8 22. Rfd1 Rb5 23. d4 Rf5 24. Qe3 h5 25. f3! { Excellent prophylaxis. } (25. Rac1?! { , for instance, allows } 25... h4 26. h3 Bd5 27. Ne5 Qb7 { when } 28. f3 $10 { is still necessary and the b-pawn drops. }) 25... h4 26. Ne5 { White is right to allow ... h4-h3, but Black had other resources here. } 26... h3?! (26... f6! { was an improvement: } 27. Ng6 Qd6 28. Nxh4 Rd5 $10 { and Black has essentially traded the h-pawn for the d-pawn. }) 27. g4 { Black walks directly into White's plan behind 25. f3! } 27... Rf6 28. Rac1 Bd5 29. b3 Qb7 30. Rc3 { White is able to develop and improve his pieces while also covering his only major weakness. } 30... Rh6 (30... a5 31. Rdc1 { would allow White to slowly build the advantage. }) 31. Rdc1 Qb6?! (31... Rf6 32. Kf2 Qb4 33. Kg3! { would still be strategically won for White. }) 32. Rc7 Rf6 33. Rc8! Kh7 34. Qf2 { Right idea but wrong line. } (34. Qd3+ g6 35. R1c7 $18 { was most forcing. }) 34... Rxc8 (34... Bb7! { was the only way to stay afloat. } 35. R8c7 (35. Rxd8? Qxd8 36. Rc4 $14 { and much of White's attack is gone without the doubled rooks. }) 35... Kg8 { The engine thinks this is Black's best defense. } 36. Nd7 (36. R1c5!? { is probably even better. }) 36... Rxd7 37. Rxd7 Qb5 38. Rdc7 Qg5 $16 { and Black has a vague chance of counterplay. }) 35. Rxc8 g5 (35... Bb7 36. Nd7 $18 { is similar. }) (35... Qa7 { steps out of the fork, but } 36. Kf1 { prepares Qf2-h4+ and } 36... g5 37. Qc2+ Kg7 38. Rc7 Qb6? { runs into } 39. Rxf7+! Rxf7 40. Qg6+ { with mate next move. }) 36. Nd7 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0