[Event "Mass Open 2026"] [Site "Marlborough, MA"] [Date "2026.05.24"] [Round "4.2"] [White "Poliannikov, Danila"] [Black "Raguraman, Sham"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2332"] [WhiteTitle "FM"] [WhiteFideId "30935245"] [BlackElo "2236"] [BlackFideId "-"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C97"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense"] [StudyName "2026 Memorial Day Weekend Wrap-Up"] [ChapterName "Poliannikov, Danila - Raguraman, Sham"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/SNrtQXpx/kPijPcGj"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 2:00:00] } 1... e5 { [%clk 1:59:21] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 2:00:00] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 1:59:21] } 3. Bb5 { [%clk 2:00:00] } 3... a6 { [%clk 1:59:21] } 4. Ba4 { [%clk 2:00:00] } 4... Nf6 { [%clk 1:59:21] } 5. O-O { [%clk 2:00:00] } 5... Be7 { [%clk 1:59:17] } 6. Re1 { [%clk 2:00:00] } 6... b5 { [%clk 1:59:17] } 7. Bb3 { [%clk 2:00:00] } 7... d6 { [%clk 1:59:17] } 8. c3 { [%clk 2:00:00] } 8... O-O { [%clk 1:59:17] } 9. h3 { [%clk 2:00:00] } 9... Na5 { [%clk 1:59:17] } 10. Bc2 { [%clk 2:00:00] } 10... c5 { [%clk 1:59:17] } 11. d4 { [%clk 1:59:54] } 11... Qc7 { [%clk 1:59:17] } 12. d5 { [%clk 1:59:35] } (12. Nbd2 { is about five times more popular, but White's choice still has been played over a thousand times at the master level. }) 12... Nc4 { [%clk 1:59:17] } 13. b3 { [%clk 1:59:35] } 13... Nb6 { [%clk 1:59:17] } 14. Be3 { [%clk 1:59:35] } 14... Nfd7 $146 { [%clk 1:43:02] } (14... c4 { is the main theoretical move. }) 15. Nbd2 { [%clk 1:40:19] } 15... c4 { [%clk 1:41:40] } 16. bxc4 { [%clk 1:26:55] } 16... Nxc4?! { This is already an error. } { [%clk 1:40:28] } (16... Nc5 { was better. If } 17. cxb5 axb5 { , } 18. Qb1 Bd7 { and Black has some compensation for the pawn due to the considerable pressure along the c-file. }) 17. Nxc4 { [%clk 1:26:54] } 17... Qxc4 { [%clk 1:39:49] } 18. Qd3 { White's space advantage will maintain an advantage even without queens. } { [%clk 1:21:42] } (18. a4 Rb8 19. axb5 axb5 20. Ra7 { It makes sense why White was not in a hurry to sacrifice a pawn when the other options were good, but this is quite promising. } 20... Qxc3 21. Qb1 $16 { White intends Re1-c1 to infiltrate even further into Black's position. Black has nothing better than ... Rb8-b7 returning the pawn and maintaining cramped. }) 18... Qc7 { [%clk 1:21:55] } 19. a4 { [%clk 1:18:59] } 19... bxa4 { [%clk 1:07:03] } 20. Bxa4 { [%clk 1:17:44] } 20... Bb7 { [%clk 1:04:38] } 21. Reb1 { [%clk 1:13:44] } 21... Rfb8 { [%clk 1:03:02] } 22. Nd2 { [%clk 1:09:27] } 22... Bd8 { [%clk 0:59:32] } 23. Qc4 { Black is woefully cramped already. } { [%clk 1:02:34] } 23... Nc5 { [%clk 0:45:17] } 24. Bxc5 { [%clk 1:01:52] } 24... dxc5 { [%clk 0:45:17] } (24... Qxc5?! 25. Qxc5 dxc5 26. Nc4 $18 { Black's unopposed dark-squared bishop is terribly limited while White's knight is a central force. }) 25. Qd3 { [%clk 0:53:59] } 25... Be7 { [%clk 0:35:53] } 26. Nc4 { [%clk 0:52:29] } 26... Bd6 { Knights make much better blockaders than bishops! } { [%clk 0:33:34] } 27. Rb6 { [%clk 0:50:50] } 27... Rd8 { [%clk 0:33:34] } 28. Rab1 { [%clk 0:49:56] } 28... Ra7 { [%clk 0:31:05] } 29. Na5 { Every one of White's pieces is improving! } { [%clk 0:46:30] } 29... Ba8 { [%clk 0:28:37] } 30. Bc6 { [%clk 0:45:46] } 30... Qc8 { [%clk 0:20:26] } 31. Bxa8 { [%clk 0:40:29] } 31... Rxa8 { [%clk 0:20:26] } (31... Qxa8 32. Nc6 $18) 32. Nb7 { Finally turning the positional domination into a material advantage, provoking resignation! } { [%clk 0:39:17] } 1-0