[Event "FIDE World Cup 2025"] [Site "https://lichess.org/broadcast/fide-world-cup-2025--round-4/tiebreak-3-blitz-2/jzFfLxsL/SYHWEUuC"] [Date "2025.11.13"] [Round "38.2"] [White "Sevian, Samuel"] [Black "Lodici, Lorenzo"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2701"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [WhiteFideId "2040506"] [BlackElo "2572"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackTeam "Italy"] [BlackFideId "884189"] [TimeControl ": 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the gamewith an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 1"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C77"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation"] [StudyName "2025 World Cup"] [ChapterName "Sevian, Samuel - Lodici, Lorenzo"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/TDcaHygI/ebuDv9OR"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 0:05:06] } 1... e5 { [%clk 0:05:06] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 0:05:08] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 0:05:08] } 3. Bb5 { [%clk 0:05:10] } 3... a6 { [%clk 0:05:10] } 4. Ba4 { [%clk 0:05:12] } 4... Nf6 { [%clk 0:05:12] } 5. d3 { [%clk 0:05:15] } 5... b5 { [%clk 0:05:12] } 6. Bb3 { [%clk 0:05:17] } 6... Be7 { [%clk 0:05:14] } 7. a4 { [%clk 0:05:19] } 7... Rb8 { [%clk 0:05:13] } 8. axb5 { [%clk 0:05:05] } 8... axb5 { [%clk 0:05:13] } 9. Nc3 { [%clk 0:05:06] } 9... d6 { [%clk 0:05:13] } 10. Nd5 { [%clk 0:05:07] } 10... Nxd5 { [%clk 0:05:04] } 11. Bxd5 { [%clk 0:05:09] } 11... Nb4 { [%clk 0:05:06] } 12. Bb3 { [%clk 0:05:10] } 12... c5 { [%clk 0:05:05] } 13. c3 { [%clk 0:05:06] } 13... Nc6 { [%clk 0:04:54] } 14. Bd5 { [%clk 0:05:07] } 14... Qc7 { [%clk 0:04:52] } 15. Be3 { [%clk 0:04:56] } 15... O-O { [%clk 0:04:41] } 16. O-O { [%clk 0:04:27] } 16... Be6 { [%clk 0:04:33] } 17. Ra6 { [%clk 0:03:58] } 17... Bxd5 { [%clk 0:04:22] } 18. exd5 { [%clk 0:04:00] } 18... Nd8 { [%clk 0:04:20] } 19. Qa1 { [%clk 0:03:56] } 19... f5 { [%clk 0:04:19] } 20. Re1 { [%clk 0:03:46] } 20... Nf7 { [%clk 0:04:16] } 21. b4 { [%clk 0:03:15] } 21... cxb4 { [%clk 0:04:01] } 22. cxb4 { [%clk 0:03:17] } 22... Rfc8 { [%clk 0:04:03] } 23. Rc1 { [%clk 0:02:34] } 23... Qd7 { [%clk 0:04:04] } 24. h3 { [%clk 0:02:30] } 24... Bf6 { [%clk 0:03:10] } 25. Ra7 { [%clk 0:02:00] } 25... Qd8 { [%clk 0:02:59] } 26. Qb1 { "Win-on-demand Sam" showed up in the return game of the third tiebreak. } { [%clk 0:00:50] } 26... g5?! { Unnecessarily weakening the kingside, strengthening White's rook as well. This is an especially odd move to play so quickly when Black only needs a draw. } { [%clk 0:02:53] } 27. Rc6 { [%clk 0:00:45] } 27... f4 { [%clk 0:02:11] } 28. Bd2 { [%clk 0:00:33] } 28... Ra8 { Black's play is slowing down drastically, suggesting he realizes he overestimated his ... f5-f4. } { [%clk 0:01:35] } 29. Rxa8 { [%clk 0:00:26] } 29... Rxa8 { [%clk 0:01:37] } 30. Bc3 { White's bishop is right back in the game, with ideas of d3-d4. } { [%clk 0:00:27] } 30... Rc8? { [%clk 0:01:31] } 31. Qa2?! { [%clk 0:00:25] } (31. d4!) 31... Ra8 { [%clk 0:01:30] } 32. Qc2 { [%clk 0:00:20] } 32... Qd7 { [%clk 0:01:29] } 33. Nd2 { [%clk 0:00:22] } (33. d4!) 33... Qa7 { [%clk 0:01:07] } 34. Ne4 $16 { All of White's pieces have improved, and the weak d6-pawn is becoming a problem for Black. } { [%clk 0:00:22] } 34... Be7 { [%clk 0:01:10] } 35. Bb2 { [%clk 0:00:15] } 35... Qa4 { [%clk 0:01:11] } 36. Qc3 { [%clk 0:00:08] } 36... Qd1+ { [%clk 0:01:00] } (36... g4 { was probably necessary, not to mention consistent with Black's earlier play. After } 37. Rc8+ Kg7 38. Rc7 Ra7! { Black is holding on. }) 37. Kh2 { [%clk 0:00:11] } 37... h5?? { [%clk 0:00:36] } 38. Rc7 $18 { Now, White crashes through, with Qc3-c6 to follow. } { [%clk 0:00:13] } 38... Kf8 { [%clk 0:00:38] } 39. Qc6 { [%clk 0:00:11] } 39... Re8 { [%clk 0:00:40] } 40. Qd7 { [%clk 0:00:11] } 40... g4 { [%clk 0:00:34] } 41. Nf6 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 41... g3+ { [%clk 0:00:34] } 42. fxg3 { [%clk 0:00:12] } 42... fxg3+ { [%clk 0:00:36] } 43. Kxg3 { [%clk 0:00:14] } 43... Qxd3+?! { [%clk 0:00:10] } 44. Kh2 { [%clk 0:00:16] } 1-0