[Event "Marshall Winter IM Norm Invitational"] [Date "2023.02.23"] [White "Gus Huston"] [Black "Alice Lee"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B31"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation, Gufeld Gambit"] [StudyName "Norm Hunter: March 2023"] [ChapterName "Gus Huston - Alice Lee"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/VJP08V1C/13DvhZM4"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,95,25,16,58,58,65,65,54,48,38,5,49,40,30,30,13,29,29,7,42,34,48,30, -17,-34,-20,-17,-20,5,8,-5,-42,-58,-2,19,25,27,45,56,57,57,37,45,385,386,358, 194,358,350,345,356,383,334,352,308,456,304,562,602,614,614,614,351,323,225, 280,233,239,271,271,230,277,241,290,295,312,244,325,331,338,338,368,401,434, 437,596,623,626,631,718,771,914,802,1076,561,720,1087] } 1. e4 { [%eval 36,0] } 1... c5 { [%eval 32,0] } 2. Nf3 { [%eval 0,0] } 2... Nc6 { [%eval 0,0] } 3. Bb5 { [%eval 37,0] } 3... g6 { [%eval 59,0] } 4. O-O { [%eval 2,0] } 4... Bg7 { [%eval 55,0] } 5. c3 { [%eval 25,0] } 5... e5 { [%eval 39,0] } 6. d4 { [%eval 11,0] } 6... cxd4 { [%eval 0,0] } 7. cxd4 { [%eval 2,0] } 7... exd4 { [%eval 34,0] } 8. Bf4 { [%eval 73,0] } 8... a6 { [%eval 46,0] } 9. Ba4 { [%eval 5,0] } 9... Nge7 { [%eval 4,0] } 10. Bd6 { [%eval 35,0] } 10... b5 { [%eval 62,0] } 11. Bb3 { [%eval 62,0] } 11... Bb7 { [%eval 5,0] } 12. Re1 { [%eval 6,0] } (12. Ng5 { is White's other main try, but after } 12... O-O 13. Qf3 Qe8 { there is not much to play for. Indeed, Black ended up with solid play in the following game. } 14. Qg3 h6 15. Nf3 Na5 16. Nbd2 Rc8 17. Rfe1 Qd8 18. Ne5 Nxb3 19. Qxb3 Nc6 20. Bxf8 Bxe5 21. Ba3 Na5 22. Qh3 Nc4 23. Rad1 Nxd2 24. Rxd2 Qg5 25. Rde2 a5 26. Qxd7 d3 27. Re3 d2 28. Qxd2 b4 29. Bxb4 axb4 30. Qxb4 Rc2 31. Qb3 Rxb2 32. Rg3 Qd2 33. Qe3 Bxg3 34. hxg3 Qxe3 35. Rxe3 Rxa2 36. g4 Kg7 37. f3 Kf6 38. Kh2 Bc8 39. Rc3 Be6 40. Rc5 g5 41. Kg3 Kg6 42. Kh2 Ra4 43. Rc2 Bc4 44. Kg3 h5 45. gxh5+ Kxh5 46. Rc1 Kg6 47. Rc2 Be6 48. Rc5 Rb4 49. Kf2 Bc4 50. Rc6+ Be6 51. Rc5 Kf6 52. Kg3 Rb2 53. Rc6 Ra2 54. Rc5 Rb2 55. Rc6 Rb5 56. Kf2 Ke5 57. Kg3 Kd4 58. Rc1 Rb2 59. Ra1 Bc4 60. Rd1+ Ke3 61. Re1+ Be2 62. Ra1 Bc4 63. Re1+ Kd4 64. Rd1+ Bd3 65. Ra1 Rd2 66. Rc1 Ra2 67. Rh1 Ke3 68. Re1+ Re2 69. Ra1 g4 70. Ra7 gxf3 71. gxf3 Bc4 72. Ra3+ Kd4 73. Kf4 Rg2 74. Ra8 Rf2 75. Rd8+ Kc3 76. Ke3 Rf1 77. Rd7 Be6 78. Rc7+ Kb4 79. f4 Re1+ 80. Kd4 Kb5 81. f5 Ba2 82. e5 Rf1 83. e6 fxe6 84. fxe6 Bxe6 85. Ke5 Re1+ 86. Kd4 Bg4 87. Rc5+ Kb6 88. Rc3 Bd7 89. Rc2 Bb5 90. Rc3 Rd1+ 91. Ke5 Bc6 92. Rb3+ Kc7 93. Ra3 Rd5+ 94. Kf4 Kd6 95. Ke3 Ke5 96. Rc3 Bb5 97. Rb3 Kf5 98. Rc3 Ba6 99. Ra3 Bc4 100. Rc3 Bf1 101. Ra3 Kg4 102. Ra4+ Kg3 103. Rd4 Re5+ 104. Re4 Rf5 105. Kd4 Bg2 106. Re5 Rf6 107. Rg5+ Kf2 108. Ke5 Ra6 109. Kf4 Ra4+ 110. Ke5 Bf3 111. Kf6 Ke3 112. Re5+ Be4 113. Re6 Kf4 114. Rd6 Ra5 115. Re6 Rh5 116. Rd6 Rh6+ 117. Ke7 Rh7+ 118. Kf6 Ra7 119. Re6 Bd5 120. Rd6 Rf7+ 121. Kg6 Ke5 122. Rxd5+ Kxd5 123. Kxf7 { ½-½ (123) Duda,J (2731)-Wang,H (2722) Chess.com INT 2022 }) 12... Nc8 { [%eval 42,0] } 13. e5 { [%eval 26,0] } 13... Nxd6 { [%eval 61,0] } 14. exd6+ { [%eval 35,0] } 14... Kf8 { [%eval 27,0] } 15. Nbd2 { [%eval 24,0] This is still theory. And while that is a joke that GM Ben Finegold often makes in clearly non-theoretical positions, and there is a d6-pawn and a king on the f8-square here, this is not a joke. } 15... f5 { [%eval 56,0] } (15... Bf6?! { has been played multiple times, but is an inaccuracy. } 16. Bd5 Na5 17. Bxb7 Nxb7 18. Ne4 Kg7?! (18... Rc8 19. b4 $16) 19. g4 h6 20. h4 Kh7 21. Qb3 Rf8 22. Qd5 Na5 23. g5 hxg5 24. hxg5 Bg7 25. Ne5 Nc4 26. Ng4 Qb6 27. Nef6+ Bxf6 28. Qh1+ { 1-0 (28) Avinash,R (2391)-Aditya,V (2281) Budapest 2021 }) 16. Bd5 { [%eval 38,0] } 16... Bf6!? $146 { [%eval 45,0] } (16... Qb8! { Black's best try, which has been found before. } 17. Ng5 Bf6 18. Ne6+ dxe6 19. Rxe6 Kg7 20. Rc1 Rc8 21. d7 Rc7 22. Bxc6 Bxc6 23. Rcxc6 Rxc6 24. Rxc6 Qb7 25. Qf3 Rd8 { This position is equal, although White went on to win later in the game, in part due to the weaknesses created by the ...f7-f5 push. } 26. Nb3 Qxd7 27. Nc5 Re8 28. g4 Re1+ 29. Kg2 Qe8 30. Rxa6 Qe2?? (30... Qe7) 31. Ra7+ Be7 32. Qxe2 Rxe2 33. Kf3 Re5 34. Nd3 fxg4+ 35. Kxg4 h5+ 36. Kf3 Rf5+ 37. Ke4 Kf6 38. Ra6+ Kg7 39. Ra7 Kf6 40. Kxd4 Bd6 41. Ra6 Ke7 42. Ke4 Rg5 43. h4 Rg4+ 44. Kd5 Bh2 45. Nc5 Rg2 46. Ne4 Bg1 47. Ra7+ Kd8 48. Kc6 Bxf2 49. Rd7+ Ke8 50. Rd2 Rg4 { 1-0 (50) Isha,S (2234)-Aditya, V (2409) Budapest 2022 }) 17. Nb3 { [%eval 32,0] } 17... Na5 { [%eval 36,0] } 18. Bxb7 { [%eval 38,0] } 18... Nxb7 { [%eval 25,0] } 19. Ne5 { [%eval 37,0] Chess is a cruel game. Sometimes, the most blatantly obvious move is a mistake. What's so devious about White's last move is that Black is perfectly fine *unless* she moves her knight off the awful b7-square to capture White's spooky d-pawn. } 19... Nxd6? { [%eval 161,0] } (19... Kg7! { Such an instructive moment. Black steps out of the way of potential checks from the e-knight and keeps the c5-square covered for a bit longer. } 20. Qxd4 Re8 21. f4 Rc8 22. Kh1 Rc4 { and Black is happy to play around the d6-pawn, as her pieces have all reanimated. }) 20. Nc5! { [%eval 102,0] A significant improvement on 20. Qxd4. The weakness of the d7-pawn and e6-square become more important. } 20... Bxe5 { [%eval 153,0] } 21. Rxe5 { [%eval 125,0] } 21... Ra7? { [%eval 495,0] } (21... Nf7 { was the only way to stay competitive. } 22. Rd5 Kg7 { White has a significant advantage after the right move, but at least has more ways to err. } 23. Nxd7! (23. Rxd7? Qf6! { and all of the key squares are covered. Black is fine here. Barely. }) (23. Qxd4+!? Qf6 24. Qd2 d6 { is also manageable for Black. }) 23... Qh4 24. g3 Qe4 25. Rxd4 Qe6 26. Rd5! $16 { and only now is it apparent how Black's pieces lack breathing room. }) 22. Qxd4 { [%eval 447,0] Now, White has far too many threats, given the loose rooks on a7 and h8, as well as the loose knight. } 22... Qf6 { [%eval 407,0] } 23. Nd3 { [%eval 433,0] Calm, low-risk, and sufficient. } (23. Rxf5! { was even more precise. } 23... Qxf5 24. g4! Qc2 25. Qxh8+ Kf7 26. Qxh7+ $18) 23... Ra8 { [%eval 538,0] } (23... Nf7 24. Qxa7 Nxe5 25. Qb8+ { is hopeless for Black. }) 24. Rxf5 { [%eval 545,0] } 24... Qxf5 { [%eval 487,0] } 25. Qxh8+ { [%eval 535,0] } 25... Kf7 { [%eval 523,0] } 26. Qxa8 { [%eval 500,0] } 26... Qxd3 { [%eval 521,0] Black lacks compensation: the lone knight cannot compete with the rook when there are so many pawns on the board. } 27. Re1 { [%eval 447,0] } 27... b4 { [%eval 527,0] } 28. h3 { [%eval 466,0] } 28... Nf5 { [%eval 514,0] } 29. Qe8+ { [%eval 495,0] } 29... Kg7 { [%eval 501,0] } 30. Qe5+ { [%eval 505,0] } 30... Kf7 { [%eval 519,0] } 31. Qf4 { [%eval 513,0] } 31... Qd6 { [%eval 502,0] } 32. Qxd6 { [%eval 485,0] } 32... Nxd6 { [%eval 499,0] } 33. Rd1 { [%eval 491,0] } 33... Ke6 { [%eval 407,0] } 34. Re1+ { [%eval 409,0] } 34... Kf6 { [%eval 498,0] } 35. f3 { [%eval 462,0] } 35... Nc4 { [%eval 475,0] } 36. b3 { [%eval 454,0] } 36... Nd6 { [%eval 484,0] } 37. Kf2 { [%eval 465,0] } 37... Nb5 { [%eval 407,0] } 38. Ke3 { [%eval 467,0] } 38... Ke5 { [%eval 487,0] } 39. Kd3+ { [%eval 408,0] } 39... Kd6 { [%eval 502,0] } 40. Re8 { [%eval 491,0] } 40... Kc5 { [%eval 541,0] } 41. Re7 { [%eval 552,0] } 41... d5 { [%eval 549,0] } 42. Rxh7 { [%eval 545,0] } 42... d4 { [%eval 609,0] } 43. Rg7 { [%eval 602,0] } 43... Nc3 { [%eval 573,0] } 44. Rxg6 { [%eval 667,0] } 44... a5 { [%eval 662,0] } 45. Rg5+ { [%eval 664,0] } 45... Kb6 { [%eval 607,0] } 46. Kxd4 { [%eval 667,0] } 46... Nxa2 { [%eval 678,0] } 47. Rc5 { [%eval 771,0] } 47... Nc3 { [%eval 1037,0] } 48. Rxc3 { [%eval 867,0] } 1-0