[Event "7th World Open"] [Site "Philadelphia"] [Date "1977.07.02"] [Round "4"] [White "Curdo, John"] [Black "Browne, Walter"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2380"] [BlackElo "2547"] [Annotator "Rizzitano, James"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B51"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/ZB1RNURR/B0GiYmWg"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ { Curdo was an early adopter of the Moscow Variation, decades before it became fashionable. } 3... Nc6 4. O-O Bd7 5. c3 Nf6 6. Re1 a6 7. Ba4 b5 8. Bc2 Bg4 9. d3 e6 10. Nbd2 Be7 11. h3 Bh5 12. Nf1 d5 13. Ng3 Bxf3 (13... Bg6 14. Nh4 O-O (14... dxe4 15. dxe4 Nd7? 16. Nhf5! { with a clear edge for White, Peters-A.Miguel, Lone Pine 1979 }) 15. exd5 Qxd5 16. Nxg6 hxg6 17. Qe2 Rfd8 { with equal chances, Godena-Caruana, 67th Italian Ch, Martina Franca 2007. }) 14. Qxf3 O-O 15. exd5! { Curdo opens the center for his bishop pair. } 15... Nxd5 16. Nh5! Kh8?! { [#] } (16... Qd6 { to keep the white queen away from the g3-square is equal. }) 17. Nf4?! (17. d4!? cxd4 18. Nxg7 Kxg7 19. Qh5 d3 20. Bxd3 Nf6 { thinking the attack unclear". With the help of modern chess engines we can see that Black has no effective counter to White's powerful light-squared bishop after } 21. Qh6+! Kg8 (21... Kh8 22. Bg5! Qxd3 23. Bxf6+ Bxf6 24. Qxf6+ Kg8 25. Re3 Qg6 26. Rg3 { gives White a decisive material advantage. }) 22. Bc2 Re8 23. Bg5 Bf8 24. Qh4 Bg7 25. Rad1 Qe7 26. Rd3 { , intending Rg3 with a winning attack. }) 17... Nxf4 18. Bxf4 Rc8 19. Rad1 Bd6 20. Bxd6 Qxd6 21. Qe4 { Curdo offered a draw here. } 21... e5 (21... g6! 22. a4 Kg7 { is equal. }) 22. f4 (22. a4!? { is another idea to soften up Black's queenside. }) 22... exf4 23. Rf1 Rce8 24. Qxf4 Qxf4 25. Rxf4 Re2 (25... f5 { is the safest way for Black to equalize. }) 26. Rf2 Rfe8 27. Kf1 (27. Bb3! { with the idea of Bd5 looks a shade better for White. }) 27... R2e7 28. Bb3 f6 29. Rf5! Ne5 30. d4 cxd4 31. Rxd4?! (31. cxd4! Nc4 32. Bxc4 bxc4 33. Rd2 { gives White a favorable rook endgame thanks to his passed d-pawn and Black's split queenside pawns. }) 31... h6 32. g3 Kh7 33. Rf2 a5 34. Kg2 Rb8 { and a draw was agreed. } 1/2-1/2