[Event "2023 U.S. Senior Chess Championship"] [Site "Saint Louis, United States"] [Date "2023.07.20"] [Round "5.5"] [White "Khachiyan, Melikset"] [Black "Dlugy, Maxim"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2403"] [BlackElo "2524"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A04"] [Opening "Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/ZBuAQUT7/Qv0gYZkU"] [Orientation "white"] 1. Nf3 c5 2. c3 d5 3. d4 e6 4. e3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 Nf6 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. e4 Re8 10. e5 Ng4 11. Nb3 Bb6 12. Bxh7+ { It's all Greek to me! } 12... Kxh7 13. Ng5+ Kg8 14. Qxg4 Nxe5 15. Qh4 Qf6 16. Bf4 Qh6 17. Qxh6 gxh6 18. Bxe5 hxg5 { While there was nothing wrong with capturing the h7-pawn, objectively Black should be perfectly happy about the results. If he can activate his light-squared bishop, then that should even secure him an advantage. } 19. Bf6 g4 20. Rae1 Kh7 21. Bd4 Bd7 22. f3 e5 23. Bxb6 axb6 24. fxg4 Kg6 { But now White is clearly for choice, with the central pawns looking rather loose and no dark-squared bishop to pressure the g1-a7 diagonal or the b2-c3 pawn chain. } 25. g5 (25. Nc1!? Bxg4 26. Re3 Bh5 27. Nd3 $16) 25... Rxa2 26. Rf6+ Kg7?! (26... Kxg5 27. Rxf7 Rxb2 28. Rxd7 Rxb3 29. Rxd5 Kf5 { should be equal, and clearly the all-rook endgame is preferable to any other transformation for the defending side. }) 27. Nc1 Rxb2 28. Nd3 Rb3 29. Nxe5 Re7 30. h4 Rxc3 31. h5 Be8 32. h6+ Kh7 33. Kf2 Rc2+ (33... Rcc7 { Sometimes, the only way to lose a rook endgame is to try to win a rook endgame. Here, There is no obvious response to passive defense: } 34. Rxb6 Rc2+ 35. Kg3 Bc6 { when Black exploits the disconnect between White's rooks! }) 34. Kg3 Kg8 (34... Rcc7 35. Rff1 d4 36. Ng4 Rxe1 37. Rxe1 Bc6 { is much better than the game, but White is still winning with } 38. Rd1 b5 39. Rxd4 Rc8 40. Rf4 $18 { . }) 35. Rff1 Rc8 (35... d4?? 36. Ng4! { is the point of defending the e1-rook. } 36... Rxe1 37. Rxe1 Bc6 38. Nf6+ Kf8 (38... Kh8 39. Ra1 $18) 39. Ra1?? $18 Rxg2+ 40. Kh3 { and White is winning, although some of the possible variations are amusing enough to include here. } 40... d3 (40... Rxg5 41. Nh7+ $18) 41. h7 Kg7? 42. h8=Q+ Kxh8 43. Ra8+ Kg7 44. Rg8# { is a beautiful possible continuation. }) 36. Ng4! Rxe1 37. Rxe1 Bc6 38. Nf6+ Kf8 { White is winning. } 39. Kf4 Ra8 40. Nh7+ Kg8 41. Nf6+ Kf8 42. Kf5!? { This still wins, and perhaps it is clear enough to White why there is no danger, but } (42. Nh7+ Kg8 43. g6 fxg6 44. Re7 { is far more convincing, building a mating net without the king having to worry as much: } 44... Ra4+ 45. Kg5 Ra8 46. Rg7+ Kh8 47. Nf6 { and mate next move. }) 42... d4 43. Nh7+ Kg8 44. g6 fxg6+ 45. Kxg6 Kh8 46. Nf6 Ba4 47. Re7 Bc2+ 48. Kg5 b5 49. Rxb7 Rd8 50. g4 b4 51. Kh5 Rf8 52. g5 Bd1+ 53. Kh4 Bc2 54. Rxb4 Rd8 55. Rb7 Bg6 56. Rg7 d3 57. Rxg6 d2 58. Rg7 Rd4+ 59. Kh3 Rd3+ 60. Kh2 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0