[Event "2023 U.S. Senior Chess Championship"] [Site "Saint Louis, United States"] [Date "2023.07.22"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Shabalov, Alexander"] [Black "Benjamin, Joel"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2453"] [BlackElo "2500"] [Annotator "FM Alex King"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E20"] [Opening "Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/ZBuAQUT7/eDj2dNEj"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 { The strategically high-stakes Samisch variation of the Nimzo-Indian. White accepts a damaged pawn structure on the queenside in exchange for the bishop pair and a strong pawn center. } 6... Nc6 7. e4 e5 8. Nh3!? { The first new move of the game, according to my database. } (8. Ne2 { was previously played by Benjamin himself: } 8... d6 9. Ng3 Nd7 10. Be3 Na5 11. Bd3 { when White went onto win in in Benjamin – Kraai, Saint Louis (1), 2011. }) 8... d6 9. Nf2 Nd7 10. h4 { Harry the h-pawn has entered the chat. } 10... b6 11. h5 Ba6 12. Ng4 Na5 13. Ne3 { White's play has a sort of "Guess the Elo" quality to it, but there is nothing objectively amiss, and the position remains both tactically and strategically sharp. } 13... Re8 14. Be2 Nf8 15. Kf2 Ne6 16. Ra2 f6 17. Rd2 { More unusual-looking moves from the ever-creative Shabalov! } 17... Qe7 18. g3 Qf7 19. Bb2 Rad8 20. Kg2 Ng5 21. Qf1 f5!? { Forcing the trade of this pawn for White's c4-pawn. } 22. Nxf5 (22. exf5? exd4 { leaves White's knight hanging. }) 22... Nxc4 23. Rc2 exd4? (23... d5! { immediately was necessary, with a complicated but balanced position. }) 24. cxd4 d5 25. Bc1! { Covering the e3-square with tempo. } 25... h6 26. g4 { White now has a strategically winning position, as Black can only continue to undermine White's pawn center at the cost of a piece. Benjamin decides to go for it anyway: } 26... dxe4 27. f4 Nf3 28. Bxc4 Ne1+ 29. Qxe1 Bxc4 30. Qc3 { Black has virtually no compensation for his missing piece, and Shabalov converts easily from here. } 30... Bd3 31. Rb2 Rd5 32. Be3 Qd7 33. Kg3 Re6 34. Rc1 c6 35. Nh4 Red6 36. f5 Bb5 37. Ng2 Rxd4 { A last-ditch attempt to complicate matters. } 38. Bxd4 Rxd4 39. Kh2 Qd6+ 40. Kg1 Rd3 41. Qb4! { Before Black has time to set up a real threat with ... Rd3-h3. } 41... Qe5 42. Rf2 Rg3 43. Qb2 Qd6 44. Qa2+ Kh7 45. Qe6 Qxa3 46. Qg6+ Kh8 47. Rd1 { A fine win by Shabalov in the dynamic style that he is famous for. } 1-0