[Event "2023 U.S. Junior Chess Championship"] [Site "St Louis"] [Date "2023.07.25"] [Round "9.3"] [White "Daggupati, Balaji"] [Black "Mishra, Abhimanyu"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2494"] [BlackElo "2591"] [Annotator "IM Sandeep Sethuraman"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B93"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Amsterdam Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/ZBuAQUT7/wsdUvLij"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by IM Sandeep Sethuraman } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4!? { The Amsterdam Variation of the Najdorf, a rare guest, but a nice choice for a must-win game. This variation once had a reputation for being more quiet and positional, but in today's world of "everything is playable," it just leads to rich, less-explored positions. } 6... e5 7. Nb3 Nc6 8. Bd3 { This position is not new to Daggupati. In fact, he already had a win against GM David Brodsky here. Interestingly nobody else has tried this. } 8... Be7 9. f5 Nb4 10. a3 Nxd3+ 11. Qxd3 h6 12. g4 Bd7 13. h3? { Up to this point, both players had been playing perfectly, but Daggupati goes wrong and gives Mishra a chance to push for an important win. } (13. Bd2 Bc6 14. O-O-O Nxg4 15. Qe2 Nf6 { and despite winning a clean pawn, Black must be careful with the placement of his king. }) 13... Bc6 14. Nd5 Rc8 15. a4 Nxd5 (15... Bxd5 16. exd5 e4 17. Qe2 Qc7 18. c3 Nxd5 { was even stronger for Black. }) 16. exd5 Bd7 17. Be3 h5! { Undermining the pawn chain at the base. White's position seems to be falling apart, but Daggupati innovates. } 18. Ke2! { The only way to preserve the pawn structure. } 18... hxg4? { Mishra gives up an entryway to his king, and with it goes his advantage. } (18... b5! 19. Nd2 bxa4 { was very strong, making use of the pin. }) 19. hxg4 Rxh1 20. Rxh1 Bxa4 21. f6!? { Daggupati had a path to equality, but he needs to win, so this isn't the worse try. However, Mishra can refute it with accurate play. } (21. Rh8+ Bf8 22. Ke1 { gets out of the pin, and Black will have difficulty untangling. The position is around equal. }) 21... Bf8! { The most precise. } (21... Bxf6?? 22. Rh8+) (21... gxf6 22. Rh8+ Bf8 23. Bh6 Bb5 24. Rxf8+ Ke7 25. Qxb5 axb5 26. Rxd8 Kxd8 27. c3 { and the position is equal again, but White is the only one with realistic winning chances. }) 22. fxg7 Bxg7 23. Kd2 Qf6 (23... Qc7! { was the strongest. White's pieces are paralyzed. }) 24. Qe4 Qg6!? { An interesting tactic, but Mishra misses his chance to keep a slight edge. } (24... b5! { It looks counterintuitive to strand the bishop on the side of the board, but it ties down the knight and puts pressure on c2. } 25. Na1 b4! 26. Qxb4 Bb5 { and Black's pieces will infiltrate. }) 25. Qxa4+ b5 26. Qxa6 Qxc2+ 27. Ke1 Qb1+ 28. Ke2 Rc2+ 29. Nd2 Qxh1 { While it looks like Black has come out on top, Daggupati has perpetual. } 30. Qxb5+ Ke7 31. Qb7+ Kf8 32. Qb8+ Ke7 33. Qb7+ Kf8 34. Qb8+ Ke7 35. Qb7+ { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2