[Event "U.S. Junior Chess Championship 2023"] [Site "St Louis"] [Date "2023.07.14"] [Round "1"] [White "Xu, Arthur"] [Black "Daggupati, Balaji"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2083"] [BlackElo "2494"] [Annotator "Shlyakhtenko,Robert"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B33"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Sveshnikov Variation, Chelyabinsk Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/ZBuAQUT7/zBscpNFZ"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by IM Robert Shlyakhtenko } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 (2... Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 { is the "traditional" method of reaching the Sveshnikov Variation. }) 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Ndb5 d6 { Nowadays, many Sveshnikov players choose this move order, as it avoids lines such as the Rossolimo and 7.Nd5. } 7. Bf4 e5 8. Bg5 a6 9. Na3 b5 10. Nd5 Be7 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. c3 Bb7!? { A rare move. Black tries to break down the bind on the d5-square. } 13. Nc2 Ne7 14. Nxf6+ gxf6 15. Bd3 d5 16. exd5 Qxd5 17. Ne3 Qe6 { This is the position that Black was aiming for. He has the inferior pawn structure, but noticeably more active pieces and the plan of mobilizing the central pawns with ... e5-e4 and ... f6-f5. } 18. a4 (18. Qh5 O-O-O 19. Bc2 { holds Black's initiative at bay only temporarily. After } 19... Kb8 { Black now has the idea of playing ... Ng6-f4. }) 18... e4?! { The first move out of preparation, and not a good one. It's possible that Balaji confused the move order here. } (18... Rd8! { This preliminary move was necessary. Now after } 19. Qe2 (19. axb5? e4 20. bxa6 Rxd3 21. Qa4+ Bc6 $19 { simply does not work. }) 19... e4 20. Bc2 b4! { Black is fine, based on } 21. cxb4?! f5! { and later ... Nc6-d4. }) 19. Bc2 (19. Be2?! { is not so strong, because after } 19... Rd8 { the queen lacks a good square. }) (19. Bf1!? { is a subtle retreat suggested by the engine: White simply wants to win the b5-pawn. However, from a human perspective, this move seems too greedy. }) 19... Rd8 20. Qh5! { White is able to place the queen on its move active position, rather than the passive e2-square. } 20... b4 21. Rd1?! (21. O-O { it's difficult to understand why White refrained from this natural move. For example, } 21... f5 22. Rfd1 Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 f4? { fails to } 24. Ng4!) 21... f5? { Too artificial. As it transpires, Black's king is not safe on the queenside. } (21... Rxd1+! 22. Qxd1 bxc3 23. bxc3 O-O { would lead to a roughly balanced position. }) 22. Rxd8+ Kxd8 23. O-O Kc8 24. cxb4 f4 { This must have been Black's idea. Indeed, Black would have excellent counterplay if the knight retreated. But Arthur finds a precise refutation. } 25. Qc5+! Kb8 26. Bb3! { Deflection. } 26... Qxb3 (26... Qf6 27. Ng4! { is no better. }) 27. Qe5+ Ka7 28. Qd4+! { A nice "provisional move," ensuring that White captures the h8-rook with check. } 28... Ka8 29. Qxh8+ Nc8 30. Nf5 { White is up material with the safer king and more active pieces. Black is out of hope. } 30... Qe6 (30... e3 31. fxe3 fxe3 32. Qc3 { stops the e3-pawn in its tracks. }) 31. Nd4 Qc4 32. b5 f3 33. Nc6 fxg2 34. Rd1 f6 35. Qd8 Qxa4 36. Rd7! { Setting up the final combination. } 36... Qxb5 37. Qxc8+! { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0