[Event "Jeddah Young Masters"] [Site "Jeddah"] [Date "2024.01.25"] [White "Volodar Murzin"] [Black "Andy Woodward"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2635"] [BlackElo "2501"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B50"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/ZCLkopx7/jFuOZUDz"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Nc6 5. O-O g6 6. Re1 Bg7 7. c3 O-O 8. a4 Bg4 9. Nbd2 Ne5 10. h3 Nxc4 11. hxg4 Na5 12. g5 Nd7 13. g3 a6 14. Kg2 b5 15. Rh1 Ne5 16. Ne1 d5?! { Not the optimal time for the thematic break in the center. } (16... b4 17. f4 (17. cxb4 cxb4 18. f4 Nd7 19. Nc2 Nc5 { is strong for Black: } 20. d4 Ncb3 21. Nxb3 Nxb3 22. Rb1 Qd7 $15) 17... bxc3 18. bxc3 (18. fxe5 cxd2 19. Bxd2 Bxe5 $17) 18... Nec6 { or } (18... Nd7 { should be fine for Black. Any play on the kingside will be slow for White, while the open b-file already gives Black license to annoy and prod for weaknesses to keep White occupied. })) 17. f4 dxe4?! { Either this piece sacrifice was intended when Black pushed the d-pawn, or this was an audible called after realizing that allowing an e4-e5 push gave White a lasting edge. Woodward only spent two minutes on this move, but, then again, he was already down to 20 minutes after spending roughly half his time on the first 11 moves, so I'm not sure whether two minutes is a lot of time or a little! } (17... Nd7 18. e5 b4 19. cxb4 cxb4 20. Nc2 $16) 18. fxe5 exd3 19. Qf3 c4 20. b4?! (20. Qe4 { The engine prefers playing around the static mass of queenside pawns, rather than changing the structure. }) 20... cxb3 21. Nxd3 Rc8 22. Ne4 Nc4 23. axb5 axb5 24. Bf4 Ra8 25. Rab1 { On the one hand, White is still up a piece and has managed to turn Black's pawn advantage on the queenside into a pair of doubled, isolated pawns. But, fewer pawns on the board will make it harder for White's extra piece to prove decisive, and the a-file is under Black's control. } 25... Ra2+ 26. Nef2 b2 27. Nb4 Ra3 28. Ne4? (28. Rhe1! { and Black is banking a lot of hopes on the b2-pawn. White should consolidate. }) 28... Qa8 29. Nd5 Qxd5? (29... Rd8! 30. Nc7 Qc8 31. Nxb5 Ra6!! { Brilliant prophylaxis against the threat of Nd4-c6 in other lines, e.g.: } (31... Ra5 32. Nd4 Bxe5 33. Nc6! $18) 32. Nd4 Bxe5 33. Bxe5 Nxe5 34. Qf4 Nd3 35. Qe3 Ne5 $14 { and the struggle continues! }) 30. Nf6+ exf6 31. Qxd5 fxe5 { Black has a few more shots, but White's material advantage is too great. } 32. Bd2 Rxc3 33. Rxb2 e4 34. Qxe4 Nxb2 35. Bxc3 Bxc3 36. Qh4 h5 37. gxh6 Re8 38. Rc1 Be5 39. Rc5 Nd3 40. Rxe5 Rxe5 41. Qd8+ Kh7 42. Qf8 Ne1+ 43. Kf1 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0