[Event "2023 U.S. Chess Championship"]
[Site "Saint Louis, United States"]
[Date "2023.10.13"]
[Round "8.2"]
[White "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Black "Shankland, Sam"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2782"]
[BlackElo "2711"]
[Annotator "WGM Sabina Foisor"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[ECO "C50"]
[Opening "Italian Game: Giuoco Piano"]
[Source "https://lichess.org/study/b0nfXV2i/6qsRBl8A"]
[Orientation "white"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. h3 d6 7. c3 a5 8. Re1 h6 9. Nbd2 a4 10. Bb5 Bd7 11. Nf1 Ne7 12. Bxd7 Qxd7 13. Ng3 Bb6 14. Nh4 d5 15. exd5 Qxd5 16. d4 { In this main line of the Giuocco
Piano, Shankland misplayed his defenses and allowed Caruana to get his knight
into f5 too soon. } 16... Nc6? (16... Rfd8) 17. Nh5 (17. Ngf5 { seems to have been a
better option and it could have continued as follows } 17... Kh7 18. Nxg7! Kxg7 19. dxe5 Qxd1 20. exf6+ Kxf6 21. Rxd1 Rad8 22. Bf4 $16 { and White is simply a pawn
up. }) 17... Qd8? (17... Qe6 { Sam could have stopped Nh4-f5, but possibly may
have not realized its power. } 18. dxe5 Nxe5 19. Be3 (19. Bf4 { allows the cool } 19... Ra5! $15 { [%cal Ra5h5] }) 19... Rfd8 20. Bd4 Nxh5 21. Qxh5 Bxd4 22. cxd4 Rxd4 23. Rxe5 Rxh4 24. Rxe6 Rxh5 25. Re7 Rb5) 18. Nf5! Nxh5 19. Qxh5 Qf6 20. Re4! { Despite not being fully developed, White is ready to take advantage of
Black's unprotected king. } 20... Qg6 (20... Rfd8 { allows the sacrifice } 21. Nxh6+ gxh6 22. Bxh6 Ne7 23. dxe5 Qe6 24. Bg5 $18) 21. Qf3 { and now the idea with
Re4-g4 is unstoppable, so Sam decided to let the queen go and get some
material in return. } 21... exd4 22. Nxh6+ gxh6 23. Rg4 Kh7 24. Rxg6 fxg6 { Now, White
is up a queen for a rook and a knight, but if he doesn't find a way to bring
his remaining bishop and rook into play, it is Black that seems to be ahead in
the position. This is not easy to do. } 25. Qg4?! (25. Qd3 { is Stockfish's
choice. The idea is to get on the c1-h6 diagonal and weaken Black's king in
such a way that after the development of the bishop and rook will come. } 25... Rad8 26. Qd2 g5 27. cxd4 Nxd4 28. Qd3+ Kg7 29. Qc4 $18 { followed by Bc1-e3 and
bringing the rook out and White is much better. }) 25... Rae8 26. cxd4? { This gives away the advantage as it allows Black's activity on the first rank
and White will have to give back material to get out of the pin. } (26. Qh4 { was the last attempt to maintain the advantage. } 26... h5 27. Qg5 Ne5 28. cxd4 Bxd4 29. Be3 Bxe3 30. fxe3 Kg7 31. Rd1 $16) 26... Re1+ 27. Kh2 Rf5 28. Qh4 h5 29. Be3 Rxa1 { Now, White has to be okay with a draw. } 30. g4 Rf7 31. gxh5 gxh5 32. Qxh5+ Kg8 33. Qg6+ Rg7 34. Qe8+ Kh7 35. Qe4+ Kg8 36. Qe6+ Kh7 37. Qe4+ Kg8 38. Qe6+ Kh7 39. Qf5+ Kg8 40. Qe6+ Kh7 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2