[Event "U.S. Championship"] [Site "St Louis"] [Date "2023.10.08"] [Round "4.6"] [White "Mishra, Abhimanyu"] [Black "Niemann, Hans Moke"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2592"] [WhiteTeam "United States"] [BlackElo "2667"] [BlackTeam "United States"] [Annotator "Davis Zong Jr."] [Variant "From Position"] [ECO "?"] [Opening "?"] [FEN "r3r1k1/p3ppb1/1qp3p1/4P1Bp/2pPR2P/2P5/P4PP1/R1Q3K1 b - - 0 19"] [SetUp "1"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/b0nfXV2i/7RoImV4K"] [Orientation "white"] 19... Rab8 $14 { Emerging from a Rossolimo, this looks really good for Mishra: doubled isolated c-pawns to target and a blunted fianchetto bishop. On the other hand, Niemann controls the b-file and it can also be hard to break through due to the closed c-file. } 20. Re2 Qa5 21. Qe3 (21. e6! { White had to find activity fast! A pawn thrust followed by Bg5-f4 aims to take control of the b-file. } 21... f6 22. Bf4 Rb7 23. Rb2 $14) 21... Qd5 22. Rae1 Qe6 23. Qe4 Rb5 24. f3 Qd5 25. Qf4 (25. e6! $14 { This e6 idea is really strong. Either Black messes up the pawn structure by taking or the e-pawn stays like a bone in the throat. }) 25... c5! { Counterstrike which turns the weak doubled pawns into a strength. All of a sudden, White's central pawn chain feels very shaky. } 26. dxc5 (26. e6!) 26... Qxc5+ 27. Qe3 Rc8 28. Qxc5 Rcxc5 $15 29. e6 { Unfortunately, the push comes too late because it helps activate the fianchettoed bishop. } (29. Bf4! Ra5 30. Kf2 { looks passive, but Black also can't break through. }) 29... fxe6 30. Re4 { Counterplay was the best play here - White needed to activate the bishop. } (30. Bxe7 Bxc3 31. a4! { An important intermezzo, displacing the b5-rook. } (31. Bxc5 Bxe1 32. Bxa7 Bg3! $19 { By contrast, white is one move too slow here. Hence, the importance of 31. a4! }) 31... Ra5 32. Bxc5 Bxe1 33. Bxa7 Bxh4 34. Bd4 Rxa4 35. Rxe6 Kf7 $15) 30... Bxc3 31. Rc1 Be5 $17 32. Rexc4 (32. a4! Rb7 33. Rexc4 Rxc4 34. Rxc4 Kf7 $17) 32... Rxc4 33. Rxc4 Bg3 34. Kf1 Rb1+ 35. Bc1? { The self-pin was the last straw because the h4-pawn drops. White needed to find counterplay instead of passive defense. } (35. Ke2! Rb2+ 36. Kd3 Rxa2 37. Bxe7 Rxg2 38. Rc8+ Kf7 39. Bg5 $15 { Down two pawns, but the Rc8-d8-d7 threat is real and the g5-bishop is a powerhouse. White is well within drawing margin here. }) 35... Ra1 $19 { Now black has more tempi to pick up the pawns, so the game is over. } 36. a4 Bxh4 37. Ke2 Ra2+ 38. Bd2 Bg5 39. f4 Bh6 40. Kd3 e5 41. g3 exf4 42. gxf4 e5 43. Rc8+ Kf7 44. Rc7+ Ke6 45. Rxa7 exf4 46. Ra6+ Kf5 47. Ra5+ Kg4 48. Ra6 h4 49. Rxg6+ Bg5 50. Bb4 f3 51. Bc5 h3 52. Be7 f2 53. Rxg5+ Kf4 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1