[Event "U.S. Championships"] [Site "St Louis"] [Date "2023.10.07"] [Round "2"] [White "Sevian, Sam"] [Black "Niemann, Hans Moke"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2698"] [BlackElo "2667"] [Annotator "IM Sandeep Sethuraman"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E05"] [Opening "Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Classical Line"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/b0nfXV2i/kibYEXIk"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 { The Catalan has been increasingly popular amongst the elite in recent years, perhaps because of the double-edged winning chances it promises. } 7. Qa4 (7. Qc2 { is by far the main line, but Sevian is looking for a different type of game. }) 7... a6 8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2 Ra7!? { This might look strange with no provocation, but there have been almost 300 master games from this exact position. The idea is to both protect the b7-bishop in case of any nasty N3f3-g5 discoveries and to prepare a transfer after ...c7-c5. } 11. a4 b4 12. Bg5 Nbd7 13. Nbd2 Qa8 { Now Niemann's pieces are coordinating beautifully, and he should be no worse out of the opening. } 14. Ne1?! { Black was beginning to put some pressure along the diagonal, so Sevian tries to liquidate it, but this hands over the initiative. } (14. Rfc1 c5 15. dxc5 Rc8 16. Qd1 { would have been an equal game. The idea of the rook transfer before dropping the queen back is a common positional motif to improve piece placement. }) 14... Bxg2 15. Nxg2 c5! { It's time to break in the center when Black is still slightly better developed. } 16. Bxf6 (16. dxc5 Rc8 { and White's position is no better than in the game. }) 16... gxf6?! { Niemann wants to keep control over the c5-square, but White couldn't have hung on to the pawn either way. } (16... Bxf6 17. dxc5 Rc8 18. Ne4 Bxb2! { would have allowed Black to escape the complications with a building advantage. }) 17. Nb3 cxd4 18. Rac1 Ne5 19. Nxd4 Rd8 20. Nb3 Rad7 { Black is still the one putting slight pressure with his better places pieces, but if White manages to liquidate, there won't be much to play for. } 21. Nf4 (21. Rfd1 Rxd1+ 22. Rxd1 Rc8 23. Qb1 f5 { Black keeps a strong bind over the position, but White is solid, and it's very difficult to break through. }) 21... Kg7 22. Nh5+ Kh6!? { Bold, and there's really no way for Sevian to take advantage. } 23. Nf4 f5 24. Ng2 Kg7 { Niemann's king has done its job and returns, having bagged a couple of tempi. } 25. Qb1 Bf6 26. Rc5 Ng6 27. Rc4 Be7 28. Qc2 h5!? { Black's pieces are all placed well enough, and now it's time to start the push. } 29. h4 Qb8 30. Qc1 Bf6 31. Na5 Qb6 32. Nb3 (32. Nc6 Rc8 33. Ne5 Rdc7 (33... Rxc4 34. Nxc4 Qd4 35. b3 { and Black will have a very hard time breaking through the light-squared blockade. }) 34. Rxc7 Qxc7 35. Qxc7 Rxc7 36. Nd3 a5 37. Rc1 Rxc1+ 38. Nxc1 Bxb2 39. Nb3 { was an interesting endgame that likely would have led to a draw. }) 32... Qb8 33. Na5 Qb6 34. Nb3 Kh7?! { A slight misstep, giving Sevian a chance to take over the initiative for a couple of moves, and he pounces. } (34... Be5 { would have prevented White's next move. }) 35. Nf4! Ne5 (35... Nxf4 36. Qxf4 Bxb2 37. Rxb4 Qc6 38. Qg5 { and White is making dangerous threats with Black's position hanging on by a thread. }) 36. Rc5 Qb7 37. Nxh5 Bh8 38. Qc2 Rg8 39. Nf4 Ng6?! { A very natural move to get rid of one of White's chief attackers and to plug the diagonal, but the knights is very strong in the center and it's being traded off reduces a lot of Black's counterplay. } 40. Nxg6 Rxg6 41. Rc1 Qb6 42. Rd1? { Missing a chance to transform the center and potentially gain a winning advantage. } (42. e4! { would have been very strong } 42... f4 43. e5! { Shutting down the h8-bishop and introducing h4-h5 as a threat. } 43... Kh6 44. Kh2 { and Black's pieces are in no position to take advantage of the air around the white king. }) 42... Rxd1+ 43. Qxd1 Bxb2 44. Qd7 Rg7 45. e3 Qb8 46. Kg2 (46. Kf1! { would have been more accurate, getting out of the way of any future checks along the diagonal. } 46... Qa8 47. Rc6 a5 48. Qc8 { and White should be winning in the arising endgame }) 46... Qa8+ 47. Rc6 Be5 48. Qc8 Qa7!? { Niemann isn't content to grovel for a draw in a slightly worse endgame, instead spicing things up. } (48... Qxc8 49. Rxc8 Rg8 50. Rc6 Ra8 51. Kf3 { and Black's position is miserable, but he does have very decent drawing chances, }) 49. Rxa6 Qe7 50. Ra8 Rg4 51. Kf1? { One mistake is all it takes to turn the tide of the game. } (51. Nd2! { rerouting the knight to join the fray. } 51... b3 52. Nf3 Qc7 53. Qxc7 Bxc7 54. Ra7 b2 55. Rb7 Rxa4 56. Rxb2 { and this endgame will be very difficult for Black to defend. }) 51... Qd6 52. Qb7 (52. Ke2 Qd5 53. Nd2 Bc3 54. Qd8! { was another way to make the draw. }) 52... Qd1+ 53. Kg2 Qxb3 54. Qxf7+ Kh6 55. Qf8+?? { Technically the blunder that lost the game, but it was very difficult to see the correct move, so perhaps 52. Qb7 was the real blunder. } (55. Ra5! { This strange move is the only one that holds } 55... Bg7?? (55... Rg7 56. Qf8 Bc3 57. e4! { is the key point. by breaking the center, White grants his rook passage to join the attack. } 57... Qc4 58. exf5 Qe4+ { and Black must settle for a perpetual. }) 56. Rxf5! { is the idea. }) 55... Bg7 { And Niemann doesn't leave anything to chance in the conversion. } 56. Qd6 Qc4 57. Re8 b3 58. Rxe6+ Kh7 59. Qd7 b2 60. Rb6 Qe4+ 61. f3 Qc2+ 62. Kh3 b1=Q 63. Rxb1 Qxb1 64. fxg4 Qh1# { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1