[Event "GRENKE Chess Open"] [Site "Karlsruhe, Germany"] [Date "2024.04.01"] [Round "8.4"] [White "Niemann, Hans Moke"] [Black "Svane, Frederik"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2676"] [BlackElo "2627"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B40"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: French Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/b0uX2KYO/vEvVbC2Z"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. h3 Be7 5. g3 d6 6. Bg2 Nf6 7. O-O O-O 8. d3 Rb8 9. a4 a6 10. Be3 b5 11. axb5 axb5 12. Nd2 $146 { The first new move, although this entire line is essentially uncharted territory. White's knight often prefers to be on e2 (or even h3) in Closed Sicilian set-ups. Although the combination of g2-g3 and Ng1-f3 is more common against e6-Sicilian set-ups, Black usually goes for ... d7-d5 rather than ... d7-d6, also explaining the relative lack of games here. } 12... d5!? (12... Qc7 13. f4 b4 14. Ne2 Bb7 { is a more consistent way for Black to play, opting to wait on ... d6-d5 until White commits more firmly to the kingside, for instance with } 15. g4 (15. c3 Nd7 16. f5 exf5 17. Rxf5 Nce5 18. d4 Nd3 $15 { illustrating one possible line where the more closed center can favor Black's powerful knights. } { [%cal Ge7f6,Gd3b4] }) 15... d5! 16. e5 Nd7 17. c3 Rfc8 $15) 13. exd5 exd5 14. Bf4 Rb6 { Energetic, and consistent, play from Svane. With the d-pawn break established, Black's rook enjoys an "open rank" and thus discourages White from kingside expansion. } 15. Ra8 h6 16. Nb3 Ra6 17. Rxa6 Bxa6 { A neat way to neutralize White's grip on the open a-file while developing a piece. } 18. Re1 Re8 19. Be5 Nxe5 20. Rxe5 { White's plan is to pressure the d5-pawn and provoke overextension. } 20... c4 (20... d4 21. Nd5 Nxd5 22. Bxd5 Rf8 23. Qf3 { keeps the pressure coming, but } 23... Bd6 24. Rf5 Qc7 $14 { might not amount to much. }) 21. Nd4 Bc5 22. Nc6 { The game has now turned swiftly into tactical waters, which makes sense given the decisions to open up the center after Black's ... d6-d5. } 22... Qd6?! (22... Bxf2+ { was the forcing line Niemann had to assess: } 23. Kxf2 Qb6+ 24. d4 Qxc6 25. Nxd5 Nxd5 26. Rxe8+ Qxe8 27. Bxd5 { is equal, and Black has no improvements. White should be happy to have advanced d3-d4, and Black must play urgently to stay equal. } 27... Bc8! $10) 23. Rxe8+ Nxe8 24. Nxd5 { Or } (24. d4 { immediately is also good for White: } 24... Qxc6 25. Bxd5 Qc8 26. dxc5 Qxc5 27. Qf3 $14 { when the extra set of knights help White argue for a small advantage on the attacking front. }) 24... Kf8 (24... cxd3 25. Qxd3 Kh8 { If one extra set of minor pieces helped White fight, imagine how happy he'd be here with three minor pieces remaining. } 26. Nf4 $16 { with pressure against the weak b-pawn and relatively little to worry about from Black's light-squared bishop. }) 25. Nc3 (25. d4! { would neutralize the bishop pair, but the resulting variations are hard to evaluate properly. } 25... Qxc6 26. Nc3! Qc8 27. dxc5 b4 (27... Qxc5 28. Qd7 Qb6 29. Bc6 Nf6 30. Qd6+ Kg8 31. Nd5! { is the point of regrouping to c3 in the first place. White is better after } 31... Nxd5 (31... Qxf2+! 32. Kxf2 Ne4+ 33. Ke3 Nxd6 34. Kd4 Kf8 (34... Nf5+ 35. Kc5 $16) 35. Ke5 $16) 32. Qxd5 $16 { But, more surprisingly, is also better with the active king as more than sufficient compensation for the pawn, after }) 28. Ne4 f5 29. Nd6 Qxc5 30. Nxe8 Kxe8 31. Bd5 $14 { although this is still a difficult position to assess, with ... f5-f4 and ... c4-c3 giving Black complications to worry about. }) 25... cxd3? (25... Bb7! 26. d4 (26. Qf3 Bxc6 27. Qxc6 Qxc6 28. Bxc6 cxd3 29. cxd3 b4 30. Nb5 $14 { gives White an extra pawn, but the threat of a trade of bishops should keep Black within the drawing margin. }) 26... Bxc6 27. dxc5 Qxc5 28. Bxc6 Qxc6 29. Qh5 b4 30. Nd5 { looks like White's pieces dominate, but } 30... b3! $10 { gives Black meaningful, and sufficient, counterplay in terms of White's weak queenside pawns. }) 26. Qxd3 Qf6 (26... Qxd3 27. cxd3 b4 28. Na4 Bd6 29. d4 $16 { gives White a mean passed central pawn, making it unlikely that Black's bishop pair provides compensation for the one-pawn deficit. }) 27. Qd2 Nd6? (27... Bc8! 28. g4 (28. b4 Bxf2+ 29. Qxf2 Qxc3 $10) 28... Nc7 29. b4 $14) 28. b4! (28. Nd5 Qxb2 29. Nb6 { is also winning. } { [%cal Gb6d7] }) 28... Nc4 (28... Bxf2+? 29. Qxf2 Qxc3 30. Qb6! { explains why Black is not equalizing. For instance: } 30... Bc8 (30... Qxg3 31. Qd8+ Ne8 32. Qe7+ $18) 31. Qd8+ Ne8 32. Qe7+ Kg8 33. Qxe8+ Kh7 34. Qxc8 $18) 29. Qe1 Bxf2+ 30. Qxf2 Qxc3 31. Qc5+! Kg8 32. Ne7+ Kh8 33. Kh2 Qf6 34. Qa7 { The key position that White must have calculated when playing 28. b4!. } 34... Kh7 35. Be4+ g6 36. Bxg6+ Kg7 37. Bd3 { White is up a pawn, Black's pieces are stuck, and Black's king is still weak. This is winning, and Niemann converts rather flawlessly. } 37... Nd6 38. Nd5 Qe5 39. Qxa6 Qxd5 40. Qa1+ f6 41. Qa7+ Kf8 42. Qb8+ Ke7 43. Qa7+ Kd8 44. Qe3 Qg5 45. Qxg5 fxg5 46. Kg2 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0