[Event "US Open Championships"]
[Site "Grand Rapids"]
[Date "2023.08.05"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Gregory Markzon"]
[Black "Viktor Matviishen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2200"]
[BlackElo "2667"]
[Annotator "IM Sandeep Sethuraman"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[ECO "B91"]
[Opening "Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Zagreb Variation"]
[Source "https://lichess.org/study/bGhelHiK/e4mIEbLX"]
[Orientation "white"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3!? { Markzon opts for
the fianchetto variation against the Najdorf, looking to control the d5-square
and have good endgame prospects unlike in other Sicilians. } 6... e5 7. Nde2 Be7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O Nbd7!? { Matviishen decides to not commit any pawn pushes yet,
opting to play with his pieces instead. } (9... b5 { is the normal move, with
the idea of playing ... Bc8-b7 and having threats of ... b5-b4. }) 10. h3 b5 11. a3 h5! { This is a very common move in this variation of the Najdorf. The
point is that it prevents g3-g4 and allows Black to continue with his
development. Interestingly, the only previous game from this position was a
400-point upset where Le Hetet shocked Esipenko. } 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. exd5 (13. Qxd5 Nb6 14. Qd1 Be6 { was another possible continuation. }) 13... h4! { Black begins his kingside initative. ... f7-f5 will come next with ... Nd7-f6
to follow. } 14. f4 Bb7 15. g4 Rc8 16. Kh2 (16. f5 { seems natural, but it
completely weakens the dark squares, stalling White's attack. } 16... Bf6 17. Nc3 Rc4 18. Re1 Nc5 { and Black is better. }) 16... Re8 17. Nc3 exf4 18. Bxf4 Rc4 19. Qf3 Bf6! { Black abandons the d6-pawn, but puts his bishop on a square where it
dampens the f-file battery and targets the weak queenside. } 20. Kh1 (20. Bxd6 Qb6 21. Bf4 Rxf4! { and Black wins. }) 20... Bxc3 21. bxc3 Qf6 (21... Ree4! { was even stronger. } 22. Bxd6 Bxd5 { and White is under threat of discoveries on
the weak king and exposed queen. }) 22. Bxd6 Qxf3 23. Bxf3 Rxc3 24. Bg2 Nb6! { Putting pressure on the d5-pawn. Black is almost winning in this endgame. } 25. Rf2 (25. Rad1 Rxc2! { In some positions, even ... Rc2xg2 might be a
possibility. Black is up a pawn and, with the other rook entering the second
rank, he is completely winning. }) 25... Bxd5 26. Bxd5 Nxd5 27. Rd1 Rxh3+ 28. Kg2 Rg3+! { A nice tactic to seal the game. } 29. Kh1 (29. Bxg3 Ne3+ 30. Kh1 Nxd1 31. Rd2 hxg3 32. Rxd1 Re4 { and Black is completely winning. }) 29... Nc3 30. Rd4 Rge3 31. Bb4 Ne4 32. Rd7?? { A strange blunder, but Black was dead
winning anyway. } 32... Nxf2+ { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1