[Event "US Open Championships"] [Site "Grand Rapids"] [Date "2023.08.03"] [Round "5"] [White "Alexander Shabalov"] [Black "Roger Zhang"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2518"] [BlackElo "2183"] [Annotator "WGM Tatev Abrahamyan"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D38"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense"] [StudyName "2023 U.S. Open"] [ChapterName "Alexander Shabalov - Roger Zhang"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/bGhelHiK/skTenpVJ"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 { The Ragozin Defense has proven to be a solid option at the top level. } 5. g3 { Shabalov chooses to fianchetto his bishop and avoid theoretical discussions in the main line. } 5... O-O 6. Bg2 c5 { Black wants to clarify the matters in the center immediately, but normally White is happy to see the center open as the g2-bishop is perfectly positioned for a more open board. } (6... dxc4 { has been played by Caruana, Nakamura and Aronian. } 7. O-O Nc6 8. Re1 Be7 { transposing to more standard Catalan positions. } 9. e3 Rb8 10. Nd2 Na5 11. b3 cxb3 12. axb3 b6 13. Nc4 Nxc4 14. bxc4 a5 15. Bb2 Bb7 { Black got a comfortable position and went on to win on move 41 in Mamedyarov –Aronian, Chess.com, 2023. }) 7. O-O dxc4 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Qa4 Nd5?! (9... Qe7 { Black needs to quickly finish the queenside development. } 10. Qxc4 b6 { The open diagonal looks scary, but Black will play ... Bc8-b7 next move followed by Nb8-d7. }) 10. Qxc4 Nxc3 11. Qxc3 { Black wasted too much time exchanging his only developed piece. White already has a comfortable edge here as the queenside will come under immense pressure. } 11... Qb6 12. a3 Nc6 13. b4 Be7 14. Be3 Qb5 15. Nd4 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 { The menacing bishops are now pressuring both sides of the board, while Black still lags behind in development. } 16... f6 17. Bc5 (17. Qe3 { makes it difficult for Black to develop the light-squared bishop. } 17... Bd7 18. a4! Qxb4 19. Rfb1 Qd6 20. Bxb7 { picking up both pawns. }) 17... Bxc5 18. bxc5 Rb8 (18... Qxe2 { Black has to go for this to at least have a pawn for the bad position. } 19. Rad1 { White still has a big advantage as the future of the c8-bishop is uncertain. }) 19. Rab1 Qxe2 20. c6 { White is now winning, mainly due to the passed c-pawn. } 20... b5 21. Rfd1 Rb6 22. Qc5 Qe5 23. Qxe5 { The endgame is completely winning. The g2-bishop is perfectly assisting the c7-pawn, as it is impossible for Black to attack it. } 23... fxe5 24. c7 a5 25. Rd8 b4 26. Rb3 Ba6 27. Rf3 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0