[Event "US Open Championships"] [Site "Grand Rapids"] [Date "2023.08.06"] [Round "8"] [White "Nathaniel Philip Moor"] [Black "Semen Khanin"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2286"] [BlackElo "2675"] [Annotator "IM Sandeep Sethuraman"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D02"] [Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation"] [StudyName "2023 U.S. Open"] [ChapterName "Nathaniel Philip Moor - Semen Khanin"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/bGhelHiK/yuXWFG8W"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. g3 Bb4+ { Another game in this increasingly popular Catalan line, but this time Moor deviates immediately. } 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Bg2 dxc4! { Khanin goes for the critical variation, daring Moor to show his preparation. } (6... c6 { would be the "classical" move, but it would also admit a slight inferiority in the position. }) 7. O-O Nc6 8. Qc2!? { I can only assume Moor was in his preparation, and if this is true, it rather impressive. The computer coldly refutes the line as usual, but it's always easier said than played for us humans. } 8... Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Rd1 { Following Miladinovic – Andejic, where White was able to take home a quick victory. } 10... Qe5 11. Bf4? { But now the preparation has ended, and Moor starts to teeter on the edge of the rails. } (11. Ne4 Be7 12. Bf4 Qa5 13. Nxf6+ Bxf6 14. Qxc4 { and White should have enough compensation for the pawn. } 14... c6 15. Bd6 Rd8 16. Qc2 { The bishop on c8 being so out of play is the only issue with Black's position here. }) 11... Qa5 12. Rac1? { Too slow. Black is up two pawns right now, and White has to create concrete threats to have any hope at compensation. } (12. Bd2! { A retreating move, but it does threaten a2-a3 next. } 12... Qa6 13. a4 { with the threat of Nc3-b5. White is still significantly worse, but at least he is playing with the initiative. }) 12... c6 13. a3 Be7 14. Ne4 Nxe4 15. Bxe4 h6 (15... f5! { was natural and strong. It creates weaknesses, but gains a valuable tempo, allowing Black to liquidate with his next important inclusion. } 16. Bg2 c3! { is the important part. White can't trade queens, which means he can't win back the pawn. }) 16. Qxc4 e5 17. Bd2 Qc7 18. Qa4 Be6 { It seems that Black has stabilized the position and emerged a clean pawn up. It's difficult to imagine any result other than a clean conversion and eventual victory by the top seed in the tournament. } 19. Ba5 Qc8 20. Bb4 Re8 21. Bxe7 Rxe7 22. Bb1! { Maybe not the objectively best move, but since he is down a pawn, threats against Black's king is the only way to proceed. } 22... Qc7 23. b4 Rd7 24. b5! { Moor tries to complicate the game in any way he can. It should fail to the best play, but this is the only way to create realistic chances. } 24... Rxd1+ 25. Qxd1 Rd8 26. Qc2 g6 27. bxc6 bxc6 28. Kg2?! (28. h4! { was strongest. } 28... h5 { is forced, when } 29. Ba2! { would have forced a bishop trade and given White very good drawing chances, for instance: } 29... Bxa2 30. Qxa2 c5 31. Qc4 Qc6 32. a4 Kg7 33. Kh2 Rc8 34. Kg1 Qd6) (28. Qxc6?? { would have lost embarrassingly: } 28... Qxc6 29. Rxc6 Rd1+) 28... Rd4! { Getting ready to play ... Be6-d5+ or ... Rd4-c4 next. } 29. Qc5 Qd7?! (29... Bd5+! { was the way forward. } 30. f3 Qb6 { and Black can never take the queen, or else the endgame will be dead lost. }) 30. Qxe5 Bh3+ 31. Kf3 { A necessary evil. White's king is surprisingly difficult to checkmate. } 31... Rd5 32. Qb8+ Kh7 33. Qf4 Rd4 34. Qe5 Rd6 35. Rc4 Re6 36. Qd4 Qe7? { A missed opportunity. } (36... Qb7! { would have ended the game immediately: } 37. Bc2 c5+ 38. Be4 Qe7! 39. Qc3 Qg5 { and White's king is in great danger. }) 37. Qc3 Rxe2?? { An unfortunate oversight that ends Khanin's chances at the title, or even a large chunk of the prize money. Chess can be cruel sometimes... } (37... Qg5 { would have maintained excellent winning chances: } 38. Re4 Rf6+ 39. Rf4 Bg4+ 40. Kg2 Rxf4 41. gxf4 Qxf4 { and Black should be winning the endgame with White's king so exposed. }) 38. Rh4! { Moor seizes his opportunity. } 38... Qe5 (38... Bd7?? 39. Rxh6+!! { with a beautiful checkmate: } 39... Kxh6 40. Qh8+ Kg5 41. h4#) 39. Qxe5 Rxe5 40. Rxh3 { The rest is elementary for Moor, who gets a huge upset win over the top seed. } 40... Ra5 41. Rh4 Rxa3+ 42. Ke2 c5 43. Bc2 Kg7 44. Rc4 Ra5 45. Ra4! { Forcing the rook trade and ending the game. } 45... Rxa4 46. Bxa4 Kf6 47. Kd3 g5 48. Ke4 { Khanin resigned the game. } 1-0