[Event "Denver Open 2023"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/d4KvBiRa/SEmc5xA4"] [Date "7/23/23"] [Round "5"] [White "BURKHARDT"] [Black "BROWN"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1501p"] [BlackElo "1399p"] [TimeControl "90+30"] [Board "56"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B44"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/cristoper"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/d4KvBiRa/SEmc5xA4"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%eval 0.36] } 1... c5 { [%eval 0.32] } 2. Nf3 { [%eval 0.0] } 2... Nc6 { [%eval 0.0] } 3. d4 { [%eval 0.33] } 3... cxd4 { [%eval 0.38] } 4. Nxd4 { [%eval 0.29] } 4... e6 { [%eval 0.5] } 5. Be3 { [%eval -0.04] } 5... Nf6 { [%eval 0.0] } 6. Nc3 { [%eval 0.0] } 6... Bb4 { [%eval 0.0] } { With my knight pinned and my e pawn loose, I already feel like I have played the opening inaccurately. My plan is to trade knights and then try to get either my bishop or queen to d6 cramping black's position. } { [%csl Gd6] } 7. Nxc6 { [%eval -0.13] } { Here black has to choose wither to recapture the knight or first play Bxc3+ doubling white's pawns. } 7... Bxc3+?! { [%eval 0.82] } { Inaccuracy. bxc6 was best. } { I would have made the same choice. But it turns out that black should not trade their darksquare bishop, even to double my pawns with check, because it leaves the d6 square I was already looking at even more vulnerable } { [%csl Gd6][%cal Ge4e5,Ge5d6,Gd1d6,Ge3c5,Gc5d6] } (7... bxc6 8. Bd3 d5 9. exd5 exd5 10. a3 Bd6 11. h3 O-O 12. O-O) 8. bxc3 { [%eval 0.74] } 8... bxc6 { [%eval 0.72] } { I thought for a long time here trying to visualize all of the knight moves. I can't play Bc5 or Qd6 immediately because Nxc4 would win my c pawn with tempo on my pieces. But if I play e5, then Nd5 attacks c3 and my darksquare bishop. I finally decided to give up the c3 pawn for the positional advantage of controlling d6 and keeping black cramped on space. } 9. e5 { [%eval 0.75] } 9... Nd5 { [%eval 0.72] } 10. Bc5 { [%eval 0.76] } 10... Nxc3 { [%eval 1.27] } 11. Qd4 { [%eval 1.08] } 11... Nd5 { [%eval 1.02] } 12. Qd2! { [%eval 1.12] } { This prevents Qa5+. Already black's position is uncomfortable because their king is stuck and none of their other pieces have many moves. } { [%cal Gd8a5,Gd2a5] } 12... a5 { [%eval 1.45] } 13. c4 { [%eval 1.58] } 13... Nb4 { [%eval 3.28] } 14. Be2 { [%eval 2.93] } { After I played this move I was afraid that I had allowed black the chance to free up their position by pushing the d pawn. However, while the computer does say that 14...d5 is the best move, it is still very good for white. } 14... Na6 { [%eval 3.53] } (14... d5 15. exd6 O-O 16. O-O $18) 15. Bd6 { [%eval 3.51] } 15... c5 { [%eval 3.4] } 16. Rb1 { [%eval 3.24] } 16... h6 { [%eval 4.3] } { In this position I am down a pawn and stockfish says I am +8.4! That is how cramped black's pieces are. } 17. h4?! { [%eval 3.11] } { Inaccuracy. Bf3 was best. } { This is an inaccuracy. The computer line is to play Bf3 (which comes with tempo on the rook and prevents black from playing Bb7) and then a3 (to further restrict black's knight). Those moves would have really constricted black. But I saw that my opponent wanted Qg5 to offer a queen trade, I didn't want them to even have that option. } (17. Bf3 Ra7 18. a3 Qg5 19. Qxa5 Rb7 20. O-O Rxb1 21. Rxb1 Qf5 22. Qb6 Qc2 23. h3 Qd3) 17... g6 { [%eval 4.89] } 18. Qf4 { [%eval 3.51] } 18... Rb8? { [%eval 6.15] } { A rook sacrifice! I wasn't even very surprised by this move. Black's position is so uncomfortable, that at this point I think they are more interested in killing my bishop than in the outcome of the game. I looked around for something better than taking, but I didn't see anything. } 19. Bxb8 { [%eval 6.06] } 19... Nxb8 { [%eval 6.13] } 20. Rxb8 { [%eval 6.2] } 20... Kf8? { [%eval 9.11] } { My guess is that my opponent didn't want to castle because of Qxh6 } 21. Qf6 { [%eval 9.07] } { Now black is losing at least a bishop (after Qxf6 exf6, there is no way to defend the pinned bishop) and they resigned. } 1-0