[Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/dfRDZs7P/SflwuKrF"] [Date "2022.10.12"] [Round "7.5"] [White "Robson, Ray"] [Black "So, Wesley"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2690"] [WhiteTeam "United States"] [BlackElo "2774"] [BlackTeam "United States"] [Annotator "Watson,John"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E50"] [Opening "Nimzo-Indian Defense"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/dfRDZs7P/SflwuKrF"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,69,18,16,24,-14,0,11,10,34,30,23,23,20,20,28,21,10,19,14,53,37,35,28, 37,30,52,36,36,19,14,5,-6,-4,3,6,8,-48,-58,-87,-102,-137,-88,-62,-79,-48,-78, -47,-38,32,35,63,96,183,181,210,260,1,-19,1,0,109,112,132,132,232,241,241,482, 522,528,514] } 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 d6 7. Bd3 e5 8. e4 Re8 9. O-O exd4 10. cxd4 Nxe4 11. Re1 Nf6 12. Rxe8+ Qxe8 13. h3 Nbd7 14. Qc2 b6 15. Bb2 Bb7 16. d5 Qf8!? (16... Qe7 17. Re1 Qf8 { would have the point that } 18. g4 h6 19. Kh2 Re8! { threatens to defuse the attack by exchanging rooks, and } 20. Rg1 Ne5 21. Nxe5 dxe5 22. g5 e4! { defends after } 23. gxh6! (23. gxf6 exd3 24. Qxd3 Qd6+ 25. Kh1 g5) 23... g6 24. Be2 Qxh6 25. Rg3 (25. Qc3 e3 26. Qxf6 exf2) 25... Nd7) 17. g4!? { Direct and difficult to meet over-the-board. } (17. a4 a5 18. Bf5 $14 { and }) (17. Bf5 $14 { are options. }) 17... h6 18. Kh2 { From what Robson said after the game it seems that he was still in his preparation here, or at least he was ready to play g4 and Kh2 against Black's 14...b6. } 18... c6?? { Too slow, and in fact, losing. It's uncharacteristic of So to miss the three sound defenses: a) The engine suggests } (18... b5! { , e.g., } 19. g5 bxc4! 20. Bf5 hxg5 21. Nxg5 g6 { b) That's difficult to see, but more natural is }) (18... Re8 { , e.g., } 19. g5 hxg5 20. Rg1 (20. Nxg5 Qe7) 20... g4 21. hxg4 Ne5 22. Nxe5 dxe5 23. g5 Nh5 24. Bh7+ Kh8 25. Bf5 Qe7 26. Rg4 $14 { with only a slight advantage after, e.g., } 26... Kg8 { ; while c) }) (18... Ne5 { is also playable: } 19. Nxe5 dxe5 20. Bxe5 Re8! 21. Bg3 (21. Bxf6? Qd6+) 21... Qe7 $14) 19. g5 hxg5 20. Nxg5 cxd5!? (20... Qe7 21. Bf5! { has the idea Bxd7 followed by Bxf6: } 21... Ne5 (21... cxd5 22. Bxd7) 22. f4 Ng6 23. Nxf7!) 21. Bh7+ Kh8 22. Bf5 { Threatening Bxd7 followed by Qh7+. The queen on f8 is a liability. } 22... Ne5 23. f4 Ng6 24. Bxf6 (24. Rg1! { is also winning, e.g., } 24... Nxf4 25. Qf2 N6h5 26. Qh4 Rc8 27. Rg4 $18) 24... gxf6 25. Nxf7+! Qxf7 26. Bxg6 Qe7 (26... Qg7 27. Qf5 dxc4 28. Qh5+ Kg8 29. Rg1 Kf8 30. Bf5 $18) 27. Qf2 (27. Rg1 Qe3 28. Qf5 Qf2+ 29. Rg2 Qh4 30. Bh5 Rg8 31. Rxg8+ Kxg8 32. Qg6+ Kh8 33. Qh6+ Kg8 34. Bf7+!) 27... f5 28. Rg1 Rg8 29. Rg5 Rg7 30. Qh4+ Kg8 31. Qh5! { Covering e2 and threatening Bh7+. } 31... Bc8 (31... dxc4 32. Bh7+ Kh8 33. Bxf5+ Kg8 34. Qh7+ Kf8 35. Qh8+) 32. cxd5 a5 33. Qh6 b5 34. Bh7+ Kf8 35. Rg2! { The threat is 36 Bxf5 Bxf5 37 Qh8+. } (35... Bb7 36. Bxf5 Bxd5 37. Rxg7 Qxg7 38. Qxd6+ Qe7 39. Qxd5) 1-0