[Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Date "2022.10.11"] [Round "6"] [White "Moradiabadi, Elshan"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2534"] [BlackElo "2763"] [Annotator "Shlyakhtenko,Robert"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B46"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation"] [StudyName "2022 U.S. Championships"] [ChapterName "Moradiabadi, Elshan - Caruana, Fabiano"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/dfRDZs7P/TJpMHlS0"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,88,22,10,36,33,32,29,23,49,49,40,76,67,66,41,38,29,36,34,42,-3,7,10, 10,10,23,23,23,26,26,27,31,27,35,0,0,-28,-26,-76,-28,-53,-53,-89,-89,-112,-101, -167,-133,-127,-125,-123,-121,-121,-113,-121,-121,-121,-62,-62,-64,-168,-114, -176,-189,-189,-199,-194,-178,-177,-126,-134,-137,-148,-142,-144,-131,-115, -133,-208,-216,-216,-211,-284,-290,-336,-344,-396,-404,-407,-425] } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bf4 d6 7. Bg3 Be7 (7... Nf6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. e5 { was not to Caruana's liking. }) 8. Be2 Bd7 9. Nb3 e5!? { A sharp move. The positional idea is clear: Black wants to play against the g3-bishop. } 10. Bg4?! { This wastes too much time, even if this trade is positionally desirable. } (10. Nd5 { is more natural, and after } 10... Be6 { White can play in a variety of ways. The simplest is } 11. O-O Nf6 12. f3 Bxd5 13. exd5 Na5 { with a slight edge for White. }) 10... Bxg4 11. Qxg4 h5! { Over the next few moves Caruana plays very strongly, seizing control of the dark squares. } 12. Qh3 (12. Qxg7? Bf6) 12... h4 13. f3 (13. f4!? Nf6 14. O-O-O Qc8 15. f5 b5 { is absolutely fine for Black. }) 13... Bg5! { Eliminating any ideas connected with queenside castling. } 14. O-O Rh6! { A good prophylactic move. Black forces White's bishop to retreat, thereby taking the sting out of f3-f4 ideas. } 15. Bf2 Nf6 16. Rad1 Qc7 17. Nc1 Kf8 (17... Nd8!? { was another decent maneuver. }) 18. a3 Na5 19. Nd3 Nc4 20. Nb4? { Actually, the decisive mistake. } (20. f4! { was pointed out by Caruana after the game. Although this is the best try, Black nevertheless maintains a clear advantage with precise play. } 20... exf4 21. Qf5! Rg6! (21... Rh5 { is worse because of } 22. Nxf4 g6 23. Qxg6!! { -- Caruana. }) 22. Nxf4 Bxf4 23. Qxf4 h3! { and Black is much better. }) 20... Qc8! { The clearest and most accurate solution. } (20... Nxb2 21. Nbd5 Nxd5 22. Nxd5 Qc8 23. Rb1 Qxh3 24. gxh3 Nc4 25. Rxb7 Nd2 26. Rd1 Nxf3+ 27. Kg2 Nd2 28. Re1 { is needlessly complicated. }) 21. Qxc8+ Rxc8 22. Na4!? { Probably the best chance, sacrificing an exchange. } 22... a5 23. Na2 Ne3 24. N2c3 Nxd1 25. Rxd1 Rc6?! (25... b5! { was stronger, opening lines for the rooks. } 26. Nb6 Rc6 27. Nxb5 Rxc2 28. Nxd6 Nh5 { and the conversion is not far off. }) 26. Kf1 Bf4 27. h3 Kg8 28. Bb6 Rg6?! (28... Nh5! 29. Bxa5 Be3 { was much better. The key point is } 30. Nd5 Ng3+ 31. Ke1 Rxc2!) 29. Bxa5 Be3 30. Rd3? (30. Bd8! { was the best chance. The difference is that } 30... b5? { allows } 31. Bxf6 gxf6 32. Nd5 { and the e3-bishop is hanging. }) 30... Bd4 31. Bd8 b5! { Now this wins. } 32. Bxf6 gxf6 33. Nd5 Rxc2 34. Ne7+ Kh7 35. Nxg6 Kxg6 36. Nc3 Rf2+ 37. Ke1 Rxb2 { The rest is easy. } 38. Nd5 Bc5 39. f4 Rxg2 40. Ne7+ Kh5 41. fxe5 fxe5 42. Rf3 Rg3 43. Rf5+ Kh6 44. Rf6+ Kg7 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1