[Event "1000GM Los Angeles GM Norm 2023"] [Site "https://www.chess.com"] [Date "2023.02.24"] [Round "5"] [White "Stearman, Josiah"] [Black "Yim, Sungho"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2366"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Annotator "jpste"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C78"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Neo-Arkhangelsk Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/eorGtOti/FKcorUpg"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by Josiah Stearman } 1. e4 { Playing with the white pieces against the lowest seed of the event, I needed to start scoring if I wanted any chances to norm. At this point of the event I thought I was in decent form, but needed to get on a roll... } 1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Bc5 6. c3 b5 7. d4!? { An interesting sideline where Black needs to be careful to equalize. } 7... bxa4 8. dxc5 Nxe4 9. Nxe5 O-O 10. Nd3 d5? { Up to this point, Black had fended the sideline well... } (10... a5! { Black unfortunately chose the wrong direction for his bishop. By shooting to a6, Black will be able to remove the defender of d3 and maintain equality. }) 11. Qxa4 { Now White is up a relatively clean pawn. I was able to consolidate and push back Black's pieces with relative ease. } 11... Bd7 12. Qd1 Ne7? 13. Na3! { Re-routing the knight to the center! } { [%cal Ga3c2,Gc2d4] } 13... Ng6 14. f3! Nf6 15. Nc2 Re8 16. Nd4 Ne5? { More or less conceding the game. } 17. Nxe5 Rxe5 18. c6! Bc8 19. Bf4 Re7 20. Qd2 Be6 21. Rae1 h6 22. Re2! Re8 23. Rfe1 Qc8 { Now for some finishing touches... } 24. Bxh6! gxh6 25. Qxh6 Nh7 26. f4 { [%cal Gf4f5] } 26... Qd8 27. f5 { A very clean win, which game me some newfound motivation to push for my first norm! } 1-0