[Event "1000GM Los Angeles GM Norm 2023"] [Site "https://www.chess.com"] [Date "2023.02.26"] [Round "8"] [White "Chen, Ryo"] [Black "Stearman, Josiah"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2425"] [BlackElo "2366"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Annotator "jpste"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C82"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Open, Dilworth Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/eorGtOti/WT2VwaEc"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by Josiah Stearman } 1. e4 { With Black, I needed to win in order to simply take a draw in the last game to norm. I had the white pieces against a grandmaster in the last game, so I knew that if I won this game the job would be more or less finished. I also wanted to take my chances where they came however, as a draw in this game would not be the worst result in the world. } 1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Bc2 Nxf2 12. Rxf2 { Spanish Game: Dilworth Variation... } 12... f6 13. Nf1 Bxf2+ 14. Kxf2 fxe5 15. Kg1 Qd7!? { Not the most common follow-up, which I knew would throw off my opponent who just recently starting playing 5.0-0 Ruy. } 16. b3? { Already White made a significant mistake. } 16... Qd6? { I thought that the inclusion of b2-b3 hurts White, and ...Qd7-d6 would be a sneaky way to move back to the main lines. } (16... Bg4! $17) 17. Be3 b4 { Trying to take hold of the dark squares. } 18. Ng5 Bf5 19. Bxf5 Rxf5 20. c4 { A very interesting crossroads. Should I take on c4 and enter an endgame, or keep my connected passers with the potential of a blockade on the light squares? I calculated precisely here, and decided to test my opponent. } 20... d4 21. Ng3! { The only move. } 21... Qg6! 22. Nxf5 Qxf5 23. g4? { White unfortunately messes up, and miscalculates where my queen will end up. } (23. Bd2 e4 24. Qf1 Qg6 25. c5! { is the correct continuation! Utilizing the a2-g8 diagonal! Black needs to be careful here to not immediately lose. }) 23... Qg6 24. h4? h6 (24... dxe3 25. Qd5+ $18) 25. h5 Qe8! { Now with both the bishop and knight hanging, one of them will fall. } 26. Nf3? (26. Qf3! { White's last chance! } 26... Rd8! $17 (26... dxe3?) (26... hxg5 27. Bxg5 $13 { and Black might even be in trouble without the inclusion of 26. ...Rd8 })) 26... Qe6! { If you see a good move (.. ..d4-xe3), look for better! } 27. Nh4 (27. Bd2 Qxg4+ 28. Kf1 Rf8 { would be disastrous for White }) 27... dxe3 { The rest is a matter of simple technique. } 28. Nf5 Rd8 29. Qf3 Nd4 30. Qe4 Nxf5 31. gxf5 Qf6 32. Qxe3 Qxf5 33. Qe2 Qg5+ 34. Qg2 Qxh5 35. Rf1 Rd4 { [%cal Gd4g4] } 36. Qa8+ Kh7 37. Rf2 Rd1+ { White resigns, and the norm was secured in the next (final) round! } 0-1