[Event "1000GM Los Angeles GM Norm 2023"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/eorGtOti/gnZG2FHp"] [Date "2023.02.24"] [Round "3"] [White "Mikaelyan, Arman"] [Black "Stearman, Josiah"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "jpste"] [Variant "From Position"] [ECO "?"] [Opening "?"] [FEN "2r5/p4r2/R3p2p/R2bk1p1/P1p4P/2P1KPP1/4B3/8 b - - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/eorGtOti/gnZG2FHp"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by Josiah Stearman } 1... Rcf8! { Seizing the initiative, with ...Rf7-xf3+ to come! } (1... Rcc7 { If Black chooses to be passive, White is able to press with } 2. h5 { The engine still gives equality, but Black is now forced to shuffle around and hope for the best. }) 2. hxg5 hxg5 3. Rxa7 Rxf3+! { For one moment I even thought I was going to win, as Arman was starting to get low on the clock. Arman held with not many difficulties. } 4. Bxf3 Rxf3+ 5. Kd2 Rd3+ 6. Kc2 Rxg3 7. Rg7 Rg2+ 8. Kb1 Ke4 9. Rb5 Kd3 10. a5 Kxc3 11. a6 { Now Black must force perpetual. } 11... Rg1+ 12. Ka2 Rg2+ 13. Ka1 (13. Ka3 Rg1 14. Rb2 { is a try for White, but the d5-bishop shines! } 14... Ra1+ 15. Ra2 Rxa2+ 16. Kxa2 Kd2 { [%cal Gc4c1] } 17. Rxg5 c3+ 18. Rxd5+ exd5 19. a7 c2 20. a8=Q c1=Q 21. Qxd5+) 13... Rg1+ 14. Ka2 (14. Rb1 { is another way to "try", but actually ends up being more dangerous for White than Black. } 14... Rxb1+ 15. Kxb1 Kd2 { [%cal Gc4c1] } 16. Rxg5 c3 17. Rg1 e5 18. a7 e4 19. Rg2+ Kd1 20. Rg1+ Kd2 { With White being forced to take perpetual. }) 14... Rg2+ 15. Ka1 Rg1+ { It is always huge to hold tough positions with the black pieces, especially against the grandmasters in a GM norm event. I had been on the worse side the whole game, so it felt very good to find this sequence to shut the game out. } 1/2-1/2