[Event "Champions Chess Tour Airthings Masters"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.02.03"] [Round "1"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Dubov, Daniil"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2768"] [BlackElo "2708"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B40"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/f5OBDjty/lPLG26nF"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 9,129,72,70,20,47,8,14,0,9,13,10,11,2,2,8,1,32,-46,68,58,62,75,67,51,59, 39,43,0,34,3,40,-34,54,60,138,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,5,1,3,4,2,4,-5,0,-8,0, -10,0,0,0,0,0,0,17,22,52,0,0,0,0,-5,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,6,5,6,0,0,0,5,7,10, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,127,129,1515,2,259,231,325,341,427,431,515,6,756,670,675,51,51, 51,51,59,1277,1277] Perhaps the most exciting of the play-in matches lived up to its hype. Dubov creates dynamics out of a stable, but slightly dry and closed, position, only to have to create even more complications to maintain equality. From there, the endgame should be drawn, but a series of missed tactical shots in mutual time pressure are sure to elevate anyone's heart rate. } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. a3 Be7 7. f4 O-O 8. Be3 e5 9. Nxc6 dxc6 10. f5 Qxd1+ 11. Rxd1 b5 12. Bd3 a5 13. Nb1 c5?! { It is hard to ever assign a "?!" to a Dubov opening experiment, but it turns out that the e4-pawn just isn't worth allowing White to clog up the queenside. } (13... Ba6 { would give Black a nice game. } 14. Bg5 Rfd8 15. Ke2 h6 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. b3 Be7 { Black has the bishop pair and it's unclear what White has. It's not much, but it's the better side of equality. }) 14. Bxb5 Rb8 15. a4 Nxe4 16. O-O g6 17. fxg6 hxg6 18. Rfe1 Bg4 19. Rd3 Bf5 20. Na3 Nf6 21. Rdd1 Ng4? (21... c4! { Black was in dire need of dynamics. } 22. Nxc4 Bxc2 23. Rd2 Bb4 24. Nxe5 Bxd2 25. Bxd2 Ne4 $13) 22. Bd2 (22. Bc1! { An important distinction. Now } 22... c4 { is refuted by } 23. h3 { as White can move the bishop off the b-file and Black is still not in time for ...Rb8-xb2 and pressuring the hanging knight on a3. }) 22... c4! 23. h3! Bc5+ { From here, Black equalizes and the two continue to trade blows into the endgame. } 24. Kf1 Nf2 25. Rc1 Ne4 26. Be3 c3 27. Bxc5 cxb2 28. Bxf8 bxc1=Q 29. Rxc1 Kxf8 30. Re1 g5 31. Re3 f6 32. Nc4 Rc8 33. Ke1 Ke7 34. g4 Bg6 35. Nxa5 Rxc2 36. Bd3 Rc5 37. Nc4 Nc3 38. Nb6 Bxd3 39. Rxd3 Ke6 40. a5 Na2 41. Ra3 Nb4 42. Ra4 Na6 43. Nc4 Kd5 44. Ne3+ Kc6 45. Ke2 Kb5 46. Ra1 Nb4 47. a6 Nxa6 48. Rf1 Rc6 49. Nd5 Rc2+ 50. Kf3 Nc5 51. Nxf6 Rc3+ 52. Kg2 Kc4 53. Rf5 Kd4 54. Rxg5 e4?! 55. Rd5+ Kc4?? (55... Ke3 $16) 56. g5? (56. Rxc5+ { He missed it! } 56... Kxc5 57. Nxe4+ Kd4 58. Nxc3 Kxc3 59. g5 $18) 56... Rc2+? (56... Ne6) 57. Kg3 Rc3+ 58. Kg4 Rc1 59. g6 Rg1+ 60. Kh5? (60. Kf5! $18) 60... e3? (60... Ne6) 61. Re5 Kd4 62. Rxe3? (62. Re8 $18) 62... Kxe3 63. Ng4+ Rxg4! 64. Kxg4 Nd7?? (64... Ne6! 65. Kf5 Ng7+ 66. Kf6 Nh5+ 67. Kg5 Ng7) 65. Kf5 { Black can never play ...Nd7-f8 as it is met by g6-g7 threatening to promote on two files. Therefore, White is in time to start marching the h-pawn. } 1-0