[Event "North American Open"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/pOkAg2Ib/7aUAKVCX"] [Date "December 29, 2022"] [Round "8"] [White "Arthur Macaspac"] [Black "Aakaash Meduri"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2207"] [BlackElo "2126"] [TimeControl "90+30 SD/30"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/acashmoney"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A07"] [Opening "King's Indian Attack: Pachman System"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/fCavf2it/rurwa5mS"] [Orientation "black"] 1. g3 d5 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O e5 5. d3 Ne7 6. c3 O-O 7. e4 Nbc6 8. Na3 h6 9. b4 a6 10. Nc2 Be6 11. Be3 f5 { Black's position should already be preferred. } 12. Bc5 Qd7 13. exd5 Bxd5 14. Ne3 Bf7 15. d4 e4 16. Nd2 Rfe8 17. Bxe7 Rxe7 18. Nb3 b6 19. f4 Ree8 20. Qe2 a5 21. bxa5 Nxa5 22. Nxa5 Rxa5 $19 { Black has the bishop pair, a space advantage, and superior pawn structure. } 23. Rfd1 Ra4 24. g4 { White must seek counterplay. } 24... Rea8 25. Rd2 R8a5 26. gxf5 gxf5 27. Bh3 Ra3 28. Kh1 Rxc3 29. Rg1 Kh8 30. d5 Rxe3 31. Qxe3 Rxd5 32. Qg3 Bf6 33. Rxd5 Qxd5 34. Bg2 Kh7 35. a3 c5 36. h3 Bh5 37. Re1 b5 38. Kh2 b4 39. axb4 cxb4 40. Rc1 Bc3? (40... Bf7! { You can just feel the might of the bishop pair. In such an open position, White's rook is hopeless to stop the outside passed pawn. }) 41. Qh4 (41. Rxc3 bxc3 42. Qxc3 $15 { Similar to how the game continues. White may hold. }) 41... Bf7 42. Qe7 Bd2 43. Rf1 b3 44. Kh1 b2 45. Rb1 Bc1 46. Bf1 Qb3 47. Qe5 Qd5 48. Qc7 Qb3? { A lapse in attention. I failed to realize the difference with the queen on c7 instead of e7. } 49. Rxc1! bxc1=Q 50. Qxc1 { Black could still win. But the task is no longer simple. } 50... e3 51. Be2 Bd5+ 52. Kh2 Qb6 53. Qg1 Qd4 54. Qf1 Kg6 55. h4 Kf7 56. Bh5+ Ke7 57. Be2 Qb2 58. Kg3 Kd6 59. Kh3 Kc5 60. Kg3 Qg7+ 61. Kh3 Qc3 62. Kg3 Be4 63. Kh3 Kb4 64. Kg3 Kc5 65. Kh3 Bd5 66. Qb1 Be4 67. Qb5+ $10 Kd6 68. Qb6+ Bc6 69. Qd8+ Kc5 70. Qf8+ Kb6 71. Qxf5 Qe1 72. Qd3 Bd7+ 73. f5 Bxf5+ 74. Qxf5 Qxe2 { A tall task to escape the checks while shepherding the e-pawn to the promised land. } 75. Qe6+ Kc5 76. Qe5+ Kc4 77. Qe6+ Kc3 78. Qf6+ Kc2 79. Qc6+ Kd2 80. Qd5+ Qd3 81. Qa5+ Qc3 82. Qa2+ Kd1 83. Qd5+ Kc2 { This was my final flirt with victory. Of course, we consult the tablebase for the answer. } (83... Kc1!! 84. Qh1+ Kd2 85. Qd5+ Qd3 86. Qa2+ Ke1 87. Qa1+ Qd1 88. Qc3+ Kf2 89. Qf6+ Qf3+) 84. Qa2+ Kc1 85. Qe2 Qd2 86. Qc4+ Qc2 87. Qf4 Qd3 88. Kg3 Kd1 89. Qa4+ Kd2 90. Qa5+ Qc3 91. Qd5+ Ke2 92. Qf3+ Kd2 93. Qd5+ Ke2 94. Qf3+ Kd3 95. Qf5+ Kd2 96. Qd5+ Ke1 97. Qh1+ Ke2 98. Qf3+ Kd3 99. Qf5+ Kd4 100. Qf4+ Kd3 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } { A century of moves ends in a reluctant handshake of peace. } 1/2-1/2