[Event "2024 NHS: Guest GM simul: the one draw"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/fbYDIs5O/xqM19Xg4"] [White "GM Elshan Moradiabadi"] [Black "Rambha, Gnanadatta"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [BlackElo "1943"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B90"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [UTCDate "2024.04.05"] [UTCTime "21:55:02"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/fbYDIs5O/xqM19Xg4"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bd3 g6 7. f3 Bg7 8. Be3 Bd7 9. Qd2 h5 10. O-O-O Nc6 11. Nxc6 Bxc6 12. Rhe1 b5 13. Ne2 Qc7 14. Nd4 Rc8 15. Nxc6 Qxc6 16. Kb1 O-O 17. Bg5 b4 18. f4 e6 19. f5 Qa4?! { A strange-looking move, decentralizing the queen without an immediate threat. But White is spoiled for choice, and still has a dozen or so other games going on at this point. } 20. e5?! (20. Bxf6 { was cleanest. } 20... Bxf6 21. fxg6 fxg6 22. e5! dxe5 23. Qh6 { and Black's kingside has collapsed. }) 20... Nd5! { Black finds the most pressing response. With ... Nd5-c3+ on the menu, Black suddenly has counterplay. } 21. f6? { The tactical complications get the better of the grandmaster! } (21. fxe6! { buys time, as now } 21... Nc3+? (21... fxe6 22. Qe2 Nc3+ 23. bxc3 bxc3 24. Ka1 Qa3 25. Bc1 $16 { is the idea. }) 22. bxc3 bxc3 23. Qf4 Rb8+ 24. Ka1 Qa3 25. exf7+ Rxf7 (25... Kh8 26. Qc1 Rb2 27. Bc4 Rc8 { is an attempt to keep the rook alive, but now it is Black's attack that is too slow! } 28. Bf6!! { Not the only win, but the most forcing. White threatens Qc1-h6+ whether Black captures on f6 or not, and the game is over. }) 26. Qc1 { staves off the attack and lets White keep his extra piece, too! } 26... Rb2 27. Bc4! { Do you see the difference? There is no ... Rf8-b8 anymore, so there is no unstoppable mate on a2! }) 21... Nc3+! { Black is going in for the kill! } 22. bxc3 bxc3 23. Qc1 (23. Qf4 Rb8+ 24. Ka1 Qa3 25. Qc1 Rb2 26. Bc4 Rc8 27. Bb3 Rb8 $19 { and White cannot stop the mate on a2 without giving up his queen! }) 23... Rb8+? { This wins the queen, but does allow White to keep enough material to hold on for a draw. } (23... Rc5!! { The point is that the c-rook wants to come to the a-file and make room for the f-rook to come to the b-file. This adds an extra piece to the attack and an extra line of an attack. White is powerless to stop Black's rooks, for instance: } 24. Ka1 Rb8 $19 (24... Ra5?? 25. Qb1 { controls the b-file while covering the a2-square, and now Black is just down a piece. })) 24. Ka1 Rb2 25. Qxb2 cxb2+ 26. Kb1 (26. Kxb2 Rb8+ { As Rambha noted, if White took the b2-pawn, he would be lost, but he did not have to take the pawn, and thus was able to stay safe. }) 26... Bh8 27. exd6 Rd8 28. Be4 Qa5 29. h4 Qa3 30. Bxg6 Rxd6 31. Bxh5 Qb4 32. Rf1 Qc5 33. Rxd6 Qxd6 { The players agreed to a draw in this objectively equal position. What a fight! } 1/2-1/2