[Event "125th US Open - 2025"] [Site "Middleton, Wisconsin"] [Date "2025.07.29"] [Round "02"] [White "Antipov, Mikhail"] [Black "Stone, George"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2671"] [BlackElo "1862"] [TimeControl "6000+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B95"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation"] [StudyName "125th US Open Rds 1-4 and Invitationals"] [ChapterName "Antipov, Mikhail - Stone, George"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/foytapOs/Ji1jXZ7t"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by JJ Lang } 1. e4 { [%clk 1:36:09] } 1... c5 { [%clk 1:40:50] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:36:25] } 2... d6 { [%clk 1:41:14] } 3. d4 { [%clk 1:36:52] } 3... cxd4 { [%clk 1:41:38] } 4. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:37:20] } 4... Nf6 { [%clk 1:42:00] } 5. Nc3 { [%clk 1:37:46] } 5... a6 { [%clk 1:42:26] } 6. Bg5 { [%clk 1:37:48] } 6... e6 { [%clk 1:42:50] } 7. Qf3!? { Antipov goes for a dangerous and lesser-explored alternative to the traditional 7. f4 approach. GM Andy Woodward tried this line last week against GM Abhimanyu Mishra, although he went for the 9. Bd3 approach. Something I love about open tournaments is that many GMs will play these early deviations against lower-rated players, and studying these games can be a great way to round out your repertoire. } { [%clk 1:38:12] } 7... Be7 { [%clk 1:40:00] } 8. O-O-O { [%clk 1:37:59] } 8... Qc7 { [%clk 1:38:54] } 9. g4 { Rather than play for Qf3-g3, Bf1-d3, and f2-f4 to reach a similar position to the 7. f4 line via some move order tricks, Antipov goes for the independent try with a quick g2-g4. } { [%clk 1:38:18] } 9... Nc6 { [%clk 1:36:47] } (9... b5 { might be best, but is a scary move to play without prior preparation. After } 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 { Black has to be ready for } 11. Bxb5+ axb5 12. Ndxb5 Qc6 13. Nxd6+ Ke7 $14 { when White has three connected passers for the piece. }) 10. Rg1!? { [%clk 1:33:36] } (10. Nxc6 Qxc6 (10... bxc6 { is not as good as it looks, despite opening the b-file. After } 11. h4 Rb8 12. Rg1 $16 { White threatens to move the dark-squared bishop and push g4-g5, h4-h5, and then g5-g6. This is a problem because, if Black's king stays in the center, the opening of these lines will weaken the king. But castling kingside concedes the initiative. }) 11. Be2 (11. Bg2 h6 12. Be3 e5 13. h3 b5 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. exd5 { would be a more positional direction for the game. }) 11... Rb8 { Necessary to prepare ... b7-b5, and giving White enough time to prepare e4-e5. } (11... b5? 12. e5! Bb7 13. Qxc6+ Bxc6 14. exf6 $16) 12. Qg3 b5 13. e5 dxe5 14. Qxe5 Rb7 15. Qe3 b4 16. Bxf6 gxf6 (16... Bxf6?! 17. Nd5) 17. Ne4 $16 { gives White some better attacking prospects, while }) 10... Bd7 { [%clk 1:23:44] } (10... Nxd4! { would be a more advantageous square to trade pieces on, as now } 11. Rxd4 b5 $10 { works without any preparation needed, since e4-e5 is less appealing when Black can capture the e5-pawn and threaten White's rook. }) 11. Be3 { The bishop has done its job and now g4-g5 looms large. } { [%clk 1:32:46] } 11... Nxd4?! { [%clk 1:06:54] } 12. Rxd4!? { [%clk 1:33:10] } (12. Bxd4 { seemed even stronger, with g4-g5 gaining powere. }) 12... Bc6 { [%clk 1:04:49] } 13. g5 { [%clk 1:32:16] } 13... Nd7 { [%clk 1:04:48] } 14. Qh3 { [%clk 1:32:30] } 14... O-O-O { Black has handled the opening rather well, getting the king out of the pawn storm, and now the game is roughly level. } { [%clk 0:49:08] } 15. f4 { [%clk 1:31:32] } 15... Qa5?! { Sometimes, a bad plan is worse than no plan. Black wants to somehow chase the knight off the c3-square and pressure the a2-pawn, or perhaps play ... f7-f6 or ... h7-h6 and connect the queen to the kingside via the fifth rank. But } { [%clk 0:44:20] } (15... Kb8 { , simply asking White what their intention is, is more flexible: e.g. } 16. Kb1 Rc8 { shows that the queen was already well-placed, and now } { [%cal Gh8d8] } 17. Be2 { , as in the game, allows } 17... d5 { or even } (17... Nc5 { with both options giving Black counterplay! })) 16. Kb1 { [%clk 1:29:23] } 16... Kb8 { [%clk 0:43:20] } 17. Be2 { [%clk 1:26:26] } 17... h6? { [%clk 0:28:33] } (17... d5! { was now necessary, and it is consistent with 15. ... Qa5 to play for ... Be7-b4, after all. } 18. exd5 exd5 19. Rgd1 Bc5 20. R4d2 Nb6 { defends the d-pawn and starts to assemble the troops on the queenside, and if } 21. Bd4 { then } 21... Nc4 $14 { solves the IQP problem nicely. }) 18. g6 { Creating weaknesses and keeping Black's pieces passive. } { [%clk 1:24:34] } 18... f5 { [%clk 0:26:03] } 19. exf5 { [%clk 1:24:18] } 19... Bf6?! { [%clk 0:21:25] } (19... Qxf5 { seemed like a more consistent way to play, although } 20. Bg4 Qxg6 21. Bxe6 Qe8 $16 { isn't pretty. But, at the same time, there is no Rg1xg7 due to ... Be7-f6, and Black isn't even down a pawn. It's understandable why Black wanted a more active option, but that doesn't mean one was guaranteed to be there! }) 20. fxe6! { A fearless and totally sound Exchange sac. } { [%clk 1:24:05] } 20... Nb6 { [%clk 0:18:44] } (20... Bxd4 21. Bxd4 Nf6 22. Bd3 $18 { is strategically winning for White, who already has two pawns for the Exchange to go along with the bishop pair, safer king, and passed e-pawn. }) 21. Rgd1 { [%clk 1:22:55] } 21... Rhe8 { Black's position was already lost, but now White traps the queen to provoke resignation. } { [%clk 0:16:07] } 22. b4 { 1-0 White wins. } { A lovely miniature from Antipov in an interesting variation of the Najdorf that deserves more attention. } { [%cal Ra5a3,Ge3c1] [%clk 1:22:36] } 1-0