[Event "U.S. Open Championship and Tournament of State Champions 2024"] [Site "Norfolk, Virginia"] [Date "2024.07.29"] [Round "05"] [White "Vaibhav Kalpaka"] [Black "Failon, Nick"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2252"] [BlackElo "2007"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A18"] [Opening "English Opening: Mikenas-Carls Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/hE6CNQRX/TxCQ09M5"] [Orientation "white"] 1. c4 { [%clk 1:31:37] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:40:52] } 2. Nc3 { [%clk 1:31:49] } 2... e6 { [%clk 1:41:01] } 3. e4 { [%clk 1:32:04] } 3... d5 { [%clk 1:40:55] } 4. cxd5 { [%clk 1:30:42] } 4... exd5 { [%clk 1:41:15] } 5. e5 { [%clk 1:31:02] } 5... d4 { [%clk 1:40:26] } 6. exf6 { [%clk 1:31:24] } 6... dxc3 { [%clk 1:40:44] } 7. Bb5+ { [%clk 1:30:20] } 7... c6 { [%clk 1:40:01] } 8. Qe2+ { [%clk 1:29:50] } 8... Be6 { [%clk 1:40:14] } 9. Bc4 { [%clk 1:30:03] } 9... Qxf6 { [%clk 1:39:07] } 10. dxc3 { [%clk 1:28:23] } 10... Be7 { [%clk 1:37:36] } 11. Bxe6 { [%clk 1:25:00] } 11... fxe6 { [%clk 1:37:09] } 12. Nf3 { [%clk 1:25:06] } 12... h6 { [%clk 1:34:15] } 13. O-O { [%clk 1:23:39] } 13... Na6 { [%clk 1:26:13] } 14. Ne5 { [%clk 1:23:02] } 14... h5 { [%clk 1:09:32] } 15. Nxc6 { [%clk 1:21:54] } 15... bxc6 { [%clk 1:09:28] } 16. Qxa6 { [%clk 1:22:14] } 16... O-O { [%clk 1:02:30] } 17. Qxc6 { [%clk 1:18:09] } 17... Rac8 { [%clk 1:01:43] } 18. Qe4 { [%clk 1:15:25] } 18... Rb8 { [%clk 0:48:38] } 19. Be3 { [%clk 1:11:11] } 19... Rxb2 { [%clk 0:47:56] } 20. Bxa7 { [%clk 1:10:34] } 20... Qf5 { [%clk 0:45:31] } 21. Qxf5 { [%clk 0:49:15] } 21... Rxf5 { [%clk 0:45:53] } 22. Bd4 { [%clk 0:47:58] } 22... Bc5 { [%clk 0:38:06] } 23. f3?! { This ends up giving more chances to Black, but the reasons why this is better require very accurate calculation in some key lines: } { [%clk 0:40:52] } (23. Bxc5! Rxc5 24. a4 Ra5 (24... Rxc3 { allows White's pawn to advance too far, pacifying Black's rooks. } 25. a5 Rb7 26. Rfc1 Rcb3 27. h4 R3b5 28. Rc8+ Kh7 29. Rc6 Ra7 30. a6 e5 31. Ra2 e4 32. Kf1 Rb4 33. g3 Rb8) 25. c4 Rc2 26. Rac1! $16 { and White banks on the c-pawn rather than a rook's pawn. } (26. Rfc1? Rxa4! $10)) 23... Bxd4+ { [%clk 0:31:07] } 24. cxd4 { [%clk 0:41:20] } 24... Ra5 { [%clk 0:30:37] } 25. Rf2 { [%clk 0:41:25] } 25... Rb4 { [%clk 0:31:02] } 26. Rd2 { After missing a cleaner conversion on move 23 (that required precise calculation), we have now reached yet another endgame between an expert and a master where the stronger player pushes a marginal edge. } { [%clk 0:39:10] } 26... Raa4? { [%clk 0:27:47] } (26... Rba4! { It is counterintuitive to attack the a-pawn rather than the d-pawn, sure, but this move keeps an eye on White's d4-d5 break that could greatly improve the d2-rook. }) 27. d5 { An instructive point: active pieces require targets. By choosing to attack the d4-pawn, Black's rooks now look out of place after the target moves! } { [%clk 0:34:28] } 27... exd5 { [%clk 0:28:15] } 28. Rxd5 { [%clk 0:34:43] } 28... h4 { [%clk 0:28:06] } (28... Rb2 29. Rxh5 { liquidates into a winning three-versus-one ending. }) 29. a3 { [%clk 0:24:06] } 29... h3!? { [%clk 0:22:28] } (29... Rb3 30. h3! { is instructive, fixing the h4-pawn as a target such that } 30... Rbxa3 (30... Rb6 31. Rg5 Kf7 32. Rg4 Rba6 33. Rxa4 Rxa4 34. Kf2 $18 { and Black's rook is overburdened. }) 31. Rxa3 Rxa3 32. Rd4 { reaches the same winning endgame. }) 30. Rh5! { [%clk 0:23:10] } 30... hxg2 { [%clk 0:17:40] } 31. axb4 { [%clk 0:23:33] } 31... Rxa1+ { [%clk 0:18:01] } 32. Kxg2 { After precise calculation, White has simplified into a winning single-rook ending. Of course, winning with split f- and h-pawns is no easy task, so Black has plenty of chances to play for. } { [%clk 0:23:59] } 32... Rb1 { [%clk 0:18:00] } 33. b5 { [%clk 0:19:53] } 33... Kf7 { [%clk 0:17:10] } 34. Rc5 { [%clk 0:20:12] } 34... Rb2+ { [%clk 0:16:04] } 35. Kg3 { [%clk 0:20:38] } 35... Rb4 { [%clk 0:16:27] } 36. h4 { [%clk 0:20:32] } 36... Kf6 { [%clk 0:12:51] } 37. h5 { [%clk 0:19:08] } 37... Kf7 { [%clk 0:12:34] } 38. f4 { [%clk 0:19:11] } 38... Ke6 { [%clk 0:10:58] } 39. Kg4 { [%clk 0:14:12] } 39... Rb1 { [%clk 0:08:58] } 40. Rc6+ { [%clk 0:13:38] } 40... Kd5 { [%clk 0:07:39] } 41. Rg6 { Nice technique! The rook is defend on g6 and Rg6-g5+ indirectly defends the b-pawn. } { [%clk 0:13:55] } 41... Ke4 { [%clk 0:07:18] } 42. Re6+ { [%clk 0:13:40] } 42... Kd5 { [%clk 0:07:26] } 43. Kf5 { [%clk 0:13:39] } 43... Rh1 { [%clk 0:07:27] } 44. Re5+ { [%clk 0:13:03] } 44... Kd6 { [%clk 0:07:12] } 45. Kg6 { [%clk 0:13:03] } 45... Rf1 { [%clk 0:06:44] } 46. Kxg7 { [%clk 0:13:15] } 46... Rxf4 { [%clk 0:06:55] } 47. Rg5 { White has built the bridge to shield the king from checks, and now the h-pawn marches through. } { [%clk 0:13:38] } 47... Ke7 { [%clk 0:06:24] } 48. h6 { 1-0 White wins. } { [%clk 0:13:50] } 1-0