[Event "U.S. Open Championship and Tournament of State Champions 2024"] [Site "Norfolk, Virginia"] [Date "2024.07.27"] [Round "01"] [White "Denby, Caleb"] [Black "Ornelas, Jacob"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2232"] [BlackElo "1551"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A61"] [Opening "Benoni Defense: Knight's Tour Variation"] [StudyName "2024 U.S. Open"] [ChapterName "Denby, Caleb - Ornelas, Jacob"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/hE6CNQRX/xrovUTM1"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 { [%clk 1:40:56] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:40:53] } 2. c4 { [%clk 1:41:19] } 2... c5 { [%clk 1:41:16] } 3. d5 { [%clk 1:41:42] } 3... e6 { The Modern Benoni is a personal favorite of this author. White shows full understanding of the plans in the resulting game, but, despite this, Black's position is still full of tactical resources that could have easily stymied the first player despite the 681-point rating game. } { [%clk 1:41:34] } 4. Nc3 { [%clk 1:42:07] } 4... exd5 { [%clk 1:41:52] } 5. cxd5 { [%clk 1:42:26] } 5... d6 { [%clk 1:42:06] } 6. Nf3 { [%clk 1:42:39] } 6... g6 { [%clk 1:42:14] } 7. Nd2 { White employs a trendy way to handle Black's Modern Benoni. White wants to play e2-e4 and eventually push for central domination with e4-e5. Black, with less space in the center, wants to trade at least one set of minor pieces to relieve possible cramps. } { [%clk 1:42:59] } (7. h3 { The old approach to these lines is to anticipate ... Bc8-g4 first before playing e2-e4. But White's move in the game follows the logic that White's f3-knight often enjoys the c4-square where it still prepares e4-e5 and also hammers the backwards d6-pawn. }) 7... a6!? { As a Benoni player myself, it feels wrong to give such a standard move (intending ... b7-b5 and activity on the queenside to compensate for the central space disadvantage) a critical mark. But the main thing Black should know about the 7. Nf3-d2 line is that it is tailor-made to punish "automatic moves," as we will soon see. } { [%clk 1:41:37] } (7... Bg7 8. e4 O-O 9. Be2 Re8 10. O-O Na6! { is Black's best line. } (10... a6 11. a4 Nbd7 12. Qc2 Ne5 { Black's position is precarious. Playable, but precarious, as Black needs to very much know a lot of specific plans. } 13. Ra3 (13. f4?! Neg4 $15) (13. h3 g5! $14) 13... Bg4 14. f3 Bc8 15. h3 g5 16. f4 gxf4 17. Rxf4 b6 18. Nf1 Ng6 19. Rf2 { and Black is fine, but, again, this requires some knowledge! }) 11. a4 Nc7 12. f3 b6 { The knight is well-placed on c7, preparing ... Bc8-a6 to trade off a set of pieces, particularly if White does play Nd2-c4 here. } 13. Nc4 Ba6 14. Bg5 h6 15. Be3 Bxc4 16. Bxc4 a6 17. Qd2 Kh7 { is the main line. White will have some work to do before e4-e5 is possible, and while Black's c7-knight is not an awesome piece, it is preparing ... b6-b5 and also helping keep White honest with some pressure on the d5-pawn. }) 8. a4 { [%clk 1:43:19] } 8... Bg7 { [%clk 1:40:21] } 9. e4 { [%clk 1:43:42] } 9... O-O { [%clk 1:39:28] } 10. Be2 { [%clk 1:44:06] } 10... Re8 { [%clk 1:37:02] } 11. O-O { [%clk 1:43:58] } 11... Nbd7 { [%clk 1:36:21] } 12. Re1 { [%clk 1:40:03] } (12. Qc2 { would reach the position analyzed above. }) 12... Qc7?! { Too slow, in a position where speed kills. } { [%clk 1:33:10] } (12... Ne5! { is discussed above. The idea is that the immediate f2-f4 is met by ... Ne5-g4, but h2-h3 gives Black time for ... g6-g5!, both threatening ... g5-g4 against the White's "hook" on h3 and preparing a nice g6-square as a nest for the e5-knight. }) 13. f4?! { [%clk 1:28:20] } (13. Bf1! { is my preferred way to play this position. }) 13... Rb8 { The right idea, but the wrong execution. } { [%clk 1:26:51] } (13... c4! { A thematic Benoni move to cut White's bishop off from the b5-square, making ... b7-b5 more of a threat. } 14. h3 (14. Nxc4 Nxe4 { is the point. }) (14. Bxc4 Nc5! { is the other familiar idea behind this move, clearing the c5-square for the knight precisely when e4-e5 does not work. White is on the defensive. }) 14... Rb8 15. a5 b5 16. axb6 Nxb6 17. Qc2 Bb7 $15 { and Black enjoys strong pressure against the d5-pawn, preventing the e4-e5 break while beginning to apply more pressure against the exposed e4-pawn. }) 14. a5 { [%clk 1:28:01] } (14. Bc4! { is an idea. We're not afraid of ... b7-b5 because the e-pawn is now adequately defended, and we'll play a4-a5 next. But, first, we blockade ... c5-c4 while covering the d5- pawn and making new threats associated with d5-d6 after e4-e5. } 14... Nb6 15. a5 { actually lets us get our knight to its preferred home. } 15... Nxc4 16. Nxc4 $16 { Already, it is hard to suggest moves for Black. This is what happens when Black plays an early ... a7-a6 in these lines without very specific preparation. }) 14... b5 { [%clk 1:24:19] } 15. axb6 { [%clk 1:28:12] } 15... Nxb6 { [%clk 1:22:10] } 16. Bf3 { [%clk 1:12:54] } 16... h5?! { Black is not supposed to play on the kingside, especially after making serious gains on the queenside! } { [%clk 1:18:46] } (16... c4! { Again! Black's plan is ... Nf6-d7 (anticipating e4-e5) and ... Nd7-c5! }) 17. h3 { [%clk 1:08:39] } 17... c4! { The inclusions of ... h7-h5 and h2-h3 don't help Black at all (who might have liked that g4 square), but Black still finds the right plan to keep White from grabbing the initiative. } { [%clk 1:11:38] } 18. Kh1 { [%clk 0:55:03] } 18... Nfd7 { [%clk 1:01:05] } 19. e5 { [%clk 0:51:36] } 19... dxe5 { [%clk 0:58:00] } 20. Nde4! { A thematic idea. White is not interested in material. Rather, the point of clearing the central squares with e4-e5 (and perhaps a future f4-f5) is to occupy strong squares for his pieces. } { [%clk 0:50:14] } 20... Bb7 { [%clk 0:52:10] } 21. Ra5?! { [%clk 0:44:54] } (21. d6 Qd8 22. f5! { or the immediate }) (21. f5 { makes more sense. The point is } 21... gxf5 22. d6 Qd8 23. Ng3! $16 { when both the f5- and h5-pawns are targets, and White's pieces quickly flock towards Black's damaged kingside from there. }) 21... Nxd5?? { Capitulation. } { [%clk 0:43:03] } (21... exf4 { is at least possible. } 22. d6 Qd8 23. Bxf4 { White gets the pawn back, but after } 23... Ne5! { I think Black should be pretty content here, although it requires some precision. } 24. Bg5 Qd7 25. Nc5 Qf5! { saving the b7-knight via counterattack. }) (21... Nc8! { is the best move. We often see this idea via ... Nf6-e8 , in order to blockade the d5-pawn after having to play ... d6xe5. Knights make great blockaders! This also buys time by attacking the a5-rook, as White cannot immediate play f4-f5. } 22. Ra2 exf4 { This will be much better for Black than it was in the above line without the knight covering d6. } 23. d6 Nxd6 24. Bxf4 { Again, Calculation is required to see why Black is better here. } 24... Nxe4! (24... Bf8 $13 { But even if Black misses the tactical idea, this position should still be manageable. White has compensation for the two pawns, due to so many active pieces on the open board, but it's still two pawns! }) 25. Bxc7 Nf2+ 26. Kg1 Nxd1 27. Rxd1 Ne5! 28. Bxb8 Bxf3 29. gxf3 Rxb8 $15) 22. Rxd5 { [%clk 0:44:37] } 22... Bxd5 { [%clk 0:43:24] } 23. Nxd5 { [%clk 0:44:56] } 23... Qd8 { [%clk 0:38:58] } 24. f5! { At long last, we get the game-ending sac. } { [%clk 0:44:17] } 24... gxf5 { Appreciate how, despite having pawns on e5- and f5-, all this really means is that Black's pieces lack access to central squares for the knight and open lines for the rook and bishop! } { [%clk 0:31:16] } 25. Nd6 { [%clk 0:40:32] } 25... Re6 { [%clk 0:30:13] } 26. Nxf5 { [%clk 0:40:50] } 26... Nc5 { [%clk 0:23:00] } 27. Nde7+ { [%clk 0:39:09] } (27. Bxh5 { Why not add more attackers and grab a pawn along the way? }) 27... Kf8 { [%clk 0:20:53] } 28. Nxg7 { [%clk 0:39:32] } 28... Kxg7? { [%clk 0:20:52] } (28... Rxe7 { was apparently most resilient. } 29. Nf5 Qxd1 { White must find the precise } 30. Bh6+! { in order to remain clearly better. } (30. Rxd1 Rd7 $16 { is better for White with the bishop pair, but it's far from over. }) 30... Ke8 31. Rxd1 Rd7 32. Rc1 $18 { The point of the check was to clear the c1-square. This is firmly better for White. }) 29. Nf5+ { [%clk 0:39:32] } 29... Kg8 { [%clk 0:16:55] } 30. Bd5 { White's pieces are dominating the center, illustrating the efficacy of the successful e4-e5 and f4-f5 breaks. But Black has a few tricks, thanks to the c4-pawn and c5-knight that were so essential to maintaining counterplay throughout the entire game. } { [%clk 0:39:55] } 30... Nd3! { Attacking the e1-rook, the f2-square, and, indirectly, the d5-bishop! Only one move wins here. } { [%clk 0:16:24] } 31. Qxh5? { This move intends to meet ... Nd3xe1 with some combination of Bd5xe6 and Nf5-h6+, breaking in on the f7-square. But it does leave the d5-bishop hanging. } { [%clk 0:36:40] } (31. Qf3 { defends the bishop, with the point that even though now } 31... Nxe1 { comes with tempo on White's queen, it is no matter as } 32. Qg3+ { wins. } 32... Kf8 (32... Rg6 33. Qxg6+ { is it possible White forgot about this move? }) 33. Qg7+ Ke8 34. Qg8+ Kd7 35. Qxf7+ Re7 { More likely, White was not 100% confident that this position, in which he is down two Exchanges and a pawn, is winning. } 36. Be6+ Kc7 37. Nxe7 { but White gets the full rook back with lasting pressure against the king! } 37... Qd1?? { is too slow, since } 38. Nd5+ Kd6 39. Qe7+ Kc6 40. Qc7+ Kb5 41. Bd7# { wins. }) 31... Nf2+?? { [%clk 0:13:17] } (31... Qxd5! 32. Qg5+ (32. Rf1 Rb7 33. Nh6+ Rxh6 34. Qxh6 f5 { is similar. }) 32... Kf8 33. Rf1 Rb7 { and White actually lacks a decisive breakthrough! } 34. Qh5 (34. Qg7+ Ke8 35. Qg8+ Kd7 36. Qxf7+ Kc6 37. Qg8 Qd7 { and Black's king is safe! White has compensation for the Exchange, but not more. }) 34... Kg8!! { Very counterintuitive to walk towards the scope of White's pieces, and yet } 35. Nh6+ Rxh6 36. Qxh6 f5! 37. Rxf5 Rg7 { is anyone's game! }) 32. Kg1 { Now, it will be too late to capture the bishop, and, as such, Black is lost. } { [%clk 0:35:30] } 32... Nxh3+ { [%clk 0:12:29] } (32... Qxd5 { is too slow now: } 33. Qg5+ Kf8 (33... Rg6 34. Ne7+ Kf8 35. Nxg6+ (35. Nxd5 Rxg5 36. Bxg5 { still wins, too }) 35... fxg6 36. Qf6+ Kg8 (36... Ke8 37. Rxe5+ $18) 37. Qxg6+ Kh8 38. Rf1 $18) 34. Qg7+ Ke8 35. Qh8+ Kd7 36. Qxb8 { is winning. }) 33. Qxh3 { [%clk 0:35:34] } 33... Rb3 { [%clk 0:12:28] } (33... Qxd5 34. Qg3+ Rg6 35. Qxg6+ fxg6 36. Ne7+ { is the point }) 34. Qg4+ { [%clk 0:35:54] } 34... Rg6 { [%clk 0:12:42] } (34... Kf8 35. Qg7+ Ke8 36. Rxe5 { is one of many decisive breakthroughs. }) 35. Qxg6+ { 1-0 White wins. } { [%clk 0:36:19] } 1-0