[Event "2025 Games of the Month: March - Joey S vs Dan B"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/ikIcpsrB/5bG1W3tn"] [White "Joey S"] [Black "Dan B"] [Result "1-0"] [Termination "Black resigned"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B43"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Knight Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/BendChess_Go"] [StudyName "2025 Games of the Month"] [ChapterName "March - Joey S vs Dan B"] [UTCDate "2025.03.29"] [UTCTime "20:59:10"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/ikIcpsrB/5bG1W3tn"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%eval 0.18] } 1... c5 { [%eval 0.25] } 2. Nf3 { [%eval 0.2] } 2... e6 { [%eval 0.28] } 3. Nc3 { [%eval 0.26] } { A relatively uncommon move order, which gives white the flexibility to either go back into mainline open positions with d4, or play a closed position with d3. The downside of this move is that it doesn't allow for the maroczy bind structure with c4 and e4, which is commonly thought to be very strong in many sicilians. } 3... a6 { [%eval 0.3] } 4. d4 { [%eval 0.37] } { Joey decides to play d4 and transpose into a kan sicilian } 4... cxd4 { [%eval 0.41] } 5. Nxd4 { [%eval 0.35] } 5... Qc7 { [%eval 0.34] } 6. Be2 { [%eval 0.1] } 6... Nf6 { [%eval 0.29] } 7. O-O { [%eval 0.16] } 7... b5? { Mistake. Nc6 was best. } { [%eval 1.58] } { The first mistake, although it is the most commonly played move in the position! } (7... Nc6 8. Be3 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. Qe1 O-O 11. Kh1 Nxd4 12. Bxd4) 8. Bf3 { [%eval 1.8] } { Joey responds correctly, as the most commonly played and seemingly natural a3 (to prevent b4), allows black to play Bb7 and comfortably equalize. } (8. a3) 8... Nc6?! { Inaccuracy. Ra7 was best. } { [%eval 2.54] } (8... Ra7 9. Re1) 9. Nxc6?? { Blunder. e5 was best. } { [%eval 0.47] } { Joey misses the fancy e5, and instead releases the tension. } (9. e5 { The pawn is untouchable by either the knight (pinned to the rook) or queen (Nxc6 and black loses a piece, as taking back leads to a fork of the king and rook). } 9... Ng8 10. Nxc6 dxc6 11. Ne4 Bb7 12. g3 h5 13. Qe2 Nh6 14. Rd1 h4) 9... dxc6 { [%eval 0.47] } 10. g3?! { Inaccuracy. e5 was best. } { [%eval -0.29] } (10. e5) 10... Be7 { [%eval -0.06] } 11. Qe2 { [%eval -0.18] } 11... e5 { [%eval -0.19] } 12. Nd1 { [%eval -0.19] } { All of the knights forward jumps are nicely restricted, so Joey recycles the knight to e3 (and potentially f5). An instructive move, as I think many players would be tempted to develop the dark squared bishop rather than make a backwards knight move. } 12... Be6 { [%eval -0.19] } 13. Ne3 { [%eval -0.22] } 13... O-O { [%eval -0.13] } 14. Kg2 { [%eval -0.34] } { This one wouldn't have been in my top 10 or so candidate moves, but it makes a degree of sense (I'm assuming Rh1 and an h file push is coming) } 14... Rfd8 { [%eval -0.2] } 15. g4 { [%eval -0.6] } { This seems extremely optimistic, but currently blacks pieces aren't well placed to take advantage of white's loose king. } 15... h6 { [%eval -0.34] } 16. h3?! { Inaccuracy. Rh1 was best. } { [%eval -0.9] } (16. Rh1 Bc5 17. Nf5 Bxf5 18. gxf5 Rd6 19. Rd1 Rxd1 20. Qxd1 Rd8 21. Qe2 Qb6) 16... Nh7 { [%eval -0.89] } { Another accurate backwards knight move, where Dan is opening up the scope of his bishop and giving the f pawn some mobility. } 17. Kg3 { [%eval -1.42] } { As Joey would put it, the double bongcloud is disapproved of by the engine. } 17... Bg5 { [%eval -1.48] } 18. b3 { [%eval -1.48] } 18... Bf4+ { [%eval -1.47] } { The king is summarily sent back to its home after an ill advised foray. } 19. Kg2 { [%eval -1.45] } 19... Qe7?! { Inaccuracy. a5 was best. } { [%eval -0.63] } { Stormclouds are beginning to gather around whites king.. } (19... a5) 20. Rh1 { [%eval -1.14] } 20... Qh4 { [%eval -0.7] } 21. Kf1?! { Inaccuracy. Nf5 was best. } { [%eval -1.44] } (21. Nf5 Bxf5 22. exf5 Ng5 23. Be3 Rac8 24. a4 h5 25. Rad1 Rxd1 26. Qxd1 Bxe3) 21... Ng5?? { Blunder. Qf6 was best. } { [%eval 2.51] } { A heartbreaker of a blunder, as what seems to be an active improving move in facts traps blacks queen. } (21... Qf6 22. h4) 22. Ng2 { [%eval 2.54] } 22... Nxf3 { [%eval 2.63] } { The best black can do, regaining two pieces for the queen. } 23. Nxh4 { [%eval 2.56] } 23... Nxh4 { [%eval 2.81] } 24. Bxf4 { [%eval 2.75] } 24... exf4 { [%eval 2.48] } { Even though black is "down a queen", the engine evaluation is only about +2.5, a sizable but not overwhelming advantage, and as we'll see, there is plenty of life left in the position. } 25. f3 { [%eval 2.57] } 25... c5 { [%eval 2.54] } 26. Kf2 { [%eval 2.47] } 26... c4 { [%eval 2.92] } 27. Rad1 { [%eval 2.31] } 27... Rdc8 { [%eval 2.29] } { Black cannot afford to trade more pieces, as a queen versus two pieces in the endgame will be decisive. } 28. Rd6 { [%eval 2.39] } 28... cxb3 { [%eval 2.49] } 29. axb3?! { Inaccuracy. cxb3 was best. } { [%eval 1.85] } (29. cxb3 b4 30. Qd2 Rc3 31. Qxf4 Rc2+ 32. Rd2 g5 33. Qd6 Rc3 34. f4 Rf3+) 29... Rc3?! { Inaccuracy. a5 was best. } { [%eval 2.78] } (29... a5) 30. Rhd1 { [%eval 2.77] } 30... Re3 { [%eval 3.31] } 31. Rd8+ { [%eval 3.4] } 31... Rxd8 { [%eval 3.15] } 32. Rxd8+ { [%eval 3.18] } 32... Kh7 { [%eval 3.1] } 33. Qd2? { Mistake. Qd1 was best. } { [%eval 1.47] } { Just like that, black is back in the game! White leaves the defense of the f3 pawn, and allows for complications. } (33. Qd1 Rc3 34. Rd3 Rc7 35. Qd2 g5 36. Ke2 a5 37. Kd1 a4 38. bxa4 bxa4) 33... Rxf3+ { [%eval 1.66] } 34. Ke2 { [%eval 1.57] } 34... Re3+ { [%eval 1.51] } 35. Kd1 { [%eval 1.69] } 35... Nf3 { [%eval 1.62] } 36. Qf2 { [%eval 1.71] } 36... Re1+? { Mistake. g5 was best. } { [%eval 3.35] } { In time trouble, Dan goes for what he thinks offers the best drawing chances, but the endgame is much more hopeless than he anticipated. } (36... g5 37. Rd3) 37. Qxe1 { [%eval 3.18] } 37... Nxe1 { [%eval 2.93] } 38. Kxe1 { [%eval 2.74] } 38... g5 { [%eval 2.91] } 39. Ra8 { [%eval 2.68] } { There isn't an easy way for black to defends his queenside pawns, and Joey immediately takes advantage. } 39... Kg7?! { Inaccuracy. h5 was best. } { [%eval 3.83] } (39... h5 40. gxh5) 40. Rxa6 { [%eval 3.77] } 40... Kf6 { [%eval 3.86] } 41. Rb6 { [%eval 4.42] } 41... Ke5 { [%eval 4.35] } { Black does create his own passed pawn, but with how well placed the white king is and the two passed pawns on the queenside, black has little practical hope to hold. } 42. Rxb5+ { [%eval 4.26] } 42... Kxe4 { [%eval 4.31] } 43. Kf2 { [%eval 3.97] } 43... Kd4 { [%eval 4.94] } 44. c4 { [%eval 4.75] } 44... Bc8 { [%eval 5.29] } 45. Rb8 { [%eval 5.28] } 45... Be6 { [%eval 4.92] } 46. Ke2 { [%eval 4.2] } 46... Kc3?! { Inaccuracy. f5 was best. } { [%eval 5.44] } (46... f5 47. Re8 Ke5 48. gxf5 Kxf5 49. c5 Bd7 50. Rh8 Kg6 51. Rd8 Bb5+ 52. Kf2) 47. c5 { [%eval 5.43] } 47... Kd4 { [%eval 6.43] } 48. c6 { [%eval 6.05] } 48... Ke4 { [%eval 7.4] } 49. Re8 { [%eval 7.33] } 49... Kd5 { [%eval 7.11] } 50. c7 { [%eval 6.88] } 50... Kd6 { [%eval 7.49] } 51. c8=Q { [%eval 7.59] } 51... Bxc8 { [%eval 7.26] } 52. Rxc8 { [%eval 7.17] } 52... Kd7 { [%eval 7.24] } 53. Rc4 { [%eval 6.89] } { Dan resigns, down a rook and unable to stop a promotion. } 1-0