[Event "Reykjavik Open 2024"] [Site "Reykjavik"] [Date "2024.03.15"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Gramb, Marius"] [Black "Deac, Bogdan-Daniel"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2142"] [WhiteFideId "24656593"] [BlackElo "2690"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "1226380"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ralphptorres"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B22"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation"] [StudyName "Reykjavik 2024"] [ChapterName "Gramb, Marius - Deac, Bogdan-Daniel"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/ksGyrMYK/yKkdXZke"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%eval 0.13] [%clk 1:30:57] } 1... c5 { [%eval 0.33] [%clk 1:30:55] } 2. c3 { [%eval 0.04] [%clk 1:31:05] } 2... d5 { [%eval 0.23] [%clk 1:27:15] } 3. exd5 { [%eval 0.17] [%clk 1:31:12] } 3... Qxd5 { [%eval 0.18] [%clk 1:25:41] } 4. d4 { [%eval 0.11] [%clk 1:31:32] } 4... Nf6 { [%eval 0.12] [%clk 1:24:19] } 5. Nf3 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 1:31:38] } 5... e6 { [%eval 0.25] [%clk 1:24:17] } 6. Na3 { [%eval 0.13] [%clk 1:31:41] } 6... Qd8 { [%eval 0.24] [%clk 1:24:04] } 7. Nc4 { [%eval 0.35] [%clk 1:30:34] } (7. Nc2 { to play Bd3 next and still not letting the IQP after cxd4 is the most common plan here. } { [%cal Gf1d3] }) 7... Be7 { [%eval 0.49] [%clk 1:22:50] } 8. Nce5 { [%eval 0.14] [%clk 1:27:51] } 8... O-O { [%eval 0.11] [%clk 1:22:15] } 9. Be2 { [%eval 0.0] } { A new move to be able to capture with the queen, white did not play 10.Bd3. } { [%cal Gd1d4] [%clk 1:25:52] } (9. Bd3 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Qd5 { [%cal Gb8d7,Gb8c6] }) 9... cxd4 { [%eval 0.03] [%clk 1:20:39] } 10. Qxd4 { [%eval 0.04] [%clk 1:23:26] } 10... Qxd4 { [%eval 0.03] [%clk 1:08:22] } 11. Nxd4 { [%eval 0.1] } { A rather typical queenless middlegame position from Alapin Sicilian. Both sides have their pawn majorities on each side of the board. } { [%clk 1:23:20] } 11... Nd5! { [%eval 0.14] } { The first instructive moment of the game for me as 11...Nbd7 looked more normal to play. Black immediately starts moving their pawn majority by playing f6 and e5 thus avoid simplifications. } { [%clk 1:08:39] } 12. O-O { [%eval 0.14] [%clk 1:19:15] } 12... f6 { [%eval 0.48] [%clk 1:08:02] } 13. Nef3 { [%eval -0.02] [%clk 1:13:38] } 13... Rd8 { [%eval 0.03] [%clk 1:05:41] } 14. c4 { [%eval -0.03] [%clk 1:08:45] } 14... Nc7 { [%eval -0.06] [%clk 1:02:05] } 15. Be3 { [%eval -0.1] [%clk 1:03:08] } 15... e5 { [%eval -0.05] [%clk 1:01:54] } 16. Nc2 { [%eval -0.53] [%clk 0:52:05] } 16... Bf5 { [%eval -0.55] [%clk 0:53:18] } 17. Rac1 { [%eval -0.59] [%clk 0:50:14] } 17... Nba6! { [%eval -0.44] } { Another important manuvre to get to d3-square. } { [%clk 0:47:24] } 18. a3 { [%eval -0.42] [%clk 0:43:08] } 18... Nc5 { [%eval -0.35] [%cal Gc5b3,Gc5d3] [%clk 0:46:21] } 19. Bxc5 { [%eval -0.33] [%clk 0:38:50] } 19... Bxc5 { [%eval -0.42] } { Black gets the bishop pair. } { [%clk 0:46:44] } 20. b4 { [%eval -0.41] [%clk 0:39:01] } 20... Be7 { [%eval -0.44] [%clk 0:43:26] } 21. Rfd1 { [%eval -0.42] [%clk 0:34:47] } 21... Rxd1+ { [%eval -0.5] } { Another instructive moment. Black exchanges pair of rooks to avoid counterplay from by White. A typical strategy to keep pair of rooks for the side who possesses the advantage. } { [%clk 0:42:28] } 22. Bxd1 { [%eval -0.46] [%clk 0:35:09] } 22... a5! { [%eval -0.24] } { Black underlines the principle of exchanging and thus weakening the pawn majority of his rival with this move. } { [%csl Gb4,Ga3] [%clk 0:42:09] } 23. Ne3 { [%eval -0.28] [%clk 0:29:22] } 23... Be6 { [%eval -0.25] [%clk 0:40:25] } 24. Rb1 { [%eval -0.25] [%clk 0:24:38] } 24... axb4 { [%eval -0.27] [%clk 0:36:56] } 25. axb4 { [%eval -0.29] [%clk 0:24:59] } 25... b6 { [%eval -0.31] } { Black tames White's queenside majority by reducing the pawns and claims b4 pawn as a weakness, as white will have hard time to push them forward. } { [%clk 0:37:23] } 26. Bc2 { [%eval -0.27] [%csl Yf5][%cal Yc2f5,Ye3f5] [%clk 0:19:05] } 26... g6! { [%eval -0.2] [%clk 0:37:11] } (26... Kf7 27. Bxh7 g6 28. Nh4) 27. g4 { [%eval -0.25] [%clk 0:16:49] } 27... Kg7 { [%eval -0.25] [%clk 0:35:44] } 28. g5 { [%eval -0.52] } { White tries the same idea of reducing the number of black's pawn majority. According to Stockfish } { [%clk 0:05:48] } (28. h4 { is better and more solid way to organize g5. } { [%cal Gg4g5] }) 28... f5 { [%eval -0.45] [%clk 0:35:31] } 29. Nxe5 { [%eval -0.46] [%clk 0:06:13] } 29... Bxg5 { [%eval -0.39] [%clk 0:35:51] } 30. c5 { [%eval -0.56] } { White manages to create a passed pawn and activates his rook. } { [%clk 0:05:23] } 30... bxc5 { [%eval -0.5] [%clk 0:29:03] } 31. bxc5 { [%eval -0.58] [%clk 0:05:51] } 31... Ra5 { [%eval -0.36] [%clk 0:28:53] } 32. Nd3 { [%eval -0.41] [%cal Gb1b7] [%clk 0:03:53] } 32... Nb5! { [%eval -0.06] [%cal Gb5a3,Gb5c3] [%clk 0:27:16] } 33. f4?! { [%eval -0.65] } { White is playing in time pressure and this is the first slight inaccuracy according to Stockfish instead suggesting } { [%clk 0:00:55] } (33. Bb3 { with the idea of exchanging opponents bishop pair. } 33... Nc3 34. Rb2 Bd7) 33... Bf6 { [%eval -0.84] [%clk 0:24:25] } 34. Ne5?? { [%eval -3.01] } { And this is a loosing mistake. } { [%clk 0:01:06] } (34. Rb4) 34... Bxe5! { [%eval -2.96] [%clk 0:24:03] } 35. fxe5 { [%eval -3.0] [%clk 0:01:35] } 35... Nd4! { [%eval -2.94] } { Black gave up his bishop pair to win a pawn and the game. } { [%cal Ga5c5] [%clk 0:24:01] } 36. Rb7+ { [%eval -2.9] [%clk 0:00:37] } 36... Kh6 { [%eval -2.92] [%clk 0:24:08] } 37. c6?! { Inaccuracy. Bd1 was best. } { [%eval -3.98] } { White decides to muddy the waters but black has everything under control. } { [%clk 0:00:39] } (37. Bd1 Rxc5 38. Kf2 Rxe5 39. Rb4 Nb5 40. Bf3 Nc3 41. Rd4 Kg7 42. h4 Kf6 43. Ng2 h6) 37... Rxe5 { [%eval -3.91] [%clk 0:19:56] } 38. Kf2?! { Inaccuracy. Rb4 was best. } { [%eval -4.94] [%clk 0:00:33] } (38. Rb4 Nxc6 39. Rb6 Rxe3 40. Rxc6 Bd5 41. Rd6 Be4 42. Kf2 Rf3+ 43. Ke2 Rh3 44. Bxe4 fxe4) 38... f4 { [%eval -4.78] [%clk 0:20:19] } 39. Ng2?! { Inaccuracy. Nf5+ was best. } { [%eval -7.75] [%clk 0:00:34] } (39. Nf5+ Bxf5 40. Bxf5 Rxf5 41. c7 Rc5 42. Rb4 Ne6 43. Re4 Nxc7 44. Kf3 Nd5 45. Re5 Rc3+) 39... Re2+ { [%eval -7.17] [%clk 0:20:35] } 40. Kg1? { Checkmate is now unavoidable. Kf1 was best. } { [%eval #-10] [%clk 0:00:32] } (40. Kf1 Bh3 41. Be4 Rxe4 42. Rb3 Nxb3 43. Kf2 Nd4 44. Nxf4 Rxf4+ 45. Ke3 Rh4 46. Kd2 Be6) 40... Rxc2 { [%eval -6.46] } { White resigns. 0-1 } { [%clk 0:20:50] } 0-1