[Event "WCCC Finals Playoff"] [Site "New York, New York"] [Date "2024.06.19"] [White "Andriasian, Zaven"] [Black "Gabuzyan, Hovhannes"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2621"] [WhiteTeam "Chessify"] [BlackElo "2486"] [BlackTeam "ChessMood"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/broadcast/-/-/RPVK5k0b"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B90"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Adams Attack"] [StudyName "FIDE World Corporate Chess Championship"] [ChapterName "Andriasian, Zaven - Gabuzyan, Hovhannes"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/lWJRRkWl/ncxRhYRG"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 { The 6. h3 Najdorf has become a favorite for sharp attacking players seeking to steer away from the main lines. A seemingly non-committal move, White prepares the g2-g4 thrust while preventing ... Nf6-g4 ideas. } 6... e5 7. Nb3 h5 8. Be3 Be6 9. Qd2 Nbd7 10. O-O-O Rc8 11. f4 g6 12. Kb1 b5 13. Bd3 Bg7?! { Fianchettoing the last minor piece is a very natural move to play, especially in rapid, but the sharp nature of the Sicilian isn't very friendly to natural moves. } (13... Qc7! { The difference between this move and the game move is subtle but important. The bishop is safer on f8 than it is on the undefended g7-square, and it can prove to be a liability on g7 once the kingside opens up after f4-f5 and g2-g4. } 14. f5 gxf5 15. exf5 Bc4 16. g4 hxg4 17. hxg4 Rxh1 18. Rxh1 Bxd3 19. cxd3 Nxg4) 14. f5 { After a strong opening from both sides, Andriasian strikes first, taking advantage of the slight inaccuracy of Black's 13th move. } 14... gxf5 15. exf5 Bxb3 (15... Bc4 16. g4 hxg4 17. hxg4 Nxg4 18. Rxh8+ Bxh8 19. Rh1 Bg7 20. Qg2! $16) 16. axb3 d5 17. Bf2 Bh6 18. Qe1 Qe7 19. Bh4 Qd6 20. g4! { Black's two pawns in the center look really strong, but his king has nowhere safe to run to, and this g2-g4 thrust is about to blow the position wide open. } 20... Rg8 21. Rg1 hxg4 22. hxg4 Rxg4 23. Rh1?! { An understandable move, keeping the potential for an h-file invasion. However, the intuitive decision of keeping pieces on while attacking is inaccurate here. } (23. Rxg4 { The start of a concrete sequence which ends in a decisive advantage. } 23... Nxg4 24. Be4! { A key move! Utilizing the d-file pin forces Black to shatter his central pawn formation and give up squares for White's minor pieces. } 24... d4 25. Bb7 Rb8 26. Ne4 Qc7 27. Qg3 Rxb7 28. Qxg4 $18) 23... Bg7 24. Be2 Rf4 25. Qg3 Bf8 26. Bg5 Rxf5 27. Bxf6 Nxf6 28. Bg4 Nxg4 29. Qxg4 Qg6 30. Qh3 { Setting up a nasty trap based on the motif of geometry. } 30... d4? 31. Rhf1! { The trap springs into place! The underlying idea is "piling upon the pinned piece," a common tactical technique to convert a pin into a material advantage, but this specific instance is far from obvious. } 31... Rxc3 { Tenacious defense by Gabuzyan. The win isn't trivial, as Black's passed pawns can easily spring to life if the queens get traded. } (31... Rxf1 32. Qxc8+! $18 { The point of the line. If Black trades on f1, we don't recapture but instead take the other rook with check, winning a whole rook with the intermezzo. } 32... Ke7 33. Nd5+ Kd6 34. Qd8+ Ke6 35. Rxf1) 32. bxc3 Rxf1 33. Qc8+! { Very precise execution by the first player. The king is first checked to a worse spot, then the rook is recaptured. Up an Exchange with the attack still raging, Andriasian converts smoothly. } 33... Ke7 34. Qc7+ Ke6 35. Rxf1 d3 36. Qc8+ Ke7 37. Qb7+ Ke6 38. Qxa6+ Bd6 39. Qxb5 dxc2+ 40. Kb2 f5 41. Qc4+ Ke7 42. b4 e4 43. Qd4 f4 (43... Qf6 { was more tenacious, but White is still up a clear Exchange after } 44. Qa7+ Ke6 45. Qa2+ Ke7 46. Kxc2 $18) 44. Rg1 Qf5 45. Qg7+ Ke8 46. Ra1 Qd5 47. Rh1 Bf8 48. Qg6+ Kd7 49. Qg4+ Kc6 50. Qc8+ Kb5 51. Qxf8 f3 52. Qc5+ Qxc5 53. bxc5 e3 { Two connected passers on the sixth (third) rank are normally enough to beat a rook, but White's king is just in time for the assist. } 54. Kxc2 Kc4 55. Rh4+ Kxc5 56. Kd3 Kd5 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0