[Event "FIDE World Senior Team Championships 2025"] [Site "Prague"] [Date "2025.02.20"] [Round "04"] [White "Rachels, Stuart"] [Black "Lipka, Juraj"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2466"] [BlackElo "2348"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C09"] [Opening "French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Main Line"] [StudyName "2025 FIDE World Senior Team Championships"] [ChapterName "Rachels, Stuart - Lipka, Juraj"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/lbyDv1vS/F23Xl3rw"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:30:57] } 1... e6 { [%clk 1:30:56] } 2. d4 { [%clk 1:31:20] } 2... d5 { [%clk 1:31:20] } 3. Nd2 { [%clk 1:31:42] } 3... c5 { [%clk 1:31:41] } 4. exd5 { [%clk 1:31:59] } 4... exd5 { [%clk 1:32:03] } 5. Ngf3 { [%clk 1:32:08] } 5... Nc6 { [%clk 1:31:22] } 6. Bb5 { [%clk 1:32:22] } 6... Qe7+ { [%clk 1:31:33] } 7. Be2 { [%clk 1:32:31] } 7... Qc7 { [%clk 1:31:06] } 8. O-O { [%clk 1:31:27] } 8... Nf6 { [%clk 1:31:13] } 9. dxc5 { [%clk 1:28:45] } 9... Bxc5 { [%clk 1:30:20] } 10. Nb3 { [%clk 1:29:06] } 10... Be7 { [%clk 1:30:05] } 11. Re1 { [%clk 1:28:20] } 11... O-O { [%clk 1:29:38] } 12. c3 { [%clk 1:27:25] } 12... h6 { [%clk 1:25:03] } 13. Be3 { [%clk 1:20:27] } 13... Re8 { [%clk 1:21:47] } 14. h3 { [%clk 1:11:06] } 14... Bf5 { [%clk 1:15:50] } 15. Nbd4 { [%clk 1:02:41] } 15... Bg6 { [%clk 1:13:37] } 16. Nh4 { [%clk 0:56:30] } 16... Bh7 { [%clk 1:11:44] } 17. Nhf5 { [%clk 0:55:01] } 17... Bf8 { [%clk 1:09:07] } 18. Bd3 { [%clk 0:51:58] } 18... Ne4 { An early blunder saw White have to accept a dangerously passive position, but Rachels fought back valiantly deep into the endgame, only to lose a heartbreaker that saw Slovenia tie the match. } { [%clk 1:01:16] } 19. Qg4!? { [%clk 0:34:53] } (19. Qc2 { is simpler. }) 19... Ne5 { [%clk 0:46:03] } 20. Qf4? { [%clk 0:30:32] } (20. Qe2 { Is probably best, but }) (20. Bf4 { is also interesting. }) 20... g5 { The constellation of loose pieces now drop off. } { [%clk 0:42:04] } (20... Bxf5 { works, too, as an alternate move order } 21. Nxf5 g5 { with the same point. }) 21. Qh2 { Where else? } { [%clk 0:30:49] } 21... Bxf5 { [%clk 0:38:59] } 22. Nxf5 { [%clk 0:31:07] } 22... Qd7 { By hitting White's hanging f5-knight, Black's queen breaks the pin on the e5-knight. } { [%clk 0:38:02] } 23. Bxe4 { Anything else loses the d3-bishop. } { [%clk 0:27:52] } 23... dxe4 { [%clk 0:38:25] } 24. Ng3 $17 { White has avoided material losses, but his pieces have been ran backwards! } { [%clk 0:27:27] } 24... f5 { [%clk 0:28:53] } 25. Bd4 { [%clk 0:27:08] } 25... Bd6 { [%clk 0:26:53] } 26. h4 { [%clk 0:26:53] } 26... g4 { [%clk 0:25:08] } 27. Qh1 { It's hard to suggest a better way to untangle! } { [%clk 0:16:20] } 27... Qf7 { [%clk 0:23:52] } 28. Bxe5 { [%clk 0:15:42] } 28... Bxe5 { [%clk 0:23:56] } (28... Rxe5 { was better, as the e-pawn will still be protected after ... f5-f4. } 29. Nf1 f4) 29. Nf1 { [%clk 0:15:56] } 29... h5 { [%clk 0:21:11] } 30. g3 { The worst is over, but White's position is still wanting. } { [%clk 0:15:43] } 30... Rad8 { [%clk 0:20:06] } 31. Qg2 { [%clk 0:15:54] } 31... Rd3 { [%clk 0:18:33] } 32. Re2 { [%clk 0:16:18] } 32... Red8 { [%clk 0:17:44] } 33. Ne3 { [%clk 0:16:15] } 33... Bc7 { [%clk 0:17:12] } 34. c4 { [%clk 0:15:00] } 34... Be5 { [%clk 0:16:03] } 35. Rb1 { [%clk 0:12:30] } 35... R8d4 { [%clk 0:14:25] } 36. b3 { [%clk 0:11:39] } 36... Rd2?! { Unable to break through, Black gets impatient and starts offering trades. This helps White equalize. } { [%clk 0:08:25] } 37. Rbe1 { [%clk 0:09:59] } 37... Rxe2 { [%clk 0:05:50] } 38. Rxe2 { [%clk 0:10:27] } 38... f4 { [%clk 0:05:10] } 39. gxf4 { [%clk 0:10:45] } 39... Qxf4 { [%clk 0:05:11] } 40. Nf1 { Black is still pushing, of course, but the number of white pieces Rachels has to untangle has decreased, and the e4-pawn can become a target deep into the endgame. } { [%clk 0:11:00] } 40... Qf3 { [%clk 0:02:46] } 41. Re3 { [%clk 0:07:34] } 41... Bf4 { [%clk 0:28:42] } 42. Re1 { [%clk 0:35:23] } 42... Kf7 { [%clk 0:26:45] } 43. Nh2 { [%clk 0:27:42] } 43... Qxg2+ { [%clk 0:24:36] } 44. Kxg2 { [%clk 0:28:07] } 44... Bxh2?! { Going into the pure rook endgame offers Black some chances, sure, but seems like a bit of an impatient choice. } { [%clk 0:18:57] } (44... e3 $17 { was prudent, ridding the weakness! }) 45. Kxh2 { [%clk 0:28:30] } 45... Kf6 { [%clk 0:18:46] } 46. Kg2 { [%clk 0:27:23] } 46... Ke5 { [%clk 0:16:27] } 47. Re2 { [%clk 0:27:51] } 47... Rd3!? { [%clk 0:13:43] } (47... Kf4 $17) 48. c5 { [%clk 0:28:09] } (48. b4 { Both players underestimated the prophylactical ... a7-a5 around here. }) 48... Rc3 { [%clk 0:08:47] } (48... a5! $17) 49. b4 { White is fighting for an advantage on the queenside. With the weak e4-pawn in the rook's crosshairs, it's hard to argue that White is worse anymore. } { [%clk 0:28:29] } 49... Rc4 { [%clk 0:05:36] } 50. Rb2 { [%clk 0:27:35] } 50... Kd5 { [%clk 0:03:35] } 51. Kg3 { [%clk 0:23:26] } (51. a3 Rc3 52. Rd2+ Kc4 53. Rd7 { is the most aggressive way to equalize. }) 51... Rc3+ { [%clk 0:03:24] } 52. Kf4?? { White underestimates the power of Black's e-pawn! It made more sense to activate the rook with 51. a3, keeping the king back as a defender, than it did to embark on this configuration. } { [%clk 0:23:46] } 52... Rf3+ { [%clk 0:03:16] } 53. Kg5 { [%clk 0:24:12] } 53... g3! { Black suddenly has a passed e-pawn, and White's king is misplaced. } { [%clk 0:03:21] } 54. fxg3 { [%clk 0:22:57] } 54... Rxg3+ { [%clk 0:03:47] } 55. Kxh5 { [%clk 0:23:25] } 55... e3 { [%clk 0:02:13] } 56. Kh6 { [%clk 0:22:27] } 56... Kc4 { [%clk 0:01:49] } 57. h5 { [%clk 0:21:33] } 57... Kc3 { [%clk 0:01:41] } 58. Rh2 { [%clk 0:20:58] } 58... Kd3 $19 { The h-pawn is too slow, and Black goes on to win. } { [%clk 0:01:34] } 59. Kh7 { [%clk 0:18:39] } 59... e2 { [%clk 0:01:35] } 60. Rh1 { [%clk 0:19:07] } 60... Kd2 { [%clk 0:01:01] } 61. h6 { [%clk 0:18:25] } 61... Rg4 { [%clk 0:00:47] } 62. b5 { [%clk 0:18:19] } 62... Rg5 { [%clk 0:00:56] } 63. c6 { [%clk 0:16:03] } 63... Rxb5 { [%clk 0:00:53] } 64. Kg6 { [%clk 0:14:14] } 64... Rb6 { [%clk 0:01:06] } 65. h7 { [%clk 0:12:19] } 65... Rxc6+ { [%clk 0:01:30] } 66. Kg7 { [%clk 0:12:38] } 66... Rc7+ { [%clk 0:01:52] } 67. Kg6 { [%clk 0:13:03] } 67... Rc8 { [%clk 0:02:08] } 68. Kg7 { [%clk 0:11:57] } 68... e1=Q { [%clk 0:02:28] } 69. Rxe1 { [%clk 0:12:20] } 69... Kxe1 { [%clk 0:02:53] } 70. h8=B { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:12:42] } 0-1