[Event "Open 50+"] [Site "Prague"] [Date "2025.02.26"] [Round "09"] [White "Ehlvest, Jaan"] [Black "Bischoff, Klaus"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2531"] [BlackElo "2432"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B84"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation"] [StudyName "2025 FIDE World Senior Team Championships"] [ChapterName "Ehlvest, Jaan - Bischoff, Klaus"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/lbyDv1vS/S48U9Vtt"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] { Ehlvest finds himself down almost an hour on the clock out of a transpositional opening into the Scheveningen Sicilian. But he creates serious attacking chances that force his opponent to make increasingly double-edged and committal defensive decisions, ultimately culminating in a nice attacking victory for Ehlvest. } 1. e4 { [%clk 1:29:57] } 1... c5 { [%clk 1:30:24] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:30:21] } 2... e6 { [%clk 1:30:48] } 3. d4 { [%clk 1:30:21] } 3... cxd4 { [%clk 1:31:12] } 4. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:30:47] } 4... a6 { The Kan Sicilian is a dangerous weapon against an unprepared opponent. } { [%clk 1:31:27] } 5. Be2 { Black's move order (delaying an attack on the e4-pawn) allows for a wide array of alternatives to 5. Nc3. This is not the most ambitious (that distinction probably goes to 5. Bd3), but it leaves many transposition possibilities open. } { [%clk 1:27:35] } 5... Nf6 { Without Nb1-c3 played, White cannot achieve e4-e5 yet, as ... Qd8-a5+ picks up the e-pawn. Thus, Black is able to develop quickly without first defending the e5-square via ... d7-d6 or ... Qd8-c7. } { [%clk 1:24:03] } 6. Nc3 { [%clk 1:27:59] } 6... d6 { Black opts for more of a Scheveningen set-up by committing the d-pawn. } { [%clk 1:23:10] } (6... Qc7 { would transpose to a main variation of the Kan after 5. Nc3 Qc7 (defending e4-e5) 6. Be2 Nf6. }) 7. O-O { [%clk 1:27:30] } 7... Be7 { [%clk 1:23:16] } 8. f4 { [%clk 1:25:01] } 8... Qc7 { [%clk 1:23:22] } (8... O-O { is more common, but could transpose to the game after, e.g.: } 9. Kh1 Qc7 10. a4 Nc6 11. Be3 Nxd4 12. Qxd4 Bd7 13. e5 Ne8 { reaching the game position after move 13, and one played almost 80 times in the Lichess Masters DB. }) 9. a4 { [%clk 1:24:30] } 9... Nc6 { [%clk 1:23:26] } 10. Be3 { [%clk 1:24:33] } 10... O-O { [%clk 1:21:27] } 11. Kh1 { [%clk 1:24:34] } 11... Nxd4 { [%clk 1:20:11] } 12. Qxd4 { [%clk 1:18:34] } 12... Bd7 { [%clk 1:20:11] } 13. e5 { [%clk 0:38:23] } 13... Ne8 { Black has spent only ten minutes so far, and this position is still a theoretical one. Despite Ehlvest being the one to employ a tricky move order with 5. Be2, he has spent over half his time to reach this position. } { [%clk 1:20:20] } 14. Qd3!? { Played quickly, this rare move seems to catch Bischoff off-guard. From here, White's plans become clearer (attack, attack, and then attack) while Black's defensive task proves less intuitive. } { [%clk 0:37:37] } (14. Bf3 { is far more common, provoking ... Bd7-c6 as to play Nc3-e4 without hanging the c2-pawn. } 14... Bc6 15. Ne4 Rd8 16. c4 dxe5 17. Qxe5 Qxe5 18. fxe5 f6 { was one of the more recent games from this variation, with White winning a double-edged endgame in Ganguly – Budisavljevic, Riga, 2021. }) 14... Bc6 { [%clk 1:10:06] } (14... dxe5 15. fxe5 Rd8 { has also been tried: } 16. Bd4!? { with both games ending peacefully. } (16. Qe4 $146 Bc6 17. Qf4 { is the engine's preference: } 17... f5 18. exf6 Rxf6 19. Qxc7 Rxf1+ 20. Rxf1 Nxc7 $10 { with a thematic structural imbalance that is also seen out of some French structures. Black's isolated e-pawn still covers some nice squares, and White's c- and b-pawns may prove exploitable. })) 15. Bd4 { [%clk 0:38:01] } 15... Rc8 { [%clk 0:59:24] } 16. Rad1 { The first new move. } { [%clk 0:38:01] } (16. Ne4 Bd5 17. exd6!? Nxd6 18. Nxd6 Qxd6 19. c3 Rfd8 $15 { was a bit acquiescent in Van den Doel – Rooze, Edinburgh, 2015, although White held on to draw. }) 16... dxe5 { [%clk 0:52:48] } 17. fxe5 { [%clk 0:34:06] } 17... g6 { Black prepares ... Ne8-g7-f5 to lock the kingside down. } { [%clk 0:52:51] } 18. Bf3 { [%clk 0:32:56] } (18. Ne4 { was possible, going for the attack and likely winning bishop pair after } 18... Bxe4 19. Qxe4 Ng7 (19... Qxc2 20. Qxb7 Nc7 21. Qf3 Qxa4 22. Be3 { gives White attacking chances as compensation for the pawn. }) 20. g4 (20. Bd3 { might be too ambitious: } 20... Nf5 21. Bc3 Rfd8 22. g4 Nh4 $15 { This is a hard position to evaluate, but White's extension with the e- and g-pawns provide Black with long-term prospects, particularly after a queen trade. }) 20... Qxc2 21. Qxc2 Rxc2 22. Bf3 $10 { again gives White compensation in the form of the bishop pair. }) 18... Bxf3 { [%clk 0:45:33] } (18... Ng7 19. g4 { was also interesting. But Black's best bet was the immediate }) (18... h5! { anticipating ... g2-g4 to prepare ... Ne8-g7-f5. } 19. h3 (19. Bxc6 { might be more testing: } 19... Qxc6 { Similar to what happens in the game, White does not objectively have an advantage, but Black has to bite the bullet on grabbing the pawns. } 20. Ne4 Qxc2 21. Qe3 Ng7 22. Rc1 Qxa4 23. Ra1 Qb5) 19... h4! 20. Bg4 Ng7 21. Qe3 b5 { and Black's pieces pick up steam whereas White's struggle to continue an attack. } 22. axb5 axb5 23. Rf2 b4 24. Ne4 Bxe4 25. Qxe4 Rfd8 $15) 19. Qxf3 { [%clk 0:29:03] } 19... h5 { [%clk 0:45:27] } (19... Ng7 20. g4 { was what Black was concerned about, but } 20... Ne8! { is roughly level. Black lost tempi, but White's g-pawn can't go backwards. As such, Black has time to over-protect the f6-square and push ... f7-f5. } 21. Qg2 { White can prepare Rf1-f3 to keep queens on, but } 21... Rd8 22. Ne4 f5 $10 { should hold. }) 20. Ne4 { [%clk 0:25:14] } 20... Qc6!? { [%clk 0:42:02] } (20... Qxc2 { Greed was Black's best bet. } 21. Be3 Qxa4 22. Bh6 Ng7 23. Qf4 Qb5 { Black has gained two pawns and White still lacks a knockout blow. White is in danger of overpressing. } 24. Nf6+ { likely ends in repetition: } (24. Bg5?! { allows Black to consolidate: } 24... Bxg5 25. Qxg5 (25. Nxg5 Nf5 $17) 25... Ne8 26. h3 Rc4 $15) 24... Bxf6 25. Qxf6 Ne8 26. Qf4 Ng7 $10) 21. Be3 { [%clk 0:18:43] } 21... Ng7?! { Too passive, allowing White to dominate on the dark squares. } { [%clk 0:40:28] } (21... f5! { Necessary. Taking on the weak e- and g-pawns before trading queens is unsavory, but preferable to the game. } 22. Ng5 Qxf3 23. Nxf3 Rxc2 24. Nd4 Rxb2 25. Nxe6 Rf7 26. Nf4 Rg7 $13 { is shaky, with the rook so short on squares near Black's king. But Black is pawn-up with a rook on the seventh! }) 22. Bh6 { If Black was in time to over-protect the f7-pawn, move the rook off f8, and play ... Ng7-f5 without losing material, Black would be fine! But now he is barely hanging on. } { [%clk 0:18:32] } 22... Kh7 { [%clk 0:28:45] } 23. Qf4 { [%clk 0:17:08] } 23... h4? { Black collapses from a tough position. Not only does the h-pawn drop, but the half-open h-file makes White's attack that much quicker. } { [%clk 0:25:41] } (23... Qc7 24. c3 Rcd8 { is also a bit stubborn, preparing ... Rd8-d5. } 25. Rd6! { is a nice way to infiltrate the dark squares, with a promising position. } (25. Rxd8 Qxd8 26. Nf6+ Kh8 27. h3 $16 { leaves White pressing, but without a knockout. }) 25... Rg8 26. Bg5 Nf5 27. Bxe7 Qxe7 28. c4! $16) (23... Qxc2 { might be best, trying to acquire material before making a defensive sac. } 24. Nf6+ Bxf6 25. exf6 Nf5 26. Bxf8 Rxf8 27. Rd2 Qb3 28. Re1 $16 { at least gives Black a pawn for the Exchange. }) 24. Bg5! $18 { White goes straight for eliminating the best defender. } { [%clk 0:15:30] } 24... Nh5 { [%clk 0:24:30] } 25. Qxh4 { [%clk 0:15:42] } 25... Bxg5 { [%clk 0:24:50] } 26. Nxg5+ { [%clk 0:16:06] } 26... Kg7 { [%clk 0:25:08] } 27. c3 { Killing hopes of counterplay. } { [%clk 0:15:06] } 27... Qc4 { [%clk 0:22:35] } 28. Qxc4 { [%clk 0:12:47] } 28... Rxc4 { [%clk 0:22:58] } 29. Rd7 { White has the compensation...and the pawn! } { [%clk 0:13:12] } 29... Kg8 { [%clk 0:23:00] } 30. Nxf7 { There's no reason to play on, so Black resigned. } { [%clk 0:12:50] } 1-0