[Event "Rookie Rivals U130"] [Site "https://lichess.org/pDazCqbs"] [Date "2017.10.17"] [Round "1"] [Result "1-0"] [TimeControl "15+10"] [Termination "Black Resigns"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B33"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/SummerChessLeague"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/mHA86Ffu/ZAFxBZug"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { Hi guys. Ali Hill here to make some annotations! } 1... c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5!! { Always nice to see a Sveshnikov! I love to play this opening } 6. Ndb5 d6 7. f3?! { This move is too passive for a sharp opening line. Go with either Nd5!?, or the mainline Bg5! which continues the fight for control of the key d5 square } 7... a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Nxd5 10. exd5 Ne7 11. Bg5 Qc7 { Maybe a little too early to decide where the Queen will be needed. I was thinking of kicking the bishop and then trying to go Qg5 (or give a cheeky Qh4+) to weaken the dark squares on the white kingside a bit more. So perhaps 11..h6!? as a start } (11... h6 12. Be3 Nf5 (12... Qa5+!? 13. Bd2 Qb6 14. c4 Bd7 $15) 13. Bf2 Be7 14. Bd3 O-O) 12. Bxe7? { Ideally White would want to keep the dark-squared bishop to retain some control of the dark squares. Also the knight is not a great piece at the minute so no need to remove it from the board. } 12... Bxe7 13. Qd2 O-O 14. Bd3 f5 15. O-O-O!? { I like this decision strategically. The king would not be safe on g1 and even though it might come under fire on the queenside, there are some potential pawn advances for White on the kingside. } 15... Qc5! 16. Bf1? { Not in keeping with the plan. The bishop was on an active post, and now it's back at home! } (16. Kb1 Rb8 (16... Qxd5?? 17. Bc4) 17. c3 a5 { Looks very nice for Black but at least we can try to centralise and trade queens } 18. Rhe1 Bd7 19. Qe3) 16... h6 17. h4 f4?! (17... Bf6! { Followed by pushing the queenside pawns looks very dangerous }) 18. Bd3! { Re-activating } 18... Bf5? { After the trade, our remaining bishop on e7 is not looking so happy. } (18... Bb7 { Is more ambitious, keeping more pieces on the board and putting pressure on d5 }) 19. Kb1 (19. Bxf5! Rxf5 20. Qd3! { Activate on the weakened light squares in Black's camp } 20... Rh5 21. Qg6 Rxh4 22. Qe6+ Kf8 23. Qf5+ Ke8 24. Qg6+ Kf8 25. Qf5+ $10) 19... Rac8 20. Bxf5 Rxf5 21. c3 Qc7 { I don't like to retreat unless it's absolutely necessary! } (21... Rh5! { Will probably collect the h4 pawn at some point }) 22. Nc2 a5 23. Rh3 Qd8 24. Qd3! { Very good. Looking for counterplay against the loose pawn on b5 } 24... Qd7 25. Na3 b4 26. cxb4 axb4 27. Nb5?? { The knight is very short of squares here (often important to work out where the knight will subsequently go, before jumping into the enemy's territory). And if we plan to follow up with a4, then simply bxa3 will expose our king to serious attack! } 27... Rh5?! (27... Rb8? { The immediate Rb8 fails to Nc7 } 28. Nc7 Qxc7 29. Qxf5) (27... Rff8! { First securing the rook and preparing Rb8 next, winning. }) 28. a4 (28. Rc1! { Let's try and trade off Black's strong rook }) 28... bxa3! { Correct } 29. Nxa3 Qa4 30. Qg6?? { I guess the players are now short of time and some blunders creep in } 30... Rxh4?? (30... Qxd1+ $19) 31. Qe6+ Kh7 32. Qf5+ Kg8?? (32... g6 33. Qf7+ Kh8 $10) 33. Qe6+ (33. Qxc8+ $18) 33... Kh8 34. Qxc8+ Kh7 35. Qc2+ { Sensible practical decision } 35... Qxc2+ 36. Nxc2 Rxh3 37. gxh3 { A complicated struggle, very interesting } 1-0