[Event "Round 3: Ehlvest, Jaan - Nedev, Trajko"] [Site "https://lichess.org/broadcast/fide-world-senior-team-championships-2026-senior-50/round-3/P9P6lz53/KkSwQHP9"] [Date "2026.04.18"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Ehlvest, Jaan"] [Black "Nedev, Trajko"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2532"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteTeam "USA 1"] [WhiteFideId "4500016"] [BlackElo "2469"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackTeam "Alkaloid Chess Club"] [BlackFideId "15000605"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E73"] [Opening "King's Indian Defense: Semi-Averbakh System"] [StudyName "2026 World Senior Team Championships"] [ChapterName "Ehlvest, Jaan - Nedev, Trajko"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/mtdj2s0S/5ZjC3HiC"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 { [%clk 1:30:17] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:54] } 2. c4 { [%clk 1:30:42] } 2... g6 { [%clk 1:31:15] } 3. Nc3 { [%clk 1:31:08] } 3... Bg7 { [%clk 1:31:40] } 4. e4 { [%clk 1:31:33] } 4... d6 { [%clk 1:32:03] } 5. Be2 { [%clk 1:31:59] } 5... O-O { [%clk 1:32:19] } 6. Be3 { [%clk 1:32:24] } 6... Nc6 { [%clk 1:22:35] } 7. Nf3 { [%clk 1:14:17] } 7... Ng4 { [%clk 1:09:30] } 8. Bg5 { [%clk 1:13:14] } 8... h6 { [%clk 0:58:40] } 9. Bh4 { [%clk 1:13:32] } 9... g5 { [%clk 0:59:04] } 10. Bg3 { [%clk 1:13:57] } 10... e5 { [%clk 0:59:28] } 11. d5 { [%clk 1:08:09] } 11... Nd4 { [%clk 0:58:07] } 12. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:00:46] } 12... exd4 { [%clk 0:58:33] } 13. Nb5 { [%clk 1:01:12] } 13... Nf6 { [%clk 0:58:56] } 14. Qc2 { [%clk 0:38:27] } 14... Re8 { [%clk 0:57:10] } 15. f3 { [%clk 0:37:46] } 15... a6 { [%clk 0:38:46] } 16. Nxd4 { [%clk 0:37:51] } 16... Nxe4 { [%clk 0:38:49] } 17. fxe4 { [%clk 0:38:15] } 17... Bxd4 { [%clk 0:39:16] } 18. O-O-O { [%clk 0:38:29] } 18... Bg7 { [%clk 0:34:12] } 19. Rhf1 { The position is roughly level. White has more space, but Black's dark-squared bishop is great, while White's light-squared bishop is limited. The half-open f-file is an asset for White, but the threat of ... b7-b5 is a plus for Black. Still, Black must play carefully, as Ehlvest is about to demonstrate. } { [%clk 0:36:55] } 19... Bd7?! { [%clk 0:24:00] } (19... Rf8 { makes a good bit of sense, pre-empting Be2-h5 and future threats of Rf1xf7. }) 20. e5! { [%clk 0:19:29] } 20... Rf8 { Black has to retreat, but the inclusion of e4-e5 and ... Bc8-d7 has greatly favored White. } { [%clk 0:22:05] } (20... Bxe5 21. Bxe5 dxe5 (21... Rxe5 22. Rxf7 { is similar: } 22... Kxf7 23. Qh7+ Kf6 24. Qxh6+ Kf7 25. Qh7+ Kf6 { but now a bit of finesse is required: } 26. Bh5! Qf8 27. Qxd7 $18 { [%cal Gd1f1] }) 22. Rxf7! { was the idea. Black is busted, as } 22... Kxf7 { gets mated: } 23. Qh7+ Kf8 24. Rf1+ Bf5 25. Rxf5+ Qf6 26. Rxf6#) (20... dxe5 21. Rxf7 { also works: } 21... Kxf7 22. Qh7 Qf6 23. Rf1 $18) 21. e6 { [%clk 0:11:12] } (21. exd6 $16 { was also good, as was }) (21. c5!? dxe5 22. c6 $16) 21... fxe6 { [%clk 0:22:29] } 22. dxe6 { [%clk 0:11:29] } 22... Be8?? { [%clk 0:14:05] } (22... Bxe6! { was forced. Black feared } 23. Qe4 Qd7 24. Bd3 { , but } 24... Bf6 { holds the position together, barely. } 25. Rde1 { Now, Black must be careful. } 25... Bg4! { The only saving resource. } (25... Rae8?? 26. Qg6+ Qg7 27. Rxf6! $18) 26. Qd5+ Kg7 27. Bc2 $14 { Black is still alive, for the moment. }) 23. Rxf8+ { [%clk 0:08:06] } 23... Bxf8 { [%clk 0:14:17] } (23... Kxf8 24. Qh7 $18) 24. Qe4 { [%clk 0:08:25] } 24... Qe7 { [%clk 0:11:15] } 25. Qxb7!? { Cleaning up pawns on the queenside is enough to bring home the point. } { [%clk 0:08:03] } (25. Bd3 { is the engine's cold-blooded improvement: } 25... Bc6 26. Qf5 b5 { What else? } 27. Bf2 { [%cal Gf2d4] } 27... bxc4 28. Bc2 Rb8 29. Bd4 $18 { Black is powerless. }) 25... Qxe6 { [%clk 0:10:30] } 26. Bd3 { [%clk 0:03:13] } 26... Rd8 { [%clk 0:08:32] } 27. Re1 { [%clk 0:03:27] } 27... Qf7 { [%clk 0:08:34] } 28. Rf1 { [%clk 0:02:00] } 28... Qe6 { [%clk 0:04:15] } (28... Qd7 29. Qxa6 $16 { leaves White with ample winning chances. }) 29. Qxc7 { [%clk 0:01:42] } 29... Rd7 { [%clk 0:04:11] } 30. Qc8 { [%clk 0:02:01] } 30... Qe3+ { [%clk 0:01:08] } 31. Kc2 { [%clk 0:02:25] } 1-0