[Event "Round 9: Mardov, Dimitar - Kevlishvili, Robby"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/oIR5j2Xd/M4QNJbrg"] [White "Mardov, Dimitar"] [Black "Kevlishvili, Robby"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2457"] [WhiteTitle "IM"] [WhiteFideId "30919495"] [BlackElo "2523"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "1040634"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ralphptorres"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C50"] [Opening "Italian Game: Giuoco Piano"] [UTCDate "2024.04.25"] [UTCTime "04:43:40"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/n8kS32as/Ab86tzv5"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%eval 0.13] [%clk 1:30:58] } 1... e5 { [%eval 0.17] [%clk 1:30:49] } 2. Nf3 { [%eval 0.21] [%clk 1:31:14] } 2... Nc6 { [%eval 0.13] [%clk 1:31:14] } 3. Bc4 { [%eval 0.26] [%clk 1:31:01] } 3... Bc5 { [%eval 0.18] [%clk 1:31:37] } 4. O-O { [%eval 0.21] [%clk 1:30:37] } 4... Nf6 { [%eval 0.14] [%clk 1:32:00] } 5. d3 { [%eval 0.07] [%clk 1:30:38] } 5... O-O { [%eval 0.29] [%clk 1:32:22] } 6. h3 { [%eval 0.16] [%clk 1:25:44] } 6... d6 { [%eval 0.29] [%clk 1:27:50] } 7. a4 { [%eval 0.14] [%clk 1:24:55] } 7... a6 { [%eval 0.25] [%clk 1:25:44] } 8. c3 { [%eval 0.22] [%clk 1:22:20] } 8... Ba7 { [%eval 0.22] [%clk 1:25:57] } 9. Re1 { [%eval 0.29] [%clk 1:21:28] } 9... Be6 { [%eval 0.23] [%clk 1:26:09] } 10. Bxe6 { [%eval 0.23] [%clk 1:20:05] } 10... fxe6 { [%eval 0.3] } { We arrive at one of the most standard structures in the Italian. Black's idea is to target the f2 pawn and put all of his resources on the f-file. Meanwhile, white usually either plays on the queenside with b4-b5 ideas or breaks through in the center with d4 at an appropriate time. } { [%clk 1:26:27] } 11. Nbd2 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 1:17:23] } 11... Nh5 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 1:23:44] } 12. Nf1 { [%eval 0.09] [%clk 1:15:18] } 12... Nf4 { [%eval 0.09] [%clk 1:21:25] } 13. Bxf4 { [%eval 0.03] [%clk 1:12:29] } (13. b4 { It was also possible to ignore the knight on f4 and start pushing on the queenside. }) 13... Rxf4 { [%eval 0.05] [%clk 1:21:49] } 14. g3 { [%eval 0.05] [%clk 1:02:01] } 14... Rf7 { [%eval 0.01] [%clk 1:19:16] } 15. Kg2 { [%eval 0.0] [%clk 1:00:18] } 15... Qd7 { [%eval 0.12] [%clk 1:18:23] } 16. N1h2 { [%eval 0.19] } { I had seen this idea in some games some time ago and I liked it quite a bit. Black's entire plan is to put pressure on the f-file and these connecting knights make it almost impossible to do so. The bad news is that my knight is a little stuck on h2 with no real purpose in the game. } { [%clk 0:59:27] } 16... Raf8 { [%eval 0.17] [%clk 1:16:23] } (16... a5!? { I think this move is worth a mention because it stops my entire idea of taking space on the queenside. I don't have a clear plan right now. }) 17. b4 { [%eval 0.18] [%clk 0:57:56] } 17... a5 { [%eval 0.55] [%clk 1:14:33] } 18. b5 { [%eval 0.44] [%clk 0:55:35] } 18... Nb8 { [%eval 0.54] } { My opponent wants to reroute his knight to d7, but the idea is quite slow. } { [%clk 1:14:13] } 19. d4 { [%eval 0.4] [%clk 0:51:55] } 19... exd4 { [%eval 0.58] [%clk 1:13:43] } (19... Qe7 { It is worth mentioning that he was not forced to take on d4 and he could have simply proceeded with his plan of putting the knight on d7. } 20. dxe5 dxe5 { Black will play Bc5-Bd6 followed by Nd7 and b6 and have a comfortable position. }) 20. cxd4 { [%eval 0.56] [%clk 0:52:16] } 20... Qe7 { [%eval 0.75] [%clk 1:14:05] } 21. Rc1 { [%eval 0.65] [%clk 0:45:36] } 21... Bb6 { [%eval 0.87] [%clk 1:14:19] } 22. e5 { [%eval 0.87] } 22... Nd7 { [%eval 0.75] [%clk 1:03:44] } (22... d5 { This was an option that I was calculating during the game but i think it's too slow for black nad there's no easy way to reactive the dark squared bishop. }) 23. exd6 { [%eval 0.82] [%clk 0:42:51] } 23... Qxd6 { [%eval 0.79] } 24. Qb3 { [%eval 0.86] } 24... Qd5 { [%eval 0.84] } 25. Rc3! { [%eval 0.87] } { An important move to keep the structure favorable for white in the endgame with the weak e6 pawn. } (25. Qxd5 exd5 26. Rc2 { This was also a decent option but black's pawn structure is an improved version of the endgame that I went into in the game. }) 25... Nf6 { [%eval 0.81] } 26. Rxe6 { [%eval 0.97] [%clk 0:30:17] } 26... Qxb3 { [%eval 0.87] [%clk 0:54:03] } 27. Rxb3 { [%eval 0.9] [%clk 0:30:43] } 27... Rd7 { [%eval 1.01] [%clk 0:51:45] } 28. Rc3 { [%eval 1.09] [%clk 0:25:38] } 28... Nd5 { [%eval 1.51] [%clk 0:47:43] } 29. Rc4 { [%eval 1.43] [%clk 0:24:39] } 29... Ba7 { [%eval 1.78] [%clk 0:44:57] } 30. Rc2 { [%eval 1.21] [%clk 0:20:05] } 30... Nb6?! { [%eval 1.92] [%clk 0:41:37] } (30... Nb4 { Would have been a more annoying move to deal with. }) 31. Ra2 { [%eval 1.66] [%clk 0:20:00] } 31... Nc4 { [%eval 1.91] [%clk 0:41:53] } 32. Ng4 { [%eval 1.91] [%clk 0:16:10] } 32... Bxd4 { [%eval 2.43] [%clk 0:25:54] } 33. Rc2?! { [%eval 1.59] [%clk 0:15:37] } (33. Re4! Rfd8 34. Rae2! { A strong idea that I didn't see during the game. White's plan here is to play Ng5 which threatens Ne6 and Re8+. Surprisingly, there is nothing that black can do about it. } 34... h5 35. Ngh2 Nb6 36. Ng5 $18) 33... Na3 { [%eval 2.21] [%clk 0:26:11] } 34. Rd2 { [%eval 2.09] [%clk 0:07:53] } 34... Rfd8 { [%eval 1.89] [%clk 0:26:31] } 35. Rxd4? { [%eval 0.42] } { Missing another chance that would have led to a winning position. } { [%clk 0:04:53] } (35. Nge5 Bxe5 36. Rxd7 Rxd7 37. Nxe5 Rd8 38. Re7 Rc8 { I saw up to this move when calculating this line during the game, and for some reason I rejected it after not seeing a concrete way to move on from here. However, the fact that there isn't anything concrete doesn't mean that it isn't good for white. Black's knight is completely out of play and his rook is stuck on c8. } 39. Rd7 $18) 35... Rxd4 { [%eval 0.41] [%clk 0:26:53] } 36. Nxd4 { [%eval 0.37] [%clk 0:05:21] } 36... Rxd4 { [%eval 0.41] [%clk 0:27:14] } 37. Re8+ { [%eval 0.42] [%clk 0:05:08] } 37... Kf7 { [%eval 0.39] [%clk 0:27:36] } 38. Rc8 { [%eval 0.38] [%clk 0:05:32] } 38... Rxa4 { [%eval 0.35] [%clk 0:27:49] } 39. Rxc7+ { [%eval 0.45] [%clk 0:05:58] } 39... Kf8 { [%eval 0.35] [%clk 0:28:13] } 40. Rxb7 { [%eval 0.19] } { While white is only slightly better here, there are still many ways for black to go wrong. } { [%clk 0:05:40] } 40... Rb4 { [%eval 0.17] [%clk 0:28:37] } 41. b6 { [%eval 0.25] [%clk 0:05:46] } 41... Nc4 { [%eval 0.22] [%clk 0:28:57] } 42. Rb8+ { [%eval 0.26] [%clk 0:05:34] } 42... Kf7?? { [%eval 3.76] } { The losing mistake. Like I said, black still needed to be careful in this endgame. } { [%clk 0:28:50] } (42... Ke7 43. b7 Nd6 44. Ne5 Rxb7 45. Ra8 $14 { And I would have continued pushing for a win in a 3 vs 2 endgame but the chances of me winning this against a Grandmaster aren't that high. }) 43. b7 { [%eval 3.71] [%clk 0:04:59] } 43... h5 { [%eval 4.17] [%clk 0:16:13] } 44. Nh6+!! { [%eval 3.73] [%clk 0:03:18] } 44... Kg6 { [%eval 3.8] [%clk 0:15:33] } (44... gxh6 45. Rh8 Rxb7 46. Rh7+ Kg6 47. Rxb7 $18) 45. Nf5! { [%eval 3.73] } { Another precise move! A sample line goes: } { [%clk 0:03:27] } 45... Ne5 { [%eval 3.69] [%clk 0:05:59] } (45... a4 46. Rc8 Rxb7 47. Nh4+ Kf6 48. Rxc4 $18) (45... Kxf5 46. Rf8+ Ke4 47. b8=Q Rxb8 48. Rxb8 { During the game I was a little worried that black might have some counterplay with the active king, but I am just winning here. }) 46. Nd6 { [%eval 4.25] [%clk 0:03:17] } 46... Rb6 { [%eval 4.93] [%clk 0:04:36] } 47. Rd8 { [%eval 4.91] [%clk 0:03:05] } 47... Nc6 { [%eval 5.1] [%clk 0:04:53] } 48. Rc8 { [%eval 4.98] [%clk 0:03:28] } 1-0