[Event "2023 USATE"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/nQB7ckiZ/0FAHcwPA"] [Date "2023.02.20"] [Round "5"] [White "Nicholson, Ian"] [Black "Parasara Ramanujam, Harrish Vijay"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1903"] [BlackElo "1925"] [Annotator "Nicholson, Ian"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E70"] [Opening "King's Indian Defense: Kramer Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/nQB7ckiZ/0FAHcwPA"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by Ian Nicholson } 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nge2 O-O 6. Ng3 c5 7. d5 e6 8. Be2 exd5 9. cxd5 Re8 10. f3 (10. O-O { is slightly more accurate, as the e4-pawn is already well-protected and this would have saved a tempo in plans involving f2-f4. }) 10... a6 11. a4 Nbd7 12. Be3 (12. O-O { Again, I should have castled since after black goes ...h7-h5, Bc1-g5 is a good option. }) 12... Qc7 13. O-O h5 14. Qd2 Ne5 15. Rfc1 { I wanted to put pressure along the c-file with a move like b2-b4 but likely used the wrong rook. My plan was to keep the a-rook at home to play a4-a5 myself, but Ra1-b1 to play b2-b4 quickly was more accurate, as was Ra1-c1. With the text move, I also unnecessarily commit myself to the queenside when I still have possibilities with f2-f4 on the kingside. } (15. h3 { This line would have been quite strong and given White a better position. The idea is to play f2-f4 and prepare ideas with e4-e5 and f4-f5 or just to take space with Be2-f3. } 15... h4 16. Nh1 Nh7 17. f4 Nd7 18. Nf2 $16) 15... Qe7 16. a5 { A good move taking the outpost, however it also shows why I should have kept my other rook on the f-file; the essence of these Samisch lines against the King's Indian Defense is to play on both sides. } 16... Nh7 17. Re1 h4 18. Nh1 { Although Black's ...h5-h4 pushes the knight to the corner temporarily, in reality it will be quite useful on f2, as it supports the center. } 18... f5 { Black's first real challenge to white's spatial authority. } 19. Nf2 fxe4 20. Ncxe4 Bf5 21. Rac1 { Although white definitely has an edge, this advantage would have been much greater without the needless shuffling of the rooks on the back rank. } 21... Rac8 22. Kh1 { A quiet yet very helpful move. Black's ideas of ...h4-h3 and weakening the f3-pawn now no longer pose as much of a threat. I also sensed that Black did not know what to do, so my thinking was basically to make him think and spend time as he only had 15 minutes to play 19 moves. } 22... Nf7 23. Bd1 (23. Bc4 Qd7 24. b3 Ne5 25. Be2 { This would have been a strong way to create a total blockade. }) 23... Qd7 24. Ra1 Rf8 25. Ba4 Qd8 26. Rac1 { Not the best, as I let him play ...b7-b5, which lessens my advantage. Stronger was h2-h3, with the idea of running him out of constructive ideas. } 26... b5 27. Bb3 (27. axb6 Qxb6 28. Re2 Rb8 29. b3 $14 { The reason I did not take en passant was because I did not want to give him a clear target given the practical circumstances, but, objectively, it was better than the continuation in the game. }) 27... Re8 (27... c4 28. Ba2 Ne5 { This was perhaps Black's only chance to get a slight advantage, but he now was under five minutes, making it difficult for him to play sound moves. }) 28. g4 { A move that does not change the evaluation but contributed to my goal of creating confusion. While an engine would try to take advantage of the f3-pawn, against a player who has to make 13 moves in under 3 minutes the thought of an open h-file and losing one's space is quite daunting. } 28... hxg3 29. hxg3 Ne5 30. Kg2 c4 31. Bc2 Nf7? { A critical mistake. Now White can seize the initiative. } (31... c3 32. bxc3 Nc4 33. Qd3 Nxe3+ 34. Qxe3 Bxc3 35. Re2 Qxa5 36. Rh1 { This was Black's best opportunity, but it's unclear at best. }) 32. Bb1 Be5 33. f4 Bg7 34. g4 Bxe4+ 35. Bxe4 g5 36. Bf5 Rb8 { Now it would be fair to say that White is winning. } 37. Qc2 Nf8 38. Ne4 gxf4 39. Bxf4 Ne5 40. Ng5 (40. Bg5 Qxa5 41. Nf6+ Bxf6 42. Bxf6 Rb7 43. Rh1) 40... Nfg6 (40... Nd3 { could have bought a bit more time, but White still has a huge advantage. }) 41. Bxg6 { This is where all of the chaos boils down into a blunder and he resigned. A main takeaway I got from this game was the importance of practical decision-making, meaning that although at times I made the third or fourth best move, these moves created issues that black was not able to deal with because of his time. Having the open h-file ended up being crucial, while my king being on h1 instead of g1 saved me from dealing with the weak f3-pawn. } 1-0