[Event "US Masters 2024"] [Site "Charlotte"] [Date "2024.11.29"] [Round "04"] [White "Bortnyk, Olexandr"] [Black "Heimann, Mark"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2603"] [BlackElo "2459"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B40"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: French Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [StudyName "2024 US Masters"] [ChapterName "Bortnyk, Olexandr - Heimann, Mark"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/p6WHvngL/4Wcy2Z6F"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:30:56] } 1... c5 { [%clk 1:29:35] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:28:56] } 2... e6 { [%clk 1:29:56] } 3. Nc3 { [%clk 1:28:57] } 3... Nc6 { [%clk 1:30:21] } 4. g3 { [%clk 1:29:22] } 4... Qb6!? { A rare move takes the players out of book early on. } { [%clk 1:29:51] } 5. Bg2 { [%clk 1:28:52] } 5... d6 { [%clk 1:29:41] } 6. d3 { [%clk 1:28:44] } 6... Nf6 { [%clk 1:26:56] } 7. O-O { [%clk 1:27:52] } 7... Be7 { [%clk 1:27:13] } 8. Kh1 { [%clk 1:24:31] } 8... Rb8 { Black intends ... b7-b5 after moving the queen back to the c7-square, arguing that the threat of the queen on the g1-a7 diagonal, provoking Kg1-h1, makes ideas of ... h7-h5 more pressing. } { [%clk 1:19:42] } 9. Nd2 { [%clk 1:19:49] } 9... h5 { [%clk 1:16:43] } 10. h3 { [%clk 1:18:31] } 10... Qc7 { [%clk 1:16:00] } 11. f4 { [%clk 1:16:51] } 11... b5 { [%clk 1:16:04] } 12. a4 { White asks the first question of the game by challenging Black's control of the b5-square. } { [%clk 1:13:07] } 12... b4!? { Black allows Nc3-b5, with Nd2-c4 likely to follow. This gives White a slight advantage objectively, but practically leads to massive complications that were perhaps unnecessary. } { [%clk 1:11:38] } (12... a6 { Black did not want to give White's rook the a-file by allowing a trade of b-pawns. But after } 13. axb5 axb5 { , Black threatens ... b5-b4 without Nc3-b5 being possible. } 14. f5 { White switches to the kingside, as now Nc3-e2 helps re-route the knight to the right part of the board. } 14... b4 15. Ne2 exf5!? { Black can play for ... d6-d5 now that White's e2-knight is neither covering the d5-square nor ready to have played Ng3xf5. } 16. exf5 d5 $15 { Black's control of the center more than compensates for White's control of the a-file. }) 13. Nb5 { [%clk 1:12:57] } 13... Qd7 { [%clk 1:10:05] } 14. e5 { [%clk 1:13:11] } 14... dxe5 { [%clk 1:09:38] } 15. Nc4 { [%clk 1:13:38] } 15... a6 { White's 15. Nc4 was played instantly, but Black took four minutes to reply. Some of this might have been double-checking, but it's also possible that this intermezzo was not what Black had expected with 12. ... b4. } { [%clk 1:05:39] } 16. fxe5 { [%clk 1:13:40] } 16... axb5 { [%clk 1:06:04] } 17. axb5 { [%clk 1:13:20] } 17... Rxb5 { [%clk 1:04:52] } 18. exf6 { [%clk 1:13:33] } 18... gxf6 { Necessary. Now, White manages to actually use the a-file! } { [%clk 0:57:38] } (18... Bxf6?? 19. Rxf6! gxf6 20. Qf3 $18 { The double attack on the f6-pawn and the c6-knight means White infiltrates completely. }) 19. Ra8 { [%clk 1:13:53] } 19... Kf8!? { The human move, removing the check from future Bg2xc6 ideas while preparing the pin-breaking ... Kf8-g7. } { [%clk 0:54:11] } (19... Qb7 { Apparently, the best defense was walking into the pin! The engine gives a fantastical variation that it is hard to believe ends in equality, and is practically unhelpful for us: } 20. Rxc8+ Qxc8 21. Rxf6 { [%cal Gc4d6] } 21... Na5 22. Qf1 Rf8 23. Ne5 c4 24. Nxf7 c3 25. b3 Nc6 26. Bh6 Rg8) 20. Bg5! { White begins a furious attack. } { [%clk 1:06:20] } 20... f5!? { A testing defense. } { [%clk 0:42:17] } (20... Nd8!? { This was better, although } 21. Rxf6! { keeps an advantage: } 21... Kg7 22. Qf3 Bb7 23. Qf4 e5 24. Qh4 Qd4 25. Bh6+ $16 { Also unacceptable was }) (20... fxg5? 21. Qf3 Nd8 { The only way to defend the f7-pawn and the c6-knight , but it allows } 22. Ne5 $18 { when the queen cannot defend the c8-bishop and the f7-pawn. }) 21. Bxc6? { White errs after 17 minutes of furious calculation. } { [%clk 0:49:19] } (21. Qf3! { despite the hanging g5-bishop, this was still the best move. The idea has to do with the hanging b5-rook leaving Black's queen overloaded after, e.g., } 21... Bxg5 22. Qxc6 { when the b5-rook and c8-bishop are both hit, meaning that } 22... Kg7 { or } (22... Qxc6 23. Bxc6 { leaves Black unable to defend the b5-rook, and } 23... Kg7 { fails to } 24. Rxc8! (24. Bxb5?? Bb7+ $19) 24... Rxc8 25. Bxb5 $18) 23. Rxc8! $18) 21... Qxc6+ { White has lost the motif of hitting the b5-rook, and Black is now able to untangle. } { [%clk 0:42:28] } 22. Qf3 { [%clk 0:49:48] } 22... Qd7 { Threatening ... Kf8-g7 and ... Bc8-b7 with counterplay. } { [%clk 0:33:54] } 23. Ne5 { [%clk 0:16:00] } 23... Qc7 { [%clk 0:34:02] } 24. Rfa1?! { White is not interested in struggling for a draw in a pawn-down endgame, and goes "all-in" on the attack: } { [%clk 0:07:50] } (24. Qc6 { was best, forcing a queen trade with } 24... Qxc6+ 25. Nxc6 { when } 25... Bxg5 26. Rxc8+ Kg7 27. Rxh8 Kxh8 $15 { leaves White pawn-down and fighting for a draw. }) 24... Kg7! { Black's king is not exactly safe on the g-file, but it's safer here than on the back rank! As it turns out, the king is also just safe enough! } { [%clk 0:31:26] } 25. Rxc8 { White deflects the h8-rook in order to play Qf3xh5. } { [%clk 0:08:04] } 25... Rxc8 { [%clk 0:30:30] } (25... Qxc8?? 26. Bxe7 { was the point }) 26. Qxh5 { [%clk 0:08:30] } 26... Qxe5 { [%clk 0:28:08] } 27. Bxe7 { [%clk 0:08:17] } (27. Qh6+ Kg8 28. Bxe7 Qh8 $19 { made use of the same ideas. }) 27... Kg8! { The king returns the back rank, allowing ... Qe5-h8! to solve the defensive issues. } { [%clk 0:23:24] } 28. Qh4 { [%clk 0:05:40] } 28... Qh8! { [%clk 0:22:15] } 29. Qg5+ { [%clk 0:06:07] } 29... Qg7 { [%clk 0:22:42] } 30. Qh4 { [%clk 0:06:34] } 30... Qh7 { The queen maneuvers to the g6-square. } { [%clk 0:23:02] } 31. Qg5+ { [%clk 0:06:37] } 31... Qg6 { [%clk 0:23:28] } 32. Qh4 { [%clk 0:04:59] } 32... Kg7! { With the queen safely guarding against Qh4-g5+, the king returns to the g7-square and Black prepares ... Rc8-h8! } { [%clk 0:23:12] } 33. Bd6 { [%clk 0:04:59] } 33... Rb7 { A necessary defensive move, preparing to meet Bd6-e5+ with ... f7-f6 as the seventh rank is covered. } { [%clk 0:21:28] } (33... Rb6?? 34. Be5+ f6 35. Ra7+ $18) 34. Kg2 { [%clk 0:04:22] } 34... Qh6 { [%clk 0:15:37] } 35. Qc4 { [%clk 0:04:47] } 35... Qe3 { [%clk 0:14:40] } 36. Qa6 { Black's rooks lack squares to defend each other due to White's dark-squared dominance. Can you see how Black solves this issue without returning the Exchange? } { [%clk 0:03:42] } 36... Qe2+ { Black wrestles control of the f3-square by force. } { [%clk 0:14:44] } 37. Kg1 { [%clk 0:04:08] } 37... Qf3 { [%clk 0:14:45] } 38. Be5+ { [%clk 0:03:12] } 38... Kg6 { [%clk 0:14:25] } 39. Rf1 { [%clk 0:02:50] } 39... Qd5 { Black has finally shut out the last of White's attacking chances and is purely up an Exchange. } { [%clk 0:14:12] } 40. Bf4 { [%clk 0:02:04] } 40... c4 { Now, the rooks come to life. } { [%clk 0:12:39] } 41. Re1 { [%clk 0:02:03] } 41... cxd3 { [%clk 0:12:47] } 42. Re5 { [%clk 0:00:54] } 42... Qc6 { [%clk 0:10:54] } 43. Qxd3 { [%clk 0:01:00] } 43... Rd7 { [%clk 0:10:09] } 44. Qe2 { [%clk 0:01:23] } 44... Qc4 $19 { [%clk 0:06:57] } 45. h4 { [%clk 0:00:45] } 45... Qd4+ { [%clk 0:06:38] } 46. Kh2 { [%clk 0:00:59] } 46... Qc4 { [%clk 0:05:15] } 47. Qf2 { [%clk 0:01:12] } 47... Qxc2 { [%clk 0:05:26] } 48. Re2 { [%clk 0:01:39] } 48... b3 { [%clk 0:05:18] } 49. Kh3 { [%clk 0:01:27] } 49... Qd1 { [%clk 0:05:02] } 50. g4 { [%clk 0:00:59] } 50... fxg4+ { [%clk 0:04:49] } 51. Kg3 { [%clk 0:01:16] } 51... Rc2 { [%clk 0:04:09] } 52. h5+ { [%clk 0:01:02] } 52... Kh7 { [%clk 0:04:33] } 53. Rxc2 { [%clk 0:01:25] } 53... bxc2 { White resigned. } { [%clk 0:04:47] } 0-1