[Event "2023 World Junior Championship"] [Site "Mexico City"] [Date "2023.09.22"] [White "Hans Moke NIEMANN"] [Black "Andy WOODWARD"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2667"] [BlackElo "2480"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A15"] [Opening "English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Anti-Anti-Grünfeld"] [StudyName "2023 World Junior Chess Championships"] [ChapterName "Hans Moke NIEMANN - Andy WOODWARD"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/qVDCzUiI/EyI0wDmZ"] [Orientation "white"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 e5!? { An uncommon, but by no means unheard-of, gambit that has been played by Russian greats such as Nepomniachtchi, Grischuk, and even Kasparov! } 5. Nxe5 O-O 6. Nf3 Re8 7. d3 d5 { So far, still the main continuation. } 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Bd2 (9. Nxd5 { has also been tried, although White scores better in the game line. }) 9... Bg4 10. Be2 Nb4 (10... Bxf3 11. gxf3 Nb4 12. Be3 N8c6 { transposes }) 11. Be3 Bxf3 12. gxf3 N8c6 { The first decision point for Niemann. } 13. h4 { A core idea in this opening, although it has been more often tried after a2-a3. } (13. a3 Na6 14. h4 { would be another way to essay the same idea. } (14. Nb5 { is more precise. } 14... Nd4 15. Nxd4 Bxd4 16. h4 Nc5 17. f4 Ne6 18. Qd2 Bg7 19. h5 { with a lasting attak that White managed to convert into a win in 36 moves in Indjic – Djukic, Ohrid, 2023. }) 14... Nd4 15. Rc1 Nc5 16. Nd5!? Nce6! 17. Kf1 c6 (17... Qd6! $17 { Woodward's idea, covering the f4-square and thus preparing ...c7-c6, would be much stronger. }) 18. Nf4 Nxf4 19. Bxf4 Qd7 20. h5 Ne6 21. Qd2 Nxf4 22. Qxf4 Bxb2 23. Rb1 Bg7 24. hxg6 hxg6 25. Kg2 { with an equal game, although White won on move 43 in Pechac – Tomczak, Poland, 2023. }) 13... Nd4 14. Rc1 Qd6 $146 (14... c5 { was tried last year: } 15. a3 Nbc6 16. h5 Ne6?! 17. hxg6 hxg6 18. f4 $16 { with a big attack. White won on move 49 in Krassowizkij – Zuferi, Eberstadt, 2022. }) 15. a3 Na6 16. f4 Rad8 17. b4 c5 { The point of Black's 14th and 15th moves was to prepare this counterstrike. } 18. e5 Qe7 19. b5 Nc7 20. Qa4 Qe6 21. Bd1?! (21. Qxa7 { The pawn was not poisoned. After } 21... Nxe2 22. Nxe2 Qd5 23. Ng3 Nxb5 24. Qxc5 Qxd3 25. Qc4 Qxc4 26. Rxc4 Nxa3 27. Rc7 b5 28. Ne4 { White regained the pawn and can argue that Black's b-pawn might be more of a liability than a threat. Play is unclear. }) 21... Qf5 22. Qc4 Bh6 { All of Black's pieces are springing to life against White's numerous weak, fixed pawns! } 23. Ne4 Bxf4 24. Nf6+ Kg7! { Even with check, White does not have the activity to justify the Exchange. } 25. Nxe8+ Rxe8 26. Qxc5 Ncxb5?! (26... Nce6! { keeps more pressure on. Now, } 27. O-O?? Qh3 { forces mate. }) 27. O-O Rxe5! { But okay, Black clearly had an energetic idea here. Take my knights, please! } (27... Qh3?? 28. Bxf4 { is the simplest reason why Black should have prioritized keeping a knight on e6. }) 28. Bxd4 Nxd4 29. Qxd4 Bxc1 { Black is up a pawn and has the more active pieces to better coordinate with the dark-squared bishop. The endgame will only be drawish if White successfully trades off the two sets of major pieces. } 30. Re1 Bf4 31. Re4 (31. Rxe5?! Bxe5 32. Qe4 Qf6 { leaves Black with a lingering attack. }) 31... Qf6 32. h5 (32. Rxf4 { trading into a rook endgame would not offer White salvation. } 32... Re1+ 33. Kg2 Qxd4 34. Rxd4 Rxd1 35. Rd7 a5 $19) 32... Rg5+ 33. Kf1 Be5 34. Qxa7 b6! { It was imperative to cut White's queen off from returning to the kingside. } 35. Qa8 gxh5 36. Re3 Bh2 37. Re8 Rg1+ 38. Ke2 Kh6 39. Bc2 Qc3 40. Rc8 { White walks into mate, but 40. Kf3 saving the king cost an entire bishop and was equivalent to a resignation, anyways. } 40... Re1+ 41. Kf3 Qf6+ 42. Kg2 Rg1+ { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1