[Event "13th World Teams Pool B"] [Site "Jerusalem ISR"] [Date "2022.11.20"] [Round "2.2"] [White "Niemann, Hans Moke"] [Black "Mamedyarov, S."] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2699"] [WhiteTeam "United States"] [BlackElo "2741"] [BlackTeam "Azerbaijan"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C80"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Open, Bernstein Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/rflcZzaJ/b3gz0Wpm"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. Qe2 { White opts for a very rare sideline. } (10. c3 { This is almost universally played. } 10... Be7 11. Bc2 d4 12. Nb3 d3 13. Bb1 Nxb3 14. axb3 Bf5 15. Be3 O-O 16. Bd4 Qd5 17. Re1 Rfd8 $10) 10... g6 { Black immediately shoots back with a deviation of his own. } (10... Be7 11. Rd1 O-O 12. c3 f6 { Kovalev, Vl - Sevian, Samuel, 0-1, Chess.com RCC Wk23 Swiss, 2022, https://lichess.org/ndyaFaSu }) 11. c3 Bg7 12. Nd4 { A bold sacrifice, and a correct one! } 12... Nxe5 13. f4 Ned3 14. f5 Nxc1 (14... gxf5 15. Nxf5 O-O 16. Nxg7 Kxg7 17. Bc2 Nxc1 18. Raxc1 Qd6 19. Qh5 { White has more than adequate compensation here, as well. }) 15. Raxc1 gxf5 16. Nxf5 Bf6 17. Bc2 Nd7 18. Nd4 (18. Kh1! { A useful finesse: delaying Black's ability to play ...Qd8-e7, as well as ensuring that any capture on d4 will not come with check. } 18... h5 (18... Qb8 19. Nd4 { At least now, after } 19... Bxd4 20. cxd4 Qb6 { the pressure on d4 is less urgent. }) 19. Rce1 { As long as Black can play ...Qd8-e7, White can continue to find improving moves. } 19... Rb8 20. Nf3 Rb6 21. Qd2 Kf8 22. N3d4 { And a knight will stay on d4. }) 18... Qe7 19. Rce1 Bxd4+ 20. cxd4 O-O-O 21. Nb3 Qd6 22. a4 bxa4 23. Na5 Qb6 (23... Nc5 { Much flashier, and also sound, as the a5-knight is hanging with check after White captures the knight on c5. }) 24. Qd2 Rdg8 25. Bxa4 Rg4 26. Nc6 Nb8 27. h3 Nxc6! { An excellent practical decision that also happens to be objectively correct. } 28. hxg4 Nxd4 29. Qe3 Rg8 30. Bd1 Bxg4 31. Rf2 Bxd1 32. Rxd1 Rg4 { With three pawns for the exchange and such a powerful knight, Black's position is much easier to play. } 33. Rd3 Re4 34. Qh3+ Kb7 35. Re3 f5 36. Kh1 Nb5 37. Rxe4 fxe4 { Black is now simply winning thanks to his well-placed knight, who can quickly reach the key square on the back rank. } 38. Rf8 Nd6 39. Qxh7 Qxb2 40. Qg8 Qa1+ 41. Kh2 Qe5+ 42. Qg3 Qh5+ 43. Kg1 Qd1+ 44. Kh2 Qh5+ 45. Kg1 d4 46. Rf1 Qc5 47. Rb1+ Ka7 48. Qf2 Nb5 49. Ra1 Nc3 50. g4 e3 51. Qf6 Qc4 52. Qe5 e2 53. g5 d3 54. Qe3+ Kb7 55. Qf3+ Ne4 56. Rb1+ Kc6 57. Qf8 Qc5+ { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1