[Event "1000GM Winter GM/IM Invitational 2024"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/sZBlQ3aL/I0AjxRjw"] [Date "2024.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Hardaway, Brewington"] [Black "Mardov, Dimitar"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2428"] [BlackElo "2453"] [Annotator "Ostrovskiy, Aleksandr"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C84"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Closed, Martinez Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/sZBlQ3aL/I0AjxRjw"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 { The historic and renowned Ruy Lopez has a large body of theory from countless top-level debates. While the main line of 6. Re1 aims for a quick and classical setup with c2-c3 and d2-d4, Brewington opts for a slower approach with 6. d3. While an eventual d3-d4 push isn't ruled out, White retains some flexibility in this setup. } 6... b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 (8. a3 { [%cal Gb1c3,Gc3d5] }) (8. c3 { [%cal Gb1d2,Gf1e1] }) 8... Bd7 9. c3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 { Dimitar adopts the well-known Chigorin setup with a knight on a5 and pawns on b5 and c5 to stake claim to central and queenside space. } 11. Re1 O-O 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. h3 (13. Nf1 { This standard knight maneuver has been the most popular choice in practice. The position is balanced with a long, maneuvering game ahead. } { [%csl Rd5,Rf5][%cal Gf1g3] } 13... h6 14. Bd2 { , for example, was seen in a recent high-level rapid encounter. } 14... Bf8 15. Ne3 c4 16. axb5 axb5 17. Qe2 cxd3 18. Qxd3 Qc7 19. b4 Nc4 20. Nxc4 bxc4 21. Qe2 { Vachier-Lagrave – Caruana, Toronto, 2023. }) 13... h6 14. Nf1 Bf8 15. d4 { It was possible to keep improving the white pieces with Nf1-g3 and Bc1-d2, but Brewington decides to initiate the action in the center. } 15... cxd4 16. cxd4 exd4 { Dimitar opts for central clarification for a more fluid game. The alternative of keeping the tension would give White the option of pushing d4-d5 with extra space. } 17. axb5 axb5 18. Nxd4 { Black has a weakness on d6 but this is not an uncommon occurrence in the Ruy. Typically active piece play from Black will prevent White from meaningfully targeting the pawn. } { [%csl Rd6] } 18... Qc7 19. Ng3 (19. b3! $14 { This would have been a strong prophylactic decision. The knight on a5 is often a problem piece for Black; a knight on the rim is grim! The dark-squared bishop would also stand strongly on b2 and White can start dreaming of a kingside attack with Nf1-g3-f5 in the future. } { [%csl Ra5][%cal Ra5c4,Gc1b2,Gb2h8,Yf1g3] }) 19... Rac8 20. Bf4 Nc4! 21. b3 Ne5 { Dimitar correctly re-reroutes the offside knight to the center. } 22. Rc1 g6 { This decision looks logical to me as Dimitar was preventing any invasions on f5 with either knight. However, the slight movement of the kingside pawns turns out to be a weakness after Brewington's alert response. } 23. Be3! { Suddenly the idea of f2-f4 is uncomfortable as Black's pieces are driven backwards. } { [%cal Rf2f4] } 23... Qb8 24. Qd2 { [%csl Rh6] } 24... Kh7 { [%cal Yc2h7] } 25. f4 Nc6 26. Nxc6 Bxc6 27. Bd4 Bg7 28. Rcd1 { Now the ramifications of the ... g7-g6 push are clear as Black's king is under fire from White's powerful bishops. The potential breaks of e4-e5 and f4-f5 are hanging over Black's head and the d6-pawn remains a cause of concern as well. } { [%csl Rd6][%cal Re4e5,Rf4f5,Gd4h8,Gc2h7] } 28... Qb7 29. e5 { [%cal Rc2h7] } 29... dxe5 30. fxe5 Nd7 31. e6 (31. Nh5! { Going after Black's dark-squared bishop would have chronically weakened the king's defences. The tactical point is revealed after } { [%cal Rh5g7] } 31... Bxe5? 32. Rxe5! Rxe5 33. Qf4! { I think this variation is what Brewington may have missed. } { [%cal Rf4f7,Rf4e5] } 33... Re7 34. Be3 $18 { The funnier 34. Bg7!? "reverse fianchetto" would have also won } { [%csl Rh6] } (34. Bg7!? $18)) 31... Nf6? { Dimitar tries to keep the kingside secure but Brewington's bishops are too strong. } (31... Bxd4+ 32. Qxd4 Rxe6 33. Rxe6 fxe6 { While Black's king looks to be in trouble, the engines do not suggest any winning blow and claim equality. } { [%cal Rd4h8,Rc2h7] }) 32. Qf2 Bxg2 33. Bxf6 Bxf6 34. Rd7 Rc7 35. Rxc7 (35. Bxg6+! { would have been a fitting ending to Brewington's power play. } 35... Kxg6 36. Qf5+ Kg7 37. Nh5+ Kf8 38. Qxf6 { with forced mate to follow such as } 38... Rxd7 39. e7+ Rdxe7 40. Qh8#) 35... Qxc7 36. Kxg2 $18 { With an extra piece, the game enters the conversion phase. Of course White is winning, but there are slight practical considerations of the open king and reduced amount of pawns. } 36... Kg7 37. Bd3 Qc6+ 38. Qf3 Qa6 39. Qg4 Qc6+ 40. Be4 Qxe6 41. Nh5+ Kf8 42. Qxe6 Rxe6 43. Nxf6 Rxf6 44. Bd3 b4 45. Re4 Rb6 46. Kf3 f5 47. Re5 Kf7 48. h4 Kf6 49. Rd5 Rc6 50. Bc4 g5 { Dimitar fights on as best he can and starts creating counterplay with his only resource, the kingside pawns! } 51. h5 Re6 52. Rd4 Rc6 53. Ke3 Rb6 54. Rd7 Rc6 55. Rb7 Rd6 56. Rxb4 g4 57. Rb5 Kg5 58. Bd3 Kxh5 59. Rxf5+ Kh4 60. Rf1 Rb6 61. Kf4 Kh3 62. Be4 Rf6+ 63. Bf5 Kg2 64. Rb1 g3 65. b4?? { Dimitar's resilience pays off as the advanced pawn will give him enough counterplay to win Brewington's last pawn. } (65. Rb2+ { It was important to play this first as to prevent ... Kg2-h2 followed by ... g3-g2. For example } 65... Kf1 66. Ke5 Rf8 67. b4 $18 { [%cal Gb4b8,Gf5h3] }) 65... Kh2 66. Ke5 Rb6 67. Be4 g2 68. Rb2 Rxb4! 69. Rxg2+ Kh3 { Entering the notorious rook-and-bishop versus rook endgame. It is a known theoretical draw but many masters have failed to hold it, and many masters have failed to win it as well! An interesting note is that Brewington reached the same endgame at the previous NY GM event in November against IM Alexander Katz. That game ended in a draw after the players made mutual mistakes in time trouble with the evaluation swinging between a win and a draw. Would history repeat itself for Brewington? } 70. Rg6 Rb8 71. Kf4 Rf8+ 72. Bf5+ Kh2 73. Ra6 { Brewington refrains from capturing on h6 immediately because he wants to extend the "50 Move rule." } 73... Kg2 74. Ra2+ Kf1 75. Ke4 h5 76. Bd7 h4 77. Ke3 Kg1 78. Ra4 Rf7 79. Rg4+ Kh2 80. Rxh4+ { Finally the pawn is gone. White has until move 130 to checkmate or win material before it is legally a draw. Although the current position is a draw, Black doesn't have the best configuration since the King is already stuck on the edge. } 80... Kg3 81. Rg4+ Kh2 82. Be6 Rf6 83. Bd5 Kh3 84. Rg7 Kh4 85. Bf3 Ra6 86. Rg4+ Kh3 87. Rg5 Kh4 88. Rg1 Rb6 89. Rg8 Ra6 90. Be2 Rf6 91. Rg4+ Kh3 92. Bf3 Ra6 93. Rg1 Kh4 94. Ke4 Rf6 95. Bg4 Ra6 96. Bd7 Kh5 97. Kf5 Kh4 98. Kf4 Kh5 99. Rg8 Kh6 100. Bf5 Rb6 101. Ke5 Kh5 102. Be6 Kh4 103. Rg4+ Kh5 104. Rg1 Kh4 105. Kf6 Rb4 106. Rg8 Ra4 107. Bd7 Rb4 108. Rg7 Rc4 109. Bf5 Rb4 110. Ke5 Kh5 111. Be4 Kh6?? 112. Rg6+ Kh5 113. Rg1?? (113. Kf5! { is the only winning move, although just barely since the 50 move rule is around the corner! } 113... Rxe4 114. Rg8 { [%cal Rf5e4,Rg8h8] }) 113... Kh6 114. Rg2 Ra4 115. Bd3 (115. Rg6+! Kh5 116. Kf5 { According to tablebases this is a winning position, but White will not be in time before move130! }) 115... Rb4 116. Rg6+ Kh5 117. Kf5 Kh4 (117... Rb2) 118. Be4 Kh5 119. Ra6 Rc4?? (119... Rb5+ 120. Kf4 Kh4 { Black would still be losing, but with optimal play White can't force a win before the 50 move rule is up. Dramatic! }) 120. Kf4 Rb4 121. Ra1 Kh6 122. Ra7 { Just in time as Black is forced to give up the rook to avoid mate (temporarily)! Brewington played a strong and clean opening/middlegame but, after missing the decisive blows, Dimitar was able to fight back to a theoretically drawn endgame. Nevertheless Brewington showed determination to grind out the 120+ move win. Throughout the event his fighting spirit was rewarded as he was able to continuously score points from unfavorable positions. } 1-0