[Event "1000GM Winter GM/IM Invitational 2024"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/sZBlQ3aL/LEPNtZCw"] [Date "2024.01.15"] [Round "9"] [White "Ghazarian, Kirk"] [Black "Galyas, Miklos"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2432"] [BlackElo "2423"] [Annotator "Ostrovskiy, Aleksandr"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C50"] [Opening "Italian Game: Paris Defense"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/sZBlQ3aL/LEPNtZCw"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { The ninth round was a must-win game for Kirk against Hungarian GM Miklos Galyas. } 1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 d6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 g6 { GM Miklos goes for an offbeat opening that I can best describe as a comfortable Philidor for White. White has more control of the center than Black without any concessions. } 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. O-O Bg7 8. Nc3 Ne7 9. Bg5 O-O 10. Qd2 Be6 { Nevertheless, Black's play is relatively straightforward and this was likely acceptable for GM Miklos in order to get a low-theory, playable position. } 11. Bb3 Qd7 12. Rad1 { So far it is simple chess for Kirk as he completes development. } 12... f6 13. Bh6 c5 14. Ba4! { A nice idea as the a4-bishop will be disruptive to Black's coordination of the heavy pieces. } 14... Qd8 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. Rfe1 Rb8 17. b3 { [%cal Ra4e8,Gc3d5] } 17... g5?! { GM Miklos is placing all his pawns complementarily to his bishop, but the light squares are definitely creaky. } { [%csl Gc5,Gc7,Gd6,Gf6,Gg5][%cal Ye7g6] } 18. Nd5 (18. e5! { was strong here. Perhaps Kirk was not sure about the following line: } 18... dxe5 (18... fxe5?? 19. Rxe5 $18 { [%cal Re5c5,Re5g5] }) 19. Qe3 Qc8 20. Qxc5 { [%cal Rc5a7,Rc5e7] } 20... Ng6 21. Qxa7 Rb6 $16 { White has won a pawn, but the a7-queen is offsides as Black is trying to create kingside threats. } { [%csl Ra7][%cal Gg6f4] }) 18... Bxd5 19. exd5 Ng6 20. Re6 { White is dominating on the light squares but Black is hoping to hold on via the dark squares. } 20... Nf4 21. Re3 Ng6 22. g3 g4 23. h3? { A good concept from Kirk to try to open up the kingside, but not correctly timed. } 23... h5? (23... f5! $132 { [%cal Rf5f4] } 24. hxg4 f4!! { A brilliant pawn sacrifice to fight for more dark squares and try to infiltrate towards White's king. } { [%cal Gd8g5,Gg5h4] }) 24. Re6 Ne5 25. Qf4 Rh8 26. Kg2 Qf8 27. hxg4 { No doubt played in connection with the following move. } (27. h4 $18 { The engine suggests closing down the kingside. Black has a beautiful e5-knight, but must be constantly on guard for kingside threats as the e6-rook is a monster. Meanwhile the plan of breaking on the queenside with b3-b4 will create additional in-roads and Black's game will become untenable. } { [%cal Ga2a3,Gb3b4] }) 27... hxg4 28. Rxe5 { Kirk is willing to part with the exchange to get rid of the strong Knight and open up Black's King. } 28... dxe5 29. Qxg4+ Kf7 30. Qe6+ Kg7 31. d6 cxd6 32. Rxd6 { I remember when I saw this position live I was sure White was on the way to a win due to the weakness of Black's king and pawns, but the engine actually thinks Black can hold. Nevertheless it is practically difficult to play. } 32... Rd8 33. Qg4+ Kf7 34. Qc4+ Kg6 35. Qg4+ Kf7 36. Qe6+ Kg6?! (36... Kg7 37. Ra6 Qf7) 37. Ra6 Rh5 38. Rxa7 Qh8 39. Qg4+ Rg5 40. Qe4+ Kh6 41. Bd7! { The Bishop re-enters the game with decisive effect. } { [%cal Gd7f5] } 41... Qh7 42. Qh4+ Rh5 43. Qxf6+ Qg6 44. Qxg6+ Kxg6 45. Bc6 Kf6 46. a4 Rd4 47. a5 Rf5 48. Bd7 Rg5 49. Bb5 e4 50. a6 e3 51. Ra8 Rd2 52. Rf8+ Kg7 53. a7 Kxf8 54. a8=Q+ Kg7 55. Qa1+ { With this win Kirk clinched a GM Norm, his third! } 1-0