[%evp 0,157,19,38,25,16,14,23,25,-6,9,9,24,-4,-2,10,16,0,10,-48,3,-107,20,17,
20,41,50,52,60,58,52,17,46,-8,21,10,2,5,3,-1,8,-9,-7,-76,-87,-101,-87,29,30,22,
65,24,65,27,57,79,176,181,173,163,167,172,174,174,172,165,165,141,141,159,163,
130,102,101,109,110,98,101,104,101,101,101,150,138,103,103,111,92,105,101,99,
82,99,82,86,92,107,117,226,275,287,229,302,305,312,312,370,370,363,371,346,344,
344,354,375,378,386,393,404,411,413,413,413,409,459,460,581,670,982,982,992,
1032,1293,1293,1334,1239,1259,1312,1279,698,761,761,761,576,952,606,625,635,
658,679,692,692,722,692,722,712,841,722,1002,1219]1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.O-OBe76.Re1b57.Bb3O-O8.d4!?...Not the most frequent
line, but a playable line leading to interesting, open positions.8....d68...Nxd4is the critical line, where White can choose between two moves that lead
to unbalanced positions:9.Bxf7+(9.Nxd4exd410.e5Ne811.Qxd4)Rxf710.Nxe5Rf811.Qxd4c512.Qd1Qc713.Nf3Bb714.Bg59.Be3?!...9.c3is the main move, leading to a transposition from lines featuring an earlier
c2-c3 before d2-d4.Bg410.Be3Bh511.h3Re89....Bg410.h3Bh511.c3Re812.Nbd2exd413.cxd4Na5This is a typical maneuver in Ruy Lopez positions,
aiming to play ... c7-c5 next to hit back at White's large center.14.Bc2c515.dxc5...15.e5!?was an alternative, forcing Black to immediately respond
to White's pressure and preparing a (hidden!) kingside attack.Nd516.Qb1!Both attacking h7 and moving the queen out of the pin from Black's
light-squared bishop.Nxe3(16...Bg617.e6!destabilizing the Black
bishop's support and opening the light squares for White to attack on the
kingside.)17.Bxh7+Kh818.fxe3g619.g4and White regains the bishop
with solid attacking chances due to Black's weaker squares and more passive
structure on the kingside.15....dxc515...Nc6The computer radically
suggests this move, which would be hard to find over the board, as it would
require Black to admit that his ...Nc6-a5 and ... c7-cc5 foray has amounted to
little, then changing plans to playing on the dark squares with his slightly
more active setup.16.g4?!...16.e5The computer once again prefers this
move, with the nuance that afterNd517.Qb1Nxe3(17...Bg618.e6is the
idea again)18.Bxh7+Kh8White now has19.Rxe3+−and the central
tension that was a potential problem for White in the other variation is no
longer an issue.16....Bg6Now Black's bishop can sit comfortably on g6
without the threat of a queen-and-bishop battery on the b1-h7 diagonal and an
e5-e6 push to destabilize it.17.Ne5Nd7Black doesn't mind trading off his
light-squared bishop as it provides him a rock-solid kingside pawn structure
and enhances the weakenss of White's airy dark squares.18.Nxg6hxg619.f4c419...g5!is a classic pawn break that any Najdorf player must know! In
this position, it is especially effective, as White is forced to make more
concessions to avoid ceding complete control of the dark squares on the
kingside.20.e5(20.f5Ne5and White's pawns are fixed, hindering the
activity and usefulness of his pieces.)gxf421.Bxf4Nf820.Nf3Bc520...g5!?again was another possibility, though less effective now that
White has slightly improved his setup.21.Qe2...Naturally, White does not
want to bring Black's knight into the game by exchanging bishops. Moreover,
White clears the way for his rook to come to d1, seizing the open file and
putting pressure on Black's slight underdevelopment.21....Qf622.Rad1Rad823.Rd5...Attempting to coerce Black into trading bishops on favorable terms. If White
can bring his queen to e3, he will have better control over the kingside dark
squares and some potential attacking prospects in the future.23....Bxe3+?!Black finally surrenders in the bishop standoff, giving White a slight but
moral victory.23...Nb7which also brings the loney
a5-knight back into the game, following the elementary mantra "Knights on the
rim are dim!"23...Qb6was also worthy of consideration, with the same
idea.24.Qxe3Qxb2At least Black nets a pawn for his effort, leading to a
forced sequence which leaves his queen slightly isolated.25.Qd2c326.Qd1Rf8Black shuffles his rook over to protect it, as White was threatening to
take the knight on d7 based on the undefended rook on e8.26...Nc4!Black can hardly be criticized for missing this move.27.Rxd7Nd2!!An astounding interference tactic based on overloading the white queen's
defenses. Play would continue28.Rxd8Rxd829.Ng5Nf3+!30.Qxf3Qxc2and the combination of Black's advanced passed pawn, his activity, and the
myriad perpetual check and mating threats is enough to maintain the balance,
according to the engine.26...Qxa2?27.Rxd7Rxd728.Qxd727.Re2...A natural defensive move, protecting White's bishop and threatening various
lateral discovered attacks that pose a constant threat that Black must be on
the lookout for.27.e5!However, using the pin along the d-file, White
could have continued with this energetic move, threatening an idea similar to
that which we analyzed earlier in the game: a potential e5-e6 thrust to blast
open Black's kingside defenses.Nc428.e6fxe629.Rxd7Rxd730.Qxd7Qxc231.Qxe6+Kh7(31...Kh832.Qf7!!leads to a beautiful classic Puzzle Rush
finish!Rxf733.Re8+Rf834.Rxf8+Kh735.Ng5+Kh636.Rh8#)32.f5+−and White's attack is too strong and too fast.27....Nc428.Bb3...Throwing
in an intermediate move before taking the pinned knight on d7 while protecting
the crucial a2-pawn.28....c2?!Black throws in a desperado pawn to bring his
queen back to some semblance of activity. But the power of a passed pawn deep
in enemy territory is not to be underestimated. Losing a piece is inevitable,
so perhaps Black could have maintained better chances keeping the pawns on the
board.28...Qa329.Rxc2Qf630.Bxc4...30.Rxd7?allows unnecessary
counterplay withNe330....bxc431.Rxd7Rxd732.Qxd7Qxf433.Kf2...Stopping all threats of Qe3+, Qxf3, and Qg3+ while activating the king for the
upcoming major piece endgame.33....Qxe434.Re2...34.Rc3keeps an eye on the
c4-pawn and leaves Black's pieces uncoordinated.Rb835.Qxf7+!Kxf736.Ng5++−34....Qa835.h4?!...The second in a series of moves that ignore the
c4-pawn, the object of most concern if I were White. As soon as White can win
the c4-pawn, Black has virtually no counterplay. While playing for an attack
on the kingside might have been a good practical decision given Black's
difficult time situation, I would have been more inclined to go after the only
source of counterplay.35.Rc2White could have made a slight admission of
defeat in the battle, but an expression of a clear plan to win the war.35....c3Every extra step both increases White's anxiety and Black's chances for
counterplay.36.Rc2Rd837.Qe7Rc838.Qe3Qb8Now Black's pieces are
coordinated and it is clear White's h3-h4 push has done little to achieve his
goal of rounding up the c-pawn.39.Qd3a540.Kg2Rc541.Qd7Rc742.Qa4Qa843.Qf4Qc844.Kf2Rc4Through a series of "little tactics," Black has
managed to marginally improve his position and is starting to fight back
against White's extra piece.45.Qe5Rc546.Qe3a447.Ng5Rc748.Re2...Taking advantage of the new opportunity to threaten checkmate!48....Kf849.Qf4!...White suddenly finds his stride, making numerous tactical threats while
playing defense with his king.49....Rb749...c250.Qd6+Kg851.Qxc7!Another back rank trick!Qxc752.Re8#50.Qxa4...Now White's a2 pawn — the
pawn he strove to protect with 28. Bb3 — is a real asset that will help him
convert his advantage.50....f651.Qa3+Kg852.Qxc3...Finally achieving the
long-desired goal of eliminating most counterplay.52....Qb853.Nf3Kh754.h5...Playing on both flanks, taking advantage of Black's weak king and the power of
the queen-and-knight attacking duo. It is well known that the queen and knight
work well in tandem, and Stearman demonstrates their versatility as both
attackers and defenders as he converts his advantage.54....gxh555.Qd3+Kh856.Qg6...Threatening Re8 and forcing the trade of rooks, stripping Black's last
chances for counterplay.56....Rb257.Qxh5+Kg858.Qd5+Kh859.Rxb2Qxb2+60.Qd2Qb6+61.Qd4Qe662.a4Qa2+63.Kg3Qc264.Qd8+Kh765.a5f566.gxf5Qxf567.Qh4+Kg868.Qc4+Kh869.a6Qg6+70.Kf2Qb6+71.Nd4Qf6+72.Ke2Qe5+73.Kd1Qh5+74.Kc2Qg6+75.Qd3Qg2+76.Kc3Qh177.Kb4Qe1+78.Ka4Qe8+79.Nb5When playing with an extra piece, coordination is key. Once White
managed to find coordination between his pieces, he was able to retake control
of the game and seamlessly convert his advantage.1-0