[Event "33rd Annual North American Open"] [Site "Las Vegas"] [Date "2023.12.30"] [Round "9.12"] [White "Harshit Raja"] [Black "Jacob Furfine"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2509"] [BlackElo "2308"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B31"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/u9vHrp1t/ev6a4FTT"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. h3 e5 7. Be3 b6 8. Nc3 Ne7 9. O-O h6 10. Qd2 Qc7 11. Nh2 g5 12. a3 Be6 13. Ne2 f5 14. exf5 Nxf5 15. Nc3 O-O-O 16. Qe2 Rhe8 17. Ne4 Nd4 18. Bxd4 exd4 19. Rfe1 Kb8 20. Nf1 Bd5 21. Nfd2 Qf7 22. Qg4 Be5 23. Re2 Rf8 24. Ree1? (24. Rae1 Bf4 25. Ng3 { With a rook on the second rank, White both defends the d2-knight and counters on the e-file to hold a delicate balance. }) 24... Bf4 25. Qe2 (25. Ng3?? { simply hangs a piece now: } 25... Bxd2 $19) 25... Rde8 26. b3 Bc7?! (26... g4! 27. hxg4 h5 28. g5 Bxg5! 29. Nxg5 Rxe2 30. Rxe2 (30. Nxf7 Rxd2 $19) 30... Qf5 $17) 27. Qf1 Qf4 28. g3 Qf5 29. Re2 Re6 30. Rae1 { White is stuck shuffling and groveling. Squeezing a GM like this is an "unofficial" requirement for an IM norm. } 30... Rfe8 31. a4 h5 32. a5 h4 33. g4?! (33. axb6! { looks bold, ignoring Black's threat, but it was possible to open up the queenside for counterplay before having to commit to anything on the kingside. } 33... axb6 34. Ra1 g4 35. hxg4 Qxg4 36. f3! { A key move, before Black can open both the g- and h-files with a decisive attack. } (36. Ra4? hxg3 37. fxg3 (37. f3 Qh4 38. Qa1 Kc8 39. Ra7 Rh8 $19) 37... Bxe4 38. Nxe4 Bxg3) 36... Qf5 37. g4 Qf4 38. Ra4) 33... Qf4 34. Qg2 b5 35. Ra1 c4 36. bxc4 bxc4 37. f3 cxd3 38. cxd3 Ka8 39. a6 Rb8 40. Qf2 Rb5 41. Ree1 Ba5 42. Re2 c5 43. Nc4 Bc7 44. Rc2? (44. Ree1 { This time, returning to the first rank was the right move! }) 44... Rxa6! 45. Rac1 (45. Re1 { offered no more resistance. } 45... Ra4 46. Ncd2 Ra2 47. Rxa2 Bxa2 48. Nc4 Bxc4 49. dxc4 Rb3 50. Nxc5 Re3 51. Ra1 Rxf3) (45. Rxa6? Rb1+ $19) 45... Ra2 { Black's rooks have entered decisively. } 46. Ncd2 (46. Rxa2 Qxc1+ 47. Qf1 Rb1 48. Qxc1 Rxc1+ 49. Kf2 Bxc4 50. dxc4 Rxc4 $19) 46... Rbb2 47. Rxb2 Rxb2 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1