[Event "FIDE Grand Swiss 2023"] [Site "Douglas"] [Date "2023.10.27"] [Round "3.13"] [White "Ter-Sahakyan, Samvel"] [Black "Sevian, Samuel"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2618"] [BlackElo "2698"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A62"] [Opening "Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/uDXLUcuQ/Czbl5hng"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 { Sevian reasons that the variations with g2-g3 against the Benoni are not what gives that opening its unpleasant reputation, and that he is prepared for a fight. } 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. Re1 a6 11. a4 Nbd7 12. Nd2!? (12. Bf4! { is considered the best way to handle this position. }) 12... Rb8 13. a5 b5 14. axb6 Nxb6 15. h3 Nfd7 16. Qc2 Ne5 17. b3 c4 $146 { Sevian came prepared! This thematic breakthrough is far better than 17. ... f5, which was the only move to be tried previously here. } 18. bxc4 Nbxc4 19. Nxc4?! (19. Nce4 { was essential, keeping his own pieces centralized for the tense battle. } 19... Nxd2 20. Bxd2 Bf5 21. Rxa6 Rc8 { is a typical sort of "Benko Gambit" position where the open queenside and strong, central pieces provide complete compensation for the a-pawn. }) 19... Nxc4 20. Ra4 Nb6 21. Ra3 Bf5 { Black's pieces are more developed and coordinated, and White's "space advantage" is just a d5-pawn clogging up his own pieces. Black now prevents White from firmly gripping the center with e2-e4 under favorable circumstances. } 22. e4 Qc8! 23. Kh2 Bd7 24. Re2 Rb7 25. Na2 (25. e5!? { would be the way to "go down swinging," but Black is better after } 25... Bxe5 26. Bh6 a5 27. Ne4 Bb5) 25... Bb5 26. Qxc8 Rxc8 27. Re1 Rc2 28. Nb4 Rxf2 29. Nc6 Nc4 { Remarkable positional domination. Black often plays the ... c5-c4 pawn break as a sacrifice in Benoni and Benko structures, so being able to play it *and* not lose a pawn *and* keep a powerful knight on c4 should help explain why Black had such an easy-seeming game. } 0-1