[Event "Round 2 | IM E: Grayson Rorrer - Attila"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2022.11.18"] [White "Grayson Rorrer"] [Black "Attila Istvan Csonka"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/loepare"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B48"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack"] [StudyName "Charlotte November Norm Tournaments"] [ChapterName "Grayson Rorrer - Attila Istvan Csonka"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/uaQc1WL2/YUMUAgzp"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,67,19,20,58,51,44,32,34,37,44,47,87,87,80,30,53,68,46,37,44,37,32,20, 21,9,1,22,21,44,39,26,41,16,23,23,23,28,40,27,98,28,58,75,109,114,68,9,22,169, 151,120,127,103,103,100,123,82,127,87,91,119,128,128,125,126,147,143,464,475] } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 { The Taimanov Sicilian } 6. Be3 a6 7. Qf3 { Theoretically, this is arguably the best line against the Taimanov. } 7... Nf6 8. O-O-O Nxd4 { A rare sideline in a position with many options. } (8... Ne5 { The most popular move in practice. } 9. Qg3 b5 10. f4 Neg4 11. Bg1 h5 12. e5 b4 13. Na4 Nd5 14. h3 Nh6 15. Bd3 g6 { Black has equalized following the suggestion of GM Sethuraman in his Lifetime Repertoire on Chessable. }) 9. Bxd4 e5 10. Be3 d6 { A typical Sicilian structure is set which is often seen in the Najdorf. } 11. h3 { White clearly was not surprised by the rare sideline, as he played the first choice move. } 11... Be6 (11... b5 12. Bd3 b4 { Follows ½-½ (43) Caruana,F (2804)-Harikrishna,P (2763) Shamkir 2016. }) 12. g4 Rc8 13. g5 { White has the initiative and can start to press the attack! } 13... Nd7 14. Kb1 b5 15. Bd3 { This move stops any potential threat on the c-file. And now, back to the attack! } { [%cal Gd3c2,Rc8c2,Rb5b4] } 15... Nc5 16. Bxc5 Qxc5 17. Nd5 Be7 18. Qg3 Bxd5 19. exd5 a5 20. Qg4 (20. f4 { Playing this move immediately, with the same plan, is a potential improvement. }) 20... Rb8 21. f4 a4 22. fxe5 dxe5 23. d6! { An excellent move to keep Black on the defensive. } 23... Bxd6 24. g6 { Black has no good way to respond to the attack. } 24... Qb4 (24... hxg6 25. Bxg6 O-O 26. Be4 { White's attack is unstoppable. }) (24... O-O 25. gxh7+ Kh8 26. Rhg1 { White is clearly winning. }) 25. gxf7+ Kf8 { Black is far from generating enough counterplay to compensate for their king's being stuck on f8. } 26. Qxb4 (26. Qe6 { Objectively this is the best continuation keeping the queens on the board but it is hard to argue with the level of play after the queens left the board. }) 26... Bxb4 27. Bxb5 { The bishop is immune to capture. } { [%cal Rd1d8,Rd8h8] } 27... a3 28. Bc4 { A strong move securing the f7-pawn and looking to drop back to add a layer of protection to the kingside. } 28... g6 29. Bb3 axb2 30. Kxb2 Kg7 31. c3 { Now, there will never be any dark-squared weaknesses to worry about. } 31... Be7 32. Rd7 { [%cal Rd7h7] } 32... Bg5 33. Re1 Bf4 34. f8=Q+ { A strong tactic to end the game. We will continue a few moves for clarity. } 34... Kxf8 35. Rf7+ Ke8 (35... Kg8 36. Rxf4+) 36. Rxf4 { Loses the bishop due to the pin! } 1-0