[Event "Juniors"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2025.07.15"] [Round "02"] [White "Park, Evan"] [Black "Ghazarian, Kirk"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2429"] [BlackElo "2511"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [Annotator "FM Davis Zong"] [ECO "B45"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation"] [StudyName "2025 U.S. National Championships"] [ChapterName "Park, Evan - Ghazarian, Kirk"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/wghfXDuv/ElqcusYC"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:30:57] } 1... c5 { [%clk 1:30:17] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:31:09] } 2... e6 { [%clk 1:30:40] } 3. d4 { [%clk 1:31:34] } 3... cxd4 { [%clk 1:31:06] } 4. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:32:00] } 4... Nf6 { [%clk 1:31:30] } 5. Nc3 { [%clk 1:32:05] } 5... Nc6 { [%clk 1:31:48] } 6. Bf4 { [%clk 1:31:05] } 6... d6 { [%clk 1:32:09] } 7. Bb5 { [%clk 1:29:23] } 7... Bd7 { [%clk 1:32:24] } 8. Nxc6 { [%clk 1:29:44] } 8... bxc6 { [%clk 1:32:50] } 9. Ba4 { [%clk 1:30:08] } 9... d5 { [%clk 1:32:53] } 10. a3 { [%clk 1:28:32] } 10... Qa5 { [%clk 1:28:10] } 11. O-O { [%clk 1:24:59] } 11... Nxe4 { [%clk 1:25:29] } 12. Nxe4 { [%clk 1:24:49] } 12... Qxa4 { [%clk 1:25:38] } 13. Nd6+ { [%clk 1:25:08] } 13... Bxd6 { [%clk 1:23:29] } 14. Bxd6 { As of now, White's dark-squared bishop dominates Black's light-squared counterpart. Remember this, and keep an eye on which bishop is dominating at the end! } { [%clk 1:25:24] } 14... h5 { Black has many ways to untangle, and going for a kingside attack with queenside castling isn't a bad one. } { [%clk 1:18:44] } 15. Qd3 { [%clk 1:22:25] } 15... c5 { [%clk 1:06:55] } 16. Rfe1 { [%clk 0:57:03] } (16. Qg3! { would have pressured the dark squares, although Black can force a draw with: } 16... Qg4 17. Qb3 Qa4 18. Qc3 Qd4) 16... Qc6 { [%clk 0:57:51] } 17. Qg3 { [%clk 0:54:24] } 17... h4 { [%clk 0:49:51] } 18. Qxg7 { [%clk 0:52:21] } 18... O-O-O { [%clk 0:50:04] } 19. Bf4 { [%clk 0:50:54] } (19. Be5! { The bishop is better placed on e5 since the bishop and queen battery on the f4- and e5-squares is easily parried by ... Kc8-b7. } 19... Rhg8 20. Qf6 d4 21. f3 $10 { This is the point! If the bishop were on the f4-square, ... Qc6xf3 would win for Black here. }) 19... d4 { [%clk 0:47:36] } (19... Rhg8 20. Qf6 d4) 20. Qe5 { [%clk 0:47:26] } 20... Kb7 { [%clk 0:47:47] } 21. f3 { [%clk 0:40:57] } 21... Rhg8 { [%clk 0:44:26] } 22. b4 { [%clk 0:38:50] } (22. Kf2! { Sidestepping f6. }) 22... f6 { [%clk 0:36:25] } 23. Qxf6? { [%clk 0:24:14] } (23. b5! { It's hard to buckle down and go into this worse pawn-down endgame, but the alternative was worse. } 23... fxe5 24. bxc6+ Bxc6 25. Rab1+! Ka8 26. Rxe5 Bxf3 $17) 23... Qxf3 { [%clk 0:31:31] } 24. Bg5 { [%clk 0:24:37] } 24... Qg4! { The bishop is lost now, because taking the two rooks for a queen gets mated. } { [%clk 0:31:10] } 25. bxc5 { [%clk 0:11:17] } (25. Qxd8 Rxd8 26. Bxd8 h3 27. g3 Qf3 $19) 25... Qxg5 { [%clk 0:29:15] } 26. Rab1+ { [%clk 0:10:50] } 26... Kc7 { [%clk 0:29:03] } 27. Qf2 { [%clk 0:09:27] } 27... Bc6 { [%clk 0:28:29] } 28. Re2 { [%clk 0:09:43] } 28... Rdf8 { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:27:51] } 0-1