[Event "U.S. National Championships 2025"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2025.07.15"] [Round "01"] [White "Fishbein, Alexander"] [Black "Novikov, Igor"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2368"] [BlackElo "2485"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [Annotator "FM Davis Zong"] [ECO "A19"] [Opening "English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Flohr-Mikenas-Carls Variation, Nei Gambit"] [StudyName "2025 U.S. National Championships"] [ChapterName "Fishbein, Alexander - Novikov, Igor"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/wghfXDuv/jHIOEPU7"] [Orientation "white"] 1. c4 { [%clk 1:30:54] } 1... e6 { [%clk 1:30:42] } 2. Nc3 { [%clk 1:31:12] } 2... Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:57] } 3. e4 { [%clk 1:30:37] } 3... c5 { [%clk 1:30:41] } 4. e5 { [%clk 1:28:58] } 4... Ng8 { [%clk 1:31:05] } 5. Nf3 { [%clk 1:27:56] } 5... Nc6 { [%clk 1:30:50] } 6. d4 { A standard pawn sacrifice that GMs know like the back of their hand. White gains the bishop pair and the initiative for the extra pawn. } { [%clk 1:27:52] } 6... cxd4 { [%clk 1:30:17] } 7. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:28:18] } 7... Nxe5 { [%clk 1:30:04] } 8. Ndb5 { [%clk 1:28:31] } 8... f6 { [%clk 1:24:41] } 9. Bf4 { [%clk 1:15:21] } 9... a6 { [%clk 1:22:07] } 10. Nd6+ { [%clk 1:14:58] } 10... Bxd6 { [%clk 1:22:23] } 11. Qxd6 { [%clk 1:15:25] } 11... Nf7 { [%clk 1:17:22] } 12. Qd2 { [%clk 1:07:54] } 12... Ne7 { [%clk 1:15:07] } 13. Bd3 { [%clk 1:03:45] } 13... O-O { [%clk 1:11:35] } 14. O-O { [%clk 1:04:07] } 14... d6 { [%clk 1:08:55] } 15. Be3 { [%clk 0:53:48] } 15... Bd7 { [%clk 1:05:38] } 16. Rad1 { [%clk 0:49:50] } 16... Rc8 { [%clk 1:01:45] } 17. b3 { [%clk 0:49:01] } 17... Qc7 { [%clk 0:57:34] } 18. Rfe1 { [%clk 0:45:31] } 18... b5 { [%clk 0:44:33] } 19. Bf4 { [%clk 0:32:13] } 19... e5 { [%clk 0:39:59] } 20. Rc1 { [%clk 0:24:06] } 20... Qb7 { [%clk 0:36:40] } 21. Be3 { [%clk 0:22:48] } 21... Bc6 { [%clk 0:31:15] } 22. f3 { [%clk 0:22:33] } 22... Rfd8 { [%clk 0:29:57] } 23. Qc2 { [%clk 0:20:40] } 23... g6 { [%clk 0:28:00] } 24. Qf2 { [%clk 0:19:24] } 24... Kg7 { [%clk 0:20:36] } 25. Bb6 { [%clk 0:13:59] } 25... Rd7 { [%clk 0:15:26] } 26. cxb5 { [%clk 0:09:19] } 26... axb5 { [%clk 0:15:51] } 27. a4 { [%clk 0:09:27] } 27... bxa4 { [%clk 0:11:03] } 28. bxa4 { Remarkably enough, Black has two central pawns for White's one outside passed pawn and yet it's still equal due to White's bishop pair and superior piece activity. } { [%clk 0:09:48] } 28... d5 { [%clk 0:10:57] } 29. a5 { [%clk 0:09:24] } 29... Nd6 { [%clk 0:08:16] } 30. f4 { [%clk 0:05:10] } 30... e4 { [%clk 0:07:29] } 31. Bf1 { [%clk 0:05:19] } 31... Qa8 { [%clk 0:07:25] } 32. Red1 { [%clk 0:03:56] } 32... Rb8 { [%clk 0:05:46] } 33. Qc5 { [%clk 0:03:34] } 33... Ndc8 { [%clk 0:05:21] } 34. Ra1 { Rooks generally belong behind passed pawns, but the tactics don't work out here. } { [%clk 0:03:41] } (34. g4!) (34. Rb1) 34... d4! { Strong attacking play by Novikov with under five minutes on the clock. All of a sudden, the d4-pawn is taboo and the pawns are rolling. } { [%clk 0:03:30] } 35. Nb5 { [%clk 0:02:30] } (35. Rxd4 Rxd4 36. Qxd4 Nxb6 $19 { The pin on the a1-rook decides. }) 35... Nxb6 { A natural move, but it throws away the advantage, as White is able to pick up the dangerous d4-pawn. } { [%clk 0:01:59] } (35... d3! { The pawn is worth more than an Exchange here, so it's worth it to sacrifice an Exchange to preserve the pawn! } 36. Nc7 Rxc7 37. Bxc7 Rb5 $19) 36. axb6 { [%clk 0:02:47] } 36... Qb7 { [%clk 0:02:26] } 37. Nxd4 { [%clk 0:01:47] } (37. Rxd4! Qxb6 38. Qxb6 Rxb6 39. Rxd7 Bxd7 40. Ra7 $10) 37... Qxb6 { [%clk 0:02:45] } 38. Qxb6 { [%clk 0:01:13] } 38... Rxb6 { [%clk 0:03:11] } 39. Rac1?? { As often happens in games with a second time control, the first player errors right before move 40 with just a minute remaining on the clock. The pin on the d4-knight is deadly and costs an Exchange. } { [%clk 0:01:27] } (39. Ne6+! Kf7 40. Bc4 Rxd1+ 41. Rxd1 Nc8 $15) 39... Ba4 { [%clk 0:03:18] } 40. Rd2 { [%clk 0:01:39] } 40... Rbd6 { [%clk 0:03:13] } 41. Rc4 { [%clk 0:29:32] } 41... Bb5 { [%clk 0:26:36] } 42. Nxb5 { [%clk 0:28:54] } 42... Rxd2 { [%clk 0:27:01] } 43. Rxe4 { [%clk 0:29:20] } 43... Nf5 { [%clk 0:25:52] } 44. Re2 { [%clk 0:25:54] } 44... Rxe2 { [%clk 0:20:23] } 45. Bxe2 { [%clk 0:26:22] } 45... Nd4 { [%clk 0:19:58] } 46. Nxd4 { [%clk 0:26:45] } 46... Rxd4 { [%clk 0:20:25] } 47. g3 { Rook-versus-bishop endgames with all pawns on the same side are deceptively hard to win sometimes. Despite there being three pawns, Black must be careful not to trade too many. Additionally, the bishop can work with the pawns to cut off the king. However, Black has all the time in the world to maneuver, and he only needs one breakthrough, so he is likely to win eventually. } { [%clk 0:27:10] } 47... Kf7 { [%clk 0:20:41] } 48. Kf2 { [%clk 0:27:31] } 48... Ke6 { [%clk 0:20:59] } 49. Ke3 { [%clk 0:26:45] } 49... Ra4 { [%clk 0:21:13] } 50. Bg4+ { [%clk 0:23:14] } 50... Kd6 { [%clk 0:21:11] } 51. Be2 { [%clk 0:20:20] } 51... Kc5 { [%clk 0:21:26] } 52. h4 { [%clk 0:19:54] } 52... Ra3+ { [%clk 0:21:35] } 53. Kf2 { [%clk 0:20:21] } 53... Kd4 { [%clk 0:21:41] } 54. Bb5 { [%clk 0:20:04] } 54... Rc3 { [%clk 0:21:48] } 55. Bf1 { [%clk 0:19:22] } 55... Rb3 { [%clk 0:21:55] } 56. Bh3 { [%clk 0:12:04] } 56... Rb1 { [%clk 0:16:36] } 57. Kf3 { [%clk 0:09:35] } 57... Rc1 { [%clk 0:15:45] } 58. Kf2 { [%clk 0:09:01] } 58... h5 { [%clk 0:09:10] } 59. Be6 { [%clk 0:03:10] } 59... Ke4 { [%clk 0:09:15] } 60. Kg2 { [%clk 0:02:34] } 60... Rc7 { [%clk 0:05:43] } 61. Bb3 { [%clk 0:01:41] } 61... f5 { [%clk 0:02:34] } 62. Kf2 { [%clk 0:01:15] } 62... Rb7 { [%clk 0:02:22] } 63. Bc2+ { [%clk 0:01:21] } 63... Kd4 { [%clk 0:02:48] } 64. Ba4 { [%clk 0:01:31] } 64... Rb6 { [%clk 0:02:36] } 65. Kf3 { [%clk 0:01:09] } 65... Kd3 { [%clk 0:02:44] } 66. Kf2 { [%clk 0:00:45] } 66... Kd2 { [%clk 0:02:47] } 67. Bd7 { [%clk 0:00:47] } 67... Rd6 { [%clk 0:02:55] } 68. Bb5 { [%clk 0:00:48] } 68... Kc3 { [%clk 0:03:02] } 69. Kf3 { [%clk 0:00:48] } 69... Kd4 { [%clk 0:03:23] } 70. Ba4 { [%clk 0:00:47] } 70... Re6 { [%clk 0:03:38] } 71. Bd7 { [%clk 0:00:57] } 71... Re3+ { [%clk 0:03:36] } 72. Kf2 { [%clk 0:01:15] } 72... Rc3 { [%clk 0:02:15] } 73. Be8 { [%clk 0:01:30] } 73... Ke4 $19 { The key was to play ... Ke4-f3 while keeping White's bishop off of the long diagonal, and here it is. } { [%clk 0:02:21] } 74. Bxg6 { [%clk 0:01:51] } 74... Rc2+ { [%clk 0:02:47] } 75. Ke1 { [%clk 0:00:42] } 75... Rg2 { [%clk 0:02:54] } 76. Bxh5 { [%clk 0:00:53] } 76... Rxg3 { [%clk 0:03:17] } 77. Kf2 { [%clk 0:01:05] } 77... Rh3 { [%clk 0:02:45] } 78. Be8 { [%clk 0:01:28] } 78... Rxh4 { [%clk 0:03:04] } 79. Bc6+ { [%clk 0:01:47] } 79... Kxf4 { [%clk 0:03:30] } 80. Kg2 { [%clk 0:02:13] } 80... Rh6 { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:03:49] } 0-1