[Event "U.S. National Championships 2025"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2025.07.15"] [Round "07"] [White "Taylor, Timothy"] [Black "Benjamin, Joel"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2147"] [BlackElo "2473"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [Annotator "Matt Clibanoff"] [ECO "A03"] [Opening "Bird Opening: Dutch Variation"] [StudyName "2025 U.S. National Championships"] [ChapterName "Taylor, Timothy - Benjamin, Joel"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/wghfXDuv/nZiDGbH2"] [Orientation "white"] 1. f4!? { One might have thought Taylor was done with Dutch-style lines after his defeat against Shabalov, but here he goes playing 1. f4. } { [%clk 1:30:54] } 1... d5 { [%clk 1:29:43] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:31:14] } 2... g6 { [%clk 1:29:28] } 3. g3 { [%clk 1:31:39] } 3... Bg7 { [%clk 1:27:54] } 4. Bg2 { [%clk 1:32:03] } 4... c6 { [%clk 1:26:10] } 5. d3 { [%clk 1:30:39] } 5... Nh6 { [%clk 1:17:06] } 6. e4 { [%clk 1:26:13] } 6... dxe4 { [%clk 1:14:03] } 7. dxe4 { [%clk 1:26:38] } 7... Qxd1+ { [%clk 1:14:24] } 8. Kxd1 { Trading queens early typically isn't the most trying idea for White. } { [%clk 1:27:03] } 8... Na6 { [%clk 1:13:51] } 9. h3 { [%clk 1:19:48] } 9... Be6 { [%clk 0:46:31] } 10. Na3? { I don't understand the point of this move. It's likely White wanted to play c2-c3 and then Na3-c2, but this is too slow. } { [%clk 1:04:00] } 10... Nc5 { [%clk 0:41:36] } 11. Ng5 { [%clk 0:51:43] } 11... Rd8+ { [%clk 0:41:16] } 12. Ke2 { [%clk 0:51:16] } 12... Bc8 { [%clk 0:41:03] } 13. c3 { [%clk 0:45:31] } 13... b6 { [%clk 0:23:58] } 14. h4 { This is a pretty grim looking position for White. None of his pieces are well-placed, and Black's play looks pretty conceptually simple. } { [%clk 0:35:09] } 14... Ba6+ { [%clk 0:15:27] } 15. c4 { [%clk 0:34:06] } 15... O-O { [%clk 0:15:49] } 16. Rb1 { [%clk 0:28:57] } 16... b5 { [%clk 0:12:35] } 17. b3 { [%clk 0:27:51] } 17... Nd3 { [%clk 0:10:44] } (17... Ng4! { A bit stronger. } 18. Bf3 h5 19. Bd2 f6 20. Nh3 bxc4 21. Nxc4 Rd4! { Black is beginning to infiltrate the position. }) 18. Rd1 { [%clk 0:23:43] } 18... Nb4 { [%clk 0:07:41] } 19. Bd2 { [%clk 0:14:14] } 19... Nxa2 { [%clk 0:08:03] } 20. Ba5 { [%clk 0:13:40] } 20... Rxd1 { [%clk 0:05:29] } 21. Rxd1 { [%clk 0:12:15] } 21... Bc3! { White cannot take because of the fork on c3. } { [%clk 0:05:51] } 22. Bc7 { [%clk 0:11:31] } 22... Bb2 { [%clk 0:05:46] } 23. Nb1 { [%clk 0:08:23] } 23... bxc4 { [%clk 0:04:56] } 24. bxc4 { [%clk 0:08:44] } 24... Bxc4+ { White drops another pawn and the game is quickly getting out of hand. } { [%clk 0:05:23] } 25. Kf3 { [%clk 0:08:29] } 25... f6 { [%clk 0:04:21] } 26. Nh3 { [%clk 0:08:32] } 26... Be6 { [%clk 0:04:12] } 27. Nf2 { [%clk 0:07:04] } 27... Nb4 { [%clk 0:04:14] } 28. g4 { [%clk 0:07:00] } 28... c5 { [%clk 0:03:59] } 29. f5 { White is going all out for an attack, but without queens and down two pawns it feels a bit hopeless. From here Black can simply aim for trades. } { [%clk 0:07:08] } 29... Bc8 { [%clk 0:04:06] } 30. Bf1 { [%clk 0:06:08] } 30... Nf7 { [%clk 0:03:18] } 31. Bc4 { [%clk 0:06:25] } 31... Kg7 { [%clk 0:03:37] } 32. Nd3 { [%clk 0:05:02] } 32... Nxd3 { Trade number one. } { [%clk 0:04:02] } 33. Bxd3 { [%clk 0:04:43] } 33... Be5 { [%clk 0:03:20] } 34. Ba5 { [%clk 0:05:03] } 34... Bd6 { [%clk 0:03:36] } 35. Be2 { [%clk 0:05:06] } 35... Ne5+ { [%clk 0:03:45] } 36. Ke3 { [%clk 0:05:25] } 36... c4 { [%clk 0:03:41] } 37. Nd2 { [%clk 0:04:48] } 37... Ba6 { [%clk 0:03:50] } 38. Bc3 { [%clk 0:05:00] } 38... Bc5+ { [%clk 0:03:43] } 39. Bd4 { [%clk 0:04:40] } 39... Bxd4+ { Trade number two. } { [%clk 0:04:00] } 40. Kxd4 { [%clk 0:05:04] } 40... Rd8+ { [%clk 0:01:42] } 41. Kc3 { [%clk 0:05:24] } 41... Bb5 { [%clk 0:01:21] } 42. Ra1 { [%clk 0:03:53] } 42... a6 { [%clk 0:01:19] } 43. g5 { [%clk 0:02:27] } 43... Rc8 { [%clk 0:27:28] } 44. Nf3 { [%clk 0:32:20] } 44... Nxf3 { Trade number three. } { [%clk 0:22:49] } 45. Bxf3 { [%clk 0:32:05] } 45... Rd8 { [%clk 0:22:57] } 46. Be2 { [%clk 0:32:16] } 46... gxf5 { [%clk 0:22:52] } 47. exf5 { [%clk 0:32:35] } 47... Rd5 { [%clk 0:23:00] } 48. Rf1 { [%clk 0:32:32] } 48... Re5 { [%clk 0:23:02] } 49. Rf2 { [%clk 0:24:51] } 49... Re3+ { [%clk 0:22:34] } 50. Kd4 { [%clk 0:25:15] } 50... Rh3 { [%clk 0:21:59] } 51. gxf6+ { [%clk 0:25:23] } 51... Kxf6 { [%clk 0:22:10] } 52. h5 { [%clk 0:25:48] } 52... c3! { [%clk 0:22:08] } 53. Bxb5 { Trade number four, giving Black connected passers. This seals the deal. } { [%clk 0:26:05] } 53... axb5 { [%clk 0:22:33] } 54. Kc5 { [%clk 0:26:28] } 54... Rxh5 { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:20:09] } 0-1