[Event "U.S. National Championships 2025"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2025.07.15"] [Round "9"] [White "Fishbein, Alexander"] [Black "Benjamin, Joel"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2368"] [BlackElo "2473"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] [Annotator "IM Robert Shlyakhtenko"] [GameId "2203376889838304"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A13"] [Opening "English Opening: Agincourt Defense"] [StudyName "2025 U.S. National Championships"] [ChapterName "Fishbein, Alexander - Benjamin, Joel"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/wghfXDuv/zDgWnYXi"] [Orientation "white"] 1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. e4 { Avoiding a transposition into the Nimzo-Indian. } 3... Ne7 4. Nf3 O-O 5. d4 { The pawn structure is not very well-defined, and Black has several options, which all lead to completely different types of positions. } 5... d5 { Benjamin chooses the most principled reaction. } (5... d6 6. Bd3 e5!? 7. O-O (7. dxe5?! dxe5 8. Nxe5 Qd4! { is best avoided. }) 7... Bxc3 8. bxc3 { is one possibility, leading to Saemisch-type positions where Black can argue that his knight is better on e7 than on f6. }) (5... c5 6. d5 d6 { is another approach, reminiscent of the Snake Benoni. }) 6. Bd3 c5 7. a3 Ba5 8. cxd5 { It's not possible to maintain the central tension for long, and the position quickly clarifies. } 8... cxd4 9. Nxd4 exd5 10. O-O Bb6 11. Be3 Nbc6 12. Nxc6 bxc6 { White can be pleased with the outcome of the opening; he has a slight structural advantage and plays with little risk. } 13. Bxb6 Qxb6 (13... axb6!? { is the engine's choice. } 14. exd5 Nxd5! 15. Nxd5 cxd5 { At first, it surprised me that the engine considers this position to be almost completely equal. After all, the d5- and b6-pawns look like long-term weaknesses, and with only one pair of minor pieces on the board, it's difficult for Black to stir up counterplay. But it turns out that White simply isn't time to set up a blockade on the d4-square (and Black has moves like ... Ra8-a4 in the air to increase control over this square). As a result, Black's d-pawn may very well become a strength, not a weakness. } (15... Qxd5?! 16. Qc2! { is unpleasant for Black. })) 14. Qc2 h6 (14... Ba6! { is the most precise. The trade of these bishops is in Black's interest, as will be a recurring theme in this game. After the direct } 15. exd5 Bxd3 16. Qxd3 Nxd5 17. Nxd5 cxd5 { White has nothing. }) 15. Rac1 Rb8 16. Na4 Qb3 17. exd5 Nxd5 18. Qxb3 { White will continue to nurse his structural advantage in the endgame. Also, Benjamin was already in some time pressure here, further increasing his troubles. } 18... Rxb3 19. Rfd1 Nb6 20. Bc2! { The best way to set practical problems. } 20... Rb5 21. b4 Re5?! { After this move, Black is left in a clearly worse position, but the right decision was far from obvious. } (21... a5!! { Of course, this liquidating move is what Black wants to do from a strategic perspective. But it looks like there are at least three reasons for why this might not work, and yet Black has a counter to all of them! } 22. Nc3 (22. Nc5 axb4 23. Bd3 bxa3! 24. Bxb5 cxb5 25. Rb1 Na4! 26. Nxa4 bxa4 27. Ra1 Be6 28. Rxa3 Bb3 { and Black holds easily. }) (22. Be4!? Nxa4 23. Bxc6 Rb6 24. Bxa4 axb4 25. Rb1 Ra6 26. Rxb4 Bf5 { is also not a concern for Black. }) 22... Re5! 23. f4 Re7 24. bxa5 Nc4 25. Rd4 Nxa5 26. Ra4 Ra7 { Black is holding! }) 22. Bb3?! { Once again allowing Black to trade light-squared bishops. } (22. Nc5!) 22... Rfe8?! (22... Be6! { greatly easens Black's defensive task. }) 23. Nc5 Re2 24. Kf1 (24. h3!? { is a better plan, intending to gain some kingside space and limit Black's bishop with g2-g4 next. }) 24... Bf5 (24... Rb2! { This sets up the idea of ... Bc8-a6+ and again makes Black's defense easier. }) 25. Re1!? (25. Nb7! { is better, with the idea of Rd1-d8. } 25... Rb2 { is met by } 26. Bxf7+!) 25... Rxe1+ 26. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 27. Kxe1 Kf8 28. Kd2 Ke7 29. Ke3 f6 30. Kd4 Kd6 { Black is well within the drawing margin, but defending this sort of position with very little time is tough even for grandmasters. } 31. h4 Nd7 32. Ne4+ Bxe4!? { Objectively the correct decision, but Black to follow it up precisely. } 33. Kxe4 Nb6? { If Black could get his knight to e7 via c8, he would be fine, but he is simply not in time to do so. } (33... a5! { was a must, trading another pair of pawns. Now after } 34. Kf5 axb4 35. axb4 Nf8 { Black's knight keeps White's king at bay. }) 34. Kf5! { This incursion stretches Black's defenses to the limit. } 34... Ke7 35. a4 (35. Kg6 { is not good in view of } 35... Kf8 { , threatening ...Nc8-e7. }) (35. f4!? { was also good. Now any king move by Black allows White's king to invade, and the only logical knight move, } 35... Nc8 { , allows } 36. Ba4! Kf7 37. Ke4 Ne7 38. Bb3+ Ke8 39. Be6 { with domination. }) 35... Nc8 36. Bd1 Nd6+ 37. Kg6 Kf8 38. Bf3 Nc4 39. Kf5? (39. Kh7! Ne5 40. Be4 { wins. Fishbein was probably worried that Black could get ... Kf8-f7, ... Ne5-d7, and ... Nd7-f8-g6+ somehow, but White can stop all the counterplay with the move h4-h5. }) 39... Ne5 40. Ke6!? { A feint in mutual time trouble. Would Black be able to correctly assess the pawn ending with less than a minute on his clock? } 40... Ke8? { No! } (40... Nxf3! 41. gxf3 h5 { draws. White's king cannot chase the c6-pawn, since Black's can create a passed pawn with ... g7-g5 much more quickly. }) 41. Kd6? (41. Be4! { was a simple win. }) 41... Kd8? { Again misevaluating the pawn ending! } 42. Be2! { Now everything is easy for White. } 42... Ng6 43. g3 Ne7 44. Bc4 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0