[Event "2nd Indiana Chess Congress"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/wp8a4FT9/hApB0SN8"] [Date "2025.03.09"] [Round "5.6"] [White "Kennedy, Greg"] [Black "Criss, Nate"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2100"] [BlackElo "1985"] [Annotator "FM Lester VanMeter"] [GameId "2154589750001693"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A20"] [Opening "English Opening: King's English Variation"] [StudyName "ISCA Games"] [ChapterName "Kennedy, Greg - Criss, Nate"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/wp8a4FT9/hApB0SN8"] [Orientation "white"] { I hope you enjoy this game from the last round of the 2nd Indiana Chess Congress that decided this year's Indiana State Champion. FM Lester VanMeter } { [%evp 0,42,25,-25,-12,-49,54,-1,7,7,46,24,38,28,31,0,15,-7,18,3,6,-31,6,-15,-13,-30,-13,-104,-80,-132,-136,-123,-102,-123,-120,-152,-162,-136,-139,-134,-124,-143,-128,-182,-174] } 1. c4 { [g90+30] } (1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. f4 e6 6. Nf3 d6 7. O-O Nge7 8. d3 Rb8 9. a4 a6 { to this game at move 10 }) 1... e5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 f5 5. e3 Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 6. Nge2 { [%clk 1:27:00] } 6... Nc6 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 7. d3 { [%clk 1:26:00] } 7... O-O { This game brings back memories of Boris Spassky, who recently passed away at 88, back in the day when I was first starting to make my way in chess. He was the coming player and his trademark was understanding and playing the complex postions associated with the Closed Sicilian from BOTH sides of the board. That's what got him to become the World Champion in 1969. } { [%clk 1:24:00] } 8. Rb1 { [%clk 1:26:00] } 8... a5 { [%clk 1:24:00] } 9. a3 { [%clk 1:26:00] } 9... d6 { [#] [%clk 1:21:00] } 10. Nd5 { [%clk 1:24:00] } (10. O-O { with typical closed Sicilian plans, for example: } 10... g5 11. f4 { is a typical way to play in the Closed Sicilian. } 11... exf4 12. exf4 g4 13. Be3 Be6 14. Qb3 Rb8 15. Bf2 Bf7 16. Rfe1 h5 17. Qb5 Ne7 18. Qxa5 h4 19. Nd4 h3 20. Bh1 b6 21. Qb5 c5 22. Ne6 Bxe6 23. Rxe6 Ne8 24. Re2 Nc7 25. Qa4 Bf6 26. Rbe1 Kg7 27. Nb5 Nxb5 28. Qxb5 d5 29. d4 dxc4 30. dxc5 bxc5 31. Qxc5 Rf7 32. Qxc4 Rxb2 33. Rxb2 Bxb2 34. a4 Ng6 35. Qb4 Qf6 36. Qb6 Rd7 37. Qxf6+ Kxf6 38. Rb1 Bd4 39. a5 Ne7 { 1-0 Kamsky,G (2683)-Shirov,A (2691) RUS-chT 22nd Sochi 2015 (7.1) }) 10... Ne7 { [#] [%clk 1:20:00] } 11. Ndc3 $146 { Not a good novelty, and now we can definitely say that playing the reversed Closed Sicilian has not worked out for white at all. His "extra move" to begin with wasn't helpful, and this waste of time has actually helped black (Who now, in reality, is playing white - and with an extra tempo(!)) take charge. } { [%clk 1:24:00] } (11. Nxf6+ Bxf6 12. O-O c6 13. f4 Be6 14. b4 axb4 15. Rxb4 Qd7 16. Bb2 g5 17. Qa1 { ½-½ Korneev,S (2170)-Ponce Cano,A (2169) Calvia Amateur op 17th 2020 (5) }) 11... c6 { [%clk 1:19:00] } 12. d4? { Before embarking upon "active" play in the 5th quadrant white should improve his pieces. Naturally he should accept his structure and play short castles. } { [%clk 1:23:00] } 12... e4 { [%clk 1:17:00] } 13. b4 (13. b3 { is more circumspect and 'equalish'. }) 13... Be6 { [%clk 1:15:00] } 14. d5?! { [%clk 1:15:00] } 14... cxd5 { [%clk 1:12:00] } 15. Nf4! { a proper intermezzo } { [%clk 1:15:00] } 15... Bf7 { [%clk 1:12:00] } 16. Ncxd5 { He initiates an exchange of all of the knights and this is bad for white. Simply look at the potential activity of the remaining bishops... } 16... Nfxd5 17. Nxd5 { [%clk 1:14:00] } 17... Nxd5 { [%clk 1:08:00] } 18. cxd5 { [%clk 1:14:00] } 18... axb4 { Additionally black just gains time with being able to develop his Ra8 for free, he gets the open c-file as well, and white has a really weak pawn stuck on d5. } 19. axb4 { [%clk 1:14:00] } 19... Ra2! { [#] You shouldn't be surprised to know that black is clearly winning here (by multiple methods, but they all are connected with his huge advantage in mobility). } { [%clk 1:00:00] } 20. O-O { [%clk 1:14:00] } 20... Qc7! { [%clk 0:58:00] } 21. f3? { [%clk 1:08:00] } 21... Qc4 { White resigned here. He cannot take on e4 because of the loose rook on b1... } { [#] [%clk 0:54:00] } 22. fxe4 (22. Bd2 { or other options do not really help as the d5-pawn is falling and white's position is just collapsing. }) 22... Rxg2+ 23. Kxg2 Qxe4+ 24. Kg1 Qxb1 { A BIG SHOUT OUT, and congratulations to Nate Criss for winning his first state championship! This was a pretty quick win, and he had to wait for multiple other results to go his way before he knew that the title was his alone. He now qualifies for the 2025 Indiana Invitational Championship, and I look forward to seeing him defending the Open Championship at the 3rd Congress in 2026. Hopefully you will be there, too! } 0-1