[Event "WR Chess Masters"] [Site "Dusseldorf, Germany"] [Date "2023.02.24"] [Round "8.4"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Keymer, Vincent"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2766"] [BlackElo "2690"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C54"] [Opening "Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/wy4VAHLx/KgiJE7Wi"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 a6 6. O-O Ba7 7. a4 O-O 8. h3 d6 9. Re1 h6 10. Nbd2 Be6 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. b4 Ne7 13. Nf1 Ng6 14. Ra2 d5 15. Ng3 c6 16. a5 Rc8 17. c4!? { White elects to keep the tension, although it does not clearly favor him, objectively, to do so. That said, perhaps White evaluated the position correctly and determined he had more practical chances to outplay his opponent here than in the other, slightly better and more "correct" variations considered below. } (17. Rc2 { A flexible move could keep equality, although it would allow Black to liquify after } 17... c5 18. bxc5 Bxc5 19. d4 exd4 20. cxd4 Bb4 21. Rxc8 Qxc8 22. Bd2 Bxd2 23. Qxd2 dxe4 24. Nxe4 Nxe4 25. Rxe4 Qc6 26. Qe3 { . }) (17. d4 { would similarly force Black to liquify. } 17... Nxe4 (17... exd4 { would likely transpose: } 18. cxd4 dxe4 19. Nxe4 Nxe4 20. Rxe4 Qd5 { . }) 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Rxe4 exd4 20. cxd4 Qd5 21. Rae2 { where Black's weak pawn on the e-file is compensated for by activity on the f-file after } 21... Rf6 { . }) 17... Rc7 18. exd5 exd5 19. c5?! { This choice to lock the position down, however, has to be criticized, as Black's fluid center guarantees a continued edge. } (19. b5! { White had to create weaknesses on the queenside first. } 19... axb5 (19... Re7?? 20. Ba3 { was the point. }) 20. cxb5 cxb5 21. Nxe5) 19... Re7 20. Nf5 Re6 21. N3d4? Ree8 22. Nb3 Qd7 23. Nd6 Re6 24. Rae2 Ne8 25. Nxe8 Qxe8 26. g3 Bb8 27. Re3 Qf7 28. Rf1 Rf6 29. Re2 Nh4! { It is worth taking stock of what has transpired over the last ten moves. Black's dark-squared bishop is no longer out of play, as the long diagonal from b8-h2 can be opened shortly. White's strong knight in Black's gut has been swiftly traded off. There is no hope for undermining Black's kingside expansion in the center. These factors show how Keymer outstrategized So in navigating the position after White's choice to close the queenside. } 30. Nd2 Qg6 31. Re3 Nf5 32. Rf3 Re6 33. Re1 Rfe8 34. Nf1 e4 35. dxe4 dxe4 36. Ra3 Nh4 37. Nh2 e3 38. Raxe3 Bxg3 39. Ng4 Rxe3 40. Rxe3 Rxe3 41. Nxe3 Bf4+ 42. Qg4 Nf3+ 43. Kg2 Qxg4+ 44. hxg4 Ne1+ 45. Kf1 Nd3 46. Bd2 Ne5 47. Ke2 Bxe3 48. Kxe3 Nxg4+ 49. Kf4 Nxf2 50. Ke5 h5 51. Kd4 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1