[Event "Djerba Masters 2024"]
[Site "Djerba"]
[Date "2024.02.19"]
[White "Moussard, Jules"]
[Black "Niemann, Hans Moke"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2630"]
[BlackElo "2675"]
[Annotator "Lang, JJ"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[ECO "B51"]
[Opening "Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation"]
[Source "https://lichess.org/study/x8kOwuem/gEzM24EP"]
[Orientation "white"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. O-O a6 5. Be2 Ngf6 6. d3 b6 7. c4 Bb7 8. Nc3 g6 9. Rb1 Bg7 10. b4 Bc6 11. h3 O-O 12. Be3 e6 13. Qb3 Qe7 14. a4 Rfb8 15. Rfd1 h6 16. Ne1 g5 17. Nc2 a5 18. bxc5 bxc5 19. Nb5 Ne5 20. Qa3 Bb7 21. f4 gxf4 22. Bxf4 Ne8 23. Qc1 Kh7 24. Rf1 Nc7 25. Ne3 Nxb5 26. cxb5 Rg8 27. Ng4 f5 28. Nxe5 Bxe5 29. Bxe5 dxe5 30. Bf3 Rg3! 31. Qc3 Rag8 32. Qxe5 Qg5?? (32... Rxh3! { was the only equalizing move. It's not that the rook
wants to be on h3, losing time after } 33. Kf2 Rh4 34. Rbe1 { , but rather
that the threat of Bf3-g4 gave White a winning material advantage had the rook
not gone on this journey. }) 33. Bg4! { wins material by force: } 33... Qe3+ 34. Kh2 { and the rook is still under fire. After } 34... R3xg4 35. hxg4 Rxg4 { , Black's attack
looked furious, but White was sitting on the resourceful and necessary } 36. Rf3! { when Black has nothing better than } 36... Rh4+ 37. Kg3 (37. Rh3?? Rxh3+ 38. gxh3 Qf2+ 39. Kh1 Qf3+ 40. Kg1 Qe3+) 37... Rg4+ 38. Kh2 Rh4+ 39. Kg3 Rg4+ 40. Kh3! { and the attack dies down, objectively speaking, but Black is able to
keep enough pressure against both White's king and queen as to eventually
convince White to settle for a draw by repetition. } 40... Qd2 41. Rg3 Qg5 42. Kh2 Qh4+ 43. Rh3 Qf2 44. Rg1 fxe4 45. Qxe6 Rg6 46. Qd7+ Rg7 47. Qd6 Rg6 48. Qd7+ Rg7 49. Qd6 Rg6 50. Qc7+ Rg7 { Is Moussard just buying time? Apparently not, as
he was unable to correctly evaluate the position after 51. Qe5 and settled for
a draw by threefold repetition. } 51. Qd6? { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } (51. Qe5! $18 { and what was
White worried about? } 51... exd3 (51... e3 52. Rg3 { is no different. }) 52. Rg3! { covers the g2-square with a threat against Black's rook. } 52... Rd7 (52... Rf7 53. Qe8 $18) (52... Qxg3+ 53. Qxg3 Rxg3 54. Kxg3 c4 { might look risky, but Black's
pawns are not quite fast enough: } 55. Kf4 c3 56. Ke3 d2 57. Kd3 { with the king
reaching the rear pawn just in time. } 57... Be4+ 58. Kxc3! $18 { Is it possible
that White went on autopilot and missed this move here? } (58. Kxe4?? c2 $19 { would have been a tragedy. })) 53. Qe8 { forces trades, which obviously favor
White. }) 1/2-1/2