[Event "Round 6: Johnson, Donald - Zacarias Rodriguez, Santiago"] [Site "https://lichess.org/broadcast/north-american-junior-chess-championship-u20-2025-open/round-6/Cmx4s8aa/E3VftXLO"] [Date "2025.12.04"] [Round "6.2"] [White "Johnson, Donald"] [Black "Zacarias Rodriguez, Santiago"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2317"] [WhiteTitle "FM"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [WhiteFideId "30949122"] [BlackElo "2264"] [BlackTitle "FM"] [BlackTeam "MEX"] [BlackFideId "5148367"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B31"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation"] [StudyName "2025 North American Junior Championship"] [ChapterName "Johnson, Donald - Zacarias Rodriguez, Santiago"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/xDpXfEsg/HuQycRTt"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:31:00] } 1... c5 { [%clk 1:24:25] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:31:29] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 1:24:34] } 3. Bb5 { [%clk 1:31:06] } 3... g6 { [%clk 1:23:35] } 4. Bxc6 { [%clk 1:31:31] } 4... dxc6 { [%clk 1:24:00] } 5. d3 { [%clk 1:31:57] } 5... Bg7 { [%clk 1:21:28] } 6. a4 { [%clk 1:31:08] } 6... Nf6 { [%clk 1:13:56] } 7. a5 { [%clk 1:28:41] } 7... Nd7 { [%clk 1:01:30] } 8. Nbd2 { [%clk 1:20:48] } 8... e5 { [%clk 0:55:32] } 9. Nc4 { [%clk 1:18:37] } 9... Qe7 { [%clk 0:53:46] } 10. Be3 { [%clk 1:10:30] } 10... Nf8 { [%clk 0:39:51] } 11. h3 { [%clk 1:10:44] } 11... f6 { [%clk 0:38:44] } 12. O-O { [%clk 1:09:39] } 12... Be6 { [%clk 0:32:23] } 13. Nfd2 { [%clk 0:55:41] } 13... Bxc4 { [%clk 0:22:30] } 14. Nxc4 { [%clk 0:56:10] } 14... Ne6 { [%clk 0:22:36] } 15. f4 { [%clk 0:49:06] } 15... exf4 { [%clk 0:19:46] } 16. Bxf4 { [%clk 0:49:35] } 16... Rd8 { [%clk 0:20:10] } 17. Be3 { [%clk 0:44:21] } 17... O-O { [%clk 0:20:16] } 18. Qd2 { [%clk 0:27:21] } 18... Qd7 { [%clk 0:17:59] } 19. Kh1 { [%clk 0:15:40] } 19... Rf7 { [%clk 0:11:31] } 20. Rf2 { [%clk 0:10:49] } 20... f5? { This one positional error gives White a strong initiative, which Johnson never relinquishes. } { [%clk 0:09:33] } 21. exf5 { [%clk 0:24:43] } 21... gxf5 { [%clk 0:09:55] } 22. Bh6 { Going to trade off Black's best piece. The point is the f6-square is not available for the bishop, as the f-pawn hangs, while the h8-square is too passive. } { [%clk 0:23:53] } 22... Qd4 { [%clk 0:05:35] } (22... Bh8? 23. Raf1 Nd4 24. Qg5+ { and the bishop still comes off, this time with the f-pawn likely falling next. } 24... Bg7 25. Ne5! $18) 23. Bxg7 { [%clk 0:18:29] } 23... Nxg7 { [%clk 0:05:17] } 24. Rf4 { [%clk 0:15:37] } 24... Qd5 { So many of Black's pieces are stuck guarding the f-pawn! } { [%clk 0:05:17] } 25. Re1 { White's play against the target is very clear. } { [%clk 0:12:43] } 25... Re8 { [%clk 0:05:27] } 26. Rff1 { [%clk 0:12:43] } 26... Rfe7 { [%clk 0:05:37] } 27. Rxe7 { [%clk 0:12:43] } 27... Rxe7 { The trade of rook clarifies the situation, with the f-pawn being a real liability. } { [%clk 0:05:37] } 28. Qf4 { The g7-knight is ugly, tied down to defense. } { [%clk 0:12:07] } 28... Re2?! { [%clk 0:03:10] } 29. Ne3 { A multi-purpose move, defending while attacking the f-pawn. } { [%clk 0:10:50] } 29... Qe6 30. Rf3! { Black's rook is dangerously close to being trapped offsides. But it was hard to make any suggestions for alternatives for Black, given the passivity of the other pieces. } { [%clk 0:10:30] } 30... h6 31. Kg1 { [%clk 0:08:28] } 31... Kh7 32. Kf1 { [%clk 0:05:12] } 32... Rd2 { [%clk 0:02:32] } 33. Rg3! $18 { There is no Kf1-e1 yet (the c-pawn drops due to the pin on the e-file), but now Black's queen is stuck on the e-file keeping the pin there. In other words, Johnson went from putting the g7-knight out of commission first, then the rook, and now the queen. Fantastic positional play and a great squeeze. } { [%clk 0:03:09] } 33... Nh5 { Finding a tactical time to leave the guard of the f-pawn had to be Black's strategy, but this is refuted. } { [%clk 0:01:39] } 34. Qc7+! { [%clk 0:07:04] } 34... Kh8 { [%clk 0:01:34] } 35. Qb8+ { [%clk 0:07:00] } 35... Kh7 { [%clk 0:02:35] } 36. Qxb7+ { [%clk 0:07:22] } 36... Kh8 { [%clk 0:02:48] } 37. Qb8+ { [%clk 0:07:44] } 37... Kh7 { [%clk 0:03:17] } 38. Qxa7+ { [%clk 0:08:08] } 38... Kh8 { [%clk 0:03:20] } 39. Qa8+ { [%clk 0:05:25] } 39... Kh7 { [%clk 0:03:49] } 40. Qb7+ { [%clk 0:05:41] } 40... Kh8 { [%clk 0:04:18] } 41. Qb8+ { [%clk 0:06:09] } 41... Kh7 { [%clk 0:04:47] } 42. Qa7+ { [%clk 0:06:38] } 42... Kh8 { [%clk 0:04:56] } 43. Rf3 { After picking up two pawns with forcing moves, White saves the rook by going after the third weak pawn. Plus, the passed a-pawn is fatal. } { [%clk 0:06:14] } 43... f4 { [%clk 0:05:24] } (43... Qe5 { could be tried, but } 44. a6 f4 { is similar. The point is that there's a defender on the c5-pawn, at least. White has a win here, but it's far from obvious. } 45. Kg1!! { White's knight is immune due to the mate threat of Rf3-f8+, and now Ne3-f1 covers White's kingside, buying enough time to promote the a-pawn. } (45. Nc4?? Qe2+ $19) 45... Nf6 46. Nf1 { Hitting the rook to buy tempo against ... Qe5-e2. } 46... Rxc2 47. Qf7 $18 { and now there's still no time for ... Qe5-e2. }) 44. Qxc5! { [%clk 0:04:07] } 44... Kh7 { [%clk 0:02:45] } 45. Qxh5 { [%clk 0:04:07] } 45... fxe3 { [%clk 0:03:13] } 46. Qf7+ $18 { Forcing a trade of queens into an easily winning rook-and-pawn endgame. } { [%clk 0:03:40] } 46... Qxf7 { [%clk 0:03:39] } 47. Rxf7+ { [%clk 0:03:33] } 47... Kg6 { [%clk 0:02:16] } 48. Rb7 { [%clk 0:01:35] } 48... Rf2+ { [%clk 0:02:15] } 49. Ke1 { [%clk 0:01:20] } 49... Rxc2 { [%clk 0:02:26] } 50. a6 { [%clk 0:01:10] } 50... Rxg2 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 51. a7 { [%clk 0:04:45] } 51... Rg1+ { [%clk 0:03:17] } 52. Ke2 { [%clk 0:05:14] } 52... Ra1 { [%clk 0:03:46] } 53. Kxe3 { [%clk 0:05:42] } 53... Kh5 { [%clk 0:03:47] } 54. Kd4 { [%clk 0:05:57] } 54... Kh4 { [%clk 0:04:12] } 55. Kc5 { [%clk 0:06:17] } 55... Ra6 { [%clk 0:04:32] } 56. d4 { [%clk 0:06:26] } 56... Kxh3 { [%clk 0:04:44] } 57. Rb3+ { [%clk 0:06:48] } 1-0