[Event "US Open"] [Site "Middleton, WI, United States"] [Date "2025.08.02"] [Round "7.3"] [White "GM Matviishen, Viktor"] [Black "GM Bharathakoti, Harsha"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Variant "Standard"] [Annotator "Foisor,Sabina"] [WhiteClock "0:01:34"] [BlackClock "0:02:16"] [ECO "D31"] [Opening "Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit, Main Line"] [StudyName "125th US Open Rds 5-7"] [ChapterName "GM Matviishen, Viktor - GM Bharathakoti, Harsha"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/xhEKHjro/lKO5VP54"] [Orientation "white"] { This was certainly the most topsy-turvy game of the round, with both sides being close to winning on a number of occasions. } 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Qxd4 7. Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8. Be2 Na6 9. Ba5 b6 10. Qd6 Bd7 11. Bc3 f6 12. Rd1 O-O-O 13. Qa3 Kb7 14. Nf3 Nh6?! (14... e5!) 15. Qe7 (15. c5! { White had some chances to start the queenside attack early. } 15... Nxc5? (15... Nc7 16. Nd2 Qxg2 17. Bf3 Qg6 18. cxb6 axb6 19. Nc4 $16) 16. b4 { and the knight is trapped. }) 15... Nf5?? (15... Nc5 16. Qxg7 Ng4 $13) 16. Rxd7+! Kc8 17. Qa3?? { This misses a way to finish the game had White found the beautiful, but not so easy, backwards move } (17. Nd2! { and White wins a piece! } 17... Rxd7 (17... Qxg2 18. Rxd8+ Rxd8 19. Qxe6+ Kb8 20. Bf3 Qg6 21. Qxc6 $18) 18. Qxd7+ Kxd7 19. Nxe4 $18) 17... Rxd7 { Now Black is back in business. } 18. Qxa6+ Kb8 19. Kf1 Rhd8 20. Qa4 e5? (20... g5! { gave Black a more comfortable position, as ... g5-g4 is threatened. }) 21. Qb3 g5 22. Ne1 Nd4 23. Bxd4 Rxd4 24. Bf3? (24. f3 { This is a difficult move to make considering that White struggles to keep the king safe. }) 24... Qf4 25. g3 Qc1 26. Be2 Rd2 27. Qf3 R8d6 28. h4 g4 29. Qxg4 Qxb2 { Slowly, Black starts enjoying a comfortable position by keeping White underdeveloped and on the defensive. } 30. Rh2 Qxa2 31. h5 f5 32. Qg8+ Rd8 33. Qg5 h6 34. Qf6 e4 35. c5 Qb2 36. Qe7 R8d7 (36... b5) 37. Qf8+ (37. Qe6!?) 37... Rd8 38. Qe7 b5 39. f3 Qd4 40. Qe6 Qxc5 (40... Rb2! { would have been a beautiful way to pressure the e1-knight } 41. Qxc6 Qd2 { followed by ... Rb2-b1, when it is close to over for White. } { [%cal Bb2b1] }) 41. Qxh6 exf3? { The mistake that gives up the advantage. } (41... a5 { [%cal Ba5a1,Bb5b1] }) 42. Qf4+ Kb7 43. Qxf3 Ra2 44. h6 Ra1 45. Rh5 Qc1 46. Qf2 Rh8 47. h7 b4 48. Bd3 (48. Rxf5 { seemed a bit simpler to me. After suffering for so long, here White could have found relief. } 48... Rxh7 49. Rf7+ Rxf7 50. Qxf7+ Kb6 51. Qf2+ { with perpetual }) 48... Qc3 49. Bxf5 b3 50. Be4 Qc4+ 51. Qe2 Rf8+ 52. Rf5 Qxe2+?? { Black misevaluated the endgame, pressured by the final minutes ticking off his clock. } (52... Rxf5+ 53. Bxf5 Qc3 54. Qe7+ Kb6 55. Qd8+ $10) 53. Kxe2 Re8 54. Kd2 Ra2+ 55. Kc3 Rh2 56. Nd3?? { The final mistake that gives the advantage away. } (56. Rf7+! { was the only way to keep the advantage. Saving the h-pawn is important for maintaining winning chances. } 56... Kb6 57. Nf3 Rh3 58. Bd3 Rxg3 59. Ne5 Rh8 60. Nc4+ Ka6 61. Nd6+ Kb6 62. Rb7+ Ka5 63. Rxa7+ Kb6 64. Rb7+ Ka5 65. Kc4 $18) 56... Rxh7 57. Rf6 Rc7 58. g4 Kb8 59. Nc5 Rg7 60. Na6+ Kc8 61. Rxc6+ Kd8 62. Bf5 Re3+ 63. Kb2 Rg3 64. Rc4 Rb7 65. Nc5 Rg2+ 66. Kc3 Rg3+ 67. Kb2 Rg2+ 68. Kc3 Rg3+ 69. Bd3 Rb6 70. Rd4+ Ke7 71. Nxb3 Rg6 72. Nc5 R6xg4 73. Rd7+ Kf6 74. Rxa7 Ke5 { Draw. } 1/2-1/2