[Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2022.11.08"] [Round "?"] [White "Tang, Julian"] [Black "Weatherlake, John P"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "1727"] [BlackElo "1890"] [Annotator "peter"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.03.01"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bc4 {The third most popular choice} (4. Bb5) (4. d4) 4... Be7 {A solid move} (4... Bc5 {is fine for Black}) (4... Nxe4 { is the mainline} 5. Nxe4 (5. Bxf7+ Kxf7 $17 {is complicated but favours Black}) (5. O-O {is a genuine gambit}) 5... d5 {is level according to engines but in practice Black has scored much better than White from here.}) 5. O-O O-O 6. h3 d6 (6... Nxe4 {is again very playable for Black. John prefers a more complicated route.}) 7. d4 Nd7 8. Be3 Nb6 9. Be2 Re8 {this rather begs White to play d5 as the rook is probably better on f8 in the resulting structure.} 10. d5 Nb8 11. Qd2 N8d7 12. Rfe1 Nf8 13. a4 Ng6 14. b4 Nh4 15. Nxh4 Bxh4 16. Kh2 (16. a5 Nd7 17. a6 b6 (17... bxa6 18. Bxa6 {with the white squared bishops off the board any black attack on the kingside will be blunted and at the same time Black's pawn structure on the queenside is in tatters}) 18. Bb5 {looks very strong, threatening Bc6 and Nb5}) 16... f5 17. g3 {a natural response but it is met by a very strong reply} (17. exf5 Bxf5 18. a5 Nd7 19. a6 $16) 17... f4 $3 {an excellent long term piece sac.} 18. Bxb6 axb6 19. gxh4 Qxh4 20. Bf1 ( 20. Qd3 Qxf2+ 21. Kh1 Qh4 22. Qf3 Bxh3 23. Qh5 $11 {is the engines' defence but I don't think many of us would find that}) 20... f3 {with clear idea of swinging the rooks to the kingside and mating White.} 21. Qe3 Qh5 (21... Rf8 { was a more accurate move order}) 22. Nb1 (22. a5 {aiming to remove a pair of rooks gave more chances and is about equal according to the engines though after} bxa5 (22... b5 $5) 23. Rxa5 Rxa5 24. bxa5 {the position still looks much easier to play for Black}) 22... Rf8 23. Nd2 Rf4 $1 24. Ra3 {Now that White is pinned down John finds a series of accurate move to finish the game off in style.} (24. a5 {may still be best but is now too slow to remove the pressure} g5 25. Qd3 {preparing to come to f1 in the event of Bxh3. But this can be met by} (25. axb6 $2 Rxa1 26. Rxa1 Bxh3 27. Bxh3 g4 $19) 25... b5 { blocking the queenside and giving Black time to slowly and systematically build his attack. The position might be holdable with perfect play but in practice Black will have excellent winning chances.}) 24... Bg4 $19 25. Rb1 Raf8 26. Qe1 R8f6 27. Rbb3 Rg6 28. Qd1 Bxh3 29. Rxf3 (29. Bxh3 Rg2+ 30. Kh1 Qxh3#) 29... Bxf1+ 30. Rh3 Rxf2+ {and White resigned as his queen drops and mate follows quickly. Superbly played by John!} 0-1