[Event "Riga"] [Site "Riga"] [Date "2021.11.06"] [Round "10"] [White "Vitiugov, Nikita"] [Black "Oparin, Grigoriy"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E24"] [WhiteElo "2734"] [BlackElo "2659"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "92"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 c5 6. f3 {Whenever the name Samisch is concerned, the white f-pawn modestly moves to the f3 square. It does, however, help White build the strongest possible center, which on its turn might translate into a decisive kingside attack. At least, this is what White is dreaming about.} Nc6 {Black, on his turn, realizes that the opponent has burned certain bridges, and that the pawn on c4 might well be attacked with every single black piece. More or less, this pawn is doomed, dreams Black, and he has visions of a won queenside battle.} 7. e4 d6 8. Be3 b6 9. Bd3 e5 { Kasparov named this the Portish-Hubner wall and my database indicates that 9. . ..0-0 is vanishing. Rightly so, why castle into White's attack $2} ({Black can, however, prepare the opposite-castling with} 9... Qc7 10. Ne2 Na5 11. O-O Ba6 12. Bg5 Nd7 13. f4 Bxc4 14. f5 e5 15. f6 g6 16. dxe5 Bxd3 17. Qxd3 dxe5 18. c4 O-O-O 19. Nc3 Kb8 {and Black won the opening battle in Boyer,M (2465)-Dubov,D (3093) Chess.com 2020}) 10. d5 Na5 11. Ne2 Kd7 $146 {A nice novelty $1 The king often walks toward the queenside on its own in the Nimzo-Indian defence, not necessarily using the castling crutch.} ({Although, in an earlier game Black did fine after} 11... Ba6 12. Ng3 Qd7 13. Qe2 O-O-O 14. a4 (14. Bg5 $5) 14... Rdg8 15. h4 g6 16. Kd1 Nh5 17. Nf1 f5 18. Kc2 fxe4 19. fxe4 Rf8 {Ang,A (2195)-Winkelman,A (2283) Melbourne 2019}) ({Once again, why castle into an attack with} 11... O-O {when besides the instant g2-g4, White can prepare the kingside assault with} 12. Ng3 ({Or with} 12. Ra2 $5)) 12. O-O Kc7 13. f4 { Vitiugov hurries to open the center.} Ng4 {Whereas Oparin tries to keep everything under blockade.} 14. Bd2 exf4 15. Bxf4 f6 {White's play seems done.} 16. Nd4 $1 {Not so fast, there is this sacrifice that intends to open up the black king's guard. The price of a knight to set the center in motion and open up the bishops is totally worth it.} Ne5 $1 {At least the knight got closer to the black king.} ({After} 16... cxd4 17. cxd4 Kb7 18. h3 Nh6 19. c5 $1 { Black will be quickly dismantled.}) 17. Nb5+ (17. Bxe5 dxe5 18. Nb5+ Kb7 { would have likely transposed.}) 17... Kb7 18. Bxe5 dxe5 {In any case, Vitiugov needs to demonstrate immense creativity in order to keep the his initiative looming.} 19. d6 $1 ({After} 19. a4 a6 20. Na3 Ka7 {Black consolidates and intends to reroute the knight to the d6-square.}) 19... Rb8 $1 ({Pushing the knight where it wants to go.} 19... a6 20. Nc7 {does not make sense.}) 20. Be2 Be6 21. Nc7 Bf7 {Black is just in time.} ({In case of} 21... Qd7 {White can search for a play with} 22. Nxe6 Qxe6 23. Ra2 Rbd8 24. Rd2) 22. Rb1 {Almost all the white pieces are active, but is it enough $2} ({The machine suggests instead the pretty drawish line} 22. Rf3 $5 Nxc4 23. Rd3 $1 Nb2 24. Rd2 $1 Nxd1 25. Ba6+ $1 Kc6 26. Bb5+ $1) 22... Qd7 $1 {Oparin also brings his pieces out, and wants to deal with the d6-pawn once and for all.} ({The capture was also possible:} 22... Nxc4 23. Bxc4 Bxc4 24. Rf2 Qd7 25. Rd2 {and it would have still led to interesting compensation for the pawn.}) 23. Bg4 Qc6 24. Be6 { White bets on the power of his passer.} ({The other idea was} 24. Nd5 $5 { when White once again is ready to part with a pawn in return for an initiative, this time, in the endgame:} Qxd6 25. Nxf6 Qxd1 26. Rbxd1 Bxc4 27. Rd7+ Ka6 28. Nd5 {Here Black can try to play for more than half-a-point with} Rhd8 $5 ({ Or else a forced draw:} 28... Bxf1 29. Nc7+ Kb7 30. Nb5+ Ka6 31. Nc7+)) 24... Bxe6 25. Nxe6 Nxc4 26. Qg4 Rhg8 27. d7 {This, however, turns out to be wrong.} ({A better try was} 27. Rfd1 Nxd6 28. Rd5 Ka8 29. Rbd1 {when anything was possible. Despite the two-pawn deficit, White has plenty of compensation thanks to his powerful pieces.}) 27... Ne3 28. Qh3 ({Maybe from afar Vitiugov thought that the underpromotion line} 28. Qxg7 $5 Rxg7 $1 {d8=$146+ is not just beautiful, but effective. But then saw that in the line Rxd8} 29. Nd8+ Kc7 30. Nxc6 Nxf1 31. Rxf1 Kxc6 32. Rxf6+ Kb5 {Black gets his dream endgame (see the opening phase...)}) 28... Nxf1 29. Rxf1 Qxe4 (29... Qd6 $5 {also made a lot of sense.}) 30. Qh5 ({Or} 30. Rd1 Rbd8 31. Nxd8+ Rxd8 32. Qe6 Qc6 33. Qe7 Kc7 {and the d7-pawn would vanish.}) 30... Rgd8 {This is more or less it $1 White will get a portion of his material back, but not everything.} 31. Rd1 g6 32. Qxh7 Qe2 33. Rb1 Qc2 34. Rf1 Qd3 35. Nxd8+ Rxd8 36. Qe7 Rxd7 37. Qxf6 Qxc3 38. Qxg6 Qe3+ 39. Kh1 c4 $1 {This passer decides. The grand strategy to win the c-pawn and promote his one worked for Oparin.} ({But not the flashy} 39... Qf2 $2 40. Qe4+ $1 {when White escapes.}) 40. Qe6 Qd3 41. Kg1 c3 42. Qxe5 c2 43. Rc1 Qd1+ 44. Kf2 ({Or} 44. Qe1 Qxc1 45. Qxc1 Rd1+) 44... Qd2+ 45. Kg3 Rd3+ 46. Kh4 Qxg2 {0-} 0-1