[Event "Olympiad-45"] [White "So,Wesley"] [Black "Praggnanandhaa,Rameshbabu"] [Site "Budapest"] [Round "10.2"] [Annotator "So,Wesley"] [Result "1-0"] [Date "2024.09.21"] [WhiteElo "2752"] [BlackElo "2750"] [PlyCount "81"] {This game was played in the 10th round, when we were one match win behind the leaders, India. We were on the ropes, because even if we beat them, we would still be behind on tiebreaks. But we were very thrilled to be able to compete against the leaders of the tournament, who had dominated all throughout the event. And if a miracle happened and we actually won, we might even have an outside chance for gold!} 1. e4 e5 ({I also prepared for the French as Pragg played it the day before against Sindarov and he regularly plays it. It's a good opening, but I figured, he'd go for the more solid 1...e5.} 1... e6 )2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 {Our team coach, GM Mikhail Antipov is an expert in the Italian, and has a practically encyclopedic knowledge of it. Normally then, it was a big topic during our team meetings, and several of our players employed 3.Bc4 during the tournament. I myself also have some understanding of it, playing it frequently especially online with both colors.} Bc5 ({I won a decent game with White against GM Naiditsch after} 3... Nf6 4. d3 Be7 {in Round 3.} )4. O-O ({ A month earlier in the Sinquefield Cup I had this against Pragg with opposite colors, and he played} 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. Bg5 {A very sharp line, where he was very well prepared. He got a winning position, but I survived with a miracle draw.} )Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 a6 7. a4 Ba7 {Pragg likes this setup, but normally I prepare as well for other possibilities, for example ...a5 here or on the previous move with also large theory.} 8. Nbd2 {I thought he'd be very well prepared against 8.Bg5, considering he'd played it a few times with White, and also Round 6 against Leko. Mikhail told me to play an early Nbd2, but I have no understanding of why it's more accurate than 8.Re1.} O-O 9. h3 Be6 {This was unexpected. Normally Black plays ...Re8 first followed by ...Be6. } ({In the Sinquefield Cup he played} 9... h6 10. Re1 Qe7 {against MVL. A rare move, but he equalized very easily.} )10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. b4 {In return for the doubled pawns Black gets an open file and quick activity. As Grischuk once said, Black simply has to attack on the kingside in this position!} Qe8 ({ Keymer played against me} 11... h6 12. Re1 Ne7 {in Dusseldorf last year, in which he won very easily with Black. Normally I'm more aware now how quickly the position can become dangerous for White.} 13. Nf1 Ng6 14. N1h2 $1 {was one of the tips Keymer told me after our game. With the idea of g3+Kg2, to secure the kingside and limit his knights.} )12. Ra2 {This is always a good move, as Levon Aronian told me. It protects the 2nd rank and now b5 is also possible.} (12. Re1 Nh5 13. Nf1 Qg6 {is good for Black, as he is very quick on the kingside.} )Nh5 (12... Qg6 $5 {is a flexible alternative, keeping all his options open.} )13. Nc4 Nf4 (13... b5 14. Ne3 {followed by Ng4 or g3 is pleasant for White.} )14. b5 ({My first idea was} 14. Kh2 {but...} Qh5 { threatening ...Nxh3, is fine for Black.} )Nb8 $1 {I thought this was a nice move, as the knight can re-route itself and protect b6 from d7.} ({Against } 14... Ne7 {I was going to play} 15. b6 Bxb6 16. Nxb6 cxb6 17. g3 {followed by Rb2, when Black's doubled pawns give me a slight edge.} )15. Kh2 {I spent a long time here 25 minutes, but finally couldn't find anything convincing.} (15. b6 {was my first intention, but I didn't think I had much after} Bxb6 16. Rb2 (16. Nxb6 cxb6 17. g3 Ng6 $11 {is also nothing for White. Black can always give back the pawn with ...b5 axb5 a5. Getting a protected passed a-pawn.} )Nd7 17. a5 Ba7 {Now Rxb7 allows Nc5, so I have to give up my bishop.} 18. Bxf4 Rxf4 19. Rxb7 Qc8 20. Rb4 h6 {With a strong dark-squared bishop I didn't think Black had problems here.} )Nd7 16. g3 Ng6 17. bxa6 {I didn't want to play this move, but if I didn't, then I always have to watch out for the possible opening of the a-file.} ({Maybe I didn't have to trade pawns at the time being:} 17. Kg2 d5 (17... Nc5 18. Be3 {Black cannot take the pawn as after } axb5 19. axb5 Qxb5 20. Ng5 {White gets a strong attack.} )18. Ncd2 Bc5 19. Qc2 {with a very complex position.} )bxa6 18. Kg2 d5 19. Ncd2 (19. Na5 { was one idea, but I thought my knight was too far from my king.} )({I didn't want him to exchange minor pieces with} 19. Ne3 Bxe3 20. Bxe3 Nf6 {followed by ... Qc6, when Black doesn't seem to have any problems at all.} )Nf6 20. Re1 (20. c4 $5 {is interesting, to clarify the situation on the queenside.} )Rd8 21. Qe2 {I didn't really think I was better here, but I was happy to get a playable position and Black has doubled pawns.} ({After} 21. Qc2 { I was a bit worried about} Nh5 22. Nf1 {But the computer shows that Black has no real attack on the kingside.} )Qc6 22. c4 Rf7 (22... Nh5 {makes sense, } 23. Nf1 dxc4 $1 24. dxc4 Bc5 $11 {with the idea of ...Bb4, Black is totally good.} )23. cxd5 exd5 24. Nf1 h6 25. N1h2 {Now after a long adventurous journey, I finally achieved the setup I learned from the Keymer game.The position is just equal of course, but my king is safe, and Pragg started to go wrong.} Rfd7 {I think the rook was just fine on the f-file.} ({Black has many good moves here, such as} 25... Bd4 {or 25... Qd6 followed by ...c5.} )26. a5 { It's always good to advance your rook's pawn to gain space, and fix the a6-pawn. Now Pragg started to use a lot of time.} dxe4 $6 {This just weakens his position.} ({Black is just totally fine after} 26... Qe6 {followed by ... c5.} )27. dxe4 {Now Black has so many isolated pawns that I can target.} Rd3 28. Rd2 {Trading his active rook looks normal to me.} (28. Rc2 Qd6 29. Rc4 { followed by Qc2 is the computer's preference.} )Qb5 ({Stronger is} 28... Rxd2 29. Bxd2 Qb5 $1 {since once the queens are traded, Black will have a perfectly solid and tenable position.} )29. Rxd3 Rxd3 30. Qc2 $1 {Pragg must have missed this move from afar. Now White's queen suddenly infiltrates the position.} Rd7 (30... c5 {doesn't look attractive, since at the very least I can pin his pawn with} 31. Be3 {when the a7-bishop looks very ugly.} )31. Qa2+ Kh7 32. Qe6 {A good move, but not the best. Actually 32.Ng4! wins on the spot! Which I missed.} (32. Ng4 $1 Nxg4 33. hxg4 {I guess White's position structurally is just dominating. g5 is coming next move, and Black has no real defense.} )Qxa5 $1 {A nice practical try, and it almost worked. He almost used up all his time here. I knew Pragg was a great calculator so I kind of trusted him that the tactics worked in his favour after 33.Ng4.} 33. Qf5 (33. Ng4 Nxg4 34. Qxd7 $1 (34. hxg4 Rd6 {is okay for Black.} )Nxf2 { Trusting Pragg, I just assumed Black is fine here, but in fact White is totally winning after 35.Be3, or 35.Re2. The knight on g6 cannot join the fight and I am simply up the exchange.} )Qa2 34. Rf1 $6 {Again just trusting my intuition.} ({If I had been more disciplined in calculating I might have played} 34. Nh4 $1 Qf7 (34... Qxf2+ 35. Qxf2 Bxf2 36. Kxf2 Nxh4 37. gxh4 {I wasn't sure if this ending was winning, so that's why I went for 34. Rf1.} )35. N2f3 Re7 36. Bg5 $1 {when Black is pinned multiple ways and he cannot move. White just activates the rook next.} )Re7 $2 (34... Rd6 $1 { was the only way to stay in the game. Which we both underestimated.} 35. Nxe5 Ng8 {Normally Pragg would spot this easily, but he only had less than 2 minutes left. Black breaks off from the pin with ...Ne7.} )35. Bxh6 {35.Bg5 was even stronger, but I was happy with this move, since Black has many weaknesses.} gxh6 36. Qxf6 Qe6 $2 {The final mistake.} (36... Rf7 37. Qc6 Qe2 $1 {was far more stubborn. White still wins after} 38. Qe6 Kg7 39. Qg4 { but I have to find a lot of accurate moves. aber ich muss eine Menge präziser Züge finden.} )37. Ng4 (37. Qf5 {followed by Ng4 also wins.} )a5 ({ Fortunately for me the ending is easily winning after} 37... Qxf6 38. Nxf6+ Kg7 39. Nd5 Rd7 40. Ra1 )38. Qf5 {Black's king is very weak, and he has four isolated pawns!} Kg7 39. Qh5 Nh8 40. Nh4 Kh7 41. Nxh6 {Black reached the time control, but fortunately the position was easily winning for me. Here Pragg resigned. But our team was still in big trouble after my game. Erigaisi was outplaying Leinier from the very beginning, with Leinier unable to equalize out of the opening. Meanwhile, Fabiano blundered a pawn on board 1, after desperately trying to trick Gukesh who was having time trouble. Levon had an equal endgame on board 4. In the end we lost 2.5-1.5. But this did not quench our spirits. The next day we came back and beat China earning ourselves a last minute Silver Medal! Big congratulations to India for their dominating performance, especially Gukesh and Erigaisi who combined for a very impressive total 19 out of 21 points! Big congratulations also to our own team USA ... for never giving up!} 1-0