[Event "Champions Showdown"] [Site "St Louis, MO USA"] [Date "2019.02.24"] [Round "21.5"] [White "Richard Rapport"] [Black "Samuel Shankland"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A00"] [WhiteElo "2735"] [BlackElo "2731"] [PlyCount "107"] [EventDate "2019.02.23"] 1. Nc3 {This is the Reversed Nimzowitsch: Many transpositions of chess openings can be converted from this line.} c5 {This is the Sicilian Defense. We'll see how it can transform into a French set-up.} 2. Nf3 {GM Rapport waits for black's intent to uncover his real set-up.} d5 {The revelation: 2..d5 move wants to exert pressure to the knight at c3 but white can move either 3. d4 or 3. e4.} 3. d4 {Blocks the d5 pawn but also aware of any tricks black may execute.} e6 {This is it: French set-up.} 4. e4 {Best move. White must first initiate pressure.} Nf6 5. exd5 ({If} 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bb5 {Guijarro vs Caruana 1-0, check previous chess blog: AFC2}) 5... Nxd5 6. Nxd5 Qxd5 7. Be3 cxd4 ({If } 7... Nc6 8. dxc5) 8. Qxd4 Qxd4 9. Nxd4 {The exchange of queens is advantageous to white due to better development and early castling.} a6 { This is familiar: Typical Sicilian Kan variation. It is wise to learn both Sicilian and French defense. The 9...a6 move restricts Nb5 move.} 10. O-O-O Be7 11. Be2 O-O 12. Rhe1 {What is white's plan? 1. Attack the center or 2. attack the queenside.} Nd7 {This will jump to the best suited square like d5. The bishop at c8 is going to delay queenside expansion affecting the rook at a8.} 13. f4 {I like this Anti-French set-up, black's pieces now are not coordinated and congested.} Nf6 {Yes, it goes to d5 to attack the bishop at e3 but the light colored bishop is more important.} 14. Bf3 Rd8 15. g4 {White starts to pressure the knight but check on the bishop at e7, It looks vulnerable.} Nd5 16. Nf5 {You can't blink your eyes otherwise you'll miss this knight kick.} exf5 17. Bxd5 fxg4 ({If} 17... Kf8 18. g5 g6 19. Bb6 Re8 20. Bc7 {Cramped position}) 18. Bb6 {This is what I was discussing about the bishop at e7 now under attack.} Re8 19. Bc5 {Painful position...} Be6 ({If} 19... Kf8 20. Bc6 bxc6 (20... Be6 21. Bxe8 Bxc5 22. Re5 Rxe8 23. Rxc5) 21. Rxe7 Rxe7 22. Rd8#) 20. Bxe7 Rxe7 21. f5 {Another one..} Bxd5 22. Rxe7 Bc6 {Black is now quality down and no executable play due to rooks controlling the files d and e.} 23. Rd4 h5 {Forced. Now, white's king will march to f4 square to control kingside pawns.} 24. Kd2 Kf8 25. Re5 f6 26. Re6 Kf7 27. Ke3 Rf8 28. Rdd6 {WE STOP HERE: KINDLY ANALYZE WHITE'S LAST MOVE? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?} Kg8 29. Kf4 {Your Royal Highness has achieved his goal to control the advance of black's kingside pawns.} Kh7 30. c4 {Yes, white's plan is to create a queenside passed pawn due to 3 is to 2 pawn structure queenside pawns.} Kh6 31. b4 Rc8 32. Re7 { Yes, the b7 pawn will hang if black agrees to the exchange of pawns if white pushes b5.} Bf3 33. c5 Bc6 34. Re2 {STOP AGAIN HERE: THINK 5 MOVES AHEAD: WHY 34. Re2 What is the plan?} Rf8 35. Red2 {Yes, white plans to exchange rooks. But the black king is eyeing the g5 square, once the king at f4 is checked by the rook, if the rook at f8 now goes to e8.} Re8 36. Re6 {True, it can't be allowed.} Ra8 37. Re7 Rc8 38. a4 {Nice timing by GM Rapport, this leaves b7 pawn hanging if bishop takes the a4 pawn.} g5+ {frustrations, frustrations....} 39. fxg6 Kxg6 40. Rb2 {Obviously to push the pawn to create a passed pawn.} Rd8 41. b5 axb5 42. axb5 Bh1 43. c6 bxc6 44. b6 {Fantastic play by GM Rapport!!!} Rd3 45. Re3 {No way!!} Rd4+ 46. Kg3 Rd8 47. Ra3 c5 {It allows the bishop to prevent the b7 pawn from promoting but makes the c5 pawn an easy prey.} 48. Rc3 Kg5 49. Rxc5+ f5 50. h4+ {This is it, black must take the pawn.} gxh3 51. Kxh3 Rd3+ 52. Kh2 Be4 53. b7 Rd1 54. b8=Q {Black Resigned: Due to the king can escape checks and the queen at b8 controls the h2 square. Lovely game by GM Richard Rapport. This game illustrates how he controlled the game, not allowing black to recover. It helped a lot in the opening stage where black delayed development at queenside. Thanks GM Richard Rapport!!!} 1-0