[Event "?"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.05.31"] [Round "?"] [White "Lobezge"] [Black "Paul H."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D04"] [WhiteElo "2193"] [BlackElo "2138"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "blitz"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2013.12.29"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "180+2"] {[%evp 0,66,16,25,50,48,27,6,-1,-1,-2,-15,18,3,1,2,4,10,3,15,1,13,-3,-50,-54, -56,-55,-43,-53,-75,-70,-69,-52,-43,-30,-8,-15,-13,-29,-34,-20,-139,-34,-102,0, -48,-28,-73,-22,-22,6,-17,-8,-75,-80,-88,-94,-506,-583,-583,-602,-621,-649, -722,-769,-1264,-1340,-1381,-1473]} 1. Nf3 c5 {A04 Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation} 2. e3 Nf6 3. b3 $5 {This is the third most common move. It's rare but playable.} d5 4. Bb2 Nc6 5. Be2 g6 {It makes sense to contest the a1-h8 long diagonal by fianchettoing my bishop.} 6. O-O Bg7 7. d4 cxd4 {Ne4 is another option but after Nbd2 the position is equal.} 8. Nxd4 O-O 9. Nd2 ({ Strangely enough, Hikaru Nakamura played this opening in 2019.} 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. c4 a5 11. Nc3 Ba6 12. Qc2 dxc4 13. bxc4 Rb8 14. Na4 Qc7 15. Rab1 Nd7 16. Ba3 Rfe8 17. Rb3 Be5 18. h3 Rxb3 19. axb3 c5 20. Nc3 Bb7 21. Rd1 Bc6 22. Na4 Qb7 23. Bf1 Bd6 24. Nc3 Rb8 25. Nb5 Be5 26. Bc1 Nf6 27. Bd2 Be4 28. Qa2 Rd8 29. Rc1 Qd7 30. Bxa5 Ra8 31. Qd2 Qxd2 32. Bxd2 Ra2 33. Bc3 Bxc3 34. Nxc3 Rb2 35. Na4 Rxb3 36. Nxc5 Rb1 37. Rxb1 Bxb1 38. f3 Ne8 {Nakamura,H (3148)-Pichot,A (2818) Chess.com INT 2019 1-0 (76)}) 9... Re8 {Preparing e5 with a strong center.} 10. c4 (10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Nf3 $11) 10... e5 11. N4f3 $2 {This allows Black to continue expanding too in the center with d4.} ({Instead, White should play} 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Rc1 $11) 11... d4 $1 12. exd4 exd4 13. Re1 { Even at this early stage, Black has a passer on d4 that limits White's piece play.} Bf5 $146 {I took a long time on this move thinking Nh4 might give me trouble. Just the opposite is true though. If Nh4 then Be6 and my bishop is still developed while White's knight is misplaced.} 14. a3 Qd7 (14... Ng4 $5 { A strange move provided by Stockfish. There is a strong threat of Nf2 in the position.} 15. Bf1 ({The harmless-looking} 15. h3 {fails to} Nxf2 16. Kxf2 d3 17. Bxg7 Qb6+ 18. Kg3 dxe2 19. Rxe2 Kxg7 $17) 15... Bh6 16. Rxe8+ Qxe8 17. g3 ( 17. h3 $4 Nxf2 18. Qe2 (18. Kxf2 $4 Qe3+ 19. Kg3 Bf4+ 20. Kh4 Qe7+ 21. Ng5 Qxg5#) 18... Be3)) 15. b4 {A good move trying to dislodge the protective knight on c6.} Ne4 (15... Nh5 $5 {Chess is all about square control. From here Nf4 is threatened which would make a nice outpost for the knight.} 16. Qb3 Nf4 17. Bf1 a5 18. Rxe8+ Rxe8 19. h3 $15) 16. Nxe4 Bxe4 17. Bd3 {This is the critical position. How to recapture? I reasoned that the knight on f3 causes more problems for me than the d3 bishop and I think I'm right.} Bxf3 $1 18. Qxf3 (18. gxf3 $4 {This causes major structural damage to White's pawn structure and loses quickly.} Rxe1+ 19. Qxe1 Ne5 20. Qe4 Re8 21. Rb1 (21. Re1 $4 Nxf3+ 22. Qxf3 Rxe1+ $19)) 18... Ne5 {And I still have the option to take on d3.} 19. Qd1 Rad8 20. Bf1 h5 $6 (20... d3 {Passed pawns should be pushed.} 21. Qb3 d2 22. Red1 Qf5 23. h3 b6 24. Rab1 Nd3 $19 {[%csl Rf2][%CAl Gf5f2, Yd3f2]}) 21. h3 a6 $6 {Another mistake. For some reason I am resistant to push the pawn. Not doing so keeps White in the game.} 22. f4 Nc6 23. Qf3 Ne7 ({ Better would be to trade of rooks and push the pawn.} 23... Rxe1 24. Rxe1 d3 25. Bxg7 Kxg7 26. Rd1 Qd4+ 27. Qf2 Qxc4 $15) 24. Bd3 h4 $6 {My idea was to play Nf5-g3 but since White can take my knight on f5, this move doesn't make a lot of sense.} 25. Re2 Nf5 26. Bxf5 $2 {The problem with this capture is that it now allows d3-d2.} Qxf5 27. Rae1 {It was probably best to focus on defense and play Rd1.} Rxe2 28. Rxe2 $4 (28. Qxe2 {White is still lost but this recapture keeps him in the game longer.} d3 29. Qe7 Rd4 30. Bxd4 Bxd4+ 31. Kh1 Qxf4 $19) 28... d3 $1 $19 {Attacking the rook and the bishop. Black is winning. } 29. Rd2 Bxb2 30. Rxb2 d2 31. Qd1 Qxf4 {Black now has a vice-like grip on the d2 pawn - it can never be captured.} 32. Rc2 Qe3+ 33. Kf1 Rd4 {Threatening Rf4 and my opponent had seen enough.} 0-1