[Event "UzChess Cup Masters TB1"] [Site "Tashkent UZB"] [Date "2025.06.27"] [Round "1"] [White "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"] [Black "Sindarov, Javokhir"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2710"] [PlyCount "109"] [GameId "2193612153752853"] [EventDate "2025.06.27"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.01.05"] {[%evp 0,109,19,17,-21,6,31,91,4,18,19,18,8,22,5,16,16,13,-21,17,50,62,47,24,50,44,74,70,59,41,79,50,42,35,40,15,44,51,46,49,147,127,132,66,97,47,85,77,101,82,-94,86,68,46,89,211,82,73,97,82,54,105,92,122,130,128,58,132,116,124,125,125,131,122,126,147,128,128,125,144,132,108,116,70,7,54,11,10,-1,6,19,21,0,18,-204,1,-1,-18,-110,-22,32,-38,-1,1,-1,-1,-1,-5,-1,-1,1,-1]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. Nd2 Nf4 9. Qe3 Ne6 (9... Nd5 $142) 10. Bd3 d5 11. exd6 cxd6 12. O-O $14 Qd8 13. Nf3 (13. Re1 $142 $16 {/+-}) 13... Be7 $14 14. Bd2 Bd7 15. Bc3 O-O 16. Rad1 Bf6 17. Qd2 Re8 18. Rfe1 Bxc3 19. Qxc3 Qf6 (19... Rb8 $142) (19... Qc7 $142) 20. Qxf6 gxf6 21. c4 $16 Rad8 22. Bc2 Bc8 23. g3 $11 (23. Ba4 $142 $16) 23... Ba6 (23... Ng5 $142 $11) 24. b3 (24. Ba4 $142 $16) 24... d5 25. cxd5 cxd5 26. Bd3 Bxd3 27. Rxd3 Rd7 28. Nd4 $16 Kg7 29. Rde3 Nxd4 30. Rxe8 Nf3+ 31. Kf1 Nxe1 32. Kxe1 f5 33. Kd2 (33. f4 $142 $18) 33... f4 $16 34. Kd3 Kf6 35. Kd4 Kg5 36. f3 $18 fxg3 37. hxg3 h5 38. Re5+ $2 (38. Rg8+ Kf5 39. b4 $18) 38... f5 $11 39. Re8 Rc7 $11 (39... f4 $1 $11) 40. Rg8+ Kf6 41. f4 Rc2 $1 42. a4 Rd2+ 43. Kc3 Rg2 44. Rg5 h4 $1 45. gxh4 Rf2 46. h5 Rf3+ 47. Kc2 Rf2+ 48. Kd3 Rxf4 49. Rg6+ Ke5 50. h6 Rf3+ 51. Kc2 Rf2+ 52. Kd3 Rf3+ 53. Kc2 Rf2+ 54. Kd3 Rf3+ 55. Kc2 {A game Abdusattorov probably should have won, but nothing's guaranteed in blitz.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "UzChess Cup Masters TB1"] [Site "Tashkent UZB"] [Date "2025.06.27"] [Round "2"] [White "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Black "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "D04"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2767"] [PlyCount "82"] [GameId "2193612153773334"] [EventDate "2025.06.27"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.01.05"] {[%evp 0,82,15,33,19,16,15,5,13,20,11,11,11,0,26,27,22,2,44,42,53,50,50,51,42,27,109,108,79,44,68,47,53,47,107,116,122,187,134,140,160,163,151,334,171,151,257,188,157,180,206,147,202,140,70,156,175,158,168,161,142,161,179,157,171,108,159,165,88,130,141,213,393,436,446,483,472,524,569,504,544,617,560,637,29999]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 Bf5 4. Bd3 e6 5. Bxf5 exf5 6. c4 c6 7. Qb3 Qb6 8. Nc3 Qxb3 9. axb3 Nbd7 10. Bd2 a6 11. Ke2 Bd6 12. cxd5 cxd5 $2 (12... Nxd5 13. Nxd5 cxd5 14. Ra5 Nf6 15. Ne5 $14) 13. Nb5 $1 $18 Ne4 14. Ng5 $2 (14. Bb4 $1 $18) 14... Ke7 $14 15. Nxd6 Nxd6 16. Bb4 Raf8 $2 (16... Rhc8 $14 {followed by ...Rc6 should let Black escape.}) 17. Ra5 $18 Nf6 18. Rc1 Kd7 19. Rac5 Nb5 20. R5c2 Re8 21. Kd3 Rhg8 (21... Rc8 $142) 22. Nxf7 Ne4 23. f3 Ke6 24. Ne5 Ned6 25. h4 g6 26. h5 g5 27. g4 fxg4 28. Nxg4 Nf5 29. Ne5 h6 30. Ng4 Rg7 31. Rc8 Rgg8 32. Rxe8+ Rxe8 33. Rc2 Rh8 34. Be1 Ng7 35. Bg3 Nxh5 $2 36. Be5 Rh7 37. Rh2 Ng7 38. Nf6 Rh8 39. Nh5 Nxh5 40. Bxh8 Ng3 41. Rxh6+ Kf5 (41... Kf5 42. Rf6#) 1-0 [Event "UzChess Cup Masters TB1"] [Site "Tashkent UZB"] [Date "2025.06.27"] [Round "3"] [White "Sindarov, Javokhir"] [Black "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "2710"] [BlackElo "2767"] [PlyCount "133"] [GameId "2193612153773335"] [EventDate "2025.06.27"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.01.05"] {[%evp 0,133,14,19,43,-129,45,45,38,-4,40,50,33,32,47,42,41,41,44,33,40,41,42,39,43,22,20,28,-10,23,20,26,39,28,36,10,50,55,50,-25,54,36,-6,37,-42,-3,-1,13,10,-5,-17,-9,1,7,11,5,5,11,24,16,109,26,0,1,0,13,-188,11,11,7,4,9,6,1,43,126,68,-3,52,31,57,22,1,27,53,1,68,30,79,68,93,91,88,61,92,72,107,74,75,33,95,64,59,89,97,108,119,91,114,91,109,99,76,96,142,89,173,212,202,192,200,141,166,250,222,107,158,205,313,418,549,740,798,610,824,638]} 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Bf5 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bd3 Bxd3 7. Qxd3 Nf6 8. O-O Be7 9. Bf4 c6 10. Ne4 Nxe4 11. Qxe4 Nd7 12. Ne5 Nf6 13. Qe2 O-O 14. Rfd1 Rad8 15. a4 Nd7 16. Nf3 Rfe8 17. c3 Bf6 18. Bg3 h6 19. h3 Nf8 20. Ne5 Bxe5 21. Bxe5 Ng6 22. Bg3 Rd7 23. Re1 Red8 24. Qc2 c5 25. dxc5 Qxc5 26. Rad1 Qc6 27. Rxd7 Qxd7 28. Re4 Qc6 29. Qe2 Ne7 30. Bh4 Qe8 31. Rc4 Rd7 32. Bxe7 Qxe7 33. Rc8+ Rd8 34. Qc4 Qd7 35. Rxd8+ Qxd8 {You'd never expect a player rated #4 in the world to lose this, but - again - anything is possible in blitz.} 36. b4 g5 37. a5 Qd7 (37... b6) 38. Qc5 a6 39. c4 Kg7 (39... Qd2 $142) 40. b5 $14 Qd1+ 41. Kh2 Qd2 $2 (41... Qd3 $1 $14) 42. b6 $2 (42. Qe5+ Kg8 43. b6 $18 {Only now.}) 42... Qf4+ 43. Kg1 Qc1+ 44. Kh2 Qf4+ 45. g3 Qe4 $14 46. Kg1 Qe1+ 47. Kg2 Qe4+ 48. Kg1 Qe1+ 49. Kh2 Qe4 50. Qc7 h5 $2 (50... e5 $1 $11) 51. c5 $6 (51. Qe7 $1 $18) 51... Qf3 $6 (51... Kg6 $14) 52. Qe5+ $1 f6 53. Qe3 $6 (53. Qd4 $1) 53... Qd5 $2 (53... Qc6 $14) 54. Qc3 $2 (54. Qc1 $1 Qc6 55. Qh1 $1 $18 {is the brilliant point.}) 54... Qc6 55. Qd4 Kf7 56. Kg1 Ke7 $2 (56... Kg6 $1 $14) 57. h4 $2 (57. Qd3 $1 $18) 57... Qd7 $4 {This is a blunder even grading on the curve (i.e. taking the blitz time control into account).} (57... e5 $14) 58. Qe4 $2 {Winning, but missing a shot at an open goal.} (58. Qxd7+ Kxd7 59. g4 $18) 58... f5 59. Qe5 gxh4 60. gxh4 Qd1+ 61. Kh2 Qf3 62. Qg7+ Ke8 63. Qg3 $1 Qxg3+ $2 64. Kxg3 Kd7 65. Kf4 Kc6 66. Kg5 Kb5 67. c6 $1 {Not necessary, but it makes the win simpler and unnecessary to calculate. At the halfway point of the double round-robin tiebreaker, Sindarov leads with 1.5/2, Praggnanandhaa is second with 1 and Abdusattorov last with .5.} 1-0 [Event "UzChess Cup Masters TB1"] [Site "Tashkent UZB"] [Date "2025.06.27"] [Round "4"] [White "Sindarov, Javokhir"] [Black "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [WhiteElo "2710"] [BlackElo "2767"] [PlyCount "0"] [GameId "2193612153773336"] [EventDate "2025.06.27"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.01.05"] {Did they agree to a draw without playing, or was there some sort of technical malfunction?} 1/2-1/2 [Event "UzChess Cup Masters TB1"] [Site "Tashkent UZB"] [Date "2025.06.27"] [Round "5"] [White "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"] [Black "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "C44"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2767"] [PlyCount "209"] [GameId "2193612153773337"] [EventDate "2025.06.27"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.01.05"] {[%evp 0,209,11,22,26,22,17,-2,-13,-20,-8,-8,-3,0,5,23,1,0,7,3,23,54,59,69,67,68,74,2,-92,-8,-28,18,-23,-63,11,-30,30,-28,-3,-10,86,30,29,47,145,55,57,75,92,149,145,103,107,37,-4,31,6,-16,-11,-11,-105,-53,-11,-454,79,86,112,114,141,145,220,-1,-1,-8,20,-10,94,66,42,68,49,49,49,-27,152,59,104,34,93,50,63,55,62,48,51,57,192,138,140,138,83,137,60,44,111,45,125,61,66,53,74,27,127,30,62,111,62,34,13,0,246,94,254,112,47,120,133,22,27,25,231,40,230,33,241,60,112,68,56,44,19,144,21,17,45,25,235,10,258,58,128,101,206,82,112,16,120,16,12,255,56,80,104,215,102,351,116,501,165,177,189,173,341,194,199,380,205,278,195,346,204,189,383,190,190,359,207,389,226,199,309,173,527,194,420,199,482,214,205,208,357,192,209,239,244,198,557,567,29999,1005,29973,577] Abdusattorov gets his revenge against Pragg.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 Nf6 4. d3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. a3 Re8 9. b4 Nf6 10. Nbd2 a6 11. Bb2 Bg4 12. h3 Bf5 13. Ng5 Qd7 14. Kh2 Rad8 15. Nde4 Nxe4 16. Nxe4 Bg6 17. Qd2 Bf8 18. Rfe1 Nd4 19. Nc5 Bxc5 20. bxc5 e4 21. Qc3 exd3 22. cxd3 Rxe1 23. Rxe1 f6 24. Bxb7 Nb5 25. Qc4+ Bf7 26. Qb4 Qxd3 27. a4 Nd4 28. Re3 Qd1 29. Bxd4 Rxd4 30. Qa5 Rd2 31. Kg2 Qc2 $2 (31... Bc4 {wins outright for Black.}) 32. Rf3 {Now White is fine, though not better.} h6 33. Qxc7 Qb1 34. Re3 Bg6 35. Bf3 Qc2 36. Qb8+ Kh7 37. Kg1 Rxf2 38. Qb3 Qd2 39. Qc3 Qa2 40. Bd5 Qc2 41. c6 Rd2 42. Qxc2 Rxc2 43. a5 h5 44. Re7 Bf5 45. c7 Rc5 46. Bb7 Bxh3 47. Bxa6 Rxa5 48. c8=Q Bxc8 49. Bxc8 Ra2 50. Be6 Rb2 51. Rc7 Kh6 52. Rc5 Re2 53. Bf7 g6 54. Kf1 Rd2 55. Be8 Rd8 56. Bb5 f5 57. Kf2 Kg5 58. Rc6 Rd4 59. Bc4 h4 60. gxh4+ Rxh4 61. Bf7 Rf4+ 62. Ke3 Re4+ 63. Kd3 Kf4 64. Bxg6 {I don't know if White can force the win of the f-pawn, but even if he can it's still a draw - at least in theory.} Re3+ 65. Kd2 Re5 66. Rc1 Kg5 67. Rg1+ Kf6 68. Bh5 Re4 69. Bf3 Re7 70. Kd3 Re8 71. Kd4 Re7 72. Bd5 Re8 73. Kc5 Rc8+ 74. Kd4 Re8 75. Rf1 Rd8 76. Kc5 Rc8+ 77. Kd6 Rd8+ 78. Kc6 Ke5 79. Re1+ Kf4 80. Kc5 Kg5 81. Kd4 Rb8 82. Ke5 Rb5 83. Rg1+ Kh4 84. Kf4 Kh5 85. Be6 Kh6 86. Bxf5 {There it goes. Worse, it drops in a position where Black's king is already vulnerable, so White doesn't have to waste time getting the king to the edge of the board.} Rb6 87. Ke5 Kh5 88. Be6 Rb4 89. Kf6 Kh4 90. Rg8 Ra4 91. Bf5 Rb4 92. Ke5 Kh5 93. Be4 Rb6 94. Rg7 Kh6 95. Rg1 Ra6 96. Bf5 Kh5 97. Rg7 Rb6 98. Be6 Rb4 99. Rg1 Ra4 100. Bd7 Rb4 101. Bc6 Rc4 102. Be4 {Black never had the chance to reach the safety of the Cochrane or Second-Rank defenses, and here his only two viable moves are not obvious.} Rb4 $2 (102... Rc7 $1) (102... Rc8 $1) 103. Kf4 $1 $18 Ra4 104. Rc1 (104. Rh1# {is probably better.}) 104... Kh6 105. Rc7 $1 {The only move, but it's clearly game-ending. (At least assuming that White will spot other, later mates in one.)} 1-0 [Event "UzChess Cup Masters TB1"] [Site "Tashkent UZB"] [Date "2025.06.27"] [Round "6"] [White "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Black "Sindarov, Javokhir"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "E90"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2710"] [PlyCount "75"] [GameId "2193612153773338"] [EventDate "2025.06.27"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.01.05"] {[%evp 0,75,20,34,13,23,21,33,47,49,33,39,36,31,58,49,59,60,52,50,67,37,45,19,170,20,32,-12,77,76,70,146,89,18,53,49,3,79,61,58,-75,67,55,65,70,73,30,85,-189,101,-38,69,81,-1,4,12,-1,6,-1,-51,-57,-75,-104,-52,-52,-27,49,22,39,-46,124,314,306,462,462,337,482,662] Now Pragg must win to send the players to another round of tiebreaks; otherwise, Sindarov wins the tiebreak and the tournament.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. h3 Qe8 7. Be3 e5 8. d5 Nh5 9. Qc2 a5 10. O-O-O Na6 11. a3 Bd7 12. Kb1 f5 13. exf5 gxf5 14. g4 Nf4 $2 (14... f4 $1 15. Bc1 Nc5 $1 16. Nd2 $1 Nf6 17. g5 Nh5 18. Nde4 Bf5 $14 {/?}) 15. Bxf4 (15. Nh4 $1 $18) 15... exf4 16. Bd3 (16. Re1 $142 $16 {/+-}) 16... Nc5 $16 17. Bxf5 (17. Rde1 $142 $16) 17... Bxf5 (17... Rxf5 $1 18. gxf5 Qh5 19. Nd4 Bxd4 20. Rxd4 Bxf5 21. Ne4 $14) 18. gxf5 $16 Qh5 19. Nd4 Bxd4 20. Rxd4 Qxf5 21. Rg1+ Kh8 22. Rg4 f3 23. Qxf5 (23. Ne4 $142) 23... Rxf5 24. Kc2 a4 25. Ne4 Re8 $14 26. Nxc5 (26. Kc3 $142) 26... Re2+ $11 27. Rd2 dxc5 28. Kd1 (28. Rxe2 $142 fxe2 29. Kd2 $11) 28... Rfe5 29. Rxe2 Rxe2 30. Rf4 Rxf2 31. Ke1 $2 Rxb2 $2 (31... Re2+ $1 32. Kd1 (32. Kf1 $2 Kg7 $1 33. Rxf3 Rxb2 $19) 32... Kg7 $1 33. Rxf3 Rxb2 $19) 32. Rf7 $1 {Staying alive, but Black still has the better half of a draw. If he can just hold on, he wins the tournament.} b5 $6 33. Rxc7 Re2+ 34. Kf1 b4 $4 (34... bxc4 35. d6 Rd2 36. d7 c3 {and now White doesn't have time for} 37. Rc8+ Kg7 38. d8=Q $4 {because after} Rxd8 39. Rxd8 c2 $19 {the c-pawn can't be stopped.}) 35. d6 Rd2 36. d7 bxa3 37. Rc8+ Kg7 38. d8=Q {And so it's tied up once again. All three players went 3/6 in the tiebreak, so they move on to a single round-robin tiebreaker.} 1-0 [Event "UzChess Cup Masters TB2"] [Site "Tashkent UZB"] [Date "2025.06.27"] [Round "1"] [White "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Black "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2767"] [PlyCount "147"] [GameId "2193612163870012"] [EventDate "2025.06.27"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.01.05"] {[%evp 0,148,22,13,8,-14,-12,-13,0,8,8,28,34,21,39,30,30,66,40,38,47,-7,4,8,-45,-59,-66,-88,-104,-98,-183,-191,-129,-182,-210,-220,-216,-220,-198,-161,-147,-183,-146,-223,-161,-234,-245,16,-149,-207,-197,-235,-301,-62,-154,-174,-104,-9,-81,76,-39,-23,-32,-25,-3,-73,-126,-59,-44,-30,-6,-93,-29,-264,-6,-4,-137,-117,0,-52,0,0,-1,3,0,0,13,-1,0,-1,-1,-11,-223,-18,-2,-1,-212,-7,0,-3,-1,-272,-170,-52,-47,-33,-28,-25,-24,-23,-29,-26,-15,-18,-11,-116,-6,-88,-139,-31,-21,-51,-67,-30,-52,-57,-171,-67,-3,-60,-2,-96,-10,-4,-5,-15,-1,-2,-4,-3,-4,-4,0,0,0,0,-1,0,0,0,0]} 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. O-O Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 e5 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. c4 Be7 9. Nc3 Be6 10. Qa4 O-O 11. Rd1 d4 12. Bg5 Rb8 13. b3 Qc7 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Ne4 f5 16. Nd2 e4 17. c5 Bxc5 18. Rac1 Qb6 19. Nc4 Qb5 20. Ne5 Rbc8 21. g4 Rfe8 22. Rc2 Qxa4 23. bxa4 Bb6 24. Nxc6 Bd7 25. Nxd4 Rxc2 26. Nxc2 Bxa4 27. Rd2 fxg4 28. Ne3 Bxe3 29. fxe3 f5 30. Rd5 Rf8 31. Ra5 Bd1 32. Rxa7 Bxe2 33. Kf2 Bd3 34. Kg3 Rb8 35. h3 h5 36. hxg4 hxg4 37. a4 Rb2 38. Ra5 Re2 39. Rxf5 Rxe3+ 40. Kxg4 Re1 41. Re5 e3 42. Bf3 Kg7 43. Kf4 e2 44. Bxe2 Bxe2 {What are the odds? Once again Pragg is in danger of having to defend rook vs. rook and bishop. This time, however, he never surrenders his pawn and holds the draw.} 45. Re3 Rf1+ 46. Ke5 Bc4 47. Kd4 Bf7 48. Kc5 Ra1 49. Kb5 Kf6 50. a5 Bd5 51. a6 Kf5 52. Kb6 Kf4 53. Re7 Kf5 54. a7 Kf6 55. Re8 Ra2 56. Re1 Kf7 57. Re5 Bg2 58. Ra5 Rb2+ 59. Rb5 Rd2 60. Re5 Rd6+ 61. Kc7 Rc6+ 62. Kb8 Rb6+ 63. Kc8 Ra6 64. Kb8 Kf6 65. Rb5 Re6 66. Rb2 Bd5 67. Rb5 Re8+ 68. Kc7 Bg2 69. Rb2 Bd5 70. Rb5 Ke5 71. Rxd5+ Kxd5 72. Kb7 Re7+ 73. Kb8 Rxa7 74. Kxa7 1/2-1/2 [Event "UzChess Cup Masters TB2"] [Site "Tashkent UZB"] [Date "2025.06.27"] [Round "2"] [White "Sindarov, Javokhir"] [Black "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "2710"] [BlackElo "2767"] [PlyCount "102"] [GameId "2193612163919165"] [EventDate "2025.06.27"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.01.05"] {[%evp 0,102,22,22,-29,18,39,34,34,39,61,23,46,34,42,27,41,34,44,33,40,155,46,44,41,23,9,15,12,8,-47,0,-8,-7,-163,-20,-97,-10,-2,10,-3,-4,-7,-29,-45,-119,-29,-95,-80,-78,-111,-81,-17,-97,1,-140,-37,-166,-130,-295,-317,-290,-14,-208,-276,-348,-266,-259,-301,-209,-189,-336,-365,-407,-398,-462,-423,-414,-354,-438,-371,-311,-365,-465,-510,-497,-499,-533,-524,-938,-566,-1137,-607,-744,-669,-666,-762,-920,-924,-1045,-651,-584,-615,-603,-627]} 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Bf5 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bd3 $6 {This is the third time in the last six months or so that Pragg has faced this extremely unpopular, unsuccessful, and unloved (by the engine) move. Why, I have no idea. After the three GMs - all of whom lost - the next highest-rated player to use this was rated 2219.} Bxd3 7. Qxd3 Nf6 8. O-O Be7 9. Bf4 c6 10. Ne4 Nxe4 11. Qxe4 Nd7 12. Ne5 Rd8 13. Rfd1 O-O 14. a4 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Bd6 16. Bxd6 Rxd6 {It's still equal, but the position is more comfortable for Black. He'll keep putting pressure on White's d-pawn, while White has little if anything he can do to disturb Black.} 17. c3 Rfd8 18. Rd3 g6 19. b4 Qd5 20. Re3 a5 21. bxa5 Qxa5 {Now White must attend to a4 and c3, in return for which he might whip up some play against b7 while looking for kingside play with h4-h5.} 22. h4 b5 23. Qc2 Ra8 $15 24. h5 bxa4 25. h6 Rd7 26. Re5 Rd5 27. Ree1 Rh5 28. Qd2 $2 (28. Re5 $1 Rxe5 29. dxe5 Qxe5 30. Rxa4 $11 {/?}) 28... Qc7 $2 (28... Qd8 $19) 29. Reb1 $2 (29. Re5 $1) 29... Qh2+ 30. Kf1 Rxh6 $19 {White can't even take on a4 due to 31...Qh1+ and 32...Qxb1, so he must struggle on, down two pawns with a somewhat unsafe king.} 31. Qe3 Rh5 32. Qf3 Qc7 33. g4 Rha5 34. Kg2 a3 35. Rh1 Rg5 36. Kf1 a2 37. Qe3 Rxg4 {Three pawns.} 38. Qh6 f5 39. Qd2 Qb8 40. f3 Qf4 41. Qe2 Kg7 42. Rh3 Rg3 43. Rxg3 Qxg3 44. Qe3 h5 45. c4 h4 46. d5 cxd5 47. cxd5 h3 48. Qc3+ Kh7 49. Qb2 Qg2+ $1 {The perfect approach for blitz.} 50. Qxg2 hxg2+ 51. Kxg2 exd5 0-1 [Event "UzChess Cup Masters TB2"] [Site "Tashkent UZB"] [Date "2025.06.27"] [Round "3"] [White "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"] [Black "Sindarov, Javokhir"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "C44"] [WhiteElo "2767"] [BlackElo "2710"] [PlyCount "86"] [GameId "2193612163923262"] [EventDate "2025.06.27"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.01.05"] {[%evp 0,86,18,20,1,15,23,-6,16,15,9,7,-10,-2,-9,-4,0,-6,-41,-5,-2,0,-6,1,-4,-18,-44,-22,10,-2,26,31,38,15,15,25,18,26,38,85,70,49,59,168,70,25,1,42,33,-39,-44,42,95,141,122,90,87,169,136,0,93,0,-5,-60,-105,-83,-87,-84,-84,-68,-62,-56,-43,-142,-79,-210,-166,-232,-218,-87,-249,-249,-249,-284,-316,-266,-278,-411,-391] I'm not sure about the rules, as to what would happen if Abdusattorov won this game. Would there be a further, two-player tiebreak between him and Pragg? Or would tournament tiebreakers decide (e.g. Buchholz scores)? I'm not sure, and it didn't happen - but it might have.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 {Abdusattorov has stuck with this move. It doesn't promise anything, but it keeps the game going in a way that the mainstream openings might not.} Bc5 4. Bg2 d6 5. d3 a5 6. Nc3 Nge7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Bg4 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Qxf3 Nd4 11. Qd1 c6 (11... f5 $1) 12. Kh2 a4 13. a3 Kh8 14. Ne2 Qb6 15. Nxd4 Bxd4 16. Bxd4 Qxd4 17. c3 Qb6 18. Qd2 d5 $6 (18... c5 $11) 19. exd5 Nxd5 20. Rae1 $14 {/? Now White's bishop and rooks come alive.} f6 $2 21. Re4 $1 $16 {/+-} Rfd8 22. Rh4 $2 {Too soon.} (22. Qc2 $1 $18 {was better, hitting a4, getting the queen off the d-file (opposite the rook on d8) and looking to play d4 so the queen can hit h7 (especially after Rh4). White is probably winning here with best play.}) 22... Ne7 (22... f5 $142 $14) 23. Re1 (23. Qc2 $142) 23... c5 24. Be4 $6 (24. Rhe4 $142) 24... f5 25. Bg2 Qf6 $6 (25... Ng6 $142) 26. Qc2 $1 $14 h6 $2 27. Rxa4 $2 (27. Rc4 $1 Qd6 28. Rxa4 $1 $18 {The difference here is that} Rxa4 29. Qxa4 Qxd3 $2 {leaves e5 unprotected, so} 30. Rxe5 $18 {and White wins.}) 27... Rxa4 28. Qxa4 Rxd3 $14 29. Re2 (29. Qb5 $142) (29. Qa8+ $142) 29... b6 $11 30. Qe8+ Kh7 31. a4 (31. h4 $142) 31... e4 $15 32. Qb5 $6 Ng6 $1 $17 33. a5 bxa5 34. Qxc5 h5 $1 35. h4 $2 (35. Bxe4 $1 fxe4 36. Qxh5+ Kg8 37. Qxa5 $15 {/? favors Black but may still be drawn with best play.}) 35... Ne5 $1 $19 {All of a sudden, Black is winning. White has too many weaknesses, including especially the one he just made - on g4.} 36. Bh3 Rd1 37. Kg2 g6 38. Qc7+ Kh6 39. Re3 Nf3 {White must give up the exchange to avoid ...Rg1#.} 40. Qf4+ Kg7 41. Rxf3 exf3+ 42. Qxf3 Qd6 43. Qb7+ Qd7 {If White trades, then Black wins the endgame easily with White's bishop completely out of the game. (Black scoops up the b-pawn and queens the a-pawn.) If White doesn't, then ...Qd5+ will either mate or force White to trade queens all the same, when the same winning procedure ensues: Black wins the b-pawn and shoves the a-pawn. Game over, therefore, and tournament victory goes to Praggnanandhaa, with Sindarov taking second and Abdusattorov third. Congrats to Pragg, who keeps winning this year - in playoffs, too, as he did against Gukesh in Wijk aan Zee at the start of the year.} 0-1