[Event "FIDE World Cup 2023"] [Site "Baku AZE"] [Date "2023.08.02"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Shankland, Sam"] [Black "Schitco, Ivan"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A47"] [WhiteElo "2711"] [BlackElo "2507"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "116"] [EventDate "2021.07.30"] [EventType "k.o."] {[%evp 0,116,30,29,28,24,27,27,42,38,33,25,31,27,27,15,23,9,21,20,18,-19,28,27,40,31,87,63,73,70,59,27,41,28,28,22,22,29,23,23,19,17,18,7,19,29,29,23,50,62,66,69,69,69,69,69,68,73,76,67,81,79,59,64,86,74,75,74,74,81,68,75,68,56,59,56,57,62,57,57,49,56,78,82,88,56,49,56,82,56,70,56,80,70,88,57,70,56,47,53,39,35,63,65,60,55,49,0,0,0,0,0,0,-16,0,-29995,-29996,-29997,-29998]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 b6 4. e3 Bb7 5. Bd3 Be7 6. h3 c5 7. O-O O-O 8. c3 d6 9. Re1 Nc6 10. Qe2 Re8 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. Rad1 cxd4 13. exd4 Ne7 14. Bh2 Ng6 15. Ne4 Bxe4 16. Bxe4 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 d5 18. Qg4 Bd6 19. h4 Bxh2+ 20. Kxh2 Qf6 21. h5 Qf4+ 22. Qxf4 Nxf4 23. g4 h6 24. Kg3 g5 25. hxg6 Nxg6 26. Rh1 Kg7 27. Rh5 Rh8 28. Rdh1 Rag8 29. Ne1 Nf8 30. Nd3 Nd7 31. f3 Rc8 32. R5h2 a6 33. Kf4 a5 34. Ke3 b5 35. Kd2 Rb8 36. b3 Rbc8 37. Nf4 Nf6 38. Kd3 Rb8 39. Kc2 Rbc8 40. Kb2 Rb8 41. Nd3 Nd7 42. Rh4 Rbc8 43. R4h2 Rce8 44. Rh5 Nf6 45. R5h4 Nd7 46. f4 Reg8 47. a3 Rc8 48. Ne5 Nxe5 49. dxe5 a4 50. Rh5 Rcg8 51. R1h4 Kf8 52. bxa4 bxa4 53. c4 dxc4 54. Kc3 Ke7 55. g5 Rb8 56. gxh6 Rb3+ {White has been better pretty much throughout the game, but Schitco's defense has been better than Shankland's offense and now it's Black who can pretend to play for more than a draw. Even so, Shankland should still hold without any real trouble, but now he loses his mind.} 57. Kxc4 $4 {Considering how safe his position has been throughout the game, he may have assumed that there couldn't possibly be any danger. Turns out this isn't just dangerous, it's sucide.} (57. Kc2 Rxa3 58. Rh3 $11) 57... Rc8+ 58. Kd4 Rbc3 {There's no defense to the threatened 59...R8c4#. Oops.} 0-1 [Event "FIDE World Cup 2023"] [Site "Baku AZE"] [Date "2023.08.02"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Acosta, Pablo Ismael"] [Black "Deac, Bogdan-Daniel"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2485"] [BlackElo "2693"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "306"] [EventDate "2021.07.30"] [EventType "k.o."] {[%evp 0,306,27,27,24,10,18,23,11,11,50,6,6,4,-5,4,-5,-5,14,-6,-10,0,-10,-19,-21,-21,-21,-26,-22,-26,-13,-42,-48,-71,-64,-68,-58,-70,-70,-63,-54,-54,-56,-63,-34,-54,-56,-58,-58,-58,-51,-67,-57,-60,-33,-30,-30,-30,-30,-22,-25,-25,-15,-15,-15,-29,-33,-24,-24,-36,-28,-25,-25,-25,-21,-25,-28,-66,-66,-71,-71,-103,-103,-98,-102,-102,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-86,-80,-94,-94,-98,-82,-76,-75,-76,-75,-80,-80,-85,-72,-77,-72,-80,-80,-76,-75,-75,-75,-76,-82,-76,-75,-76,-76,-76,-76,-76,-73,-75,-72,-76,-75,-75,-72,-76,-76,-75,-72,-77,-67,-71,-79,-72,-65,-76,-63,-94,-94,-94,-76,-94,-94,-94,-94,-94,-82,-94,-94,-98,-76,-76,-75,-80,-76,-76,-74,-80,-80,-82,-79,-117,-93,-102,-88,-105,-93,-98,-84,-78,-84,-81,-97,-97,-84,-93,-78,-78,-82,-60,-41,-69,-78,-84,-84,-127,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-90,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-84,-65,-80,-56,-80,-44,-97,-87,-105,-95,-101,-99,-97,-97,-130,-130,-107,-107,-107,-107,-109,-107,-116,-116,-116,-111,-137,-107,-107,-107,-107,-107,-107,-107,-107,-107,-107,-107,-109,-109,-120,-99,-112,-99,-100,-101,-107,-109,-107,-107,-109,-109,-117,-116,-110,-108,-108,-95,-128,-95,-171,-206,-265,-322,-312,-316,-316,-329,-338,-338,-342,-341,-358,-174,-283,-298,-304,-304,-304,-1064,-1033,-1100,-1169,-1161] If you like long games, or are the sort of player who is too willing to agree to a draw in a better position and want some inspiration, here you go:} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. e3 Bd6 9. Bd3 O-O 10. h3 Bf5 11. Qc2 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 Re8 13. O-O Nd7 14. Nd2 Re6 15. f4 Rae8 16. Rf3 Bb4 17. Rc1 Qe7 18. Re1 Qh4 19. Re2 Bxc3 20. Qxc3 Qd8 21. Qa3 Qb8 22. Re1 Nf6 23. Rc1 a6 24. Rc3 h5 25. Qb3 R6e7 26. Rg3 g6 27. Rg5 Kg7 28. Re5 Qd8 29. Qb4 Rd7 30. Rc1 Ree7 31. Rf1 Qc7 32. Qc3 Rd8 33. Qb4 Rde8 34. Rc1 Qd8 35. Rc3 Rd7 36. Rc1 Ree7 37. Kh2 Ne8 38. Rc3 f6 39. Rxe7+ Rxe7 40. a4 Nd6 41. Kg1 Nf5 42. Nf1 h4 43. Rb3 Qe8 44. Qd2 Kg8 45. Qd3 Kh7 46. Qd2 Kg7 47. Qd3 Qd7 48. Qd1 Qe6 49. Rc3 Qd6 50. Qc2 Qb4 51. Qb3 Qa5 52. Qa3 Qd8 53. Qb3 Qe8 54. Rd3 Kh6 55. Nh2 Kh7 56. Ng4 Kg7 57. Qa3 Ng3 58. Rb3 Rf7 59. Qa1 Re7 60. Qa3 Qd7 61. Rd3 Qe6 62. Rd2 Rf7 63. Qd3 Qd6 64. Qb3 Re7 65. Rc2 Qe6 66. Qd3 Nf5 67. Re2 Qd6 68. Qc3 Re4 69. Rd2 Qe7 70. Rd3 Re6 71. Qa3 Qc7 72. Qb4 Re7 73. Qd2 Ng3 74. Nh2 Nf5 75. Nf3 Qd8 76. Nh2 Qe8 77. Nf1 Re4 78. Rb3 Qd7 79. Qd1 Re7 80. Rc3 Qd8 81. Qc2 Nd6 82. Nd2 Qe8 83. Qb3 Kh6 84. Nf1 Nc4 85. Rd3 Qd7 86. Qb4 Kg7 87. b3 Nd6 88. Nh2 Nf5 89. Nf1 Qc7 90. Qc5 Re6 91. Qb4 a5 92. Qc5 b6 93. Qa3 Nd6 94. Nd2 Qe7 95. Kh2 Qa7 96. Rc3 Nf5 97. Nf1 Qa6 98. Qc1 Qb7 99. Kg1 Qd7 100. Qa3 Qe8 101. Qc1 Kf7 102. Qc2 Qd7 103. Qd3 Qe7 104. Qc2 Qd6 105. Qc1 Ke7 106. Qd1 Qb4 107. Rd3 Ke8 108. Qg4 Kf7 109. Qd1 Kg7 110. Qc1 Kf8 111. Qd1 Re7 112. Qc1 Rc7 113. Qc3 Ke7 114. Qd2 Kd8 115. Qe2 Kc8 116. Qg4 Rg7 117. Nd2 Qe7 118. Nf3 Qe4 119. Rc3 Kb7 120. Nd2 Qe7 121. Nf1 Qe8 122. Qd1 Re7 123. Qc1 Re6 124. Rd3 Qe7 125. Kf2 Qd6 126. Qd1 Qd7 127. Qg4 Qe8 128. Rc3 Re4 129. Rd3 Re7 130. Rc3 Rg7 131. Nd2 Qe7 132. Qd1 Qb4 133. Rd3 Qa3 134. Qc2 Re7 135. Nf1 Qd6 136. Qd1 Qa3 137. Qc2 Qb4 138. Qd1 g5 139. fxg5 fxg5 140. Kg1 Ng3 141. Qd2 Qd6 142. Qf2 Qg6 143. Rd1 Rf7 144. Qb2 Qd3 145. Qb1 Rxf1+ 146. Rxf1 Qxe3+ 147. Kh2 Nxf1+ 148. Qxf1 Qf4+ 149. Qxf4 gxf4 150. Kg1 c5 151. dxc5 bxc5 152. Kf2 d4 153. Kf3 d3 0-1 [Event "FIDE World Cup 2023"] [Site "Baku AZE"] [Date "2023.08.02"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Lagarde, Maxime"] [Black "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C60"] [WhiteElo "2599"] [BlackElo "2690"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "2021.07.30"] [EventType "k.o."] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 {A major minor line, you might say. (Or a minor major line.) If White's plan in this game was the usual approach, this variation would skyrocket in popularity for Black. The real moral of the story, however, is more modest: Lagarde's plan with 10.f4 and 11.h4 is bad.} 4. Nc3 Ng6 5. d4 (5. h4 $5) 5... Nxd4 6. Nxd4 exd4 7. Qxd4 c6 8. Be2 Qb6 9. Qd3 Be7 {All pretty standard. Now White generally castles and continues with a4, but this time he decides to go for immediate kingside activity. It backfires, to put it mildly.} 10. f4 $146 O-O 11. h4 {Black could play ...Bxh4+, but White will have excellent compensation for the pawn after 12.g3. Pragg isn't interested in the pawn, but goes full blast in pursuit of his own initiative.} d5 $1 {White must already play precisely not to be much worse, a task he fails to accomplish. White's new idea has failed.} 12. h5 $2 {Consistent with White's aggressive approach, but it's bad.} (12. exd5 Bxh4+ 13. g3 Bf6 14. Bd2 $1 $11) 12... dxe4 $1 13. Qg3 Nh4 $1 {Black has not played as he has to put the knight on h8. This required accurate calculation, and Pragg delivered.} 14. Rxh4 Qg1+ 15. Bf1 {Black is losing after every move but one.} e3 $3 {The main idea - but not the only one - is to play ...Qf2+ and then pick up the rook on h4.} 16. Nd1 {Best.} (16. Rh2 Bc5 $1 {leaves White without an escape.} 17. Ne2 (17. Ne4 e2 $1 18. Nf6+ Kh8 19. Kxe2 Re8+ $1 {All the same!} 20. Nxe8 Bg4+ 21. Qxg4 Rxe8+ 22. Kd1 Rd8+ 23. Ke2 (23. Bd2 Qxf1#) 23... Qf2#) (17. Rh4 Bf5 {If White does nothing, Black will put his rooks on the central files and give mate with ...Qf2+ Qxf2 exf2#. As for doing "something",} 18. Ne2 Qf2+ 19. Qxf2 exf2+ 20. Kd2 Rad8+ 21. Kc3 Rd1 22. Rh1 a5 23. a3 Re8 24. Ng3 Bd4+ 25. Kb3 a4+ 26. Ka2 Bxc2 27. Bc4 Ree1 $19 {is a funny example underlining White's plight. Black threatens to take on h1, threatens ...b5 (especially as Bxb5/d3/e2/f1 allows ...Bb3+ followed by ...Rxc1#), and White lacks sensible moves here, let alone a move that will keep him alive.}) 17... Qf2+ 18. Qxf2 exf2+ 19. Kd2 Rd8+ 20. Kc3 a5 21. a3 Rd1 22. Rh1 Bg4 23. Ng3 Bd4+ 24. Kb3 a4+ $19 {and play will be more or less like what we saw in the 17.Rh4 line. White is tied up without any hope of escape.}) 16... Re8 $1 {No hurry! Taking on h4 was fine, but the rook has nothing useful to do. Black finishes his development while White remains bound hand and foot.} 17. Ke2 (17. Bxe3 Bxh4 18. Qxh4 Rxe3+ 19. Nxe3 Qxe3+ 20. Be2 Bg4 21. Qf2 Qe4 22. Kf1 Bxe2+ 23. Qxe2 Qxf4+ 24. Qf3 $19 {looks tolerable in comparison with the variations in the last note, but Black is winning here as well.}) 17... Be6 {Threatening ...Bc4+.} 18. b3 $2 (18. f5 {was better.} Bxh4 19. Qxh4 Bd5 20. Nxe3 (20. Bxe3 Bxg2 21. Bxg2 Qxg2+ 22. Nf2 Re5 23. Re1 Rae8 24. Kd2 h6 25. f6 Qf3 26. Qg4 Qxf6 27. Nd3 Re4 $19) 20... Re4 21. Qf2 Bc4+ 22. Ke1 Qh1 23. g3 Bxf1 24. Qxf1 Qxh5 25. Qe2 Qh3 26. Qf3 Rae8 27. Kf2 Qh2+ 28. Qg2 Qh6 29. Qf3 $19 {Black is objectively winning, but there's still plenty of work ahead of him before he cashes in.}) 18... Rad8 {Black is clearly winning now.} 19. Nxe3 Bf6 $1 20. Rb1 Bf5 {Threatening ...Bxc2.} 21. Qf2 ({If} 21. Rb2 {, then Black should refuse the buyout offer.} Rd4 $1 {Intending to double on the e-file.} 22. c3 Rdd8 $1 {Not the only good move, but it's pretty funny that Black can spend two tempi this way and make progress. Now ...Bd3+ is the main threat.} (22... Rde4 {should still win, but it's not as good.}) 23. Kf3 Rd1 $1 24. Qf2 (24. Nxd1 Qxf1+ 25. Nf2 Qxc1 $19) (24. Nxf5 Rxc1 25. Bd3 (25. Be2 Rxc3+ $19) 25... Qd1+ 26. Be2 Rxc3+ $19) 24... Rxe3+ $1 25. Kxe3 (25. Bxe3 Rxf1 $19) (25. Qxe3 Rxf1+ 26. Rf2 h6 $19) 25... Rxf1 26. Qxg1 Rxg1 27. Rh2 Rxc1 $19) 21... Bxh4 $1 22. Qxh4 (22. Qxg1 Bg4# {would have been a beautiful mate.}) 22... Bxc2 23. Qxd8 {The best try, but with White's king lacking shelter the loss is inevitable.} Rxd8 24. Nxc2 Qc5 25. Ne3 Re8 26. Kf3 Qd4 27. Ke2 Qc5 28. Kf3 Qxh5+ 29. g4 Qh1+ 30. Kg3 Re6 31. Bd2 h5 32. gxh5 Qxh5 33. Re1 Rg6+ 34. Kf2 Qh4+ 35. Kf3 Qg3+ 36. Ke4 Rd6 {White has done a good job of hanging on, but now he cracks.} 37. Re2 $2 f5+ $1 (37... f5+ $1 38. Nxf5 (38. Kxf5 Qg6+ 39. Ke5 Qe6#) (38. Ke5 Qg6 {and the only way I can see to stop both ...Qf6 and ...Qe6 from being mate on the next move is} 39. Nd5 {, which allows third mating idea:} Rxd5#) 38... Qd3+ 39. Ke5 Qd5#) 0-1