[Event "1000GM Apr Dual Shevingen"]
[Site "San Jose, CA"]
[Date "2024.04.20"]
[Round "3.13"]
[White "Rodi, IM Luis"]
[Black "Lu, Yiding"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C41"]
[WhiteElo "2211"]
[BlackElo "2136"]
[Annotator "Yiding Lu"]
[PlyCount "92"]
[GameId "2047373249794118"]
[EventDate "2024.??.??"]
[SourceVersionDate "2020.12.21"]

{[%evp 0,92,19,38,75,73,85,92,87,56,62,52,48,48,38,51,43,54,48,38,49,49,65,38,56,45,24,39,54,9,64,22,30,50,48,-8,-3,-2,-2,-4,4,-21,-1,-31,-40,-39,-42,-48,-34,-49,-46,-52,-59,-61,-65,-66,-56,-66,-64,-58,-58,-58,-39,-58,-42,-53,-19,-135,-17,-15,-25,-2,-45,-312,-88,-384,-372,-383,-390,-473,-96,-518,-134,-185,-188,-171,-186,-190,-204,-222,-225,-216,-223,-1320,-1610]} 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 c6 8. a4 h6 9. h3 Re8 10. a5 Qc7 11. Ba2 Rb8 12. Be3 b5 13. axb6 axb6 14. d5 cxd5 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 (16. Qxd5 Rf8 {[%cal Gd7f6,Gc8b7] and White's queen becomes a target}) 16... Nf6 17. Bb3 Bb7 18. Nd2 $6 d5 $1 $132 {A standard reaction against a passive move. Now I instantly equalize and gain the initiative} 19. exd5 Bxd5 (19... Nxd5 20. Qg4 {[%cal Gb3g8] I didn't like White's menacing white bishop.}) 20. Bxd5 Nxd5 21. Nf1 Rbd8 22. Qe2 f5 $1 {[%cal Gf5f4] Preparing a kingside invasion} 23. Bd2 Bc5 24. c4 Nf6 25. Be3 f4 26. Bxc5 Qxc5 27. Rad1 Rxd1 28. Rxd1 e4 29. b3 {[#] A critical moment. Now I thought my advantage was very great and around -2 but when I searched for ways to break through, I found none concrete ways.} Qg5 {I decided to keep control} (29... f3 $2 30. gxf3 Qf5 31. fxe4 Qxh3 32. f3 $11 {[%csl Ge4,Gf3]}) 30. Kh2 Re5 $6 {Bad move but I could not find a good continuation.} (30... Nh5 $1 31. Rd5 f3 32. gxf3 Qh4 33. fxe4 Nf4 $1 34. Qe3 Nxd5 35. cxd5 {[%csl Re4] and White's pawns are rather fragile}) 31. Rd4 Qf5 32. Kg1 f3 {I realized that I needed to do something.} 33. Qd1 Qg6 34. Rd8+ Kh7 35. Ne3 fxg2 36. Qd6 Ra5 37. Ng4 {Now if you check the computer for the past moves, you can see we have made some pretty bad mistakes, but the reason I chose this game is for the following moves. By the way, we were going into time trouble and it was becoming very complicated.} Ra1+ 38. Kxg2 e3 $3 {[#] I quickly calculated this and calculated it works out. Now this is a very complicated position and there are numerous variations that you can anaylze on your own if you want, but I'll give you a basis summary.} 39. Qe5 (39. fxe3 Qe4+ 40. Kf2 Ra2+) (39. Qd4 Nxg4 $1 40. hxg4 e2 $1 41. Qxa1 Qxg4+ $19 {[%csl Rd8]}) (39. Qe6 exf2 40. Kxf2 Nxg4+ 41. Qxg4 Qf6+ {[%csl Rd8]}) 39... Nxg4 $1 40. Qxa1 Nxf2+ (40... Ne5+ 41. Kf1 e2+ 42. Kxe2 Qe4+ 43. Kd2 Nf3+ 44. Kc1 Qe1+ 45. Kb2 {I could not find a win}) 41. Kf3 (41. Kf1 Nxh3 $19) (41. Kh2 Qf5 {[%csl Gh3]} 42. Qa8 (42. Qf1 Qf4+ {[%cal Rf4g5]}) 42... Qe5+ 43. Kg2 e2 44. Rh8+ Kg6 45. Qc6+ Kg5 {was my thinking}) 41... Qe4+ 42. Ke2 {Alas, the main line is not played.} (42. Kg3 Nh1+ 43. Kh2 e2 {[%csl Ge1][%cal Ge2e1]} 44. Qe1 Qf4+ 45. Kg2 Ng3 46. Qb1+ Qe4+ $19) 42... Nxh3 $19 43. Rf8 Nf4+ 44. Rxf4 Qxf4 45. Kd3 Qf2 46. Qb1 Qf5+ {Now I acknowledge that there are numerous flaws, but this was probably one of my most fun games that I've ever played.} 0-1

[Event "Washington President's Cup"]
[Site "Seattle"]
[Date "2024.02.24"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Boey, Chad"]
[Black "Meng, Miranda"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "1784"]
[BlackElo "1552"]
[Annotator "Miranda Meng"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[GameId "2046611979546706"]
[EventDate "2024.02.24"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[SourceVersionDate "2020.12.21"]

{[%evp 0,72,24,24,69,77,69,69,70,48,35,22,14,39,66,44,36,44,40,30,30,29,32,31,61,61,61,61,61,78,54,54,63,63,53,51,85,52,49,13,33,46,31,0,9,-51,-60,-60,-43,-49,-64,-72,-89,-103,-77,-81,-61,-84,-72,-84,-84,-72,-76,-97,-97,-105,-87,-119,-74,-95,-34,-95,0,-37,-28]} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5 e6 5. Qg4 Qc7 $6 {This is an innacuracy, as a continuation of Qc7:} 6. Nf3 Qxc5 {[%cal Gc2c3,Gc3d4,Gc3b4] Now the black queen is in a awkward position. After 7. c3, Black needs to find a way to quickly active their pieces.} 7. Bd3 $6 {This is an innacuracy, missing the chance of c3.} Qb4+ 8. Qxb4 Bxb4+ 9. c3 Bc5 {This move is a bit slower then Ba5 and Bc7 to move the bishop to the c7 square.} (9... Ba5 {[%cal Ga5c7,Gg8e7,Gb8d7,Ge7c6] This would be a much faster attack than Bc7, with immediate chances of attacking the weak e5 pawn.}) 10. O-O Ne7 11. Nbd2 Nbc6 $6 {This move causes b4 to be a bigger threat than before.} (11... Nd7 {[%csl Ge5][%cal Ge7c6,Gc5b6,Gb6c7] Instead, black should try Nd7 to keep following the plan of attacking the vulnerable e5 pawn.}) 12. b4 Bb6 13. b5 Nb8 $2 {This wastes a lot of time for black.} (13... Na5 {[%csl Gc4][%cal Ga5c4,Gc3c4] This move makes the knight more useful.}) 14. Ba3 {After pushing the b pawn, white forced blacks pieces back where they started and has chances of c4, making it a tough position for black to play.} Nd7 15. Nb3 Bc7 16. Rfe1 b6 17. Rac1 Bd8 $2 {This makes the position for black more defensive.} (17... Ng6 {This move gives more chances for black on the kingside, with a idea of playing Rh5.} 18. Bxg6 hxg6 {[%csl Ge5][%cal Gh8h5,Gh5e5,Gc7e5,Gd7e5]}) 18. Nbd4 $2 {This is a mistake, missing the chance of c4! Once again smashing through the position.} (18. c4 $1 {[%csl Gc1][%cal Gc1c8,Ga3f8,Gb3d4,Gd4c6,Ga2a4,Ga4a5,Gf3d4,Gb6a5,Gb3a5,Ga5c6] Opening up the queenside and making it difficult for black to move.}) 18... Nc5 19. Bb1 Bb7 20. c4 Rc8 21. h4 O-O 22. Re3 $2 {This move allows black to active their pieces with a tempo.} dxc4 23. Rxc4 Nd5 24. Re1 Be7 25. Ne2 Rfd8 26. Rg4 h5 27. Rg3 Nd3 28. Bxe7 Nxe7 29. Bxd3 Rxd3 30. Nf4 Ra3 31. Nxh5 Nf5 32. Rg4 Bxf3 33. gxf3 Rxf3 $6 {Although Rxf3 is more natural, Rxa2 is better because of the pawn structure black makes, making more chances.} 34. Rd1 Rh3 {Although a draw was agreed here, black might have a chance of Nxh4 if Rd7 was played. Making a threat to checkmate on the back rank. If} 35. Rd7 Nxh4 36. Rxg7+ Kh8 {[%cal Gc8c1] Threating checkmate.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Washington President's Cup"]
[Site "Seattle"]
[Date "2024.02.24"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Davies, Cedric"]
[Black "Palathingal, Rafael"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C46"]
[WhiteElo "1654"]
[BlackElo "1678"]
[Annotator "Davies,Cedric"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[GameId "2046611979546705"]
[EventDate "2024.02.24"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[SourceVersionDate "2020.12.21"]

{[%evp 0,101,28,19,19,30,30,19,19,42,56,56,107,92,92,71,69,53,49,49,49,33,262,101,116,128,237,104,106,208,218,207,222,242,308,203,271,71,160,159,290,298,448,560,684,603,1045,572,580,585,581,583,595,595,586,598,612,571,597,553,676,699,715,715,897,930,937,928,983,910,989,1002,1056,1076,1133,1048,1135,1110,1198,1254,1448,1217,1448,1306,1637,1469,1668,1777,2217,2164,29989,29990,29991,29992,29993,29992,29993,29994,29995,29996,29997,29998,29999,29999]} 1. e4 e5 {My opponent in this game is in grade 4, so about 9-10 years old. Impressively high rating and play for someone so young. Chess truly is a game for any age.} 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Bc5 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Bxd4 ({More common and better is} 5... Bd6 6. dxe5 Bxe5) 6. Qxd4 $16 d6 7. Be2 Nf6 8. Bg5 $16 {The pin is quite difficult for Black to deal with} h6 9. Bh4 O-O 10. Nd5 {Puts immediate pressure on f6. Although objectively better was 0-0-0} Be6 (10... g5 $142 11. Bg3 Nxd5 12. Qxd5 Re8) 11. f4 (11. Nxf6+ $142 gxf6 12. f4) 11... c5 12. Nxf6+ gxf6 $18 ({I thought that gxf6 was forced, forgetting his could take with the Queen because of the c-pawn attack on my own. The computer says this line is better for Black then the game continuation} 12... Qxf6 $142 13. Bxf6 cxd4 14. fxe5 gxf6 15. exf6 $18) 13. Qd2 {Eyeing h6, but Qc3 eyeing f6 was probably better} Ng6 14. Bf2 f5 {Black stops f5, for now...} 15. g4 $1 {A great move to force my own f5 pawn push} fxe4 16. f5 e3 $5 {Black gives the pawn back in order to gain a tempo} 17. Qxe3 Bd5 18. Rg1 {Thinking ahead to when my Queen is on h6 and Black plays f6 to stop my own f6. Then I will have the chance to open the g-file with g5} Re8 19. Qxh6 Qe7 $2 {[#] Black creates his own counter mate threat. But the threat is rather empty on account of my next move} (19... Qf6 $142 20. Be3 Qg7 21. Kf2 Ne5 22. Qxg7+ Kxg7 23. Rad1 Bc4 24. Bxc4 Nxc4 25. Bc1 $18) 20. O-O-O $1 {A great move! Sidestepping the mate threat and daring Black to take the Bishop. Of course Black can't, because doing so deprives the defense of his Queen} Qf6 (20... Qxe2 $4 21. f6 {And mate on g7 is unstoppable}) {An interesting position. Black has hanging pieces on g6 and d5. White's Bishop is hanging on e2. And if he takes the Knight on g6, he opens up his defenceless Bishop on f2. I improve the tactics of the position by removing my Bishop from attack and add his Rook to the number of Black hanging pieces} 21. Bb5 Re4 {Looks like Black wants to play Rb4, forking an attack on the Bishop with a mate threat on b2} 22. fxg6 {Recognizing the b2 mate threat as toothless, I decide to cash-in} Qxf2 23. Rgf1 {Objectivly better is to skewer the Black King along the back rank to capture the Rook on a8. I decide against this for the more practical forced liquadation into a piece up ending that avoids any Black counterplay} Qe3+ 24. Qxe3 Rxe3 25. Rxd5 fxg6 26. Rxd6 {The ending is easily winning for White. Black decides to play on till mate, perhaps pinning his hopes on a stalemate} Rh3 27. Rxg6+ Kh7 28. Rg5 b6 29. Bd3+ Kh6 30. Rg6+ Kh7 31. Rxb6+ Rxd3 {For a brief second my heart skipped a beat. I thought I'd made a mistake, losing a piece. I hadn't looked at the Rook capture. Thankfully, White has a saving check} 32. Rb7+ Kg6 33. cxd3 c4 34. d4 c3 35. bxc3 Rc8 36. Kc2 a5 37. h3 a4 38. d5 Rd8 39. c4 a3 40. Kb3 Rd6 41. Kxa3 Kg5 42. Kb4 Kh4 43. Rf3 Ra6 44. a4 Rg6 45. Rh7+ Rh6 (45... Kg5 46. Rh5#) 46. Rxh6+ Kg5 47. Rh5+ Kg6 {Black is stubbornly not resigning. Easiest mate seems to be to make a Queen} 48. d6 Kg7 49. d7 Kg6 50. d8=Q Kg7 51. Qg5# 1-0

[Event "Washington President's Cup"]
[Site "Seattle"]
[Date "2024.02.25"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Kuipers, Miles"]
[Black "Davies, Cedric"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A03"]
[WhiteElo "1836"]
[BlackElo "1654"]
[Annotator "Davies,Cedric"]
[PlyCount "108"]
[GameId "2046611979546707"]
[EventDate "2024.02.24"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[SourceVersionDate "2020.12.21"]

1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 c5 3. b3 Nc6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. O-O g6 {I decided to challenge White's dark-squared Bishop on the long diagonal, rather than develop it to e7} 7. Bb2 Bg7 8. d3 O-O 9. Bxc6 {I was surprised he choice this moment to trade his Bishop when it wasn't forced} Bxc6 10. Nbd2 b5 {Gaining space} 11. Ne5 Qc7 12. g4 {The g4 pawn becomes a target and Black gains a small initiative} Bd7 $15 {Preserving the Bishop along the open h1-a8 diagonal with Bb7 was a strong alternative and prefered by the computer} 13. d4 Qc8 {Aiming more pressure at g4} (13... c4 $142 {Threatening to win with c3} 14. Nxd7 Qxd7) 14. Nxd7 (14. h3 $142) 14... Nxd7 15. c3 c4 (15... a5 $142 {aiming for a4} 16. Rc1 a4 17. b4 a3 18. Ba1 $17) 16. bxc4 $11 bxc4 17. Ba3 Qa6 {I employ an interesting Queen maneuver, daring White to take on e7} 18. Bb4 Qe6 {Black fights for the initiative} 19. Qf3 a5 (19... f5 {Black needs to play f5 to prevent White from playing it} 20. h3 $15) 20. Ba3 (20. f5 $142 Qf6 21. Ba3 $16) 20... f5 $11 {I had been planning Nf6, when I realized what a threat f5 was and so I played it myself} 21. gxf5 (21. g5 $142) 21... gxf5 $15 22. Kh1 {The game focus now shifts to the newly opened g-file} Kh8 23. Rg1 Bf6 24. Rg3 Rg8 25. Rh3 $6 $17 {I thought White would play this move, as the attack on h7 looks too tempting. However, it is easily defended, so this diversion from the open g-file seems to me to be a poor choice by White. Perhaps White was tempting me to play Rg7, because of his planned Knight sac, as in the game} Rg7 26. Nxc4 $2 {A surprise! At first it looks like White wins a clear pawn, but not so fast...} Qc6 $1 $19 {[#] The counter attack on the c3 pawn is devastating. Suddenly the position comes alive with tactics} 27. Ne5 Bxe5 28. fxe5 Qxc3 29. Rf1 Qxa3 30. Qxd5 Nb6 {Deflection} 31. Qb7 Rag8 $1 32. Qxb6 {White needs to regain the piece, but this leads to a mating attack. Unfortuately, I saw one specific mating sequence that I miscalculated. And because this was my focus, I missed the real winning move (twice)} Qxa2 33. Rg3 Rxg3 (33... Qd5+ $142 $1 {Leads to forced mate} 34. Kg1 Rxg3+ 35. hxg3 Rxg3+ 36. Kf2 Qg2+ 37. Ke1 Rxe3+ 38. Kd1 Qxf1+ 39. Kd2 Qf2+ 40. Kd1 Re1#) 34. hxg3 Rxg3 35. Qb8+ Rg8 ({Here I had planned Kg7 and with no more checks, after Qb7 to defend g2, I would have Rh3+ leading to mate. What I now realized was that Rg1 pins my Rook so that Rh3+ is impossible. I was quite disapointed I had miscalculated, and then found what I thought would lead to a winning Rook ending and so bailed into that, missing another win} 35... Kg7 36. Rg1) 36. Qb7 Qe2 $2 (36... Qe6 $142 {With the simple threat of Qh6 mate. I once read that retreating moves are some of the hardest moves for humans to see. Here I missed the simple idea of retreating with my Queen in order to swing it to the h-file} 37. Qg2 Qh6+ 38. Kg1 Qxe3+ 39. Rf2 Rxg2+ 40. Kxg2 Qxd4 {winning}) 37. Qf3 Qxf3+ 38. Rxf3 e6 {When I played the move 36. .. Qe2, I evaluated this as a winning Rook ending for Black. I figured with the two outside passed pawns it would be too difficult for White to stop. But it's not so easy. White creates his own passed pawn with his central pawn majority.} 39. Rf2 a4 40. Ra2 Ra8 41. Ra3 {Smart to hold the pawn a step back} Kg7 42. Kg2 Kg6 43. Kf3 Kg5 44. e4 {White gets his pawn majority rolling} fxe4+ 45. Kxe4 h5 $2 ({Black should prevent d5 with} 45... Ra5 $1 {[#] Play might continue} 46. Kd3 h5 47. Kc3 Kf4 48. Kc4 h4 49. Kb4 Rd5 $19 {And Black's advantage is decisive. Looks like I not only missed the win in the middle game, I missed it in the ending as well}) 46. d5 $11 {Now the position is equal} exd5+ 47. Kxd5 Kf5 {I thought this was a clever move to gain a tempo. I threaten Ra5+} 48. Rf3+ Kg4 49. Ra3 h4 {I wasn't evaluating correctly. I still thought here that I had good winning chances} 50. e6 h3 51. e7 h2 52. Ra1 a3 53. Kd6 {And Black can't win. Pushing the a-pawn doesn't work and bringing the King to support the h-pawn runs into an unending series of lateral checks} Kg3 ({a2 only works if White's pawn isn't so far advanced} 53... a2 54. Kd7 h1=Q ({Or} 54... Kg3 55. e8=Q Rxe8 56. Kxe8 Kg2 57. Rxa2+ Kg1 58. Rxh2 Kxh2 {draw}) 55. Rxh1 a1=Q $4 56. Rxa1 Rxa1 57. e8=Q $18) 54. Kd7 Kg2 {Draw offered and accepted. Hard fought game (4.5hrs) against an opponent 200 points higher rated than me. I had the edge most of the game, disapointing that I missed multiple winning moves.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Harmon Memorial"]
[Site "Seattle"]
[Date "2024.03.02"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Zhou, David"]
[Black "Lu, Yiding"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E06"]
[WhiteElo "2080"]
[BlackElo "2171"]
[Annotator "Ralph Dubisch"]
[PlyCount "104"]
[GameId "2046613759685081"]
[EventDate "2024.03.02"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[SourceVersionDate "2020.12.21"]

{[%evp 0,104,19,31,14,1,-3,-20,-11,-15,5,5,3,12,14,15,12,-1,1,9,0,-46,-29,-39,-2,-24,-4,-9,10,-27,7,-6,27,38,66,-10,25,27,58,36,93,-47,-47,-9,-37,-41,50,24,48,11,9,0,36,8,103,90,90,76,76,87,45,29,56,130,109,-15,0,0,-71,-69,-69,-69,-97,-139,-47,-166,-107,-97,-100,-166,-165,-186,-159,-252,-255,-249,-235,-223,-244,-379,-223,-291,-269,-295,-313,-941,-1002,-1064,-777,-29991,-711,-29983,-625,-840,-1069,-29999,-29999]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O c6 ({A solid alternative to the standard Catalan} 6... dxc4 {.}) 7. Qc2 b6 8. Nbd2 c5 ({8...c5 is actually engine approved. In human practice,} 8... Bb7 {is both the most played and most successful, with rough equality. After} 9. e4 Na6 $5 {reaches somewhat unusual positions.}) 9. cxd5 exd5 10. e4 ({White blows open the center, hoping to freeze the black pawns and perhaps activate that g2-bishop on the long diagonal. It is possible to throw in} 10. dxc5 bxc5 {first, then hit the center with} 11. e4 {, which could transpose to the game after} Nc6 {, but avoids at least one potentially unpleasant side line mentioned below.}) ({Completely different play would come from} 10. Ne5 {, going for piece activity. White is completely unworried about} cxd4 11. Nb3 {with nice squares in the center for knights.}) 10... Nc6 11. dxc5 bxc5 ({Stockfish suggests the tempo gain against the f1-rook,} 11... Ba6 {, and after} 12. Re1 Bxc5 $1 {drawing attention to the underdefended pawn on f2.}) 12. a3 Ba6 13. Re1 d4 (13... dxe4 {will definitely leave Black with a weak c-pawn, but there tends to be dynamic compensation.} 14. Qa4 (14. Nxe4 Bd3 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 $13) 14... Qb6 (14... exf3 15. Qxc6 fxg2 16. Qxa6 $13) 15. Nxe4 Bb5 16. Qc2 Rad8 {and Black's activity feels quite sufficient to balance any small structural defects.}) 14. Qa4 ({White also has interesting choices here.} 14. e5 Nd5 15. e6 $5) (14. Nc4) 14... Qb6 (14... Bb7 $5) 15. e5 $1 Bb5 16. Qb3 Ne8 17. Nc4 (17. e6 $5 $14 {plans a4 and Ne5 to exploit the long diagonal. For example,} Nd6 18. exf7+ Rxf7 19. a4 Ba6 20. Qxb6 axb6 21. Ne5 Nxe5 22. Bxa8 {, although Black can perhaps still drum up some kind of counterplay with} Nd3 {. Here} 23. Re6 $1 $14 {suggests the complications continue.}) 17... Bxc4 18. Qxc4 Na5 (18... Nc7 {first to connect the rooks.}) 19. Qc2 (19. Qa4 {looks a more aggressive placement:} Nb3 (19... Nc7 20. b4 $1 cxb4 21. axb4 (21. Nxd4 $5 Qxd4 $4 22. Be3 $18) 21... Bxb4 22. Bd2 $1 {White is down a pawn, but the awkward arrangement of black pieces means trouble.}) 20. Nd2 $1 Nxa1 21. Bxa8 $16) 19... Rd8 (19... Nb3 20. Rb1 Nc7 21. Nd2 Rab8 $14) 20. Bg5 (20. b4 $1 cxb4 21. axb4 Bxb4 22. Rb1 Qc5 23. Qxc5 Bxc5 {and again Black has an extra pawn, but the engine strongly prefers White. One line:} 24. Bd2 Nc4 25. Bg5 f6 26. exf6 gxf6 27. Bh6 Rf7 28. Bh3 Na3 29. Rb3 Ng7 30. Rc1 {. Harmony. The black knights are particularly problematic here.}) 20... Bxg5 21. Nxg5 d3 $1 22. Qc3 Nc7 $6 (22... d2) (22... c4 $13) 23. b4 $1 Nb7 24. bxc5 (24. Reb1) 24... Nxc5 25. Rab1 Na4 (25... Nb5 $5) 26. Qc4 Qa5 $2 (26... Rd4 $1 $13) 27. Qe4 (27. Be4 $1 h6 28. Nxf7 $1 Rxf7 29. Bg6 Nd5 30. Bxf7+ Kxf7 31. e6+ Kg8 32. Qxd3 {when rook plus two dangerous pawns should overpower two uncoordinated knights.}) 27... g6 28. Qh4 h5 29. Nxf7 $1 d2 $1 30. Red1 Rd7 31. Nh6+ Kg7 (31... Kh8 32. Ng4 Rdf7 33. Nf6 $16 ({or} 33. Be4 $16)) 32. Bc6 $4 (32. Bh3 $1 Qc5 33. Nf5+ $3 gxf5 34. Qg5+ Kh8 35. Bxf5 {and White's piece sacrifice has opened up the black king.} Rg7 36. Qxh5+ Kg8 37. Rxd2 {, but it isn't the four pawns for the piece that wins for White; it's the coming rook lift heading toward the h-file. The best defense the engine can offer is} Nc3 38. Rb4 N3d5 39. Rc2 (39. Rh4 Rxf5 40. Qxf5 Qc1+ 41. Kg2 Qxd2 42. Qc8+ Kf7 43. Qd7+ Kg8 $1 {is only a draw.}) 39... Qe7 40. Rg4 Rxg4 41. Qxg4+ Qg7 42. Qxg7+ Kxg7 43. Be4 {-- and now it really is the four pawns.}) 32... Qc5 $1 33. Qxa4 (33. Bxd7 Qxf2+ 34. Kh1 Qf3+ $1 (34... Nc3 $2 35. Rxd2 $1 Qf3+ (35... Qxd2 $4 36. Qe7+ Kxh6 37. Qxf8+ Kh7 {and Stockfish points out that even better than} 38. Rf1 $18 {is} (38. Be6 $3 {with the point} Nxe6 39. Rb7+ {.})) 36. Rg2 $1 Nxb1 37. Nf5+ $1 Rxf5 38. Bxf5 {and Black should take the draw.}) 35. Kg1 Nc3 36. Rxd2 Qe3+ 37. Kh1 Kxh6 $1 $19) 33... Rd4 $1 34. Qb3 Qxc6 35. Qe3 Ne6 36. Rxd2 Rf3 37. Qe2 ({White's knight remains trapped on the kingside.} 37. Rc2 Qd5 38. Qc1 Rb3 ({If Black lacks precision with, for example} 38... Rfd3 {, White can pounce:} 39. Rc7+ $1 Nxc7 40. Nf5+ $1 gxf5 41. Qg5+ {with at least a perpetual check.}) 39. Rcb2 Rc4 {and White's best appears to be the ending} 40. Qxc4 Qxc4 41. Rxb3 Nd4 42. Re3 Ne2+ 43. Kg2 $17 {.}) 37... Qe4 $2 (37... Ng5 $1 38. Rxd4 Nh3+ 39. Kf1 Rxf2+ 40. Qxf2 Nxf2 {should win for Black.}) ({Also} 37... Rc3 {keeps the pressure.}) 38. Qxe4 Rxe4 39. Rb8 (39. Kg2 Rf8 40. Nf5+ Rxf5 41. Rb7+ Rf7 42. Rxf7+ Kxf7 43. Rd7+ Kg8 44. Rxa7 Rxe5 45. a4 {offers good practical chances to hold the ending.}) 39... Kxh6 40. Rd7 (40. Kg2 Rf7 41. f4 $15 {It is extremely difficult to evaluate and create plans in these positions.}) 40... Rxe5 (40... Re2 41. h4 Nf8 {makes it tough to find something useful for White.}) 41. h4 (41. Re8 Nf8 42. Rxe5 Nxd7 43. Ra5 {An outside passed a-pawn makes the ending much more difficult for the black knight.}) ({White could remove the a-pawn directly, but double-rook endings seem to increase Black's winning chances.} 41. Rxa7 Re2 42. Re7 Kg5 $17 ({Not} 42... Rfxf2 $4 43. h4 $1 {when the threat of mate on h8 forces Black to repeat checks for the draw.} ({Trying to tactic off the piece, however, is a fatal error.} 43. Rxe6 $4 Rg2+ 44. Kf1 Ref2+ 45. Ke1 Ra2 46. Kf1 Rxh2 47. Kg1 Rag2+ 48. Kf1 Rxg3 $19))) 41... Nf8 $1 42. Rd2 Ref5 43. a4 Ra3 44. Rd4 (44. Rb7 Rxa4 {should be winning for Black, with the passed pawn working in the other direction.}) 44... Ne6 (44... Ra1+ 45. Kg2 Ra2 46. Rf4 Rxf4 47. gxf4 Ne6 $19) 45. Rd2 Nc5 46. Rb5 (46. Rh8+ Kg7 47. Rc8 Nd3 48. Kg2 Rf7 49. Re8 {holds on for a little while, but doesn't change the outcome.}) 46... Rxa4 $19 {Black is winning. The scoresheet says things go a bit crazy in the last few moves, so we can leave off annotating here. A fantastic battle by both players.} 47. Rd7 Ra1+ 48. Kg2 Ra2 49. g4 hxg4 50. Kg3 Raxf2 51. Rxc5 R2f3+ 52. Kxg4 R5f4# 0-1

