[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 2000+"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.1"]
[White "Diller, Bradley R"]
[Black "Yan, Ruiyang"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E06"]
[WhiteElo "2145"]
[BlackElo "2357"]
[Annotator "Tactical Analysis 6.4"]
[PlyCount "72"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 d5 4. d4 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O c6 7. b3 a5 8. a3 b6 9. Bb2 Ba6 10. Nbd2 $146 ({Predecessor:} 10. Ne5 Nfd7 11. Nxd7 Nxd7 12. Nd2 Nf6 13. e4 Rc8 14. Re1 Bb7 15. Qe2 Rc7 16. Rac1 c5 17. cxd5 exd5 18. dxc5 Nxe4 19. Nxe4 dxe4 20. Red1 Rd7 21. Qg4 {1-0 Bilobrk,F (2365)-Petrovic,S (2175) Zadar op 1998 (7)}) 10... Nbd7 11. Re1 Rc8 12. Rc1 c5 13. e4 dxc4 14. Nxc4 {Black must now prevent d5.} cxd4 (14... b5 $14 {is superior.} 15. Nce5 Bb7) 15. Nxd4 (15. Qxd4 Bc5 16. Qd1 Ng4 $11) (15. e5 $1 $16 {[%cal Re5f6]} Nd5 16. Nxd4) 15... a4 $2 16. e5 $18 Nd5 {[#]} 17. Ne3 $2 ({White should try} 17. Qg4 $1 $18) 17... Nc5 $2 {[%mdl 8192]} (17... Nxe3 $11 18. Rxe3 axb3) 18. Nxd5 (18. bxa4 Nd3 19. Rxc8 Qxc8 20. Nxd5 exd5 $11) 18... exd5 19. Re3 {Against Nd3} (19. bxa4 $6 Nd3 20. Rxc8 Qxc8 $11) ({White should play} 19. Nf5 $18) 19... axb3 $11 20. Nxb3 Nxb3 21. Rxc8 Qxc8 22. Qxb3 Bc4 23. Qd1 Bc5 24. Bd4 {[#]} Bxd4 $1 25. Qxd4 Qc5 26. Qb2 (26. Qf4 $17) 26... d4 $19 27. Re1 Rd8 28. a4 d3 29. Rd1 Rd4 $2 (29... g6 $19 {And now ...Be6 would win.} 30. Bf3 Rd4) 30. Bf1 $2 (30. a5 $1 $11 {and White stays safe.} b5 (30... bxa5 31. Qb8+ Qf8 32. Qa7 $11) 31. a6) 30... g6 {[%cal Oh7h5] White is weak on the light squares} (30... Qxe5 31. a5 f6 (31... bxa5 $2 32. Re1 $18) 32. axb6 $14) 31. Rd2 (31. Qc3 $142) 31... Ba6 ({Much less strong is} 31... Qxe5 32. h4 $19) 32. Qb3 Rb4 (32... Qc6 $1 33. e6 Qxe6 34. Qxe6 fxe6) 33. Qd1 Qd5 34. e6 $5 fxe6 $19 (34... Qxe6 $4 35. Bxd3 $11) 35. Qe1 Qe4 (35... Rxa4 $1) 36. Qxe4 Rxe4 {White's Flag} 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 2000+"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.2"]
[White "Shrauger, Alex Hayden"]
[Black "Winslow, Elliott"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B07"]
[WhiteElo "2087"]
[BlackElo "2182"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "158"]

1. e4 {What happened to 1.d4, which he's been playing lately? (Mostly with fianchettos, Catalans and g3 KIDs...) It turns out my memory was all wrong. I thought he'd played the Alapin (1.e4 c5 2.c3) against me before -- but now I look and the only time I've had Black against him it was in Berkeley in September 2021, and I mangled my response to a Grand Prix. But won anyway! I don't blame him for wanting to repeat that and fix the record!} d6 {Oh why not. As it turns out, he was kind of on top of this, to a point.} 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 {[#] What Pirc players can expect to see for quite a while now. The main impetus is Kasparov-Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1999. Many think this is Kasparov's greatest game, or rather as Gary himself put it, "my favorite combination.". In any case, it *is* a game worth seeing!} c6 ({Topalov went} 4... Bg7 5. Qd2 c6 ({Some sources wonder how bad} 5... O-O {really is. Stockfish 16 makes it pretty bad after} 6. O-O-O {Black's attack is that much slower and White's that much quicker now that Black has "wasted moves" on the kingside.}) 6. f3 {Thought to be a bit stodgy these days as well...} b5 7. Nge2 Nbd7 8. Bh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Bb7 10. a3 e5 11. O-O-O Qe7 12. Kb1 a6 13. Nc1 O-O-O 14. Nb3 exd4 15. Rxd4 c5 16. Rd1 Nb6 17. g3 Kb8 18. Na5 Ba8 19. Bh3 d5 20. Qf4+ Ka7 21. Rhe1 d4 22. Nd5 Nbxd5 23. exd5 Qd6 {[#]} 24. Rxd4 $1 cxd4 $2 {[#]} (24... Kb6 $1 $15 {just ruins all the fun.}) 25. Re7+ $3 {Maybe *that*'s what Topalov missed. Find the game in myriad places to see the flash finish!}) 5. Qd2 Nbd7 6. O-O-O (6. Nf3 $1 {is the modern, hybrid move -- White can also play "Where's my king?" and keep the castling options open.}) ({And then there's:} 6. h4 b5 7. f3 Nb6 8. Bd3 a5 9. Nh3 Bxh3 10. Rxh3 h5 11. O-O-O Bg7 12. Kb1 Nfd7 13. f4 Nf6 14. f5 gxf5 15. e5 dxe5 16. dxe5 Ng4 17. Bxb6 Qxb6 18. Bxf5 Nxe5 19. Rg3 Bh6 20. Qxh6 Rf8 21. Ne4 Rd8 22. Rxd8+ Qxd8 23. a3 Qd1+ 24. Qc1 Qd5 25. Qd2 Nc4 26. Qxd5 cxd5 27. Nc3 e6 28. Bd3 Ne5 29. Bxb5+ Ke7 30. Rg5 f6 31. Rxh5 Rg8 32. Rh7+ Kd6 33. Ra7 Rxg2 34. Ra6+ Ke7 35. Rxa5 f5 {1-0 Gukesh,D (2725)-Carlsen,M (2859) Speed Chess Chess.com INT blitz 2022 (1.31)}) 6... b5 {[#]} 7. e5 {Alex pulls this trigger perhaps a bit early.} b4 $8 8. Nb1 {Truth be told I didn't really take this move seriously! But Stockfish makes it the best knight move --} ({-- if White moves the knight at all!} 8. exf6 $1 bxc3 9. Qxc3 Nxf6 10. Qxc6+ Bd7 11. Qa6 $1 Bg7 12. Rd3 $1 {seems like it might be the best way to turn the pawn grab into something good -- except that now Black can offer a repetition:} Bc8 13. Qc6+ (13. Qb5+) (13. Qa4+) 13... Bd7 {which White would be well advised (per SF16) to accept.}) 8... Nd5 $15 {Black has momentum on the queenside, is there anything happening in the center?} 9. exd6 {[#]} e6 $6 {[#]} (9... exd6 10. Re1 N7f6) (9... exd6 $5 10. Re1 N7f6 $15 {There is no discovered check worth anything.} (10... Nxe3 11. Rxe3+ (11. Qxe3+ Be7 12. Qh6 Nb6 13. Qg7 Rf8 14. Qxh7 Be6 $15) 11... Be7)) 10. Bh6 $146 (10. h4 h5 11. c4 bxc3 12. Nxc3 Nxe3 13. fxe3 Bxd6 $11) (10. c4 bxc3 11. Nxc3 Bxd6 12. Ne4 $11) ({Predecessor:} 10. Nf3 Bxd6 11. h4 Qa5 12. Bc4 Ba6 13. Bb3 Nxe3 14. Qxe3 Qf5 15. Nbd2 Bf4 16. Qe1 Nf6 17. g3 Bh6 18. Kb1 O-O 19. Ne5 Bxd2 20. Qxd2 Ne4 21. Qe3 Nxf2 22. Rdf1 Ng4 23. Rxf5 Nxe3 24. Rxf7 Rxf7 25. Bxe6 Raf8 26. Re1 Nf5 27. Nxf7 Rxf7 28. Re5 Nxd4 29. Bxf7+ Kxf7 30. Ra5 Be2 31. Rxa7+ Ke6 32. Rxh7 Bd1 33. c3 bxc3 34. bxc3 Ne2 35. Rc7 Nxc3+ 36. Kb2 Ne4 37. Rxc6+ Kf5 38. Rc1 Be2 39. a4 Nxg3 {½-½ Le Roux,J (2345)-Chabanon,J (2483) FRA-ch Accession Val d'Isere 2002 (5)}) 10... Bxd6 11. h4 a5 $6 {This has less bite (there's a way to go still).} (11... Qa5 $5 12. Bc4 Ba6 (12... N7b6 13. Bb3 Qb5 $15 {Now a5-a4 clomps down on something.}) 13. Bb3 O-O-O $15) 12. h5 {[#]} Rg8 $5 (12... a4) 13. hxg6 hxg6 14. Nh3 $6 ({White has to get around to} 14. c4 {or the knight will rot on b1.}) 14... a4 $17 15. Nf4 N7b6 $6 ({It appears now that} 15... g5 {works, here}) ({or preceded by} 15... a3 16. b3 g5) 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Bg5 Qb6 18. Bc4 Ba6 19. Bxa6 (19. Bxd5 $5 cxd5 {when maybe Black can't make much use of the c-file.}) 19... Qxa6 20. Qd3 {[#] I had seen that the ending was interesting for me, and was drawn down the rabbit-hole. Fortunately for me Rabbitfish concurs.} (20. a3 $5) 20... Qxd3 $5 21. Rxd3 Bf4+ 22. Bxf4 Nxf4 {[#]} 23. Re3 ({I was caught up in} 23. Rf3 Ne2+ 24. Kd2 Nxd4 25. Rd3 c5 26. c3 {wondering just how good this was for me if at all (Stockfish 16: <nod>), when he played this other move.}) ({I never even dreamed of} 23. Rd2 $5 Nxg2 24. a3 bxa3 25. Nxa3 {and I'm certain I wouldn't have come up with the computer's #1 move here:} Kf8 $3 (25... Ke7 {was more likely, and it's really not that much worse)}) {and if} 26. Rh7 Ra5 $1 $17 {and ...Rh5.}) 23... Ke7 $6 ({I could indeed have taken the pawn!} 23... Nxg2 $1 24. Re4 (24. Rf3 g5 25. Rh7 $1 (25. Rg1 Nh4 26. Rfg3 f6 27. f4 Nf5 28. R3g2 Nxd4 29. fxg5 Kf7) 25... f5 26. Rfh3 Nf4 $17) 24... Ke7 $1 25. d5 $1 Rh8 $1 (25... cxd5 26. Rxb4 g5 $17) 26. d6+ $1 Kxd6 27. Rd1+ Ke7 28. Rxb4 Rh4 $1 $17 {Black is still on top in this complicated not-quite-an-ending.}) 24. g3 $1 {Best (although I didn't think so at the time)} Rh8 $5 25. Rd1 Nd5 26. Re2 $6 (26. Rf3 $1 {keeps vital control of the third rank}) 26... a3 $1 {[#]} 27. bxa3 $2 (27. c4 $1 {is White's only move, and Black's plus is slight.} bxc3 28. bxc3 Ra4 $15) 27... Nc3 $1 $19 {This catches White in a nasty bind.} 28. Nxc3 bxc3 29. Re3 Rxa3 30. Rde1 Rd8 (30... Rh2 $1) 31. Rd3 Rxa2 {A bit better} ({than} 31... c5) 32. Kd1 c5 (32... Ra4 $1) 33. Rxc3 {[#]} (33. Re4 $5) 33... Ra1+ $2 (33... cxd4 $19 34. Rc7+ Rd7 35. Rxd7+ Kxd7 36. Re4 Ra4) 34. Ke2 Rxe1+ 35. Kxe1 cxd4 {[#] Alex and I now have an opportunity to demonstrate just how bad we are at rook endings. The computer says: I've blown my won game, for that matter all my advantage.} 36. Rc5 $2 {Now I have a big, maybe winning advantage..} (36. Rc7+ $1 Rd7 37. Rc4 $1 e5 38. c3 {is apparently just a draw.}) 36... Kd6 $5 (36... Ra8 $1 $19) 37. Ra5 $2 $19 (37. Rc4 {is still the right try. White can just wend a path to a draw:} e5 38. c3 Kd5 $1 39. Rc7 d3 40. Kd2 e4 41. Rxf7 Ra8 42. Rd7+ Ke5 $1 43. Re7+ Kf5 44. Ke3 $1 (44. Rf7+ Ke6) 44... Rd8 45. Kd2 $1) 37... e5 (37... f6 $1 {is most accurate.}) 38. Kd2 Rc8 39. Ra7 Rc7 (39... f6 $1) 40. Ra6+ Rc6 41. Ra7 f5 $6 (41... f6 $1) 42. Rg7 Kd5 43. Re7 {[#]} e4 $6 (43... g5) 44. Rd7+ $6 (44. Re8 {Black is still winning but more difficulty.}) 44... Ke5 45. Re7+ $6 Re6 (45... Kf6 $1 46. Rd7 Rc4 {and ..Kg5 sets White too many problems.}) 46. Rd7 Rd6 47. Rc7 Kf6 48. Ke2 Kg5 49. f3 $5 {[#]} Kf6 $2 (49... d3+ $1 {is a big -+ and the only move:} 50. cxd3 Rxd3 $1 {forcing the clearing of g4 for king entry} 51. fxe4 fxe4 {steps into TablebaseWorld: Black is winning.} 52. Rc4 Kf5) 50. Rc5 $2 (50. fxe4 fxe4 51. Rc5 $17) 50... Ra6 $2 (50... exf3+ 51. Kxf3 Ra6 $1 $19 {(only move)}) 51. Rd5 $2 (51. fxe4 fxe4 52. Rd5 $15) 51... Ra4 $2 (51... exf3+ 52. Kxf3 (52. Kd3 Ra1) 52... Ra4 53. Ke2 Kg5 $1 54. Rd6 Kh5 55. Kd3 Ra3+ 56. Kxd4 Rxg3 $19) 52. Rd6+ $2 (52. fxe4 fxe4 53. Kd2 $15 {(only move)}) 52... Kg5 $1 $19 53. Rd5 $6 (53. fxe4 fxe4 54. Kd2 Rc4 55. g4 {[#]} Rc5 $3 56. Rxd4 Kf4 57. c4 g5 $1 $19) 53... exf3+ $1 {FINALLY! (and here the only move)} 54. Kxf3 Rc4 {Black is winning a 2nd pawn} 55. g4 Rc3+ 56. Ke2 Rxc2+ (56... Kxg4 $1 57. Rxd4+ f4 {is easiest. two connected passed pawns vs. one. Another basic rook ending I don't know.}) 57. Kd3 Rc1 58. Kd2 Rc4 59. gxf5 gxf5 {[#] I *do* know that rook and two is a win except for things like f and h. Which doesn't mean it's easy.} 60. Kd3 Ra4 61. Rd8 Kf4 62. Rf8 Kg4 63. Rf7 f4 {heading for a Lucena Position.} 64. Ke4 d3+ $1 (64... Kg3 {works too}) 65. Kxd3 Kf3 $1 66. Rh7 Ra8 67. Kd2 Re8 68. Rf7 Kg3 69. Rg7+ Kf2 70. Rf7 f3 (70... Rd8+) 71. Rd7 Kf1 72. Rf7 f2 73. Kd1 Rd8+ 74. Kc2 Rd5 {Actually the fastest (at this point Stockfish will take a while to see the fastest mates).} 75. Kc3 Ke2 76. Re7+ Kf3 77. Rf7+ Ke3 78. Kc4 Rd1 (78... Rd4+ $1 {and 79...Rf4!}) 79. Re7+ Kd2 {Another instructive game to remind me (us) how much there is to learn.} 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 2000+"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.3"]
[White "Hao, Max"]
[Black "Bambou, Christophe"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D11"]
[WhiteElo "2068"]
[BlackElo "2129"]
[PlyCount "85"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 Bf5 4. Bg2 h6 5. O-O e6 6. c4 c6 7. Nc3 Be7 8. Qb3 Qb6 9. c5 Qxb3 10. axb3 O-O 11. b4 a6 12. b5 ({Relevant:} 12. Ne5 Nbd7 13. f4 Rad8 14. h3 Nxe5 15. fxe5 Ne4 16. g4 Bg6 17. Bf4 f5 18. Nxe4 fxe4 19. Bd2 Bh4 20. Rxf8+ Rxf8 21. Rf1 Rf7 22. Rxf7 Kxf7 23. Kf1 h5 24. e3 Bh7 25. gxh5 Bf5 26. Kg1 Kg8 27. Bf1 Kh7 28. Kg2 Kh6 29. Be2 Kg5 30. Bc3 Kh6 31. Bd2 {½-½ Rakhmanov,A (2621)-Sjugirov,S (2662) FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss Douglas 2019 (7)}) 12... cxb5 13. Nxb5 Nc6 14. Nc3 g5 15. h3 Nd7 {[#]} 16. g4 $146 ({Predecessor:} 16. Be3 b6 17. cxb6 Nxb6 18. Rfc1 Nc4 19. b3 Nxe3 20. fxe3 Rfc8 21. Na4 Nb4 22. Nb6 Rxc1+ 23. Rxc1 Rb8 24. Nd7 Rd8 25. Nde5 f6 26. Nc6 Nxc6 27. Rxc6 a5 28. g4 Bg6 29. Nd2 Rd6 30. Rc8+ Kf7 31. Rc7 Ke8 32. Ra7 Rb6 33. Rxa5 Bb4 34. Ra8+ Ke7 35. Nf3 Rc6 36. h4 Rc1+ 37. Kh2 Bd6+ 38. Kh3 Rb1 39. Ra7+ Kf8 40. h5 Bc2 41. Ra6 Ke7 42. Ra7+ Ke8 43. Ra8+ Kd7 44. Rh8 Rxb3 45. Rxh6 Rxe3 {0-1 Tomasi,E (1858)-Kanyamarala,T (1811) Wch FIDE Online U16 Girls Europe qual Tornelo INT rapid 2020 (4)}) 16... Bg6 17. h4 f6 18. Bd2 b6 19. cxb6 Nxb6 20. Rfc1 Nc4 21. h5 Bh7 22. Na4 Rfc8 23. Rxc4 dxc4 24. Nb6 Be4 25. Nxc8 Rxc8 26. e3 a5 27. Bc3 Bb4 28. Nd2 Bd3 29. d5 Ne5 30. dxe6 Bxc3 31. bxc3 Rc5 32. Ne4 Bxe4 33. Bxe4 Nxg4 34. Rd1 f5 35. Rd8+ Kg7 36. e7 Nf6 37. Bd5 a4 38. Rg8+ Kh7 39. Rf8 Ne8 40. Rxe8 Rxd5 41. Rh8+ Kxh8 42. e8=Q+ Kg7 43. Qe7+ 1-0

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 2000+"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.4"]
[White "Sant, Amit"]
[Black "Santos, Catalino Jr"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E11"]
[WhiteElo "1882"]
[BlackElo "1973"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "109"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 a5 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Be7 (7... dxc4) 8. Bc3 b6 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Qc2 Ba6 11. Re1 Nbd7 12. Bd2 Rc8 13. Nc3 c5 14. Qf5 g6 15. Qh3 Re8 16. Bf4 Bf8 17. Rad1 c4 18. Ne5 Nb8 {[#]} 19. e4 dxe4 20. Nxe4 Nxe4 21. Bxe4 Bg7 {[#]} 22. Nxf7 Kxf7 23. Qxh7 Rxe4 24. Rxe4 Qh8 25. Qxh8 Bxh8 26. Rde1 Bf6 27. Be5 Bxe5 28. Rxe5 Nc6 29. Rd5 Rc7 30. Rd6 Bc8 31. a3 b5 32. d5 Nd4 33. Re4 Nb3 34. Rf4+ Kg7 35. Rff6 Bf5 36. g4 Bd3 37. Rb6 b4 38. axb4 axb4 39. Rfc6 Rd7 40. f3 Nd4 41. Rxb4 Nxc6 42. dxc6 Rd6 43. Rb7+ Kh6 44. h4 g5 45. c7 Rc6 46. Rb6 Rxb6 47. c8=Q gxh4 48. Qh8+ Kg6 49. Qxh4 Rf6 50. Qh5+ Kg7 51. f4 Re6 52. f5 Re1+ 53. Kf2 Re2+ 54. Kf3 Rxb2 55. Qg6+ 1-0

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 2000+"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.5"]
[White "Walder, Michael"]
[Black "Riese, Kayven"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C02"]
[WhiteElo "2003"]
[BlackElo "1900"]
[Annotator "Riese,Kayven"]
[PlyCount "60"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Bd7 {I didn't want to play right into recent notes with the afforementioned plan to play in Franco-Queen's Indian style with the trade on a6, but I had been attracted to a different plan to trade that same piece while watching a furious-paced Hikaru speed run. I'm not sure I am going to find that game, but we'll see.} 5. Nf3 ({A unique try was in Mori-Hickl 2011 that went} 5. c4 Bc6 ({Droidfish prefers} 5... cxd4 6. Nf3 Qa5+ (6... dxc4 7. Bxc4 Nc6 8. Bf4 Be7 9. h4 Nh6 10. Nbd2 Nf5 11. a3 (11. g4 Nxh4) 11... a5 {=+}) (6... Nc6 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bd3 Bc5 9. O-O Nge7 {=/+}) 7. Bd2 Qb6 8. cxd5 Qxb2 9. Qb3 Qxb3 (9... Qxa1 10. Bd3 $11 Ne7 (10... exd5 $2 11. Qxb7 Bc5 (11... Bc6 12. Qc8+ Ke7 13. Bb4#) 12. Qxa8 Qb2 $16) 11. Qxb7 Nxd5 12. Qxa8 Qb2 $11)) 6. Nf3 cxd4 7. Nxd4 (7. Qxd4 Ne7 8. Be2 Nf5 9. Qf4 dxc4 10. O-O $17) 7... dxc4 8. Bxc4 $6 (8. Nc3 Bc5 (8... Qa5 9. Bxc4 (9. f4 Bb4 10. Bd2 Qb6 11. a3 Bc5 12. Na4 Bxa4 13. Qxa4+ Nc6 14. Nxc6 bxc6 15. Bxc4 Ne7 {=+}) (9. Bf4 Bb4 10. Rc1 Ne7 11. Bxc4 Bxg2 12. Rg1 Bd5 13. Bb5+ Nbc6 14. Bd2 Bxc3 15. Bxc3 Qc7 16. Rxg7 Qxe5+ 17. Ne2 Qxh2 $17) 9... Qxe5+ 10. Be3 Bc5 11. O-O Nf6 12. Re1 O-O 13. Bxe6 Bxg2 14. Kxg2 fxe6 15. Nf3 Qh5 16. Bxc5 Qxc5 17. Qb3 Nh5 18. Qxe6+ Kh8 19. Qg4 Nc6 $17)) 8... Bxg2 9. Rg1 Bc6 $6 (9... Nc6 10. Be3 Qa5+ 11. Qd2 Qxd2+ 12. Nxd2 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Bc6 14. Nb3 g6 15. Ke2 Ne7 16. Na5 Bh6 $17) 10. Nc3 $11 Nd7 $2 (10... Bc5 11. Ncb5 Ne7 12. Be3 Bxb5 13. Nxb5 Bxe3 14. Qxd8+ Kxd8 15. Rd1+ Nd7 16. Rxg7 Bh6 $11) 11. Bf4 $4 (11. Nxe6 $1 Qa5 12. Nd4 O-O-O 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. Bf4 Nxe5 $16) 11... Bc5 $4 (11... Ne7 12. Qg4 Nb6 13. Rd1 Nxc4 14. Nxc6 Qc7 15. Nxe7 Nxb2 16. Ned5 Qc6 17. Rd4 $11) (11... Nb6 12. Bxe6 $1 fxe6 13. Qh5+ g6 14. Rxg6 hxg6 15. Qxg6+ Kd7 16. Rd1 Bd5 17. Nxd5 (17. Nxe6 Ne7 18. Qf6 Qe8 (18... Qc8 19. Nd4 Rg8 20. e6+ Kd8 21. Qf7 Rg1+ 22. Kd2 Rxd1+ 23. Kxd1 $18) 19. Nc5+ Kc8 20. Qxh8 Ng6 21. Qh3+ Kb8 22. Bg3 $18)) (11... Qa5 12. a3 Ne7 13. b4 Qb6 14. Bxe6 $1 fxe6 15. Nxe6 Ng6 16. Be3 Bxb4 17. axb4 (17. Bxb6 Bxc3+ 18. Kf1 Bb5+ 19. Kg2 Bc6+ 20. Kh3 axb6 21. Nc7+ Ke7 22. Qd6+ Kd8 23. Ne6+ Ke8 24. f4 Bxa1 25. Rxa1 Ra4 $11) 17... Qxb4 18. Qc2 Ndxe5 19. O-O-O Qa3+ 20. Kb1 Qb4+ 21. Ka1 Rf8 22. Na2 Qc4 23. Qxc4 Nxc4 24. Nxf8 Nxe3 25. fxe3 Kxf8 26. Nb4 {+=}) 12. Qg4 $4 (12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Rxg7 $18) 12... Ne7 $4 (12... Bxd4 13. O-O-O (13. Qxg7 Qh4 14. Qg3 (14. Qxh8 Qxf2+) 14... Qxg3 15. Bxg3 Bxe5 $19) 13... Bxc3 14. Qxg7 Qh4 15. Rg4 Qh5 16. bxc3 O-O-O 17. Qg5 Qxg5 18. Bxg5 Re8 $19) 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. O-O-O Bxf2 $2 (14... Qa5) 15. Rgf1 $2 (15. Ne4 Nf5 16. Nxf2 $18) 15... Bc5 16. Qxg7 Rg8 17. Qxh7 Rb8 18. Bg3 Nf5 $4 19. Qxg8+ {1-0}) ({A far less popular move is} 5. Bd3 {. In Ruscalleda-Curtis Titled Tuesday 2022, black implemented the Nakamura trade on b5 with} Qb6 6. dxc5 Bxc5 7. Qe2 a6 8. Nf3 Bb5 {and after} 9. O-O Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nc6 11. b4 Bf8 12. a4 Qc7 13. Re1 $11 {, the players reached a draw after 52 moves.}) 5... Qb6 {At this juncture, there have been over 7000 games found by my cell phone ChessBase app, recommended to me by Elliott Winslow, that continue with 3 most popular moves.} 6. Na3 {Walder chooses the 4th most popular move, found in 182 games, 10 times less than 3rd favorite 6.Bd3 (1780 games).} ({The most popular move played here, mentioned by white in post game, played 3217 times, is} 6. Be2 Bb5 ({Firouzja-So during Chess.com speed chess in 2023 traded central pawns first with} 6... cxd4 7. cxd4 Bb5 8. Bxb5+ ({MVL-Renato Titled Tuesday 2023 continued} 8. Nc3 Bxe2 9. Nxe2 Bb4+ ({I found a Nakamura game, but Hikaru has the wrong color. Paschall deviated as black against him in Bermuda 2003 with} 9... Ne7 10. O-O Nd7 11. Nf4 h5 12. Qd3 g6 13. Bd2 Nf5 14. Rfc1 Be7 15. Rc2 Rd8 (15... O-O 16. Rac1 Nb8 17. g3 Nc6 {+=}) 16. Ne2 (16. a4 Nb8 17. b4 a6 18. b5 O-O 19. h3 $16) 16... Nb8 17. Ng3 Qa6 18. Qb3 Nxg3 19. fxg3 Nc6 20. Rf1 {+= Hikaru got the win on move 52.}) 10. Bd2 Bxd2+ 11. Qxd2 Ne7 12. O-O Nbc6 13. Ng3 O-O 14. Rfc1 Rac8 15. b3 $6 ({Droidfish prefers} 15. h4 h6 $11) 15... Qb4 16. Qb2 Na5 17. h4 h6 18. h5 a6 19. Nf1 Nc4 {=+ and a draw was agreed on move 44.}) 8... Qxb5 9. Nc3 Qa6 (9... Bb4 10. Bd2 Qd3 11. Qa4+ Nc6 12. Nb5 a6 13. Nc7+ Kd8 14. Nxe6+ $1 fxe6 15. Bxb4 Nge7 16. Bc5 {and white had a clear advantage but lost the game in 42 moves in Kupreichik-Eingorn URS Semifinal 1977.}) 10. a4 Bb4 11. Bd2 Bxc3 12. Bxc3 Ne7 13. b4 Qc4 14. Rc1 Nbc6 15. Bd2 Qd3 16. Qe2 Qa3 17. O-O Nf5 18. Bc3 Rc8 19. g4 Nfe7 20. Bd2 {=+ was Vidit-Rapport Belgrade 2022 when black eventually increased his advantage and won.}) 7. Bxb5+ (7. dxc5 Bxc5 $11 8. b4 {After the game, the players analyzed} Bxf2+ ({Black preferred to retreat with} 8... Be7 {in Ding-Xu CHN-chT Div A Rapid 2022 which continued} 9. Bxb5+ Qxb5 10. Na3 Qd7 11. O-O Nc6 12. Re1 Bd8 ({Droidfish maintains more pull with} 12... a6 13. h4 h5 14. Nc2 Bd8 {+=}) 13. Nb5 Bc7 14. c4 (14. Qa4 {Droidfish}) 14... Nge7 15. Ba3 a5 16. Nxc7+ Qxc7 17. b5 Nb4 18. cxd5 Nexd5 19. Rc1 Qd7 20. Ng5 O-O (20... Nxa2 21. Rc4 Nab4 {seems to net black a pawn, but Droidfish awards white compensation.} 22. Rg4 Rd8 23. Ne4 O-O 24. Bb2 {+=}) 21. Rc4 ({Droidfish claims white needs to exploit a pin so the rook can operate on the more secure third rank after} 21. Rc3 h6 22. Ne4 Rad8 23. Rg3 {+=}) 21... h6 22. Ne4 Rfc8 23. Rd4 Nc2 24. Nf6+ gxf6 $2 ({Droidfish shows} 24... Nxf6 25. Rxd7 Nxd7 26. Rf1 Nb6 27. Bc1 Nb4 28. a3 N4d5 29. f4 Rc7 { gives black more than full compensation with two happy knights.}) 25. exf6 Nxf6 26. Rxd7 {1-0, Xu resigned to Ding.})) (7. c4 $5 {was played right here at Mechanics between Argo-Tracy in a 2017 TNM. Droidfish likes the move at first, but eventually changes the recommendation to the bishop trade on b5.} Bxc4 ({Sax-Jakab, Balatonlelle 2004, continued} 7... dxc4 {Argo was probably inspired by Sax, playing in his style.} 8. d5 ({Droidfish wants} 8. Nc3 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Ba6 10. O-O {+=}) 8... Ne7 9. dxe6 fxe6 10. Nc3 Bd7 $2 (10... Nbc6 11. Nxb5 Qxb5 12. O-O Nf5 13. b3 {will still regain a pawn.}) 11. O-O (11. Nd2 Nf5 12. Nxc4 Qd8 13. Bd3 Nc6 14. Bxf5 exf5 15. Nb5 $16 {The white knights are mobbing d6.}) 11... Nf5 12. Bxc4 Nc6 13. Ne4 h6 14. Nh4 O-O-O 15. Ng6 Rg8 16. Be3 $16 {In a complicated struggle, Sax prevailed on move 34.}) 8. Bxc4 dxc4 9. d5 exd5 10. Qxd5 Ne7 11. Qxc4 Ng6 ({Argo followed Sax for longer than I thought, but Dreev deviated as black at Interpolis 1992 with} 11... Qb4+ 12. Nbd2 Qxc4 13. Nxc4 Ng6 14. h4 h5 15. Bg5 Nc6 16. O-O-O Rc8 17. Rhe1 Nd4 (17... b5 18. Ne3 Be7 19. Nd5 O-O 20. Nxe7+ Ngxe7 21. Bxe7 Nxe7 22. Rd7 {+= is Droidfish.}) 18. Kb1 ({White can't take the pawn with} 18. Nxd4 cxd4 19. Rxd4 b5 {and lose his knight, silly :)}) 18... Ne6 19. g3 b5 20. Ne3 {White has a slight to clear edge, and managed to win on move 43.}) 12. Nc3 Be7 (12... Qe6 13. Nd5 Bd6 {and Droidfish defends c7 by exploiting a pin.}) 13. Nd5 Qc6 { Argo beat Tracy on move 28. I'll leave finding the rest of the moves as an exercise for the reader.}) 7... Qxb5 8. Na3 Qd7 9. Nc2 Nc6 10. h4 {+=}) (6. a3 {was played in 2572 games.} Bb5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Bxb5+ Qxb5 9. a4 ({MVL-Aronian, London Classic 2018 continued} 9. b4 Bb6 10. a4 Qc4 11. a5 Qe4+ 12. Qe2 Qxe2+ 13. Kxe2 $11 {and I guess this is the ending Mike Walder was referring to.}) 9... Qd7 10. O-O Ne7 11. Nbd2 a6 12. Nb3 Bb6 13. Re1 Nbc6 14. a5 Bc7 ({Droidfish prevents 15.Nc5 with} 14... Ba7) 15. Nc5 Qc8 16. Qa4 O-O 17. Qh4 Ng6 18. Qh5 Ncxe5 $17 {and black netted a pawn and drew on move 95 in Firouzja-Rustemov, Titled Tuesday 2023.}) (6. Bd3 cxd4 (6... Bb5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. b4 Bf8 ({Shevchenko-Niemann, Junior Speed Qualifier 2022 continued} 8... Bxd3 9. Qxd3 Bf8 {+=} ({Hans didn't find the Diller retreat and blocked his Ng8 with} 9... Be7 10. O-O Nd7 11. Bf4 Rc8 12. Nbd2 Qa6 $5 13. b5 $6 ({Droidfish plays} 13. Qxa6 bxa6 14. Rfc1 {+= when black's a pawns seem secure.}) 13... Qa4 14. Nd4 (14. Qd4 Nb6 15. Be3 Bc5 16. Qxa4 Nxa4 {=+}) 14... Bc5 15. Qg3 $6 g6 $2 ({Hans saves his g pawn like a human and misses the strength of the open g file that would have manifested after} 15... Ne7 16. Qxg7 Ng6 17. Qh6 Bf8 18. Qg5 Rxc3 {=+}) 16. N2b3 Bb6 17. Qh3 $11 {Niemann kept pressing and prevailed on move 52.})) (8... Bxf2+ $2 9. Ke2 Bxd3+ 10. Qxd3 Nd7 11. Rf1 {and black's Bf2 is a goner.}) ({Magnus-Tang played} 8... Be7 $2 {in their Bullet match in 2021.} 9. Be3 Qa6 10. Bxb5+ $6 (10. Bc2 $5 Nh6 11. a4 Nf5 12. Bxf5 exf5 13. Nd4 Bd7 14. b5 Qg6 15. Ne2 Qxg2 16. Rg1 $16) 10... Qxb5 11. a4 Qd7 12. O-O Nc6 13. Nbd2 {+= Even the world champion doesn't play perfectly in Droidfish's opinion, and this game ended a truce on move 75.}) 9. Be3 Qa6 10. Bxb5+ Qxb5 11. a4 Qc6 12. O-O Ne7 13. Nd4 Qd7 14. b5 Qc7 15. Nd2 {and Magnus Carlsen had a clear advantage over Maghsoodloo, World Championship of Blitz 2021, and won on move 29.}) 7. O-O ({Grischuk sanely took back against Rustemov, Titled Tuesday 2022, with} 7. Nxd4 Ne7 8. Nd2 Nbc6 9. N2f3 Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Nc6 11. Nf3 f6 ({In a Titled Tuesday earlier that year, Rustemov had tried an inferior move against Grischuk with} 11... Be7 12. O-O Qc7 13. Qe2 h6 14. Re1 g5 15. Bd2 O-O-O 16. a4 Kb8 17. b4 Rc8 18. a5 {when Grischuk's storm clouds ended with a mated black king on move 29.}) 12. Qe2 O-O-O $5 13. O-O fxe5 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. Qxe5 Bd6 16. Qxg7 Rhg8 17. Qh6 e5 18. Bg5 Rde8 19. h4 (19. Bxh7 Rh8 20. Rad1 Qc6 21. c4 d4 22. h4 $16) 19... e4 20. Bc2 (20. Be2 Kb8 21. Rad1 Be6 22. c4 Qxb2 23. cxd5 {+=}) 20... Qc7 21. Bb3 (21. Bd1 Kb8 22. Bh5 Ref8 23. f4 Bb5 {=+}) 21... Rg6 $11 22. Qh5 (22. Qxh7 $2 Bh2+ 23. Kh1 Rxg5 24. hxg5 Be5 $19) 22... Bc6 (22... Be6 23. Rad1 Qf7 24. f4 Qd7 25. f5 Bxf5 26. Rxd5 Bg4 $17) 23. Rad1 Qf7 (23... Qg7 24. f4 h6 25. Bxd5 Bc5+ 26. Kh2 hxg5 $17) 24. f4 e3 25. Rde1 Bc5 26. Kh1 Bb5 27. Rf3 $2 (27. Bd1 Bxf1 28. Rxf1 Be7 29. f5 Bxg5 30. hxg5 Re4 31. Bg4 Kd8 32. Be2 {+=}) 27... Qf5 28. Rh3 h6 $19 {Rustemov beat Grischuk on move 36.}) 7... Nc6 8. Re1 Nge7 9. h4 a6 10. h5 h6 11. Nbd2 dxc3 12. bxc3 Qc7 13. c4 Nb4 14. Bf1 dxc4 15. Nxc4 Ned5 16. Bb2 $16 {Magnus Carlsen overprotected his e5 pawn against Renato, Titled Tuesday 2023, and beat him on move 33.}) 6... cxd4 {I devised a plan to achieve the trade by trading pawns for tempo to open the scope for my Bf8 to eliminate the Na3, restoring black's control over the b5 square.} ({There are 10 games from this position played before 1970. The earliest, Schmid-Wade, in a 1950 match continued} 6... Nc6 {Funny thing, it seems Droidfish is naming the variation after the black player in that game.} 7. Be2 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Kf1 f6 ({In another game played by a guy with an opening named after him, Milner Barry-Cafferty, British Championship 1957,} 9... Nh6 {was played.} 10. Nc2 Be7 11. g3 Nf5 12. Kg2 Rc8 13. g4 Nh4+ 14. Nxh4 Bxh4 15. f4 Nb4 16. Nxb4 Qxb4 17. Rf1 Bd8 18. a3 Qb6 19. f5 exf5 20. gxf5 Bxf5 21. Rxf5 Qg6+ 22. Bg4 $4 (22. Rg5 Bxg5 23. Bd3 Qh6 24. Qg4 Rxc1 25. Rxc1 O-O {=+}) 22... h5 23. e6 fxe6 24. Qa4+ Rc6 25. Bg5 (25. Rf2 Qxg4+ 26. Kf1 Bh4 $19) 25... hxg4 26. Rf2 Qxg5 27. Re1 Rxh2+ $1 {and the guy with the opening named after him resigned.}) 10. Nc2 fxe5 11. Nxb4 Nxb4 12. dxe5 Bb5 13. a3 Nc6 14. Be3 Qa6 15. Bxb5 Qxb5+ 16. Kg1 Nge7 17. b4 b6 18. Ng5 Nd8 19. Rc1 $2 (19. Qh5+ Kd7 20. h3 h6 21. Nf3 Ndc6 {+=/=}) 19... Qd7 (19... h6 20. Nf3 Ndc6 21. h4 $11) 20. Qh5+ g6 21. Nxh7 $6 (21. Qf3 Nf5 22. g4 Nxe3 23. Qxe3 O-O {+=}) 21... gxh5 22. Nf6+ Kf7 23. Nxd7 Ndc6 24. f4 Rac8 25. Nf6 $6 (25. Kf2 d4 26. Bd2 Nd5 27. Kf3 d3 28. Ke4 {+=}) 25... a5 26. b5 Na7 (26... Nd4 $5 27. Kf2 (27. Bxd4 Rxc1+) (27. Rxc8 Rxc8 28. Bxd4 Rc1+ 29. Kf2 Rxh1)) 27. Kf2 (27. Bxb6 Rxc1+) 27... Nxb5 28. a4 Na3 29. Rxc8 Rxc8 30. Rc1 (30. Bxb6 Rc2+ 31. Kf3 Nc4 32. Bf2 Nd2+ 33. Ke3 Ra2 $17) 30... Nc4 31. Kf3 $2 (31. Ke2 Kg6 32. Nd7 h4 33. g4 hxg3 34. hxg3 Rd8 35. Nf6 (35. Nxb6 Nxe3 36. Kxe3 Rb8 37. Nd7 Nf5+ 38. Kf3 Rb3+ 39. Kf2 Rb2+ 40. Kf3 $11)) 31... Nf5 32. Rxc4 Rxc4 33. Bxb6 Rxa4 34. Nxh5 Ra3+ 35. Kf2 a4 36. g4 Ne3 {and Wade beat Schmid} 37. Bxe3 Rxe3 38. Kxe3 a3 {the pawn will queen, of course.}) 7. cxd4 Bxa3 ({The most recent game among the 182 is Harika-Narayanan, Titled Tuesday 2021, continuing} 7... Nc6 8. Nc2 Nb4 9. Nxb4 ({An ending was reached in Iskusnyh-Rustemov, Titled Tuesday 2022, after} 9. a3 Nxc2+ 10. Qxc2 Rc8 11. Qd1 Bb5 12. Bxb5+ Qxb5 13. Qe2 Qxe2+ 14. Kxe2 {and black won on move 51.}) 9... Bxb4+ 10. Bd2 Ne7 11. a3 Bxd2+ 12. Qxd2 Bb5 13. Bxb5+ Qxb5 14. Qe2 Qb6 15. O-O O-O {=+ black won on move 52.}) 8. bxa3 a6 {[#] White is slightly better. I felt like I remember Hikaru having a pawn on a6, but I have no evidence.} ({Schwenkreis-Hermann, Kandidatenturnier 1965, continued} 8... Nc6 9. Qd3 Nge7 10. Rb1 Qc7 11. Be2 Na5 12. O-O h6 13. Bd2 Nc4 14. Rfc1 O-O $6 (14... Ba4 15. h4 Qd7 16. h5 {+=}) ({I thought a stupid move with} 14... b5 $2 15. Bb4 a5 16. Bc5 Qd8 17. Rc3 {when black loses time due to a Ne7 making it hard for him to castle.}) 15. Bb4 (15. Bd1 f5 16. exf6 Rxf6 $16) 15... Rfe8 16. Nh4 {black won on move 39.}) ({I avoided} 8... Bb5 9. Rb1 a6 (9... Qa5+ $4 10. Bd2) 10. Qd2 (10. a4 Qa5+ 11. Bd2 Qxa4 12. Qxa4 Bxa4 13. Rxb7 {+=}) 10... Qd8 (10... Qc6 11. Qg5 g6 12. Bxb5 axb5 13. O-O $16) 11. Bxb5+ axb5 12. Rxb5 Nc6 13. Rxb7 $16) 9. Qb3 $2 $146 {[%eval -15,32] At first glance, the endgame offer seems vexing, but then I realized white's light squared bishop is strongest when conducting a Greek Gift Attack. It's good for me to close the b file, and I still want to trade bishops to avoid facing two bishops, which are powerful in the ending.} ({White should play} 9. Bd2 $1 $16 {[%eval 72,28]} Ne7 (9... Bb5 10. Rb1 Qc6 11. Bxb5 axb5 $16) 10. Rb1 Qc7 11. Qb3 b5 $16) ({Predecessor:} 9. Be2 Bb5 10. Rb1 Qa5+ 11. Qd2 Qxd2+ 12. Bxd2 Bxe2 13. Kxe2 b5 14. Rhc1 Ne7 15. Rc7 {½-½ Vitry,P (1657)-Nassau,J (1330) Reunion op 11th St Denis 2009 (4)}) 9... Qxb3 $11 10. axb3 Bb5 $1 {Black's play is still correct, and this is intriguing. I sensed my doubled b5 pawn would not be easy for white to attack with the pieces remaining on the board. I have been realizing lately how strong players trade pieces to get advantageous imbalances in the ensuing positions.} 11. Bd2 (11. Bxb5+ axb5 12. Bd2 Nc6 13. Ke2 Nge7 14. a4 b4 {=+ Here, the b4 pawn cannot have any increased pressure on it in the near future.} 15. Kd3 f6 16. Rhc1 b6 $5) 11... Bxf1 12. Kxf1 Nc6 13. Ke2 Nge7 14. Kd3 (14. b4 f6 15. Rhb1 fxe5 16. dxe5 O-O 17. b5 axb5 18. Kf1 (18. Rxb5 $4 Rxf3 19. Kxf3 Nd4+ $19) 18... Ng6 19. Rxb5 Ngxe5 20. Nxe5 Nxe5 21. Rxb7 Nc4 $11) 14... f6 $1 {Ok, it's a standard move, but it's leading to black advantage in the position.} 15. Rae1 (15. Be3 Kd7 16. Ke2 ({Certainly white shouldn't admit that king centralization is incorrect!} 16. Rac1 h5 17. g3 Ng6 18. exf6 gxf6 19. Rc5 Rhg8 20. Rhc1 Nge7 21. Nh4 e5 {=+ A big black center.}) 16... Rac8 17. Rhc1 Na5 18. Rab1 Rxc1 19. Bxc1 Nac6 {=+}) 15... Kf7 ({Droidfish prefers} 15... Kd7 {. In retrospect, I can understand this because of how wonderfully my Nf5 later works offensively, but also defensively on the g7 and h6 squares.}) 16. h4 $6 (16. Nh4 {stops my knight from advancing.}) 16... h5 $1 {Ok, Ok.. still following procedures lol} 17. Re2 Rac8 18. exf6 gxf6 19. Rhe1 Nd8 $1 {It's one of those humble but essential defensive knights!} 20. g3 Rc6 $17 {overprotecting e6. The Nd8 will not stay there forever!} 21. Bc3 $6 ({I think I expected} 21. Bb4 Nf5) 21... Nf5 22. Nd2 $6 ({Although the main line frustrated my plan to occupy e4 with my knight, according to Droidfish, it was better to cower with} 22. Ng1 Nd6 23. Nh3 {Now Droidfish unveils the plan to increase the pressure on the e6 pawn via a Nf4.} Ne4 24. Bb2 Rb6 25. b4 Nc6 26. Nf4 Re8 27. Rc1 (27. Nxh5 a5 28. f3 Nd6 29. Bc3 axb4 30. Bxb4 Nf5 31. Rb2 $17) 27... a5 28. bxa5 Rb3+ 29. Kc2 Nxa5 30. Kb1 Nc6 (30... Nc4 $2 31. Ka2) 31. Nxh5 Nxd4 32. Rc7+ Re7 33. Rxe7+ Kxe7 34. Ka2 Rd3 {=+}) 22... Re8 {I came up with a plan to slither like a snake with this Re8-e7-c7 to get doubled on the open c file. I expected Bb4 to stop this.} (22... b6 23. Rc1 Nb7 24. Nf3 Rhc8 25. Rec2 e5 26. Ne1 (26. dxe5 $2 Nc5+ 27. Ke2 Nxb3 28. Rb1 Rxc3 29. Rxc3 Rxc3 30. a4 fxe5 (30... Rxf3 31. Kxf3 Nd2+ 32. Kf4 Nxb1 33. Kxf5 Nc3 $19) 31. Nxe5+ Ke6 32. Nd3 Nfd4+ 33. Ke3 $19)) 23. Bb4 (23. Nf3 Rb6 {Droidfish keeps suggesting this, I have a hard time swallowing it.} 24. Kc2 Nc6 25. Kb2 Nd6 26. Rc1 Ne4 27. Be1 a5 28. a4 Ra8 29. Ka3 Ke7 $17) 23... b6 24. a4 {[%eval -192,25]} (24. Nf3 $17 {[%eval -93,29]} Nb7 25. Rc2 Rxc2 26. Kxc2 a5 27. Bd2 Nbd6 28. Rb1 Ke7 (28... Rc8+ 29. Kd3 Ne4 ({I guess the c file is covered, so Droidfish wants} 29... Ra8) 30. Be1 Ke7)) 24... Nb7 {The Bb4 is stopping my snake-rook, but this is what overprotection is all about! I can hold e6 with my Rc6 and prepare tactical operations on the c file.} 25. Nb1 {[%eval -239,26]} (25. Nf3 $142 {[%eval -163,29]}) 25... Rec8 $19 26. Na3 $2 {[%eval -325,26]} (26. Rb2 {[%eval -225,28] was called for.} R6c7 (26... Nbd6 27. Nd2 Nb7 28. Nf3 a5 29. Bd2 $17 Nbd6 30. Ra1 Ne4 31. Be1 Nfd6 32. b4 Rc1 33. Rxc1 Rxc1 34. bxa5 bxa5 35. Bxa5 Ra1 36. Be1 Ra3+ 37. Ke2 Rxa4 $17) (26... a5 27. Ba3 Nbd6 28. Bxd6 Nxd6 {-/+}) 27. Na3 Nbd6 28. f3 Rg8 29. Rg1 Nb7 30. g4 Nxh4 31. Rf2 Ng6 32. Ke3 (32. gxh5 $4 Nf4+ $19) 32... h4 33. f4 Ne7 34. Rc2 Rxc2 35. Nxc2 Na5 36. Bxe7 Kxe7 37. b4 Nc4+ $19) 26... Na5 {accepting some real nice doubled a pawns! ｝:D} (26... a5 27. Bd2 e5 28. Rxe5 $5 (28. dxe5 Nc5+ 29. Kc2 Nd4+ 30. Kb2 Nd3+ 31. Kb1 Nxe1 32. Rxe1 Nxb3 $19) 28... fxe5 29. Rxe5 Ng7 30. Nb5 Rd8 31. Nc3 Rcd6 32. Bf4 R8d7 33. Rg5 Ne6 34. Rxh5 (34. Bxd6 Nxg5 35. Ba3 Nh3 $19) 34... Nxf4+ 35. gxf4 Nd8 36. Rf5+ Ke7 37. Re5+ Kf6 38. Ne2 Nc6 $19) 27. Bxa5 {[%eval -429,29]} (27. Rb2 {[%eval -215,29]}) 27... bxa5 28. Rc2 {[#]} Nxd4 $1 {Double Attack No anal beads used!} 29. Rxc6 ({Better was} 29. Kxd4 {, but I guess you can't blame my opponent. I won the d4 pawn either way.} Rxc2 30. Nxc2 Rxc2 $19) 29... Nxc6 30. Nc2 $19 (30. Re3 e5 31. Kd2 d4 {This reminds me of a position I once described as an avalanche of black pawns akin to the collapse of the World Trade Center on 911.} 32. Re1 Rb8 33. Rb1 Ke6 $19) 30... Ne5+ {Weighted Error Value: White=0.54/Black=0.11 (very precise). Mistake:	White=5 --- Inaccurate:   White=2 Black=3 OK:		White=5 Black=7 Best:    	White=1 Black=1 Strong:		---   Black=2 Brilliant:   ---   Black=1 White has only one way to hold his Nc2, but it fails to a fork.} ({Kd2 Nf3+ Kd1 Rxc2 Kxc2 Nxe1+ Best is Rxe5 fxe5 f3} 30... Rb8 31. Kc3 Rg8 $19) 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 2000+"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.6"]
[White "Wu, Zhuoyuan"]
[Black "Lewis, Edward"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B75"]
[WhiteElo "1861"]
[BlackElo "1977"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "64"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nbd7 {[#]} 8. Qd2 h5 9. O-O-O a6 10. Be2 b5 11. h3 Bb7 12. g4 Nb6 13. g5 Nfd7 {[#]} 14. Rhf1 Qc7 15. f4 Rc8 16. f5 Ne5 17. f6 Bf8 18. fxe7 Bxe7 19. Bf4 Nbc4 20. Bxc4 Qxc4 21. Bxe5 dxe5 {[#]} 22. Nf5 gxf5 23. Qd7+ Kf8 24. Qxf5 Bxe4 {[#]} 25. Qxe4 Bxg5+ 26. Kb1 Qxe4 27. Nxe4 Bf4 28. Rd7 Rh6 29. Nd6 Rf6 30. Nxc8 e4 31. Rd4 Rg6 32. Rxe4 Bg3 1-0

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1600-1999"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.8"]
[White "Wong, Wilson"]
[Black "Hack, Richard"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B80"]
[WhiteElo "1883"]
[BlackElo "1572"]
[Annotator "Wong,Wilson"]
[PlyCount "53"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. f3 b5 8. a3 Be7 (8... h5 {Black's most effective response, stopping g4.}) (8... Bb7 {The most popular move. Black isn't under threat so it might be better to try break in center with ...d5, also opening a3-f8 diagonal, which can support ...b4.}) ({Relevant:} 8... Bb7 9. g4 h6 10. Qd2 Nbd7 11. O-O-O Rc8 12. Kb1 d5 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 Bxd5 15. Rg1 Bc5 16. f4 Nf6 17. Bd3 Qc7 18. Qe1 Ne4 19. h4 Qb7 20. c3 Bxa3 21. f5 b4 22. c4 Nc3+ 23. Ka1 Bxc4 24. fxe6 O-O 25. Bxc4 Rxc4 26. Rd2 Bxb2+ 27. Kxb2 b3 28. exf7+ Qxf7 29. Nxb3 Rb4 {0-1 Ding,L (2791)-Carlsen,M (2863) Carlsen Tour Final chess24.com INT rapid 2020 (1.33)}) 9. Qd2 {(Stockfish Depth 36 +0.5 vs. 9.g4 +0.3) is the main move played in master games.} Bb7 10. O-O-O {Its not clear} (10. g4 {Stockfish preferred and marginally more commonly played. I think I should have gone with this to stop ...h5. If ...h5 then gxh5 opens a file, and kingside would've been where Black would've liked to castle. I didn't go for this because I thought after 10...d5 11.e5 Nfd7 12.f4 left my h1-rook hanging, but Black's d5-pawn blocks the diagonal.}) 10... O-O 11. g4 Nc6 12. h4 {I ended up going for this since the game plan is very straight forward and I thought my chances were better than they were. The plan is h5, g5, g6.} (12. g5 {The most popular move and marginally the best move. I planned for h4, h5, g5, g6, to open Black's king, If ...Nh5, then I'd play Nde2 with Ng3 next, and maybe Black would've gone for ...g6, which I think would've been good for me but I wasn't sure I'd have enough to win.}) 12... Rc8 (12... Nxd4 {This is an option that is going to show up over and over again this game for both players. My intuition tells me to trade the knights, since my queen is ideally placed, and Black's bishop recapture would block the c-file, so I should've traded knights when able.}) 13. Kb1 {[#]} (13. Nxc6 {Stockfish prefers this and I think I should've made this move too. Its better for Black to have the queen in front to attack my king, so either trade is favorable for me. My queen is already ideally placed, so I don't want ...Nxd4 making me lose a turn.}) 13... Qc7 $146 {Both players miss knight trade.} ({Predecessor:} 13... Nxd4 14. Bxd4 Nd7 15. g5 Ne5 16. Qg2 Nc6 17. Be3 b4 18. axb4 Nxb4 19. h5 Qa5 20. g6 Bf6 21. Bd4 e5 22. Be3 Rxc3 23. bxc3 Na2 24. Bc4 Nxc3+ 25. Kb2 d5 26. Bb3 Rb8 27. Ra1 Qb4 28. Bd2 Rc8 29. gxf7+ Kxf7 30. Qg4 Rc7 31. exd5 Qxg4 32. d6+ Nd5 33. fxg4 Rd7 34. g5 Bd8 35. c4 Nf4 36. c5+ Kf8 37. Bxf4 exf4 38. Rhg1 Bc6 39. Rxa6 Bb5 40. Ra2 h6 41. gxh6 Bf6+ 42. Kc1 {1-0 Haerig,W (2152)-Schmidt,D (2058) Oberliga Nord W 1920 Germany 2019 (1.5)}) 14. h5 {I should've traded knights.} Ne5 {Black is just wasting time. Rerouting knight to c4-square is a typical Najdorf/Scheveningen theme, but its clear as day how behind Black is on the attack. Black should've traded knights which worsens my queen, then think about how to improve the dark-squared bishop and f8-rook. Black could try to setup ...b4 to open another file to my king.} (14... Nxd4 {The only move to keep an even game.}) 15. g5 Nfd7 (15... Nxf3 {This wasn't on my radar.} 16. Nxf3 Nxe4 17. Nxe4 Bxe4 18. Rh3 Bxc2+ 19. Ka1 Bxd1 20. Qxd1 {Black is slightly better and up 2 points.}) 16. g6 {Stockfish just recommends ignoring my threat. If Black ignored my threat, I would've gone for h6 next, with the goal of ripping Black's king's defense.} fxg6 {This seems very wrong, letting center be destroyed, and I'll still be able to open lines to Black's king.} (16... hxg6 {I expected this recapture to keep d6-pawn protected.} 17. hxg6 (17. f4 {This was what I planned, not allowing ...Nxg6. My move was good, but not best. I didn't find the best move due to not calculating deeper.}) 17... Nxg6 18. Qh2 Nf6 {I stopped calculating here and assumed this was not good, missing the followup.} 19. f4 {[%cal Gf4f5] So simple, just undermine g6-knight that is stopping mate.}) (16... Nc5 {Stockfish's recommendation. Keeping e5-knight ready to capture ...Nxg6 if White plays h6.} 17. h6 Nxg6 (17... fxg6 {Stockfish's choice.} 18. hxg7 {[%eval 201,0] I'm not sure what to make of this position but Stockfish likes White a lot.}) 18. hxg7 {The idea.}) 17. Nxe6 {Black's center is destroyed and White still has an attack.} Nxf3 {This has the benefit of deflecting White's queen.} 18. Qg2 Qa5 {...Rxc3 is on the table. Who was it that said a knight on the 6th is as strong as a rook? Well, my knight doesn't have a secure outpost, so that strength is temporary.} 19. Nxf8 (19. hxg6 {The clear best move. g6-pawn supports trapping Black's king, so Black needs to defend against mate threats.} Bf6 (19... Nfe5 {[%eval 32748,0] Black doesn't have time to save the piece. Black's king is in grave danger and doesn't have space to flee either.} 20. Rxh7 Qd8 (20... Nxg6 21. Qxg6 Bf6 22. Rxg7+ Bxg7 23. Qxg7#) (20... Nf6 21. Rxg7+ Kh8 22. Qh1+ Nh5 23. Qxh5#) 21. Rxg7+ Kh8 22. Rxe7 Qxe7 23. g7+ Kh7 24. Bc4 Ng6 25. Rh1+ Qh4 26. Rxh4+ Kg8 27. Qxg6 Rf1+ 28. Bxf1 Ne5 29. Rh8#) (19... Nh4 {[%eval 32742,0]} 20. gxh7+ Kf7 21. Qxg7+ Ke8 22. Nxf8 Nxf8 23. h8=Q b4 24. Bh3 Qf5 25. Bxf5 Nxf5 26. exf5 b3 27. Rh7 bxc2+ 28. Kxc2 Be4+ 29. Kd2 Rc7 30. Qf7+ Kd7 31. Qxe7+ Kc6 32. Qxc7#) (19... Bh4 {[%eval 32748,0]} 20. gxh7+ Kf7 21. Qxg7+ Ke8 22. Nxf8 Nd2+ 23. Bxd2 Ne5 24. h8=Q Be7 25. Rh7 Qc7 26. Bh3 Ng4 27. Bxg4 b4 28. Ng6+ Bf8 29. Qgxf8#) 20. Qxf3 hxg6 21. Qh3 b4 22. Rxd6 Qh5 23. Rxd7 Qxh3 24. Bxh3 Rf7 25. Nc5 Rxd7 26. Bxd7 bxc3 {Depth 40 +8.5.}) 19... Rxf8 20. hxg6 h6 (20... hxg6 {Black can try to evacuate but holding will still be incredibly difficult, and still probably unsuccessful, but this might be the best try.} 21. Qxg6 Nfe5 22. Qe6+ {White is up an exchange, but Black at least has a chance to play for something.}) 21. Bxh6 gxh6 22. Qh3 Ng5 {Only defense, but at this point, Black is just down too much material, and is only delaying the inevitable.} 23. Qxd7 Bxe4 24. Nxe4 Nxe4 25. Qxe7 (25. Qe6+ {[%eval 32756,0] This is slightly more accurate and more forcing than what happened in the game.} Kg7 26. Qxe7+ Kxg6 27. Rg1+ Ng5 (27... Kf5 28. Rd5+ Kf4 29. Qh4+ Ke3 30. Rd3#) (27... Kh5 28. Be2+ Rf3 29. Bxf3#) 28. Rxd6+ Kh5 29. Rxh6+ Kxh6 30. Qxg5+ Kh7 31. Qg7#) 25... Ng5 26. Rxh6 b4 27. Rh8+ 1-0

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1600-1999"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.9"]
[White "Ross, Max L"]
[Black "Mercado, Adam"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D11"]
[WhiteElo "1653"]
[BlackElo "1752"]
[PlyCount "90"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Bf5 5. Bg2 e6 6. O-O h6 7. Nbd2 Bd6 8. b3 Nbd7 9. Bb2 b6 ({Relevant:} 9... O-O 10. Ne5 Qe7 11. a3 Rfd8 12. Re1 a5 13. Nxd7 Rxd7 14. e4 dxe4 15. Nxe4 Bxe4 16. Bxe4 Bc5 17. d5 Nxe4 18. Rxe4 cxd5 19. cxd5 Rxd5 20. Qxd5 exd5 21. Rxe7 Bxe7 22. Rc1 b5 23. Rc7 Bf8 24. Rd7 Rc8 25. Rxd5 Rc2 26. Be5 Bc5 27. Bd4 Bxd4 28. Rxd4 Rc3 29. Rd8+ Kh7 30. Ra8 a4 31. bxa4 Rxa3 {½-½ Andreikin,D (2724)-Dreev,A (2623) Titled Tuesday intern op 29th Mar Late Chess.com INT blitz 2022 (4)}) 10. Re1 O-O 11. Ne5 Rc8 {[#]} 12. Rc1 $146 ({Predecessor:} 12. Nxd7 Qxd7 13. f3 Rfe8 14. e4 dxe4 15. fxe4 Bg4 16. Nf3 e5 17. dxe5 Bxf3 18. Qxd6 Bxg2 19. Kxg2 Qxd6 20. exd6 Re6 21. Bxf6 gxf6 22. Rad1 Rd8 23. d7 Kf8 24. Rd2 {½-½ Katajainen,K (2037)-Yukitputi,T FIN-chT1B 0607 Finland 2006 (4.7)}) 12... Ng4 13. Nxd7 Qxd7 14. e4 dxe4 15. Bxe4 Bxe4 16. Nxe4 f5 17. Nxd6 Qxd6 18. f4 Nf6 19. c5 Qd7 20. b4 b5 21. a4 a6 22. Qb3 Ne4 23. axb5 axb5 24. Re2 Ra8 25. Rce1 Qd5 26. Qxd5 exd5 27. Ra1 Rxa1+ 28. Bxa1 Ra8 29. Re1 Ra4 30. Rb1 Nd2 31. Rd1 Rxb4 32. Rxd2 Rb1+ 33. Kf2 Rxa1 34. Ke3 Ra3+ 35. Ke2 Kf7 36. Kd1 Kf6 37. Kc1 g5 38. fxg5+ hxg5 39. Kb2 Re3 40. Kc2 f4 41. g4 f3 42. Kd1 b4 43. Rf2 b3 44. Kc1 Re1+ 45. Kd2 Re2+ 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1600-1999"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.10"]
[White "Vandenhoven, Clarke Raymond"]
[Black "Babayan, Gagik"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C02"]
[WhiteElo "1517"]
[BlackElo "1709"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "83"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 Bd7 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O Nge7 $4 9. b4 Bxb4 10. cxb4 Nxb4 11. Nc3 Rc8 12. Be3 Qa5 13. Ne2 Nxd3 14. Qxd3 Bb5 15. Qd1 O-O 16. Nfd4 Bc4 17. Qd2 Qa6 18. Rfb1 Nc6 19. Nxc6 bxc6 20. Nd4 c5 21. Nb3 d4 22. Bg5 Rfe8 23. Qa5 Qc6 24. Qxa7 h6 25. Bh4 g5 26. Bg3 Bd3 27. Rc1 Qe4 28. Nxc5 Qf5 29. Nxd3 Qxd3 30. Rd1 Qe2 31. Qxd4 h5 32. h4 Red8 33. Qxd8+ Rxd8 34. Rxd8+ Kg7 35. Rdd1 Kg6 36. a4 Qg4 37. hxg5 h4 38. Bxh4 Qxh4 39. a5 Qe4 40. a6 Qa8 41. a7 Kxg5 42. Rdb1 1-0

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1600-1999"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.11"]
[White "Gu, Chunhui"]
[Black "Chan, John"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C10"]
[WhiteElo "1742"]
[BlackElo "1517"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "94"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 c5 $6 {Maybe this isn't refuted, but it is an uphill battle. Still, there is some master, Dmitry Goltsev, who plays it all the time in the Titled Tuesday blitz tournaments on Chess.com. With less-than-satisfactory results. The price of fame? In any case, right down John Chan's alley.} 4. exd5 exd5 5. dxc5 {Best by Stockfish 16.} ({The top players (not that they've seen 3...c5 very often!) go} 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. Bb5+ Nc6 7. O-O Be7 {and now, gaining a tempo:} 8. dxc5 Bxc5 {("cutting edge theory" according to some anonymous Mega Database annotator)} 9. Bg5 Be6 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Nd4 ({More recently and closer to home (that is, a local player):} 11. Qd2 $146 Qd6 12. Na4 O-O-O 13. Bxc6 Qxc6 14. Nxc5 Qxc5 15. Nd4 Rhg8 16. Rfe1 Rg4 17. Rad1 Rdg8 18. g3 Bd7 19. Re3 Kb8 20. Nb3 Qd6 21. Qxd5 Qxd5 22. Rxd5 Bc6 23. Rf5 Rd8 24. Rd3 Re8 25. f3 Ra4 26. a3 Re1+ 27. Kf2 Rb1 28. Rxf6 Rxb2 29. Rxf7 Rxc2+ 30. Ke3 a6 31. Nd4 Rcc4 32. Rf6 Bb5 33. Nxb5 axb5 34. Rf7 h5 35. Rf5 h4 36. Rxb5 hxg3 37. hxg3 Rc2 38. Rdb3 Ka8 39. R5b4 Ra6 40. g4 Re6+ 41. Kf4 Rc5 42. Rxb7 Rc4+ 43. Kg3 Re1 44. Rb8+ Ka7 45. R8b4 Rc6 46. Ra4+ Ra6 47. Rxa6+ Kxa6 48. g5 Ka5 49. Kf4 Ka4 50. Re3 Rg1 51. Kf5 Kb5 52. g6 Kc6 53. Kf6 Kd7 54. g7 Kd6 55. a4 Kd5 56. Re8 {1-0 Yoo,C (2589)-Goltsev,D (2216) Titled Tuesday intern op 14th Feb Late Chess.com INT blitz 2023 (11)}) 11... Qd6 12. Na4 Bb4 13. c3 Ba5 14. b4 Bc7 15. f4 a6 16. Bxc6+ bxc6 17. Qh5 O-O-O 18. Qe2 {1-0 (18) Kamsky,G (2657)-Goryachkina,A (2610) Chess.com INT 2022}) 5... d4 (5... Bxc5 $5 {(Gambito!)}) (5... Nf6 $5 {(Goltsev's move :-)}) 6. Ne4 (6. Bb5+ $1 Nc6 7. Qe2+ $1 Be6 8. Ne4 Qd5 9. Nh3 $5) 6... Nc6 (6... Nf6 7. Bg5 Qa5+ 8. Bd2 Qd8 9. Bd3 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 Bxc5 11. Qh5 $1) 7. Nf3 (7. a3 $5) (7. Qe2 $1 {(computer of course)}) 7... h6 $6 {too open a position for John's usual extravagant h-pawn moves} 8. Bb5 $4 (8. Bf4 Bxc5 9. Nxc5 Qa5+ 10. c3 Qxc5 11. Nxd4 $18) 8... Qa5+ $19 9. c3 Qxb5 10. cxd4 Bg4 11. Be3 Rd8 (11... O-O-O) 12. d5 Ne5 (12... Nf6) 13. Nc3 Qa6 14. Qc2 (14. Qe2) 14... Bxf3 15. gxf3 Nxf3+ (15... Bxc5 $1 {a much more important pawn}) 16. Kd1 Ne5 17. Kc1 Nd3+ 18. Kb1 Nf6 19. d6 Nb4 $6 (19... Qc6) 20. Qf5 Qd3+ 21. Qxd3 Nxd3 22. Bd4 (22. Rd1 $1 $17) 22... Kd7 23. Nb5 $2 a6 (23... Nxc5 $1 24. Rd1 (24. Bxc5 Kc6 $1)) 24. Nc7 Nb4 $6 (24... Kc6 25. a3 Nxc5 26. Rc1 Bxd6 27. Nxa6 bxa6 28. Bxc5 Bxc5 29. b4 Rd5) 25. a3 Nbd5 26. Bxf6 Nxf6 27. b4 Ne8 28. Nd5 Kc6 (28... Nxd6 $5) 29. Nc3 g6 30. Re1 Bg7 31. Kc2 Rd7 32. Re2 Bxc3 33. Kxc3 Nf6 34. Rae1 Rf8 35. Kc4 Nd5 36. a4 b5+ 37. axb5+ axb5+ 38. Kd4 {[#]} Nxb4 $2 (38... Ra8 $1) 39. Ra1 $11 {And just like that: White is drawing!} Kb7 40. Rb2 Nc6+ 41. Kd5 b4 42. Rba2 Re8 43. Ra6 Re5+ 44. Kc4 Re4+ 45. Kd3 (45. Kb5) (45. Kb3) 45... Rd4+ 46. Ke3 R4xd6 $1 {(actually neither scoresheet says *which* rook took first on d6)} 47. cxd6 Rxd6 1/2-1/2

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1600-1999"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.12"]
[White "Toledo Guerrero, Fernando"]
[Black "Dutter, Frederic"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B02"]
[WhiteElo "1707"]
[BlackElo "1900"]
[PlyCount "68"]

1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. c4 Nb6 4. c5 Nd5 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nc3 Nxc3 7. dxc3 Nc6 8. Qh5 ({Relevant:} 8. Bf4 Bxc5 9. Qg4 Bf8 10. Nf3 d5 11. O-O-O Qe7 12. Bb3 Bd7 13. Rhe1 h6 14. Bg3 O-O-O 15. h4 g6 16. h5 g5 17. Nh2 Qc5 18. Qf3 d4 19. Qxf7 Be7 20. Bxe6 Rhf8 21. Bxd7+ Rxd7 22. Qe6 Rfd8 23. c4 Kb8 24. Rd3 Nb4 25. Rb3 d3 26. Rd1 d2+ 27. Kb1 Qd4 28. Qf5 Qxc4 29. Rxb4 Bxb4 30. a3 Bxa3 31. Qc2 Qxc2+ 32. Kxc2 Bf8 33. Ng4 Rd4 34. b3 Rxg4 {0-1 Delgado Ramirez,N (2621)-Bortnyk,O (2598) Titled Tuesday intern op 6th June Chess.com INT blitz 2020 (8)}) 8... d5 9. Bd3 g6 10. Qe2 Bxc5 11. Nf3 {[#]} h6 $146 ({Predecessor:} 11... f6 12. exf6 Qxf6 13. Bg5 Qg7 14. O-O-O Bd6 15. h4 h6 16. Bd2 Bd7 17. h5 gxh5 18. Rxh5 O-O-O 19. Bb5 {½-½ Vojta,T (2343)-Neckar,L (2360) CZE-chT2C 1314 Czech Republic 2013 (7.2)}) 12. b4 Bf8 13. O-O Bg7 14. Bf4 g5 15. Bg3 Bd7 16. a4 O-O 17. Nd4 Nxd4 18. cxd4 f5 19. exf6 Bxf6 20. Qh5 Qe7 21. Be5 Bxe5 22. dxe5 Qg7 23. Ra3 Rf4 24. b5 Be8 25. Qh3 Bd7 26. Rc3 c6 27. bxc6 bxc6 28. Rb1 g4 29. Qe3 Raf8 30. Qxa7 Rxf2 31. Rb7 Qf7 32. Rc1 Qf4 33. Rcb1 Qd2 34. Rxd7 Rxg2+ 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1600-1999"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.14"]
[White "Gu, Thomas"]
[Black "Perumov, Stanislav"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B19"]
[WhiteElo "1487"]
[BlackElo "1731"]
[PlyCount "64"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nf6 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bf4 Nd5 12. Bd2 Bd6 13. Ne4 Bc7 14. O-O-O Nd7 15. c4 N5f6 16. Bb4 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 Nf6 18. Qc2 Bd6 19. Bxd6 Qxd6 20. Ne5 Qc7 21. f4 O-O-O 22. Kb1 Kb8 23. Rh3 c5 24. dxc5 Rxd1+ 25. Qxd1 Rd8 26. Rd3 Rxd3 27. Qxd3 Nxh5 28. Nxf7 Nxf4 29. Qd8+ Qxd8 30. Nxd8 Kc7 31. g3 Kxd8 32. gxf4 h5 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1600-1999"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.15"]
[White "Tam, Hoa Long"]
[Black "Yan, Rayna"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C54"]
[WhiteElo "1721"]
[BlackElo "1661"]
[PlyCount "171"]

1. e4 e5 {A surprise on move 1. In previous TNMs, Black reliably played the Caro-Kann.} 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 d5 7. Bb5 Ne4 8. cxd4 Bb6 {Last book move for me. I had vague ideas about the next few moves but definitely did not remember the details} 9. O-O $6 {This commits my king too early and allows ...Bg4 to come with the threat of opening up White's king.} (9. Nc3 O-O 10. Be3 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 (11... Bxf3 $2 {gxf3 is good now because White hasn't castled} 12. gxf3 Nxc3 13. bxc3 $14) 12. Qc2 $10 {by far the modern main line}) 9... O-O 10. Nc3 Bg4 11. Be3 Ba5 $6 {Wastes a tempo. It just helps me develop my rook and winds up exposing the b7 pawn.} (11... f6 12. exf6 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Qxf6 14. Be2 Rae8 15. h3 Bh5 $10 {Black keeps the bishop pair and Qb3 no longer comes with a fork}) 12. Rc1 Bxc3 13. bxc3 f6 14. exf6 Qxf6 15. Be2 Rae8 (15... Nd6 {with ideas of routing the c6 knight to c4} 16. h3 Bh5 17. Qb3 $14 {Van Foreest - Hansen, 2021, 1-0}) 16. h3 {I inserted this move to push Black's bishop onto a shorter diagonal} Bh5 (16... Bxf3 17. Bxf3 $14 {White has the bishop pair and half-open b-file while Black's c6 knight is going to have a hard time getting back into the game.}) 17. Qb3 Bf7 $6 {The move I was hoping for -- blocking Black's intimidating battery along the f-file.} (17... Nd2 18. Bxd2 Rxe2 19. Qxd5+ Kh8 20. Qxh5 $18) (17... Qd6 18. Qxb7 $2 (18. Rfe1 b6 $10 {White has the bishop pair and ideas of pushing c4 while Black enjoys several nice outposts}) 18... Nd2 19. Rfe1 Nxf3+ 20. Bxf3 Bxf3 21. gxf3 Rxf3 $17) 18. Qxb7 Re7 (18... Rb8 19. Qxc7 {White's queen gets to be greedy since it can escape to h2.}) 19. Qb1 Rb8 20. Qc2 Bg6 21. Bd3 h6 $6 {I suspect Black was worried about my bishop coming to g5 but that square is well-covered for now and this move destabilizes Black's g6 bishop.} 22. a3 {Threatening c4, though I'm still not sure if I want to do so, as my c3-d4 pawn chain does a wonderful job restricting Black's c6 knight.} (22. c4 $2 Nb4 $17) 22... Bh5 $4 23. Bxe4 dxe4 24. Nd2 {Black loses lovely outposts on c4 and e4, gains two isolated pawns, and is going to wind up giving White a passed pawn in the center.} Bg6 25. Rb1 {An endgame with these pawns should be very good for White, so I want to start forcing trades.} Rxb1 26. Rxb1 Kh7 27. Rb5 {I don't want to move my central pawns, as they restrict Black's c6 knight, but I want to get my own knight from d2 to c5 or e5. I can't go to e5 right now, so this rook lift intends to support Nd2-c4-e5 or Nd2-b3-c5.} Nd8 28. Rc5 {This walks into a long series of tempo moves by Black's knight that I did not see} (28. Ra5 c6 29. Qa4 $16 {Black's a7 pawn will fall.}) 28... Nb7 $1 {I didn't consider Black's knight rerouting through b7, as this looked like it was moving away from the action.} (28... Ne6 $2 29. Rc6 Be8 30. Qxe4+ Kh8 31. Ra6 c6 32. Qf3 $18) (28... Nf7 29. Qa4 $16) 29. Rc4 Nd6 30. Rc6 Be8 31. Ra6 Bb5 $1 {I was expecting Black to try to defend a7, but instead Black just keeps attacking and attacking} 32. Rxa7 Bd3 33. Qb2 Nb5 34. Rb7 $6 {loses my c3 pawn for no reason} (34. Ra5 Qc6 (34... c6 35. c4 Nc7 36. Ra7 $18) 35. c4 $18) 34... Qc6 35. Rb8 Nxc3 36. Nb3 Ne2+ 37. Kh1 Qc4 38. Nc5 Rf7 39. Rb4 $2 {I want to go Rb3 but I thought I could win a tempo on Black's queen by inserting this.} (39. Rb3 $16 {Black can't stop Qd2 and Nxd3.}) 39... Qd5 40. Rb3 Bc4 41. Rb4 Bd3 42. Qb3 Qf5 43. Qd1 {Capturing on d3 immediately ought to be fine, as Black can't add any. more defenders to d3, but from a distance it seemed safer to prevent any sort of infiltration along the back rank first.} (43. Nxd3 exd3 44. Qd1 Nc3 45. Qd2 Nd5 46. Rb3 $18) 43... Nc3 44. Qd2 Nd5 45. Rb3 $4 {Two question marks for overlooking the same bishop move a second time.} Bc4 46. Rb1 Bd3 47. Nxd3 exd3 48. Rd1 Nxe3 $4 {Black needs to avoid trades to have any hope of holding a draw.} 49. fxe3 c5 50. Qxd3 cxd4 51. Qxf5+ Rxf5 52. exd4 Ra5 53. Rd3 Kg6 54. d5 {Delaying my own king activity to lock Black's king away on d8.} Kf7 55. d6 Ke8 56. d7+ Kd8 57. g4 Ra7 58. Kg2 Rc7 59. Kf3 Rc4 60. Ke3 Ra4 61. Kd2 Rf4 62. Kc3 Re4 63. Kb3 Rf4 64. a4 Re4 65. a5 Re6 66. Kb4 Ra6 67. Kb5 Ra8 68. a6 g5 69. Kb6 Rb8+ 70. Kc6 Ra8 71. Kb7 Ke7 72. d8=Q+ $6 {Black's king move caught me so off guard that I completely forgot that Black's rook was hanging in the corner.} (72. Kxa8 $18) 72... Rxd8 73. Rxd8 Kxd8 74. a7 Kd7 75. a8=Q Ke7 76. Qa6 Kf7 77. Qd6 Kg7 78. Qe6 Kh7 79. Qf6 Kg8 80. Kc7 h5 81. Kd7 hxg4 82. hxg4 Kh7 83. Qxg5 Kh8 84. Ke7 Kh7 85. Kf7 Kh8 86. Qg7# 1-0

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1600-1999"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.16"]
[White "Jian, Sheng"]
[Black "Smets, Ray"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "1674"]
[BlackElo "1425"]
[PlyCount "76"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5 e6 5. a3 Bxc5 6. Nf3 f6 7. b4 Be7 8. Bb2 a5 9. b5 Nd7 10. c4 Nxe5 11. Nxe5 fxe5 12. cxd5 Qxd5 13. Nc3 Qxd1+ 14. Rxd1 Nf6 15. Bc4 Kf7 16. O-O Rd8 17. Rxd8 Bxd8 18. Na4 Bc7 19. b6 Bd6 20. Re1 Bd7 21. Bb3 Rc8 22. h3 e4 23. Rd1 Ke7 24. Nc3 Bc5 25. Na4 Bxa4 26. Bxa4 Bxb6 27. Kf1 Bc5 28. Ke2 Rd8 29. Rc1 b6 30. Rc2 Nd5 31. g3 Rf8 32. Ke1 g6 33. Bc1 Rf3 34. Bg5+ Kf7 35. Rc4 Bxf2+ 36. Ke2 Bxg3 37. Rxe4 Rxa3 38. Bc2 Nc3+ 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1200-1599"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.17"]
[White "Starr, Albert Martin"]
[Black "Schuster, Zack"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A00"]
[WhiteElo "1500"]
[BlackElo "1242"]
[PlyCount "74"]

1. b4 e5 2. Bb2 Bxb4 3. Bxe5 Nf6 4. c4 Nc6 5. Bc3 d5 6. Bxb4 Nxb4 7. Qa4+ Nc6 8. e3 d4 9. Na3 Qe7 10. Be2 Bd7 11. Rb1 O-O 12. Rxb7 a5 13. Qb3 dxe3 14. Qxe3 Qd6 15. Nb5 Qb4 16. Nf3 Qb1+ 17. Bd1 Rfe8 18. O-O Rxe3 19. dxe3 Qxa2 20. Nxc7 Rb8 21. Bb3 Qb2 22. Rxb8+ Nxb8 23. Nd4 g6 24. h3 Nc6 25. Ncb5 Ne4 26. Nxc6 Bxc6 27. Nd4 Nd2 28. Nxc6 Nxf1 29. Ba4 Qc1 30. Bb5 Nxe3+ 31. Kh2 Nf1+ 32. Kg1 Ng3+ 33. Kh2 Ne2 34. h4 Qf4+ 35. g3 Qxf2+ 36. Kh3 Ng1+ 37. Kg4 Qf5# 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1200-1599"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.18"]
[White "Le, Thu Anh"]
[Black "McKemey, Hector Scott"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B23"]
[WhiteElo "1187"]
[BlackElo "1410"]
[Annotator "Le,Thu Anh"]
[PlyCount "45"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 Nc6 4. Nf3 g6 5. Bb5 Bg7 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. d3 e6 $2 {This move doesn't look right, though I can't quite tell why yet.} 8. O-O Ne7 9. Qe1 {Guards Nc3, avoids DSB tactics, and can aid in a K-side attack} O-O ({Relevant:} 9... a5 10. e5 d5 11. Na4 c4 12. dxc4 Ba6 13. b3 dxc4 14. Rf2 Nd5 15. Bd2 Bb5 16. Nc5 Bf8 17. Ne4 Be7 18. a4 Ba6 19. Bxa5 Qb8 20. Nd4 cxb3 21. cxb3 Bb7 22. f5 gxf5 23. Nd6+ Kd7 24. N6xf5 exf5 25. e6+ fxe6 26. Qxe6+ Ke8 27. Nxf5 Rxa5 28. Re1 Kd8 29. Nxe7 Re8 30. Rf7 Qc7 31. Nxd5 Rxe6 32. Nxc7 Rxe1+ 33. Kf2 Re7 {0-1 Kadric,D (2579)-Hong,A (2444) PNWCC Online blitz JP 2nd Chess.com INT 2020 (9)}) 10. b3 d5 $2 11. e5 {[#]} a5 $146 ({Predecessor:} 11... Nf5 12. Ba3 Qa5 13. Na4 Qxe1 14. Raxe1 Rd8 15. Bxc5 h5 16. Nd4 Nxd4 17. Bxd4 Bf8 18. Bc5 Bh6 19. Bd6 f5 20. c4 Bd7 21. cxd5 cxd5 22. Rc1 Bxa4 23. bxa4 Rdc8 24. g3 g5 25. Bc5 gxf4 26. gxf4 Kf7 27. Be3 a6 28. Kf2 Rab8 29. Rxc8 Rxc8 30. Rc1 Rxc1 31. Bxc1 Bf8 32. Ke3 Ke7 33. Ba3+ Kf7 34. Bxf8 Kxf8 35. Kd4 h4 36. Kc5 Kf7 37. Kd6 h3 38. d4 a5 39. a3 Kg7 40. Kxe6 Kg6 41. Kd7 {1-0 Martinez,S (1881)-Agasarov,B (2037) Titled Tuesday intern op 09th Aug Late Chess.com INT blitz 2022 (9)}) 12. Ba3 c4 13. dxc4 (13. bxc4 {Taking this way would result in doubled, isolated pawns. There might be dynamic advantages with the open b-file but is overall harder to play} dxc4 14. dxc4) 13... Ba6 14. Rf2 Re8 15. Rd1 Nf5 16. Na4 (16. g4 {I seriously considered this move, then decided against it because half of White's pieces were still on the Q-side. After playing it out, the White king looks safe here. The game does get sharp quickly.} Nh6 17. h3 (17. Rg2) 17... f5 18. g5 Nf7 19. Bc5 h6 20. gxh6 Bxh6 21. Rg2 Kh7 22. Be3) 16... Bf8 17. Bxf8 Kxf8 18. Nd4 (18. Rfd2) 18... Nxd4 19. Rxd4 Qc7 20. cxd5 $2 {At this point, my thinking was "I'm down 20 minutes, I'm up a pawn. Trade into an endgame." This was absolutely the wrong strategy and I ended up trading all of White's advantages away.} (20. Qc3) (20. Rd1) ({EW: For that matter, there is also Stockfish's} 20. c5 $5 {The knight permanently sits on b6, which isn't overwhelming but it's not bad at all.}) 20... cxd5 21. Qc3 $2 Rac8 22. Qxc7 Rxc7 23. h3 {White offered a draw and Black accepted.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1200-1599"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.19"]
[White "Fitzgerald, William"]
[Black "Tagatac, David M"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C54"]
[WhiteElo "1129"]
[BlackElo "1284"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "40"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. O-O d6 {[#]} 7. Be3 {There were subtler ways to play. (Note the strongest White player to try this is 2476, which might mean something.)} (7. h3) (7. Re1) (7. Nbd2) (7. Bg5) (7. a4) 7... Bxe3 {And the same could be said for this.} (7... Bb6 $5) 8. fxe3 Bg4 {[#]} (8... Na5) (8... Ne7 $5) 9. Qb3 $2 (9. Nbd2) (9. Qe1 $5) (9. a4 $5) 9... Na5 $1 {Black is already clearly on top!} 10. Qb4 $146 {It may well be that ...c5 "for free" favors White, but clearly this whole mess is thanks to mucking up the white bishop with the queen adding to it.} ({Let's look at the only other game to reach here, not the finest performance, a FIDE 930 player vs. one with no rating, the Berlin Under-14 Championship of 2011:} 10. Qa4 Nxc4 $6 (10... c6 $1 11. Bb3 b5 12. Qa3 Qb6 13. Re1 Bxf3 14. gxf3 d5 $17 {Quality over quantity in the center.}) 11. Qxc4 d5 $6 (11... Be6 $5) 12. exd5 Nxd5 $2 13. Qe4 $4 (13. Qxg4 Nxe3 14. Qe4 Nxf1 15. Kxf1 $16) 13... Bxf3 $4 (13... f5 14. Qxe5 Re8 15. Qg3 Nxe3 16. Rf2 Bxf3 17. Qxf3 Ng4 18. Re2 Qd6 {Stockfish stuns us again, declaring Black to be (-3.44), i.e. WINNING.} 19. g3 Qc5+ 20. d4 Qb5) 14. Rxf3 (14. Qxf3 $11) 14... Re8 (14... Nf6 $1 15. Qf5 e4 $17) 15. Rf5 $4 (15. Nd2 $11) 15... f6 $4 (15... Nf6 $19 16. Qc4 b5 $1 17. Qxb5 Rb8) 16. Nd2 c6 17. Raf1 Qb6 18. Nc4 Qc5 19. Kh1 b5 20. b4 Nxc3 21. bxc5 Nxe4 22. dxe4 bxc4 23. Rc1 Rab8 24. Rff1 Rb4 25. h4 Reb8 26. Kg1 Ra4 27. Rf2 Rb5 28. Rd2 Rxc5 29. Rdc2 Kf7 30. Kf2 c3 31. Rxc3 Rxc3 32. Rxc3 Rxe4 33. g3 Ra4 34. Rxc6 Rxa2+ 35. Kf3 g5 36. Rc7+ Kg6 37. hxg5 fxg5 38. Rc6+ Kf5 39. g4# {1-0 Nguyen,P (830)-Hopmann,A Berlin-ch 2011 U14 Vorrunde 1 2010 (5.11)}) 10... c5 11. Qa4 Qb6 $6 (11... Nxc4 $1 12. Qxc4 Be6 (12... b5 $5 13. Qb3 c4 $1) 13. Qb5 c4 $1 {Well okay, the "free" ...c5 came in quite handy.}) 12. Nbd2 Bxf3 (12... Bd7 $5) (12... Nxc4 13. Nxc4 (13. Qxc4 $2 Be6 14. Qa4 Qxb2 $17) 13... Qc7 $15) 13. Nxf3 (13. Rxf3 $1 Qxb2 14. Qd1 {and another surprise by SF16, Black has next to no advantage, even taking the 2nd pawn is "0.00":} Qxc3 15. a4 Nc6 16. a5 $1 {sets up a repetition on the queen.}) 13... Nxc4 14. Qxc4 a6 $6 $11 (14... Qxb2 $1 15. Rab1 {(or the other rook)} b5 $1 {and however White gets the pawn back, Black has the further shot} 16. Qxf7+ $5 (16. Qxb5 Qxb5 17. Rxb5 c4 $1) 16... Rxf7 17. Rxb2 c4 $1 {with some annoying plus in the ending.}) 15. Rfb1 $2 (15. Qb3 $1) (15. Rf2) 15... Qa7 $2 (15... Ng4 $1 16. Qb3 Qxb3 17. axb3 Nxe3 18. h3 (18. Nd2 d5) 18... f5 $17) 16. Kf2 $4 (16. a4 Ng4 17. Re1 b5 18. axb5 axb5 19. Rxa7 bxc4 20. Rxa8 Rxa8 21. d4 Nf6 22. Nd2 Ra2 23. Rb1 $11 {Passive but adequate.}) 16... b5 {Now it's over.} 17. Qb3 Ng4+ 18. Ke2 {Frying pan => Fire} c4 19. Qc2 Qxe3+ 20. Kd1 (20. Kf1 cxd3 {is really no better.}) 20... Nf2+ 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1200-1599"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.20"]
[White "Clark, Drew H"]
[Black "Hilliard, Michael R"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "1425"]
[BlackElo "1462"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "35"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 h5 5. Bg5 Qa5+ 6. Nc3 e6 7. a3 Nd7 8. Bd3 Bxd3 9. Qxd3 c5 10. Qb5 Qc7 11. O-O-O a6 12. Qa4 cxd4 13. Rxd4 Bc5 14. Rd2 {[#]} Qxe5 15. Nxd5 Bxf2 16. Nf3 Qb8 17. Rxf2 exd5 18. Re1+ 1-0

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1200-1599"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.21"]
[White "Harris, Clarence"]
[Black "Hollon, Nick"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B23"]
[WhiteElo "1400"]
[BlackElo "1341"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "102"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. g3 e5 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. Nd5 Be7 6. Nxe7 Qxe7 7. d3 d6 8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O b5 10. Re1 Bb7 11. Bg5 Nbd7 12. Nh4 h6 13. Nf5 Qe6 14. Bh3 Kh7 15. Bxf6 Nxf6 16. Kg2 Bc8 17. Qd2 Ng8 18. g4 g5 19. Ng3 Bb7 20. Qe2 Ne7 21. Nh5 a5 22. Qf3 f6 23. Ng3 Ng6 24. Qf5 Qxf5 25. Nxf5 Rad8 26. Kg1 Nf4 27. Bg2 d5 28. f3 dxe4 29. fxe4 c4 30. dxc4 Nxg2 31. Kxg2 Rd2+ 32. Kg3 bxc4 33. h4 Rxc2 34. hxg5 fxg5 35. Rh1 Rf6 36. Rad1 Bc6 37. Rd8 c3 38. b3 Rd2 39. Rxd2 cxd2 40. Rd1 Bxe4 41. Rxd2 Bxf5 42. gxf5 Rxf5 43. Rd7+ Kg6 44. Ra7 e4 45. Ra6+ Kh5 46. Re6 Rf4 47. Kg2 Kg4 48. Rxh6 Kf5 49. Rh8 e3 50. Re8 Re4 51. Rf8+ Kg4 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1200-1599"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.22"]
[White "Karwat, Joseph"]
[Black "Aldenderfer, Kris K"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B22"]
[WhiteElo "1357"]
[BlackElo "1256"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "106"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. e5 Nc6 4. d4 g6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Bb5 e6 7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8. Nbd2 cxd4 9. cxd4 Qb6 10. O-O Ne7 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Nxf3 Nf5 13. b3 c5 14. Bb2 cxd4 15. Nxd4 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 Qa6 17. Rc1 Ba3 18. Rc2 O-O 19. Bb2 Rfc8 20. Qe2 Qxe2 21. Rxe2 Bxb2 22. Rxb2 Rc3 23. Rd1 Rac8 24. g3 Kf8 25. Kg2 Ke7 26. Rdd2 Kd7 27. h4 Kc6 {[#]} 28. Rbc2 (28. Rd4 Kc5 29. Rf4 Rc7 30. Rd2 $11) 28... d4 29. Rxc3+ dxc3 30. Rc2 Kd5 31. Kf3 Kd4 32. Ke2 Rc5 33. f4 a5 34. Rc1 h5 35. Rd1+ Ke4 36. Rc1 Rc6 37. Re1 Rc7 38. Rc1 a4 39. bxa4 Kd4 40. Rd1+ Kc4 41. Rc1 Ra7 42. Rc2 Rxa4 43. Ke3 Rb4 44. Ke4 Rb2 45. Rc1 Re2+ 46. Kf3 Rxa2 47. Ke3 Rd2 48. Rb1 Rb2 49. Rc1 Kb3 50. Kd3 Rd2+ 51. Ke3 Kb2 52. Rg1 Rd5 53. Rg2+ c2 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: 1200-1599"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.23"]
[White "Ahrens, Richard William"]
[Black "Fisher, Brett"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B13"]
[WhiteElo "1222"]
[BlackElo "1344"]
[PlyCount "98"]

1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Bg4 6. Be2 Nf6 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Bxf3 e6 9. O-O Bd6 10. Bg5 h6 11. Be3 O-O 12. a3 Qb6 13. b4 Rac8 14. Na4 Qc7 15. Nc5 Ne7 16. Rc1 Nf5 17. Re1 Nxe3 18. Rxe3 Bf4 19. Qe2 b6 20. Nd3 Bxe3 21. Qxe3 Qc3 22. Ne5 Qxe3 23. fxe3 Rc3 24. Kf2 Rfc8 25. Bd1 Ne4+ 26. Ke2 Rxa3 27. Nd3 Nc3+ 28. Kd2 Nxd1 29. Kxd1 a5 30. bxa5 Rxa5 31. Rb1 Rb8 32. c3 b5 33. Nb4 Rba8 34. Nc2 Rc8 35. Kd2 g5 36. g4 f5 37. Kd3 fxg4 38. hxg4 Kg7 39. Rh1 Ra4 40. Rg1 Rac4 41. Kd2 Rxc3 42. Rc1 b4 43. Kd1 b3 44. e4 Rxc2 45. exd5 Rxc1+ 46. Kd2 R8c3 47. d6 b2 48. d7 b1=Q 49. d8=Q Qc2# 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: u1200"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.24"]
[White "Massop, Daniel"]
[Black "Stults, Sawyer"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C29"]
[WhiteElo "1143"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "49"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Qf3 Nxc3 (5... Nc6 $5) (5... f5 $5) 6. bxc3 (6. dxc3 $5) 6... c5 $1 7. d4 Nc6 8. Bb5 (8. Ne2 $5) 8... Qa5 $6 (8... cxd4) (8... Be7) 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Ne2 $1 $146 (10. Bd2 Be7 11. Ne2 Qc7 (11... O-O 12. O-O Qa4) 12. O-O (12. Qg3 $1 $16) 12... O-O 13. Qg3 Re8 {½-½ Dedona,M (1974)-Singh,H (2131) North American Blitz op 30th ICC INT 2020 (7)} (13... Kh8 $1 $11) (13... Re8 14. Rxf7 $1 $18 (14. e6 $18))) 10... Ba6 $2 (10... Be7 $16) 11. O-O $1 $18 Qc7 12. Bg5 $6 (12. Rf2) 12... Rb8 $6 (12... Bxe2 13. Qxe2 Be7 14. Bf6 O-O $1 $16) 13. Bf4 (13. Rae1) (13. Rf2) 13... Rb7 {[#]} 14. e6 Qe7 (14... Qc8) 15. exf7+ $18 Qxf7 16. Qe3+ Re7 (16... Be7 17. Bd6 Qg6 18. dxc5) 17. Be5 $1 $18 Qg6 18. Rab1 Kd7 19. Qh3+ Qe6 20. Qf3 Re8 21. Nf4 Qf5 22. Rf2 Rg8 23. Qg3 Bd6 24. Bxd6 Kxd6 25. Nd3+ 1-0

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: u1200"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.25"]
[White "Mackley, Merlin Ethan"]
[Black "Cardenas, Pablo E"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B28"]
[WhiteElo "741"]
[BlackElo "977"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "57"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 e6 3. d4 d5 4. e5 a6 5. a3 Nc6 6. Nf3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Be7 8. Be2 h5 9. O-O Bd7 10. b4 Na7 11. Nbd2 Nh6 12. Nb3 Nf5 13. Nc5 Bxc5 14. bxc5 Nb5 15. a4 Nc3 16. Qc2 Nxe2+ 17. Qxe2 Nh4 18. Bd2 Nxf3+ 19. Qxf3 Qh4 20. Be3 O-O-O 21. Qxf7 Rdf8 22. Qxg7 Rfg8 23. Qf7 Rxg2+ 24. Kxg2 Qg4+ 25. Kh1 Rg8 26. Bg5 (26. Rg1 $18) 26... Rxg5 27. Qf8+ Kc7 28. Qd6+ Kc8 29. Qf8+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: u1200"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.26"]
[White "Halle, Zachary"]
[Black "Sangani, Nikhil"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C45"]
[WhiteElo "610"]
[BlackElo "1059"]
[Annotator "Winslow,Elliott"]
[PlyCount "30"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bc5 6. Be3 Bxd4 7. Bxd4 d6 8. Bc4 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. Bxf6 Qxf6 11. Re1 Ne5 12. Nd5 Qg6 13. Bb3 Bg4 14. Qd4 {[#]} Nf3+ 15. gxf3 Bh3+ 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: u1200"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.27"]
[White "Singer, Andrew"]
[Black "Land, Sean"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B18"]
[WhiteElo "994"]
[BlackElo "868"]
[PlyCount "51"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nf3 Nd7 7. h4 h5 8. Bd3 Bxd3 9. Qxd3 Ngf6 10. Bd2 e6 11. O-O-O c5 12. Rhe1 Qb6 13. d5 Nxd5 14. Qxd5 Be7 15. Qb3 Qc6 16. Qe3 Bf6 17. Bc3 b5 18. Bxf6 Nxf6 19. Rd2 O-O 20. Qe5 Rfd8 21. Red1 Rxd2 22. Rxd2 Rc8 23. Nxh5 Nxh5 24. Qxh5 Qa6 25. Kb1 f6 26. Rd7 1-0

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: u1200"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.28"]
[White "Braithwaite, Andrew"]
[Black "Wilson, F Booth"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C45"]
[WhiteElo "616"]
[BlackElo "1128"]
[Annotator "Braithwaite,Andrew"]
[PlyCount "59"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. Nd2 {Knowing opponent's online defense against the Scotch, I had prepared the first 7x moves (and saw EW mention them in his annotations of another Rd.1 game from U1200 section) and spent some time before the game deciding between 3x candidate moves here: c4, g3, or Nd2 with the latter seeming most natural for me, the idea being to swing some force back to the kingside with Nf3 and better support e5} d6 ({2700 players peep up:} 8... g6 9. c4 Nf4 10. Qe3 Ne6 11. b3 Bg7 12. Bb2 O-O 13. Ne4 d5 14. Nf6+ Bxf6 15. exf6 Qb4+ 16. Bc3 Qd6 17. O-O-O a5 18. h4 a4 19. b4 d4 20. Qh6 c5 21. Bd2 d3 22. h5 Qd4 23. Kb1 a3 24. Bc1 Qxc4 25. Rxd3 Ba6 26. hxg6 Qxd3+ 27. Bxd3 Bxd3+ 28. Ka1 Bxg6 29. f4 Rfb8 30. g4 Be4 31. f5 Rxb4 32. Qxh7+ {1-0 Erigaisi,A (2725)-Le,Q (2728) Julius Baer GenCup Prelim chess24.com INT rapid 2022 (3)}) (8... Bb7 $10) 9. Nf3 {Completing the maneuver} Bg4 10. c4 {Here I spent 15 minutes evaluating my options for saving the e5 pawn with exd6, ultimately deciding that I preferred to sacrifice the pawn for development} Bxf3 {[#]} 11. Qxf3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 11. gxf3 Nb6 12. f4 Nd7 13. Bg2 Nb8 14. O-O f5 15. Qc2 Qf7 16. Qb3 Nd7 17. Bxc6 Rd8 18. Re1 dxe5 19. Rxe5+ Be7 20. Qb5 Qg6+ 21. Kh1 Rf8 22. Bd2 Rf6 23. Bb4 {1-0 Mateus,M (2128)-Rua,N (1952) Puerto Boyaca op (Women) 2012 (8)}) 11... Qxe5+ 12. Be2 {The point of sacrificing the pawn on e5 is to get castled and put the question to Black: how are you planning to untangle your position?} Ne7 {Black needs to save the knight and defend the nasty fork Qxc6+ so the only candidates are Nb4/Ne7, with the former allowing Bf4 which arrives in time to defend the tempting fork Nc2+. Opponent opted for the latter which is still a positional win for me.} (12... Nb4 13. Bf4 Nc2+ $4 14. Kd1 {And Black is losing a piece}) 13. O-O $14 {At this point I felt I was better, even down a pawn} d5 {Defending the weak c6 pawn} 14. Rb1 {I wasn't sure how best to untangle my queenside, which feels like White's top priority in this position, so I opted to defend the b2 pawn and free up my bishop to come to b2 or f4. In retrospect, Bf4 might have been playable here anyways, meeting Qxb2 with Bxc7} (14. Bf4 Qxb2 $2 15. Bxc7 $16 {With my rooks connected and threats coming down the e-file}) 14... Nf5 15. Bf4 Qe6 {I honestly wasn't sure what Black's best saving move was here [SF says it's Qe4] but we were both halfway through our allotted clock time trying to work through these sharp positions} 16. Bd3 {Continuing to improve my pieces with a rook coming to e1 next [though SF prefers to bring a rook in immediately with computer-y ideas, or even play cxd5 which makes more sense to me as cxd5 allows the crushing Bb5+]} (16. cxd5 Qxd5 (16... cxd5 $4 17. Bb5+ Kd8 18. Rbe1 $18)) 16... Be7 17. Bxc7 {Finally winning the pawn back but again missing the power of cxd5 with a rook coming to e1 next} (17. cxd5 cxd5 18. Rfe1) 17... Nd6 18. Rfe1 Qd7 19. Ba5 {A retreating bishop move that also threatens Rxe7 by defending the e1 square for Rbe1} O-O {Black relieves the pressure down the e-file} 20. cxd5 cxd5 21. Qh5 $6 {And here is where I feel I threw away all my hard work, foregoing the patient Qxd5 in favor of a threat against h7 -- opponent and I were both down to 20 minutes on the clock and I saw Qh5 to pose him the question of how he wanted to weaken his kingside pawns before I came back to take d5. I think instead I gave him an opportunity to give his king some air (which mine, I later realized, was sorely lacking) and led myself down an incorrect attacking path} (21. Qxd5) 21... g6 22. Qh6 $2 {Again, I was low on time and saw I had pieces to aim at the king and my instincts were screaming "if I go back and take the pawn on e4, I'm not getting my king back to h6 so this is my only shot" but I don't control the key a1 diagonal so my attacking pieces are ultimately going to be too slow to reinforce the threat against Black's king. Time pressure is a cruel mistress!} (22. Qxd5) 22... Bf6 23. Bc3 {With Bg7 coming next, I need to get my queen out of there, lick my wounds and regroup, but instead I help opponent to trade off all the pressure I've built up} Bxc3 24. bxc3 Nf5 25. Bxf5 Qxf5 $10 {And now we're just in an equal heavy piece endgame where both players are under 10 minutes and anything can happen} 26. Rb7 Rfe8 (26... Rae8 27. Qd2 a5 28. Rb5 Rxe1+ 29. Qxe1 Qe4 30. Qxe4 dxe4 31. Rxa5 {0-1 Braithwaite,A (616)-Wilson,F (1128) 2024 New Year TNM: u1200 San Francisco 2023 (2.28) With both players under 5 minutes here, scorekeeping ceased; White got the a-pawn to a7 where it was blockaded, Black got his kingside majority marching against the White monarch. Both players were under 1 minute when White's flag went up. The janitor was only too happy to clear out the final game of the night.}) 27. Qd2 a5 28. Rb5 Rxe1+ 29. Qxe1 Qe4 30. Qxe4 {White lost on time.} 0-1

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: u1200 "]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2.29"]
[White "Myers, Steven Lee"]
[Black "Langendorf, Brian Keith"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C50"]
[WhiteElo "979"]
[BlackElo "739"]
[PlyCount "49"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Nxe5 Nxe5 6. d4 Nxc4 7. dxc5 O-O 8. Qd4 d5 9. Bg5 dxe4 10. Qxc4 Be6 11. Qb4 Qd5 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Nc3 Qc6 14. O-O-O e3 15. fxe3 Qxg2 16. Rhg1 Qg5 17. h4 Qg6 18. Rxg6+ fxg6 19. Qxb7 Bg4 20. Rg1 f5 21. Qd5+ Kg7 22. Qe5+ Kf7 23. Qxc7+ Ke6 24. Qxh7 Bh5 25. Qb7 1-0

[Event "2024 New Year TNM: Extra Rated"]
[Site "San Francisco"]
[Date "2024.01.16"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Marvin, Hayes Alexander"]
[Black "Casares, Nick Jr"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D02"]
[WhiteElo "1649"]
[BlackElo "1600"]
[PlyCount "81"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 e6 4. e3 Bd6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. Nbd2 Nd7 8. e4 dxe4 9. Nxe4 Qe7 10. Bd3 Bb4+ 11. c3 Ba5 12. O-O c5 13. dxc5 Bc7 14. Bb5 O-O 15. b4 a6 16. Ba4 b5 17. Bc2 Bb7 18. Nd4 Bxh2+ 19. Kxh2 Qh4+ 20. Kg1 Bxe4 21. Bxe4 Qxe4 22. Re1 Qd5 23. Qc2 Nf6 24. Rad1 Qb7 25. c4 bxc4 26. Qxc4 Qc7 27. a4 Qf4 28. g3 Qg4 29. Qe2 Qh3 30. Nc6 Ng4 31. Qf3 Qh2+ 32. Kf1 Qh5 33. Qe4 Nh2+ 34. Kg2 f5 35. Qxe6+ Kh8 36. Ne5 Rf6 37. Qd5 Raf8 38. Nd7 Qg4 39. Nxf6 gxf6 40. Rd4 Qg5 41. Kxh2 1-0

