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[Event "BC Closed"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.10.09"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Morozov, Grigoriy"]
[Black "Cao, Jason"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D82"]
[WhiteElo "2368"]
[BlackElo "2400"]
[Annotator "Jason Cao"]
[PlyCount "64"]
{This game was played in the 6th round of the 2016 BC Closed. I was in the
lead with Kevin Gentes, who was having a great tournament so far. In order to
have a chance for clear first, I had to win this game.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3.
Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 c5 {The sharpest continuation. Another option would be
5...0-0} 6. dxc5 Qa5 {Diagram [#]} 7. Qa4+ {Morozov thought a couple minutes
here and decided to trade queens to avoid any tactical suprises} (7. Rc1 {
is a move that keeps the queens on} dxc4 8. Bxc4 O-O 9. Nf3 Qxc5 10. Bb3 Nc6
11. O-O Qa5 {with a roughly equal position.}) 7... Qxa4 8. Nxa4 Bd7 {Although
Black is a pawn down, he has very good compensation thanks to the weak c5 pawn
and the strong bishop on g7.} 9. Nc3 Ne4 $1 {Diagram [#] With this move the
bishop on g7 fires down on the long diagonal with tremendous effect. The loss
of the d5 pawn is of little importance.} 10. Nxd5 (10. Nge2 Nxc5 11. Nxd5 Nba6
12. Nec3 e6 13. Nc7+ Nxc7 14. Bxc7 Bxc3+ 15. bxc3 f6 {The position is equal
here, with White's doubled isolated pawns being very weak.}) 10... Na6 {
Protecting against a fork on c7 while developing a piece.} 11. f3 Nexc5 12. Rb1
({Another way to protect the pawn would be to castle:} 12. O-O-O e6 13. Nc3 (
13. Nc7+ Nxc7 14. Bxc7 Rc8 15. Bd6 b5 {Black has strong counterplay against
the White king.}) 13... Bxc3 14. bxc3 f6 {and White's extra pawn is blocked by
an excellently placed knight on c5. After an eventual ...Rc8, the doubled
pawns on the c-file will become very weak.}) 12... e6 13. Nc7+ {trying to
avoid doubled pawns} Nxc7 14. Bxc7 Na4 {Black wins back the pawn} 15. b3 Nc3
16. Rc1 ({If White trys to protect the pawn on a2, then Black can win the
exchange.} 16. Rb2 Nb5) 16... Nxa2 17. Rd1 a5 {Black is trying to open up the
queenside before White has a chance to develop his kindside pieces.} 18. Ne2 a4
19. bxa4 Rxa4 {All of a sudden the c4-pawn becomes a target.} 20. Nd4 O-O {
Bringing the last piece, the h8 rook, into play.} 21. Bd3 {White is
desperately trying to develop his h-rook too, but unfortunately he is just one
move too slow.} Rc8 {Kicking away the White bishop and setting up a sneaky
tactic.} 22. Bd6 Nc3 23. Rc1 b5 $1 {Diagram [#] White loses a pawn by force.}
24. c5 {The variations are even worse for White.} (24. Rxc3 Ra1+ $19) (24. cxb5
Nxb5 25. Rxc8+ Bxc8 26. Bxb5 Ra1+ $19) (24. Kd2 Na2 25. Ra1 bxc4 $19) 24...
Bxd4 25. exd4 Rxd4 26. Be2 {Now White is clearly lost. A better try would be
26.Kd2} (26. Rxc3 {is met by} Rxd6 $17 {and the pawn on c5 is pinned.}) (26.
Kd2 Nd5 27. Rhd1 Bc6 28. Ke2 Ra8 29. Be5 Rda4 30. Be4 b4 31. Ra1 $17 {Black
has the advantage but White can still make things difficult.}) 26... b4 {
The b-pawn is becoming very scary as it approches the back rank.} 27. Be7 (27.
Be5 Rd5 28. Bxc3 Rdxc5 $19 {just loses another pawn for White.}) 27... e5 {
Opening up the bishop and threatning a potential e4 advance.} 28. Rc2 Bf5 29.
Rd2 b3 30. Bd6 Nxe2 31. Bxe5 ({Taking the knight doesn't work.} 31. Kxe2 Rxd2+
32. Kxd2 b2 $19) (31. Rxe2 Rxd6 32. cxd6 Rc1+ $19) 31... Rxd2 32. Kxd2 Rxc5 {
White resigned as he is down a piece and is about to lose another due to the
promoting b-pawn. Since Kevin drew in round 6, I went into the last round
with a half-point lead, and after a clean win, secured my third BC
Championship!} 0-1
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