Happy birthday to Hikaru Nakamura!

Happy birthday to Nakamura! Thanks to COVID I haven't been to St. Louis in ages... but I still remember the last time I visited, I got to see Nakamura score a crushing win over Jeffrey Xiong with the Dutch defense to win his 5th U.S. championship.


[pgn] [Event "U.S. Championship"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.03.31"] [Round "11.1"] [White "Xiong, Jeffery"] [Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A89"] [WhiteElo "2663"] [BlackElo "2746"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "116"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"]

  1. d4 {"I pretty much spent the whole night looking at 1.e4..." (Nakamura)} 1... f5 {What else in a must-win situation?!} 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. d5 Na5 9. b3 ({White can also go for:} 9. Nd2 c5
  2. Qc2 a6 11. b3 b5 12. Bb2 Bd7 13. e3 Rb8 14. Rab1 Qe8 {as in Karjakin,S (2783) -Nepomniachtchi,I (2751) chess.com INT 2017}) 9... c5 10. Bb2 a6 11. Ng5 Rb8 12. Qd3 Qe8 13. Nd1 ({It is too early for:} 13. e4 b5 {with counterplay.}) 13... b5 {A glance at the position reveals that Black can be happy with his opening choice. Not because he has the advantage; in fact Nakamura thought that White is better. What is important here is that not a single pawn has been traded yet and the tension is all over the place. An important thing is that Nakamura has a lot of experience in the arising positions, whereas Xiong plays 1.d4 less frequently.} 14. Qd2 Nb7 {This knight might be a problem sometimes in the arising pawn structure but in comparison to the KID Black has the f7 square available for it.} 15. Ne3 ({Since White is always looking for a chance to play in the center (and ideally open the e-file to expose the e7 pawn) the move:} 15. e4 {always comes to mind. It does not yield anything particular though after:} 15... h6 16. Ne6 Bxe6 17. dxe6 Nxe4 18. Bxe4 fxe4 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. Re1 bxc4 21. bxc4 Nd8 {and it might be even Black who is somewhat better.}) 15... Nd8 16. Nh3 N {A novelty.} ({In a email predecessor White did well after:} 16. Rab1 h6 17. Nh3 Ne4 18. Bxe4 fxe4 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. Nf4 {Paluch,A-Ackley,P (1946) ICCF email 2011}) ({In any case, it made sense to keep the knight on g5 and provoke h7-h6. Anther interesting idea was:} 16. Rad1!? h6 ({If} 16... Nf7 {White is always ready to sacrifice a pawn with:} 17. Ne6 Bxe6 18. dxe6 Nd8 19. Nd5 Nxe6 20. cxb5 axb5 21. Nxf6+ Bxf6 22. Bd5 Qd7 23. Qe3 Kf7 24. Rd2 {with ample compensation thanks to the pin.}) 17. Nh3 {Not fearing} 17... g5 18. f4) 16... Bd7 17. Rad1 {Xiong solidified the center.} 17... b4! {However Nakamura fixed a potential weakness on the queenside.} 18. Qc2 a5 19. Nf4 a4 20. h4 Ra8 21. Qb1 Ra6 {Black's play is definitely easier. He is threatening to open the a-file in a good moment, but may also play on the kingside. At the same time it is difficult to say what does White do concretely.} 22. Bf3 Qf7 23. Neg2 {"I am sure that White is fine (after this move), but the the tides are turning very quickly." (Nakamura)} 23... Ng4! {Taking the good opportunity to secure some nice squares for his pieces. White's dark-squared bishop is extremely important for the stability of the flank, but now it has to leave.} 24. Bxg4 ({Similar is:} 24. Bxg7 Qxg7 25. Bxg4 axb3!? 26. axb3 (26. Bf3?! bxa2 27. Qa1 Qxa1 28. Rxa1 b3) 26... fxg4) ({If White stays with something like:} 24. Rfe1 {then the second player can further soften the queenside with:} 24... Bxb2 25. Qxb2 Qf6) 24... fxg4 25. e4 {In search for counterplay while e4-e5 is also on the agenda.} 25... Bxb2 26. Qxb2 Qg7! {Now the a-file is secured for the black major pieces.} 27. Qxg7+ Kxg7 28. e5! {Just in time. Otherwise Black will transfer his knight there, and maybe even further to f3.} 28... Bf5 ({Not} 28... dxe5? 29. Nd3 Ra5
  3. Nxe5 {when White is more than fine.}) 29. exd6 exd6 30. Rfe1 {Xiong also got a file for his rooks.} ({It was way more tedious for the white pieces to attack something. If} 30. Ne3 Be4 {as} 31. Nxg4 {drops the exchange after} (31. Rfe1!?) 31... Bf3) 30... Nf7! {Avoids the trap.} ({The obvious idea was to attack the b3 pawn advance. However after:} 30... axb3 31. axb3 Bc2 ({White also gets enough counterplay after:} 31... Ra3 32. Ne6+ Nxe6 33. dxe6 Rxb3 34. Rxd6) 32. Re7+ Rf7
  4. Rde1 Bxb3 34. Re8! {it transpires that the knight cannot be easily held, no matter which rook defends it:} 34... Ra8 ({And if} 34... Nb7 35. Ne6+ Kh6 36. Ne3 {would put the black king in delicate situation.}) 35. Rxd8!) 31. Re7 ({Here it made sense to swap off the dangerous bishop with:} 31. Ne6+! Bxe6 32. dxe6 {True, the black knight becomes very strong after:} 32... Ne5 33. Kf1 axb3 34. axb3 Nf3 {but White has more chances to hold after activating his own steed:}
  5. Re3 Nd4 36. Nf4) 31... Kf6 32. Rb7 {White searches for counterplay on the queenside.} ({The computer suggested the exchange sacrifice with:} 32. Re6+ Bxe6
  6. dxe6 {To which Nakamura intended to sacrifice his knight in return with:} 33... axb3 34. axb3 (34. exf7? bxa2) 34... Rfa8 ({If} 34... Ne5 35. Nd5+ Kg7 36. e7 {with compensation for the exchange thanks to the strong knight on d5.}) 35. exf7 (35. Nd5+ Kxe6 36. Nc7+ Kd7) 35... Kxf7 {The rook and the pawn often outperform the knights in the endgames, plus White has an obvious weakness on b3.}) 32... axb3 33. axb3 Rfa8 34. Ne3 Ra1! {What have started with the move b5-b4! reached its logical finish. Black breaks through the open a-file and gets closer to the title.} ({He should not have rushed though:} 34... Ra3? {throws away the advantage due to:} 35. Nxf5 gxf5 36. Re1 Ne5 37. Re3) 35. Kf1 Ne5 {This complicates the win.} ({Better was to keep the active bishop on board with:} 35... Rxd1+! 36. Nxd1 Ra1 37. Ke2 (37. Ke1? Bc2) 37... Ra2+ 38. Kf1 Be4! {with total control. Soon White will be helpless against the combined attack of the black pieces.} ({But again no rush!} 38... Bc2? 39. Ne3 Bxb3 40. Nxg4+ Kf5 41. Ne3+ {saves White.})) 36. Rxa1 Rxa1+ 37. Ke2 Nf3 ({Here} 37... Be4 {might be met with:} 38. Rb6 {which is not pleasant to calcutate close to the time control.})
  7. Nxf5 Kxf5 {The black king is ready for a deadly visit.} ({Not} 38... gxf5?
  8. Nh5+ Kg6 40. Nf4+ Kh6 41. Rb6 {and White is out of the woods.}) 39. Ke3 {The only move.} (39. Rb6? {leads to mate after} 39... Ke4 40. Rxd6 Re1#) ({Whereas}
  9. Rd7 {loses again to} 39... Ke4 40. Re7+ Kd4 41. Ne6+ Kc3) 39... Re1+ 40. Kd3 Ne5+ 41. Kd2 Ra1 {It seems as Xiong will through in the towel in any moment, but he shows his usual tactical creativity and gives Nakamura a run for his money.} (41... Rb1 42. Kc2 Rf1 43. Nd3 {keeps White in the game.}) 42. Ne6! {White can also create threats!} ({The other moves lose:} 42. Ke3 Rb1) ({Or} 42. Rxh7 Ra2+
  10. Ke1 Ra3) 42... h6! {Securing the g5 square.} ({White's idea is revealed in the line:} 42... Ra2+ 43. Ke3! Kf6 44. Ng5 Kf5 45. Ne6 {when it might well be the black king which will be mated!}) (42... Ke4 43. Ng5+ Kd4 44. Ne6+ {also leads Black nowhere.}) 43. Rb6 Ra3 44. Kc2 Ra2+ 45. Kd1 Nd3 46. Rxd6 Nxf2+ 47. Ke1 ({Or} 47. Kc1 Nd3+ 48. Kb1 Rb2+) 47... Nd3+ 48. Kd1 Ke4 {Just one more move and the black pieces will be united with Ke4-e3 and mate will be inevitable.}
  11. Nc7! (49. Nf4 {is hopeless after} 49... Nxf4 50. gxf4 g3) ({So is a move like} 49. Nf8 Kd4 {as the king can support the mate from the other side too.}) 49... Nf2+! ({Avoiding another trick after:} 49... Kd4 50. Nb5+! Ke3 51. Re6+)
  12. Ke1 (50. Kc1! {was more stubborn.}) 50... Kd3 51. Rxg6 Ne4 52. Kf1 Nxg3+ 53. Kg1 ({There is no salvation on the queenside either:} 53. Ke1 Re2+ 54. Kd1 Rf2
  13. Kc1 Ne2+ 56. Kb2 Nc3+ 57. Ka1 Ra2#) 53... Ne2+ 54. Kh1 (54. Kf1 g3!) 54... Ke3! {The last piece joins the attack. The end is near.} 55. Rf6 ({Or mate after} 55. Rxg4 Kf3 56. Rg6 Ng3+ 57. Kg1 Rg2#) 55... Ra1+ 56. Kg2 Rg1+ 57. Kh2 g3+ 58. Kh3 Rh1+ {Mate is inevitable. Congrats to Nakamura!} (58... Rh1+ 59. Kg2 Rh2+ 60. Kf1 g2+ 61. Ke1 Rh1+) 0-1[/pgn]
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