(2959) Becerra Rivero,Julio (2557) - Nakamura,Hikaru (2710) [B29]
USCL QF 2009 ICC INT (1), 11.11.2009
[Monokroussos,Dennis]



1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nc3 e6 5.Nxd5 exd5 6.d4 Nc6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qxd5 d6
[8...Qb6 is the other main move, when the usual continuation runs 9.Bc4 Bxf2+ 10.Ke2 0-0 11.Rf1 Bc5 12.Ng5 Nd4+ 13.Kd1 Ne6 14.Ne4 d6 15.exd6 Rd8 16.Bd3 Bxd6 and so on.]

9.Bc4
[9.exd6 is usual.]

9...Qe7?
Black clearly hoped to regain the pawn without making any concessions, but he's in for a surprise. [9...Be6 is both obvious and good, as long as Black meets 10.Qd3 with the less obvious 10...Nb4! (10...dxe5 gives White the more pleasant position after 11.Bxe6 Qxd3 12.cxd3 fxe6 13.Be3+/= ; 10...Nxe5 11.Nxe5 dxe5 12.Bxe6 Qxd3 13.Bxf7+ Kxf7 14.cxd3 Bd4 probably gives Black enough for the pawn, but isn't as clean as 10...Nb4.) After 11.Qe2 Bxc4 12.Qxc4 Rc8 Black is fine, thanks to the threat of ...Bxf2+, and White must take care to preserve equality. 13.Kf1 (13.Qb5+ Qd7 14.Qxd7+ Kxd7=/+ ) 13...0-0= ]

10.Bg5! f6 11.0-0-0!
Suddenly, the game is as good as over. Black's king is stuck in the center, and exf6 and especially exd6 are crushing threats.

11...dxe5
The only sensible move.

12.Rhe1!
Black has no answer to the threat of Nxe5, and so Nakamura already decided to call it a day. Even great players can slip on the proverbial banana peel! [12.Rhe1! fxg5 13.Nxe5 Be6 (13...Kf8 14.Ng6+ hxg6 15.Rxe7 with mate on the way.) 14.Qxe6 Qxe6 15.Bxe6 Nxe5 16.Rxe5 Be7 17.Bb3 Threatening Rde1. 17...Rc8 18.Ba4+ Kf8 19.Rd7 Bf6 20.Re3 Bb3 and Rf7+ are next, to which Black has no defense.] 1-0