Sohum has provided the following annotated game from the Rome tournament, where he achieved his FM title and an IM norm.
Lohia, Sohum - Proetti, Cobas Jorge
Citta Aperta Rome (1), 04.12.2023
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Ndb5 Bb4 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 d5 9.Bd3 d4 I remembered this line was not meant to be too good but I didn't know how to follow up.
10.Ne2 e5 11.0–0 h6 12.Ng3 12.f4! was best (12...exf4 13.Bxf4.) I didn't consider this too seriously because I was worried he would get a blockade on e5: 13...0–0 (13...Nh5 14.Bd2 Ne5 15.Bb5+ Bd7 16.Rf5!) 14.h3 Re8 15.Ng3 Ne5 16.Qd2. My attacking potential is very strong here despite the knight on e5; 12.h3 g5. I was a bit worried about this, as it’s similar to the Italian where you play h3 before Black castles. There this attack can be dangerous, but in this position it’s not that great for Black.
12...0–0 13.h3 Qe7 If 13...Be6 14.f4. I was planning this for Be6 because now it’s tougher to arrange Re8–Ne5.
14.Qf3 Going for the wrong plan. I thought once I got the light-squared bishop then I could open up with f4.
14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne5. I thought this looked decent for Black, but Black's king is weak and most of my pieces are active, so I have a good advantage.
14...Be6 He didn't really have any other moves.
15.Nf5 I thought this was quite smart, because I made him waste a move with Be6–Bxf5.
15...Bxf5 16.Qxf5 My queen is awkwardly placed here.
16...g6 17.Qf3 I was feeling good about my position here, because f4 at the right time would be quite strong.
17...Kg7 18.Bd2 a5 19.Rae1 19.Qg3. I wanted to move my queen to get to f4, but none of the squares looked good: 19...Nh5 20.Qg4 Nf6 21.Qh4 g5 was annoying (22.Qg3 Nh5 23.Qg4 Nf4).
19...Qe6 20.Qd1 I wanted f4, but I didn't consider Nh5 properly. 20.Qg3 Nh5 21.Qh2 g5 also looked fine for Black.
20...Nh5 I didn't see a good way to stop Nf4, so I went back.
21.Qf3 I thought he would just repeat, and then I could find something else.
21...Qf6 22.Qxf6+ Nxf6 23.f4 23.c3 Rfd8 didn't look too convincing.
23...Nd7 24.Bb5 24.f5 g5 25.f6+ Nxf6 26.h4 – I was always looking at things, like this but it never seemed to work.
24...f6 24...Rac8 25.c3 was my idea - 25...Nc5 26.fxe5 Nb3 27.Bf4.
25.c3 dxc3 25...Nc5. I thought he would do this, and I didn't see anything too good for me here - 26.cxd4 (26.Bxc6 bxc6 27.cxd4 Nb3) 26...Nb3 27.Be3 Nbxd4=.
26.Bxc3 Here I realised that I was doing well.
26...exf4 26...Rad8 27.Bxc6 bxc6 28.Rd1+–.
27.Rxf4 Nde5 28.Ref1 Na7 28...Rae8 29.Bxc6 bxc6 30.Bxa5 I thought this would happen, when I am a pawn up with no compensation for Black.
29.Rxf6 Rxf6 30.Bxe5 Raf8 31.Bd7 g5 31...R8f7 32.h4 Rxd7 33.Rxf6+–.
32.Bd4 b6 33.Rxf6 Rxf6 34.e5 Rg6 34...Rc6 I missed this resource, but it’s still a fairly easy win for me: 35.e6+ Kf8 36.Bxc6 Nxc6 37.Bxb6 Ke7 38.b4 axb4 39.axb4 Kxe6 40.Bc5+–; 34...Rf4 35.Bxb6 Rc4 36.Bxa7 Rc7 37.e6 Rxa7 38.e7+–.
35.e6+ Kf8 36.Bxb6 Nc6 37.Bxc6 Rxe6 38.Bc5+ Kg7 39.Bd4+ Kf8 40.Bf3 Ke7 41.Bc3 Rb6 42.Kf2 Kd6 43.Ke3 Rb5 44.Kd3 Rb8 45.b4 axb4 46.axb4 Rc8 47.Bd4 Rc1 48.b5 Rb1 49.b6 Rb5 50.b7 Kc7 51.Ba7
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