Hikaru Nakamura vs Samuel Shankland, Nimzo-Larsen Attack, Modern Variation (A01)
2018 US Chess Championship, Round 8, St. Louis, 04/26/18
After a surprisingly bad start to the US Championship, drawing six consecutive games, Nakamura lost in round 7 and had to face the tournament leader, Sam Shankland in round 8. He opened with 1.b3, the NImzo-Larsen Attack. A very rare choice on top level for a reason. This opening lets black comfortably equalize whatever white does afterwards. It does provide great dynamic attacking chances for both sides as well, so it’s perfectly suitable for Nakamura’s playing style.
Shankland was up to the task, though. He came out of the opening slightly better and exploited every single inaccuracy by Nakamura. He slowly but surely built up to an attack which was looking deadly for Hikaru. In a position in which all black pieces were optimally placed for an attack Nakamura somehow managed to untangle and miraculously escape mate! The position was visually and practically lost and even the engines gave -2.3 for black! An advantage which extremely rarely results in something else but a quick victory on high level.
Why is Nakamura playing so passively? Why is he unable to get a win this US Championship? I have no idea, but I hope he can pick himself up and get on the scoreboard finally!
Standings after round 8:
Samuel Shankland 5.5/8
Fabiano Caruana 5.5/8
Wesley So 5/8
Aleksandr Lenderman 4.5/8
Zviad Izoria 4/8
Yaroslav Zherebukh 4/8
Hikaru Nakamura 3.5/8
Ray Robson 3.5/8
Varuzhan Eduardovich Akobian 3.5/8
Jeffery Xiong 3.5/8
Awonder Liang 3/8
Alexander Vasilyevich Onischuk 2.5/8
Game moves:
1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Bb5 e4 5. f3 a6 6. Bxc6 dxc6
7. Qe2 Bf5 8. fxe4 Bxe4 9. d3 Bg6 10. Nc3 Bc5 11. O-O-O Qe7
12. e4 Ba3 13. g4 a5 14. g5 Nh5 15. Qe3 O-O 16. Nge2 b5
17. Bxa3 Qxa3+ 18. Kb1 a4 19. Nc1 Rfb8 20. Rhe1 c5 21. Ka1
axb3 22. cxb3 c4 23. Nb1 Qa6 24. Rd2 f5 25. exf5 Bxf5 26. b4
Qg6 27. Rf1 c6 28. Nc3 Re8 29. Qf3 Bxd3 30. Nxd3 Rf8 31. Qd1
cxd3 32. Rxf8+ Rxf8 33. Rxd3 Qxg5 34. Rd6 Qf4 35. Rxc6 Qxb4
36. Qd5+ Kh8 37. Qxb5 Qf4 38. Qc5 1/2-1/2