Greetings to all chess fans! In round nine of the Olympiad it's USA versus the leading team, Uzbekistan. Pinoy pride Wesley So is playing in board two against then undefeated Javokhir Sindarov. The latter is very strong right now and was undefeated going in this round. But, Wesley spoiled his spotless record in this game.
The game started with 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Be2 Nc6 4. O-O Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Be7 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Qd3 O-O 10. Qg3 a5
It was Sindarov who first strayed from the book move with a5, at least according to lichess database. 11. b3 Kh8 12. Bb2 d5
I like White's position who has pressure on Black's king side. 13. Rad1 Ba6 14. Bxa6 Rxa6 15. Kh1 Qb8
Sindarov offers an early queen exchange. It looks like he's not in a fighting mood and already wants to draw. 16. f4 Ra7 17. Rde1 Nh5 18. Qf3 Nf6 19. Qg3 Nh5 20. Qf3 Nf6 21. e5
Wesley avoided a draw by three fold repetition. 21. ...Nd7 22. Na4 g6 23. g4 c5 24. f5
Attack in the side where you're strong. White's major pieces are in the king side so a pawn break is in order. 24. ...d4 25. c3 dxc3 26. Nxc3 c4 27. Ne4 cxb3 28. f6 Bb4 29. Re3 Qa8
With the pin on the diagonal, Black prevents White's plan of Qh3, Ng5. 30. a3 Bc5 31. Rxb3 Rc8 32. Ng5 Kg8 33. Qxa8 Raxa8 34. Rd1 Nb6 35. Bc1 Nd5 36. Rh3 Rc7
The queens were exchanged but Black's king side is still soft and vulnerable to attack. 37. Rxh7 Bf8 38. Bd2 Rb8 39. Bxa5 Rc2 40. Bb4 Nxb4 41. axb4 Re2 42. b5 Rb2
At this point Black is lost. His only active piece is the rook on b2 and his pawn of f7 is undefended. 43. Rxf7 Bh6 44. Rdd7 Bxg5 45. Rg7+ Kf8 46. Rh7 Rb1+ 47. Kg2 Rb2+ 48. Kf3 Rb3+ 1-0
Despite being a piece up, Black is powerless to stop the coming mate so he threw in the towel at this point.