Underdog Day Afternoon

Daniil Dmitrievich Dubov – Daniele Vocaturo
10th Chess World Cup; round of 64 match game 1; Baku, August 5, 2023
English Opening A13

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 d4 5. d3 Bb4+ 6. Nbd2 a5 7. Ne5 Qd6 8. f4 Nbd7 9. Nef3 Ng4 10. 0-0 Nc5 11. Nb1 a4 12. e4 Bd7 13. Qe2 Bc6 14. Ne1 Ne3! 15. e5 Qd7 16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. Bxe3 dxe3 18. Qxe3 Rd8

Vocaturo has given up a Pawn for a latent initiative, which induces his highly rated opponent to hasten to give it back, in the hope to get closer to a draw.
19. Nc2 Nxd3 20. Nxb4 Nxb4 21. Qe4 Qe7 22. Nc3 Qc5+ 23. Kh1 Nd3 24. Rad1 Nxb2 25. Rxd8+ Kxd8 26. Rb1 a3 27. Na4 Qf2

28. Qxc6! Faithful to himself, Dubov goes on the tactical counterattack. However, it should be noted that he could have played more simply, if not better, with 28. Nxb2 axb2 29. Qg2! making the game very drawish.
28. ... Qc2 29. Nc5! The pointe: White sacrifices a whole Rook in order to force a draw.
29. ... Qxb1+ 30. Kg2 Qd1 31. Nb7+ Ke7

32. Qxc7+? An inexplainable miscalculation. After 32. Qc5+ Ke8 33. Nd6+!! White would have forced perpetual check.
32. ... Qd7 33. Qc5+ Ke8 34. Nd6+ Kd8! That’s all: White is left a Rook down with a handful of flies.
35. Qxa3 Qc6+ 36. Kh3 Nxc4 37. Nxc4 Qxc4 38. Qa8+ Qc8 39. Qa7 Ke8 40. a4 Kf8 41. a5 g6 42. a6 Kg7 43. Qe7 Re8 44. Qf6+ Kg8 45. Kg4 Qd8! 0 : 1.

Vocaturo won as Black against Dubov, and the victory was the surprise of the day. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Chess Federation of Russia.