Blunder by Nakamura?

[CThinker]

At today's game of U.S. Open:

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. Bf4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 dxc4 7. Qa4+ c6
8. Qxc4 Bg7 9. e3 Nd7 10. Nf3 O-O 11. Qb4 b6 12. Be2 c5 13. Qa4 a6 14. Qb3
b5 15. O-O c4 16. Qc2 Nb6 17. Be5 f6 18. Bg3 Bb7 19. Nd2 e5 20. dxe5 fxe5
21. Rad1 Qe7 22. Bf3 Bxf3 23. Nxf3 Na4 24. Rd5 Rad8 25. Rfd1 e4 26. Bh4 Bf6
27. Rxd8 Rxd8 28. Rxd8+ Qxd8 29. Bxf6 Qxf6 30. Qxe4 Nxc3
1/2-1/2

Nakamura's 25...e4 led to an immediate draw.

I think it would have been better to exchange the rooks and then go after white's c pawn with Qa3.

[zullil]

[D]3r1rk1/4q1bp/p5p1/1p1Rp3/n1p5/2P1PNB1/P1Q2PPP/3R2K1 b - - 4 25

Is e4 best?

[zullil]

I think it would have been better to exchange the rooks and then go after white's c pawn with Qa3.

Critter 1.2.1 (8 threads) agrees with you:

Code: Select all

27/67  09:00 6317981414 11689964  +0.60 Rxd5 Rxd5 Qa3 Rd7 Nc5 Ra7 Nd3 h4 Qd6 Qe2 Qb6 Rd7 Qc6 Ra7 Bf6 Ng5 Bxg5 hxg5 Rf7 Rxf7 Kxf7 e4 Kg8 Qe3 Qb7 Qf3 Qe7 Qg4 Kg7

[David Dahlem]

[D]3r1rk1/4q1bp/p5p1/1p1Rp3/n1p5/2P1PNB1/P1Q2PPP/3R2K1 b - - 4 25

Is e4 best?

No, but it looks like a draw anyway.

[CThinker]

[D]3r1rk1/4q1bp/p5p1/1p1Rp3/n1p5/2P1PNB1/P1Q2PPP/3R2K1 b - - 4 25

Is e4 best?

No, but it looks like a draw anyway.

My problem with e4 is that it is automatically a draw.

Black is throwing away the queen-side advantage that can be used to maneuver a (slow) win.