Swedish Championship. Happy game. | CHESS AT THE BAG OF CATS

In round five I played Hampus Sörensen, who I considered to be a top candidate to win the championship. I had to win with Black, I felt, so it was back to my old love, the King’s Indian Defence, and this time it delivered.
   [Event "Sverigemästarklassen 2025"]  [Site "Uppsala, Sweden"]  [Date "2025.07.02"]  [Round "5"]  [White "Sörensen, Hampus"]  [Black "Hillarp Persson, Tiger"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "E94"]  [WhiteElo "2428"]  [BlackElo "2445"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d6 {My score with the KID has been absolutely abyssmal in the last few years. At times I am out-prepped, horribly, and when I have managed to play a good game, I end it all by blundering. But, now I feel I am getting to a place where I can play it again.} 4. e4 e5 $5 {The whole point of this move was to make my opponent play a knight to f3 (or e2), thus avoiding his favourite h3/e3-setup.} 5. Nf3 (5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qxd8+ Kxd8 7. Bg5 Be7 $1 8. Nf3 Nbd7 9. O-O-O Ng4 10. Bxe7+ Kxe7 11. Nd5+ Kf8 $1 12. Nxc7 Nxf2 13. Nxa8 Nxh1 14. Rd2 Nc5 15. Nc7 Kg7 16. Re2 f5 17. exf5 e4 {is messy, and only a little better for White. It seems to me that there is no obvious way for White to gain a big advantage in this line.}) ({I find} 5. Nge2 {to be quite critical, as it is generally not a great idea to play e5 when White uses the Saemisch set-up.} a6 $5) 5... Nbd7 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 {So, we are both out of our favourite lines.} c6 $6 ({Immediately after playing my move, I realized that I had prepared} 8... Qe7 {Well, well...}) 9. d5 c5 10. Ne1 Ne8 11. Nd3 Qe7 $6 (11... f5 12. exf5 ({During the game I got worried about} 12. f4 exf4 13. Nxf4 {, but Black is fine after} Ne5 {My misjudgement of this line is what made me play e7.}) 12... gxf5 13. f3 (13. f4 e4 14. Nf2 Bxc3 15. bxc3 Kh8 {is ok for Black. It is almost impossible for White to make good use of the dark squared bishop.})) 12. b4 $5 {Finally some good news for me in KID. White has a number of very good moves that improves his position, but this move gives me some leeway.} (12. a4 $5) (12. Kh1) 12... cxb4 $1 13. Nxb4 f5 14. f3 Nef6 15. Nd3 b6 16. Nb4 ({My greates worry was} 16. a4 a5 17. Rb1 {, although Black's position seems playable after} Ba6 18. Nf2 Rab8) 16... Nc5 17. Qc2 (17. Nc6 Qd7 {is double edged, as the knight is somewhat out of play on c6.}) 17... Nh5 (17... Rf7 $5) 18. Nd3 $2 (18. Nc6 Qd7 19. a4 Bb7 20. Nb4 Nf4 21. a5 $36) 18... Bf6 $6 ({I did calculate} 18... Nf4 {(!)} 19. Nxf4 $2 (19. Kh1 Nfxd3 20. Bxd3 f4 21. Bxc5 bxc5 22. Qa4 Bd7 23. Qa6 Bc8 $11) 19... exf4 20. Bxf4 fxe4 21. fxe4 Nxe4 $1 22. Qxe4 Qxe4 23. Nxe4 Bxa1 24. Rxa1 Rxf4 25. Nxd6 Bd7 {with a clear advantage for Black, but in the end I was not sure whether I was much better after} 26. a4 $5) 19. Nxc5 bxc5 20. Bf2 Bg5 (20... Nf4 $1) (20... f4 $6 21. Rfb1 Bh4 22. Bxh4 Qxh4 23. Qa4 {and I am too slow at creating threats on the kingside.}) 21. Rfe1 Rb8 22. Bf1 Bd7 23. Rab1 Bh6 {We are both getting into time trouble, and I start to drift. There seemed to be no obvious ways to improve my position.} 24. Rxb8 (24. g3 Nf6 25. exf5 Bxf5 26. Bd3 Qd7 27. Rxb8 Rxb8 28. g4 $14) 24... Rxb8 25. Rb1 Rxb1 26. Qxb1 Bd2 27. Qb2 (27. Nd1 Kf7) 27... Bxc3 28. Qxc3 fxe4 29. fxe4 g5 (29... Nf6 $1 30. Bh4 h6 31. Qb3 g5 32. Be1 Qd8) 30. Be1 {Hampus is eyeing the idea to bring the bishop to c7 or d8.} (30. Be3 h6 31. h4 gxh4 32. Bxh6 Nf4 33. Qb3 Be8 34. Qb8 Kh7 {is still about equal, but suddenly it is White that needs to play some precise moves.}) 30... h6 31. Qb2 Nf6 $6 (31... Be8 32. Qb8 Nf6 33. Bd3 Kg7 34. Ba5 Bh5 35. Bd8 Qd7 36. Bxf6+ Kxf6 37. Qf8+ Kg6 38. h3 Kh7 $11) 32. Bd3 $6 ({I thought} 32. Qb7 Nxe4 33. Qxa7 Qf7 {would be hard for White to handle in time trouble, but after} 34. Be2 {it is rather Black who has to watch out.}) 32... Be8 33. Ba5 Bg6 34. Qb1 Kg7 35. h3 Qd7 36. Qc2 $6 {There are numerous ways for White to keep the balance here, but time trouble took its toll.} (36. Qb8 Bxe4 37. Be2 Bg6 38. Bd8 Ne4 39. Bf3 Nd2 40. Be2 $11) 36... Kf7 (36... g4 $1) 37. Qf2 Ke7 38. Qe2 Qa4 39. Be1 Qa3 40. Kf2 (40. Kh2) 40... Qc1 {Now the only question is whether I can win or not. In some positions White can give up the pawn on e4 and still hold a draw.} 41. g3 Qa1 42. Kf3 (42. Kg2 Qd4 43. Bf2 Qxd3 44. Qxd3 Bxe4+ 45. Qxe4 Nxe4 46. Be1 {There seem to be no obvious way to win this for Black.}) 42... Kf7 43. g4 $2 Nh5 $1 44. Bd2 Nf4 45. Bxf4 exf4 {Black is winning, but it did not have to end as fast as it did.} 46. e5 (46. Kg2 Qd4 47. Kf3 Ke7 $1 (47... Kf6 $2 48. e5+) 48. Kg2 (48. a4 a5 49. Kg2 Be8) 48... Kf6 49. e5+ dxe5 50. Bxg6 Kxg6 51. Kf3 Qc3+ 52. Ke4 Kf6 $19) 46... Qc3 {Not a great game, from any of us, but I was happy that I had dared to play the King's Indian again.} 0-1