Event: Malta Rapid Challenge 2025 - part of the World Chess Festival 2024-25
Site: Qormi, Malta
Date: 2025-06-07
White: Portelli, Matthew
WhiteElo: 2125
Black: Vila Gazquez, Xavier
BlackTitle: GM
BlackElo: 2414
Result: 0-1
ECO: B01
Opening: Scandinavian Defense: Valencian Variation
Variant: Standard
TimeControl: 600+5

1. e4 { [%eval 0.18] [%clk 0:10:08] } 1... d5 { [%eval 0.54] [%clk 0:10:09] } 2. exd5 { [%eval 0.51] [%clk 0:10:11] } 2... Qxd5 { [%eval 0.52] [%clk 0:10:12] } 3. Nc3 { [%eval 0.47] [%clk 0:10:15] } 3... Qd8 { [%eval 0.66] [%clk 0:10:16] } 4. d4 { [%eval 0.51] [%clk 0:10:15] } 4... Nf6 { [%eval 0.58] [%clk 0:10:19] } 5. Nf3 { [%eval 0.7] [%clk 0:10:19] } 5... g6 { [%eval 0.76] [%clk 0:10:23] } 6. h3 { [%eval 0.5] [%clk 0:10:11] } 6... Bg7 { [%eval 0.59] [%clk 0:10:26] } 7. Be3 { [%eval 0.38] [%clk 0:10:14] } 7... a6 { [%eval 0.43] [%clk 0:10:30] } 8. Qd2 { [%eval 0.39] [%clk 0:10:07] } 8... b5 { [%eval 0.64] [%clk 0:10:33] } 9. Bd3 { [%eval 0.17] [%clk 0:09:57] } 9... Bb7 { [%eval 0.18] [%clk 0:10:36] } 10. O-O-O { [%eval 0.15] [%clk 0:09:30] } 10... O-O { [%eval 0.33] [%clk 0:09:40] } 11. Bh6 { [%eval -0.2] [%clk 0:09:18] } 11... Bxf3 { [%eval -0.07] [%clk 0:09:01] } 12. gxf3 { [%eval -0.1] [%clk 0:09:19] } 12... Qxd4 { [%eval -0.12] [%clk 0:09:02] } 13. Bxg7 { [%eval -0.35] [%clk 0:09:01] } 13... Kxg7 { [%eval -0.37] [%clk 0:09:04] } 14. Qe2? { [%eval -1.85] } { Mistake. h4 was best. } { [%clk 0:08:39] } 14... Qc5 { [%eval -1.52] [%clk 0:07:42] } 15. h4 { [%eval -1.46] [%clk 0:08:03] } 15... Nc6 { [%eval -1.42] [%clk 0:07:33] } 16. Kb1 { [%eval -1.74] [%clk 0:07:22] } 16... Nd4 { [%eval -1.77] [%clk 0:07:19] } 17. Qe3 { [%eval -1.83] [%clk 0:06:26] } 17... Ne6 { [%eval -1.85] [%clk 0:07:14] } 18. Ne2 { [%eval -2.08] [%clk 0:05:58] } 18... Rad8 { [%eval -2.24] [%clk 0:07:11] } 19. Ng3 { [%eval -2.38] [%clk 0:05:48] } 19... Qxe3 { [%eval -1.94] [%clk 0:05:36] } 20. fxe3 { [%eval -1.95] [%clk 0:04:27] } 20... Nc5 { [%eval -2.04] [%clk 0:05:36] } 21. h5 { [%eval -2.03] [%clk 0:04:43] } 21... Nd5 { [%eval -2.01] [%clk 0:04:47] } 22. Rde1 { [%eval -1.89] [%clk 0:01:46] } 22... Nb4?! { [%eval -1.09] } { Inaccuracy. Rd6 was best. } { [%clk 0:04:16] } 23. Be4 { [%eval -1.66] [%clk 0:03:11] } 23... Nxe4 { [%eval -1.23] [%clk 0:03:17] } 24. Nxe4 { [%eval -1.32] [%clk 0:03:08] } 24... Rd5 { [%eval -1.02] [%clk 0:03:19] } 25. hxg6 { [%eval -1.01] [%clk 0:02:19] } 25... hxg6 { [%eval -0.7] [%clk 0:03:11] } 26. f4 { [%eval -1.12] [%clk 0:02:15] } 26... Rh8 { [%eval -0.66] [%clk 0:02:52] } 27. Rxh8 { [%eval -0.75] [%clk 0:02:15] } 27... Kxh8 { [%eval -0.81] [%clk 0:02:55] } 28. Ng5?! { [%eval -1.58] } { Inaccuracy. a3 was best. } { [%clk 0:02:11] } 28... Kg8 { [%eval -1.17] [%clk 0:02:58] } 29. a3 { [%eval -1.28] [%clk 0:02:10] } 29... Nc6 { [%eval -1.2] [%clk 0:02:52] } 30. Kc1 { [%eval -1.76] [%clk 0:01:58] } 30... e5 { [%eval -1.85] [%clk 0:02:58] } 31. Ne4 { [%eval -1.86] [%clk 0:01:55] } 31... Kg7 { [%eval -1.67] [%clk 0:02:55] } 32. Nc3?! { [%eval -2.43] } { Inaccuracy. Rd1 was best. } { [%clk 0:01:51] } 32... Rd8 { [%eval -2.16] [%clk 0:02:51] } 33. Rg1 { [%eval -2.55] [%clk 0:01:26] } 33... exf4 { [%eval -2.62] [%clk 0:02:46] } 34. exf4 { [%eval -2.54] [%clk 0:01:26] } 34... Ne7 { [%eval -2.11] [%clk 0:02:50] } 35. Ne4 { [%eval -2.76] [%clk 0:01:21] } 35... Rd4 { [%eval -2.29] [%clk 0:02:43] } 36. Re1 { [%eval -2.96] [%clk 0:01:21] } 36... Nd5 { [%eval -2.74] [%clk 0:02:21] } 37. f5 { [%eval -3.03] [%clk 0:01:14] } 37... gxf5 { [%eval -3.04] [%clk 0:02:22] } 38. Nc5 { [%eval -3.08] [%clk 0:00:45] } 38... a5 { [%eval -3.24] [%clk 0:02:14] } 39. Nb3 { [%eval -3.56] [%clk 0:00:47] } 39... Re4 { [%eval -3.6] [%clk 0:02:11] } 40. Rg1+ { [%eval -3.65] [%clk 0:00:49] } 40... Rg4 { [%eval -3.74] [%clk 0:02:11] } 41. Rf1 { [%eval -4.19] [%clk 0:00:37] } 41... a4 { [%eval -4.06] [%clk 0:02:14] } 42. Nc5 { [%eval -4.32] [%clk 0:00:36] } 42... Rc4 { [%eval -4.22] [%clk 0:01:54] } 43. Nd3 { [%eval -3.78] [%clk 0:00:32] } 43... Kf6 { [%eval -3.79] [%clk 0:01:53] } 44. Kd2 { [%eval -3.99] [%clk 0:00:30] } 44... Rh4 { [%eval -4.1] [%clk 0:01:54] } 45. Rf2 { [%eval -4.28] [%clk 0:00:24] } 45... f4 { [%eval -4.27] [%clk 0:01:47] } 46. Nc5 { [%eval -4.87] [%clk 0:00:17] } 46... Kf5 { [%eval -4.65] [%clk 0:01:52] } 47. Kd3 { [%eval -4.94] [%clk 0:00:15] } 47... Ne3 { [%eval -4.94] [%clk 0:01:31] } 48. Kd2 { [%eval -4.91] [%clk 0:00:11] } 48... Ng4 { [%eval -4.83] [%clk 0:01:33] } 49. Rf3 { [%eval -5.68] [%clk 0:00:12] } 49... Rh2+ { [%eval -5.48] [%clk 0:01:34] } 50. Kd3?! { [%eval -8.83] } { Inaccuracy. Kc1 was best. } { [%clk 0:00:05] } 50... Ne5+ { [%eval -8.7] [%clk 0:01:37] } 0-1