32...Rf8 is rated -1.85 and 32...Rad8 as-.79.

Either the position is too complicated for the local Stockfish or both players played a string of no-so-good moves.

Does Hans dream of Andrea? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9s...

Enough of the preliminaries.

The game above features the Jobava London System for White. It has lost some of its luster amongst grandmasters, but the possibilities remain. The Jobava London System plays Nc3, Nb5, Nxc7+, NxRa8 if allowed.

Here's an introductory opening trick on the queenside that seems harmless: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8p...

After 1.d4 Nf6, Stockfish says 1...d5 is better. Don't believe it; both are excellent responses that prevent 2.e4. Stockfish analysis gives plenty of ?s to Yoo vs Niemann but that does not necessarily mean the actual move played was bad, as in losing. It means the computer thinks there was something better available.

Jim's Chess Basics leisurely explaining the Jobava Attack and a few other possibilities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jo...

Here are the database games after the queenside knights have leapt forward (5.Nb5 Na6 protecting c7): https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che...

Here's a video of an earlier Hans Niemann game with the White pieces. The video says Niemann is now the leading player of the Jobava London System (only because few other GMs play it regularly. Baadur Jobava rarely plays his own opening now.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi9...

Here's a FAST Greek gift victory by Hans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Nm...

Even though Niemann has a Chessable course available on the Jobava London System, Yoo dares to essay the opening against Niemann.

Notice that White is forced to retreat his early Nb5 and gets a cramped game. White had no winning chances thereafter. Grip the center then get down the board.

The Jobava London System IS playable if you trust Stockfish. As an example, White could have acquired equality by: 18.Ne1? 18.a4 a6 19.axb5 axb5 20.Rxa8 Nxa8 21.Ne1 Nc7 22.Nc2 f5 = 0.00 (47 ply)

Here is GM Bok examining Yoo - Niemann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynL... I've been working on this post more than an hour now and have not watched the video other than to confirm it's the correct game. Someone else may have posted the link by now, but this is going to press as is.

Perhaps Yoo needs an account on CGs and we'll toughen up his ears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBQ...

"When you win, say nothing. When you lose, say less." – Paul Brown

The Jobava Attack is also called the Rapport-Jobava System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBj...

10 Reasons to Play the Rapport-Jobava System: https://thechessworld.com/articles/... The article is a bit optimistic. There is no silver bullet opening but this one is a time saver.

IMHO, the Jobava London System is limited in concept (it usually struggles to advance two pawns side-by-side to gain space and pressure opposing pawns). It is a useful opening for amateurs who do not want to memorize opening theory or drop material early on. (Many amateurs move the pawns way too much anyway.) It is not suitable as a workhorse opening for GMs like the Catalan or Queen's Gambit is. Unfortunately, the Queen's Gambit has opening lines that are memorized beyond 25 moves at top levels. Amateurs have better things to do, like chores and homework, solving tactics, pawn endings, and playing blitz.

Apparently, the compactness of the Jobava London System works just fine in blitz (note the aggressive pawn break on the kingside): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjM... Yes, that was Jobava himself with the Black pieces losing to his own opening!

Here is Hans Niemann on Chessable: https://www.chessable.com/author/Ha... Hans can grow hair faster than a bear!

Presumably white was hoping black would play 28...Bxe5 giving up his DSB for the exchange.

<that was a coffee house move. That's beer goggle chess, for Pete's sake>

It's the best move in a bad situation. White is all but stuck in zugzwang w/a "bad" queen limited behind her own pawn chain. If 28...BxRe5 29.dxBe5 White has sacrificed the exchange but has a bit more mobility w/hope of busting out through the d-file.

Niemann declined Yoo's rook offer 28.Re5 for another six moves to keep White bottled up while he improved Black's position.

Niemann misplayed the timing of the exchange sacrifice 33...BxRe5? and 34...hxg2? allowing 35.Rxg2 = A rather stunning occurrence given the prior helplessness of White's position. White could actually draw after being all bottled up.

Stockfish really dislikes the self-defeating 36.e6? and does not bother assigning anymore ?s thereafter. White has blown the draw by giving away his pawns to free his cramped position.

Stockfish says White instead could retain the draw by 36.BxNe4 fxBe4 37.Rh2 Rxh2 38.Kxh2 Rh8+ 39.Kg1 Kf8 40.Qf2 = 0.00 (40 ply)

+ + +

Yes, if 28.Re5 was a bad move, Niemann would have snapped it up immediately.

<Niemann misplayed the timing of the exchange sacrifice 33...BxRe5? and 34...hxg2? allowing 35.Rxg2 = A rather stunning occurrence given the prior helplessness of White's position. White could actually draw after being all bottled up.>

Perhaps Niemann felt so because the game fits his style -- pawn expansion. Niemann loves to gain space with the pawns. White could not accomplish anything in the center, so Black was for choice. The queenside pawn expansion reflected a French Defense structure. The kingside pawn expansion reflected Hans buying up real-estate with impunity because he could. Time was on Black's side. "Beautiful" would seem to be the luxury of control (accompanied by stress-free mental satisfaction) that Niemann could exercise move-after-move against a limited non-threatening White army.