[Event "U.S. Junior & Senior Championships 2026"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2026.07.15"] [Round "09"] [White "Mishra, Abhimanyu"] [Black "Ngo, Bach"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2638"] [BlackElo "2381"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C45"] [Opening "Scotch Game: Potter Variation"] [StudyName "2026 U.S. Invitationals Rds 7-9"] [ChapterName "Mishra, Abhimanyu - Ngo, Bach"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/1nSRqWGh/ncM0LrMS"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:30:59] } 1... e5 { [%clk 1:30:50] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:31:26] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 1:31:13] } 3. d4 { [%clk 1:31:53] } 3... exd4 { [%clk 1:30:56] } 4. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:32:21] } 4... Bc5 { [%clk 1:30:52] } 5. Nb3 { [%clk 1:32:45] } 5... Bb6 { [%clk 1:31:14] } 6. Nc3 { [%clk 1:32:39] } 6... d6 { [%clk 1:27:08] } 7. a4 { [%clk 1:19:16] } 7... a6 { [%clk 1:18:40] } 8. Qe2 { [%clk 1:11:54] } 8... Nge7 { [%clk 1:14:03] } 9. Be3 { [%clk 1:06:08] } 9... Bxe3 { [%clk 1:13:57] } 10. Qxe3 { [%clk 1:06:35] } 10... O-O { [%clk 1:12:38] } 11. O-O-O { [%clk 1:05:26] } 11... Be6 { [%clk 1:07:32] } 12. f4 { [%clk 1:04:24] } 12... Bxb3 { [%clk 1:02:51] } 13. cxb3 { [%clk 1:04:52] } 13... Na5 { [%clk 0:55:30] } 14. b4 { [%clk 0:56:09] } 14... Nac6 { [%clk 0:55:37] } 15. h4 { [%clk 0:48:31] } 15... Nxb4 { [%clk 0:51:09] } 16. h5 { [%clk 0:47:22] } 16... Nec6?! { [%clk 0:48:50] } (16... h6 { It was worth preventing h5-h6, even at the cost of giving Black a hook. } 17. g4 d5! { Black is just in time for the thematic antidote to White's mounting kingside pressure. } 18. Bc4 b5! { Black benefits from making as much noise on the board as possible. } 19. Bb3 bxa4 20. Nxa4 Nec6 21. g5 d4 22. Qg3 hxg5 23. fxg5 Na5 $13) 17. h6 { [%clk 0:44:23] } 17... g6 { [%clk 0:49:00] } (17... g5!? 18. Rh5 gxf4 19. Qxf4 Kh8 20. e5! f5! 21. exd6 cxd6 22. Rxf5 $16) 18. Nd5 { [%clk 0:40:00] } 18... Nxd5 { [%clk 0:48:32] } 19. exd5 { [%clk 0:40:27] } 19... Nb8 { [%clk 0:44:24] } 20. Qc3 { [%clk 0:38:53] } 20... f6 { [%clk 0:44:25] } 21. g3!? { This is a little too slow. The bishop ends up giving up on the h3-c8 diagonal and coming back to f1 later, losing some time. } { [%clk 0:33:56] } (21. Bd3! Nd7 22. Rde1 Rf7 23. g4 Nc5 24. Bc2 Qd7 25. g5 f5 26. Qd4 $16) 21... Nd7 { [%clk 0:42:08] } 22. Bh3 { [%clk 0:33:56] } 22... Nc5 { [%clk 0:42:30] } 23. Rhe1 { [%clk 0:25:38] } (23. a5!? b6 24. b4 Nb7 25. Be6+ $14) 23... Nxa4 { [%clk 0:37:03] } 24. Qd4 { [%clk 0:23:41] } 24... Nc5 { [%clk 0:37:11] } 25. Re3 { [%clk 0:24:09] } 25... a5 { [%clk 0:30:25] } 26. Rde1 { [%clk 0:24:27] } 26... b5 { [%clk 0:29:27] } 27. Kb1 { [%clk 0:21:30] } 27... b4 { [%clk 0:26:27] } 28. Bf1?! { [%clk 0:17:33] } (28. Be6+ Nxe6 29. Rxe6 Rf7 30. Qc4 Qd7 31. g4 $14 { White has the slightest edge here, but, with no minor pieces, it's hard to believe there's a decisive attack here. }) 28... Rb8?! { [%clk 0:19:53] } (28... Qc8! 29. Re7 Rf7 30. Qe3 Qf8 $17) 29. Bb5!? { This attempt at a decoy is an ingenious way to squeeze every last winning chance out of the position. } { [%clk 0:13:18] } (29. Bh3 { and going back to e6 was better, objectively. }) 29... Rxb5!? { [%clk 0:13:00] } (29... Qc8! 30. Re7 Qh3 { was a great defensive resource, going after h6. } 31. Qe3 a4 { plays for a win. } (31... Qxh6 { should equalize, at least, too. })) 30. Re7 { [%clk 0:13:42] } 30... Qc8! { [%clk 0:13:18] } 31. Rg7+ { [%clk 0:08:14] } (31. Qc4! Qf5+ (31... Qh3! 32. Qxb5 Qf5+ 33. Ka1! { Now White can still fight for an advantage. } (33. Ka2 Qxd5+ $10) 33... Qxd5 34. Qe2 Nb3+ 35. Kb1 Nd2+ 36. Kc2 Nf3 37. Rd1 Nd4+ 38. Kb1 Qf5+ 39. Qd3 c5 40. Rg7+ Kh8 41. Qxf5 Nxf5 42. Rc7! Nxh6 (42... Nxg3 43. Rxd6 $18) 43. Rxd6 Nf5 44. Rd3 $16) 32. Ka1 Qh5 { [%cal Gh5h6] } 33. Qxb5 Qxd5 { transposes to the below line: }) 31... Kh8 { [%clk 0:13:47] } 32. g4?? { White covers the f5-square and the pawn is poisoned. But this ends up being a critical miss. White had eight minutes for nine moves, so it makes sense why he played this quickly. But after seeing the below lines, Mishra will have to wonder whether he could have found what he needed to if he took two or three minutes here. } { [%clk 0:08:40] } (32. Ree7! { But White didn't need to stop the queen from reaching the f5-square! } 32... Qf5+ 33. Ka2! b3+ (33... g5 { Black appears to cover the h7-square, but... } 34. g4! { Now is the right time. } 34... b3+ (34... Qc2 35. f5! (35. Qxf6?? Qb3+ 36. Kb1 Qd1+ 37. Ka2 b3+ 38. Ka3 Qa1#) 35... Qb3+ 36. Kb1 $18) 35. Ka1! Qc2 36. Qd2!! $18 { The key deflection. }) 34. Ka1 $18 { Black has no checks. }) 32... Rb7! { Black begins finding the best defensive moves. } { [%clk 0:08:33] } (32... Qxg4?! 33. Qxf6! { was White's intention. }) 33. Ree7 { [%clk 0:05:52] } 33... c6! { [%clk 0:08:58] } 34. Rxh7+ { [%clk 0:04:46] } 34... Kg8 { [%clk 0:09:27] } 35. Rhg7+ { [%clk 0:03:12] } 35... Kh8 { [%clk 0:09:55] } 36. Rh7+ { [%clk 0:03:39] } 36... Kg8 { [%clk 0:10:23] } 37. Rxb7 { White needs to play for a win! } { [%clk 0:00:56] } 37... Nxb7 { [%clk 0:10:48] } 38. Rg7+ { [%clk 0:01:24] } 38... Kh8 { [%clk 0:11:17] } 39. Rxg6? { But there was no way to win, and this attempt is refuted. } { [%clk 0:01:49] } (39. Qe4 Qxg4 40. Rh7+ (40. Qe7?? Qd1+ 41. Ka2 b3+ 42. Ka3 Qa1+ 43. Kxb3 Nc5+! 44. Kc2 Qa4+ 45. Kc1 Qxf4+ $19 { Black removes the h6-pawn and wins. } { [%cal Gf4h6] }) 40... Kg8 41. Rg7+ $10 { is the best White can do. }) 39... c5! { [%clk 0:06:47] } 40. Qe4 { [%clk 0:00:55] } 40... Re8! { White's attack crumbles. } { [%clk 0:04:22] } 41. Qd3 { [%clk 0:23:24] } 41... Re1+ { [%clk 0:31:25] } 42. Kc2 { [%clk 0:23:35] } 42... Qe8 { [%clk 0:31:37] } 43. Kd2 { [%clk 0:22:04] } 43... c4 { [%clk 0:31:29] } 44. Qf3 { [%clk 0:22:23] } 44... Nc5 { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:31:48] } 0-1