[Event "U.S. Open Championship and State Tournam"] [Site "Norfolk, Virginia, US"] [Date "2024.07.28"] [Round "2.17"] [White "Tang, Austin"] [Black "Eric C Liu"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2030"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [Annotator "IM Robert Shlyakhtenko"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C79"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Steinitz Deferred"] [StudyName "2024 Tournaments of State Champions"] [ChapterName "Tang, Austin - Eric C Liu"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/2q59AWVe/YtPhnKCP"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by IM Robert Shlyakhtenko } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. Qe2 Bd7 7. c3 g6 8. d4 b5 9. Bc2 Bg7 10. dxe5 Nxe5! { As a general (but not entirely fool-proof) rule of thumb, Black should recapture on e5 with the knight. On c6, it often remains without prospects, and it therefore should be traded when given the opportunity. } 11. Nxe5 dxe5 12. Be3 O-O 13. Nd2 Qe7 14. b4 Rfd8 15. Nb3 Ne8?! (15... Be6! { is more solid, with ideas of ... Be6-c4. After } 16. Na5 Ng4! 17. Bd2 Qh4 18. h3 Nf6 { gives Black his desired counterplay. }) 16. Nc5 Bc6 17. a4 Nd6 18. Bd3 { Black's position is passive, and he will almost certainly have to struggle in a slightly worse position for a long time. His next move makes things worse. } 18... f5?! { This doesn't accomplish, but only ends up giving White new targets (e.g., the e5-pawn). } (18... bxa4! { was better, with the hope of playing ... a6-a5 at some point. }) 19. f3! Kh8 20. Bf2 Rdb8 21. Ra2?! { Inaccurate; now Black has a chance to free himself. } (21. axb5! axb5 22. Ra5 { was most direct. }) 21... Bf6?! (21... bxa4! { was better, again with ideas of ... a6-a5. }) 22. Rfa1 Qe8 23. axb5 axb5 24. Ra7?! (24. Ra5! { White should keep rooks on the board. Now } 24... Rxa5? { is always met by } 25. bxa5!) 24... Qc8 25. R1a6 Rxa7 26. Rxa7 Ra8 27. Qa2?! (27. Ra5 { was better, for the same reason as on move 24. }) 27... Rxa7 28. Qxa7 Be8 (28... fxe4 { is more solid, giving White fewer ways to modify the pawn structure. The same idea applies on the next few moves. }) 29. h3 h5 30. Na6 Bd8 31. Qc5?! { An ingenious piece sacrifice. However, objectively this move is not correct. } (31. exf5?! { There were several moments where White could have played this move, but this is the clearest one. After } 31... gxf5 32. Qc5! { White wins material. See the note to move 18. }) 31... Qxa6? (31... Kg7!! 32. Qxe5+ Bf6 33. Qf4 Qxa6 34. e5 Be7 35. exd6 Qxd6 { successfully defends. }) 32. Qxe5+ Kg8 33. Bd4 Kf7 34. exf5 gxf5 35. Bxf5? { Tempting, but wrong. } (35. f4!! { could have allowed White to score a big upset. Black cannot prevent the bishop transfer Bd3-e2, and as they say, three attacking pieces is mate! }) 35... Nxf5 36. Qxf5+ Bf6 37. Qxh5+ Ke7 38. Qc5+ Qd6 39. Bxf6+ Kxf6 40. Qxd6+ cxd6 { Black has survived the worst. However, White should not have lost this position. } 41. Kf2 Ke5 42. Ke3 Kd5 43. f4 Kc4 44. Kd2 d5 45. Kc2 d4 46. cxd4 Kxb4 47. Kb2 Kc4 48. g4 Kxd4 49. Kb3 Kc5 50. f5 Bf7+ 51. Kb2 Kd4 52. g5 Ke5 53. g6?? { A tragedy! } (53. Kc3 Kxf5 54. h4 Bc4 55. Kb4 { is a draw: Black cannot win on the queenside without his king, nor on the kingside without his bishop. }) 53... Bc4! 54. Kc3 Kxf5 55. g7 { White resigned. After 55. ... Kg6 (or 55. ... Kf6) White loses by a tempo. } 0-1