[Event "2026 Illinois Open"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2026.09.05"] [Round "04"] [White "Quesada Vera, Liordis"] [Black "Fei, Irene Jiao"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2284"] [BlackElo "2080"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A05"] [Opening "King's Indian Attack"] [StudyName "Labor Day Wrap-Up 2026"] [ChapterName "Quesada Vera, Liordis - Fei, Irene Jiao"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/4umbGLPz/OlLzrn5B"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. Nf3 { [%clk 1:30:41] } 1... d5 { [%clk 1:30:54] } 2. g3 { [%clk 1:31:01] } 2... Nf6 { [%clk 1:31:10] } 3. Bg2 { [%clk 1:31:22] } 3... Bf5 { [%clk 1:31:16] } 4. b3 { [%clk 1:31:21] } 4... e6 { [%clk 1:31:35] } 5. Bb2 { [%clk 1:31:46] } 5... h6 { [%clk 1:31:17] } 6. O-O { [%clk 1:31:58] } 6... Be7 { [%clk 1:31:22] } 7. d3 { [%clk 1:32:02] } 7... O-O { [%clk 1:31:15] } 8. Nfd2 { [%clk 1:32:24] } 8... Bh7 { [%clk 1:28:39] } 9. Nc3 { [%clk 1:32:26] } 9... c5 { [%clk 1:25:38] } 10. e4 { [%clk 1:32:44] } 10... Nc6 { [%clk 1:23:07] } 11. h3 { [%clk 1:32:41] } 11... Rb8 { [%clk 1:21:25] } 12. a4 { [%clk 1:23:12] } 12... a6 { [%clk 1:18:32] } 13. exd5 { [%clk 1:19:37] } 13... exd5 { [%clk 1:18:45] } 14. Re1 { [%clk 1:19:52] } 14... Re8 { [%clk 1:13:10] } 15. Ne2 { [%clk 1:19:02] } 15... b5 { [%clk 1:01:51] } 16. axb5 { [%clk 1:15:30] } 16... axb5 { [%clk 1:02:08] } 17. Nf4 { [%clk 1:15:36] } 17... Nb4?! { [%clk 1:00:40] } (17... Qd7!) 18. Ra7 { [%clk 1:06:37] } 18... d4?! { This land grab would be more successful if White could not immediately trade off the dark-squared bishop. } { [%clk 0:52:43] } (18... c4!? { is practical given that White's pieces have been steadily improving. }) (18... Nc6 19. Ra3 Nb4 { at least forces White to commit with } 20. Bxf6 Bxf6 21. Rxe8+ Qxe8 22. Nxd5 Nxd5 23. Bxd5 { when } 23... Rd8 $14 { offers some compensation for the pawn thanks to the bishop pair. }) 19. Ba3! { [%clk 1:04:34] } 19... g5!? { With the position on the verge of collapse, Black lashes out. } { [%clk 0:47:55] } (19... Bf5 20. Bxb4 cxb4 21. Re5 Bd7 { The bishop makes more sense helping to cover weak squares. }) 20. Bxb4 { [%clk 1:04:16] } 20... cxb4 { [%clk 0:45:30] } 21. Nh5 { [%clk 0:58:05] } 21... Bc5 { [%clk 0:37:26] } 22. Rxe8+!? { [%clk 0:37:48] } (22. Nxf6+ Qxf6 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. Rb7 $18 { wins even more cleanly, also illustrating why Black's light-squared bishop is misplaced on h7. }) 22... Nxe8 { [%clk 0:37:28] } 23. Ra6 { [%clk 0:38:12] } 23... Rb6? { [%clk 0:29:57] } (23... Bg6 { was more stubborn. }) 24. Rxb6? { [%clk 0:34:19] } (24. Ra8! Rb8 25. Rxb8 Qxb8 26. Bc6 $18 { is surprisingly powerful, grabbing control of the f6-square with Qd1-f3 to follow. }) 24... Bxb6 { [%clk 0:28:34] } 25. Qe2 { [%clk 0:34:26] } 25... Bg6 { [%clk 0:17:43] } 26. Bc6 { White understands that allowing Black's knight back into the game brings her closer to equalizing. } { [%clk 0:26:21] } 26... Nd6 { [%clk 0:14:40] } (26... Bxh5 27. Qxh5 Kg7 28. Bxe8 Qxe8 29. Ne4 $16 { allows White to maintain the superior minor piece. }) 27. Qf3 { [%clk 0:25:13] } 27... Bxh5 { [%clk 0:13:21] } 28. Qxh5 { [%clk 0:25:35] } 28... Qf6 { [%clk 0:12:20] } 29. Qg4 { [%clk 0:23:00] } 29... Kg7 { [%clk 0:10:40] } 30. Bd7 { [%clk 0:21:49] } 30... Qe7 { [%clk 0:08:51] } 31. Nf3 { [%clk 0:20:58] } 31... f6?! { [%clk 0:07:25] } (31... Kg6 { It's hard to believe this move can't be punished, but that's the beauty of a knight on d6! }) 32. Bc6 { [%clk 0:17:45] } (32. Nh4!? { Trading off the knight is practical. With so many holes on the light squares, White retains winning chances despite the opposite-colored bishops (as long as queens stay on the board). }) 32... f5! { Gaining space and some threats of kingside expansion. Black is back in the game! } { [%clk 0:06:38] } 33. Qh5 { [%clk 0:18:04] } 33... Qe6!? { [%clk 0:05:07] } (33... Qf7 { But Black's king is still weaker, so trading queens is in her interest. }) 34. Nh2! { [%clk 0:15:29] } 34... Qe1+ { [%clk 0:03:38] } 35. Nf1?! { Black is one (difficult) move away from equalizing. } { [%clk 0:15:47] } (35. Kg2 { is the way forward. } { [%cal Gg3g4] }) 35... Qc3?? { [%clk 0:03:34] } (35... Ne4!! { I don't even know what to say here. } 36. Bxe4 (36. Qf3 { is the only other way to defend f2, and now } 36... Nd2 $10 { is a race to see who settles for a perpetual check first. }) (36. dxe4?? d3 { The f2-weakness is decisive. } 37. Qf3 dxc2 $19 { Black promotes and wins. }) 36... fxe4 { The threat of ... d4-d3 renders the e4-pawn untouchable. } 37. Qe8 e3 $10 { Somebody is perpetual-checking somebody here. }) 36. Be8 $18 { White penetrates on the light squares and now it's over. } { [%clk 0:16:04] } 36... Nxe8 { [%clk 0:03:59] } 37. Qxe8 { [%clk 0:16:28] } 37... Qc5 { [%clk 0:03:38] } 38. Qe6 { [%clk 0:16:09] } 38... Bc7 { [%clk 0:03:31] } 39. Qd7+ { [%clk 0:15:17] } 39... Kg6 { [%clk 0:03:53] } 40. Nd2 { [%clk 0:13:06] } 40... Be5 { [%clk 0:03:55] } 41. g4 { [%clk 0:10:48] } 41... fxg4 { [%clk 0:04:03] } 42. Ne4 { [%clk 0:10:38] } 42... Qf8 { [%clk 0:03:15] } 43. Qe6+ { [%clk 0:10:43] } 43... Bf6 { [%clk 0:03:41] } 44. hxg4 { [%clk 0:10:59] } 44... Qe7 { [%clk 0:01:55] } 45. Qf5+ { [%clk 0:11:06] } 45... Kg7 { [%clk 0:02:19] } 46. Qxb5 { [%clk 0:11:06] } 46... Be5 { [%clk 0:01:50] } 47. Qd5 { [%clk 0:10:53] } 47... Bf6 { [%clk 0:01:32] } 48. Nd6 { [%clk 0:10:30] } 48... Qc7 { [%clk 0:00:54] } 49. Ne8+ { [%clk 0:10:02] } 1-0