[Event "NYC Chess Norms Spring 2025"] [Date "2025.03.29"] [Round "4"] [White "Putnam, Liam"] [Black "Sheehan, Ethan"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2411"] [BlackElo "2363"] [Annotator "Ostrovskiy, Aleksandr"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C72"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense"] [StudyName "March 2025 NYC Chess Norms"] [ChapterName "Putnam, Liam - Sheehan, Ethan"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/5Ep0IRrb/5MVOLJPr"] [Orientation "white"] { The round 4 matchup between the talented juniors IM Liam Putnam and NM Ethan Sheehan produced one of the most unusual middlegame positions in the tournament! } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bd7 6. c4 Bg4 { Losing a tempo but trying to exploit the weakened d4-square. } 7. d4 exd4 (7... Bxf3?! { was actually already tested by Sheehan when after } 8. Qxf3 exd4 9. e5? (9. Nd2 $16) 9... Qd7 10. Re1 O-O-O 11. exd6 Bxd6 12. Nd2 Nf6 13. Nb3 Rhe8 { , he went on to win against a strong GM: 0-1 (66) Brodsky,D (2538)-Sheehan,E (2331) Charlotte 2024 }) 8. Qb3 Bd7 9. Qxb7 Rb8?! 10. Qxc6! { Forced, but still a fun sacrifice! } 10... Bxc6 11. Bxc6+ Ke7 12. Nxd4 { Materially speaking, Black is ahead. But, with the king on e7 and negative development, it definitely looks like White is in control. } 12... Kf6!? { What a move! The king goes in front of all the pieces. The main idea is to play ... h7-h6, ... Kf6-g6, and finally ... Kg6-h7, when the King wobbles to safety as the rest of Black's pieces get ready to develop. } 13. b3? { A logical move, but it does not stop Black's king walk. } (13. f4! { first was stronger, when I can share the following variations: } 13... h6 (13... g6 14. b3 $18) 14. e5+! dxe5 (14... Kg6 15. Be4+ $18) 15. fxe5+ Kxe5! 16. Be3 $18 (16. Rf5+ { is too hasty after } 16... Kxd4 17. b3 Kd3!? 18. Bb2 (18. Rf3+ Kd4! (18... Kc2?? 19. Rc3+ Kd1 20. Bf3+ Ke1 21. Re3#) (18... Ke2?? 19. Nc3+ Ke1 20. Rf1#) 19. Rf5) 18... Qg5!! 19. Rf3+ Qe3+ 20. Rxe3+ Kxe3 21. Nc3 Nf6 { which is apparently equal :) }) 16... Qxd4 17. Bxd4+ Kxd4 18. Nc3) 13... Ne7 (13... h6 14. Bb2 Kg6) 14. f4 Nxc6! 15. Nxc6 Qe8 16. Nxb8 Qxb8 { Giving some material back but now White is lacking firepower for an attack against the wandering king. } 17. Nc3 Ke6 18. Bb2 f6 19. Rad1 Be7 20. Nd5 Re8 $15 { Sheehan has consolidated his position and will look to make use of the extra queen. } 21. Bc3 c6 22. Nb4 Qb7 23. Nd3 Kf7 24. Rfe1 Kg8 25. c5 Rd8 26. Kh1 Qb5 27. Nb2 Qxc5 $19 28. Nc4 d5 29. Ba5 Re8 30. Bb6 Qb5 31. exd5 cxd5 32. Bd8 Bxd8 33. Nd6 Rxe1+ 34. Rxe1 Qd7 35. Re8+ Qxe8 36. Nxe8 Kf7 37. Nd6+ Ke6 38. Nb7 Bb6 39. b4 Kd7 40. Na5 Bxa5 41. bxa5 Kc6 42. Kg1 Kc5 43. Kf2 Kc4 44. Ke2 Kc3 45. a3 f5 46. g3 g6 47. Kd1 Kd3 48. h3 h6 49. a4 h5 50. h4 d4 { An important victory for Sheehan, who ended up fighting for his IM norm in the final round. Putnam bounced back strongly from this loss to finish on 5½/9 for a share of second place. } 0-1