[Event "National K-12 Championship: 9th Grade"] [Site "National Harbor, MD"] [Date "2024-12-07"] [Round "5.14"] [White "Vemparala, Nikash"] [Black "Liu, Eric"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2147"] [WhiteTitle "CM"] [WhiteFideId "30960967"] [BlackElo "2434"] [BlackTitle "IM"] [BlackFideId "30960240"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A10"] [Opening "English Opening"] [StudyName "2024 National K-12 Grade Championships"] [ChapterName "Vemparala, Nikash - Liu, Eric"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/BpCvdq2G/wFGYLnNb"] [Orientation "white"] 1. c4 { [%clk 1:29:31] } 1... d6 { [%clk 1:29:02] } 2. Nc3 { [%clk 1:29:26] } 2... g6 { [%clk 1:29:02] } 3. g3 { [%clk 1:29:15] } 3... Bg7 { [%clk 1:29:02] } 4. Bg2 { [%clk 1:29:15] } 4... Nf6 { [%clk 1:29:02] } 5. d3 { [%clk 1:29:15] } 5... O-O { [%clk 1:23:06] } 6. e4 { [%clk 1:28:20] } 6... c5 { [%clk 1:22:44] } 7. Nge2 { [%clk 1:28:16] } 7... Nc6 { [%clk 1:22:44] } 8. O-O { [%clk 1:27:01] } 8... Ne8 { [%clk 1:17:30] } 9. Be3 { [%clk 1:25:13] } 9... Nd4 { [%clk 1:13:31] } 10. h3 { [%clk 1:24:05] } 10... a6 { [%clk 1:09:06] } 11. a4 { [%clk 1:20:19] } 11... Nc7 { [%clk 1:03:02] } 12. f4 { [%clk 1:16:50] } 12... f5 { [%clk 0:52:16] } 13. Rb1 { [%clk 1:15:35] } 13... a5 { [%clk 0:44:03] } 14. Kh2 { [%clk 1:08:16] } 14... Rb8 { [%clk 0:40:29] } 15. Nb5 { [%clk 1:01:19] } 15... e5 { [%clk 0:32:26] } 16. Nexd4 { [%clk 0:55:30] } 16... cxd4 { [%clk 0:31:10] } 17. Bd2 { [%clk 0:53:31] } 17... Na6 { [%clk 0:28:44] } 18. Qe2 { [%clk 0:51:23] } 18... b6 { [%clk 0:23:31] } 19. exf5 { [%clk 0:40:56] } 19... gxf5 { [%clk 0:22:39] } 20. Na7 { [%clk 0:38:30] } 20... Bd7 { [%clk 0:20:09] } 21. Nc6 { [%clk 0:37:20] } 21... Bxc6 { [%clk 0:20:09] } 22. Bxc6 { [%clk 0:37:20] } 22... Kh8 { [%clk 0:18:29] } 23. fxe5 { [%clk 0:28:47] } 23... dxe5 { [%clk 0:18:02] } 24. Qh5 { [%clk 0:28:46] } 24... Qd6 { [%clk 0:17:05] } 25. Bd5 { [%clk 0:27:46] } 25... Nc5?! { [%clk 0:14:53] } (25... Qg6 { Based on what happens, we can see why Black is happier with queens off the board. } 26. Qxg6 hxg6 27. b4 $10 { and White does not have to fear ... Na6-c5 ideas. }) 26. b4 { [%clk 0:19:18] } 26... Nxd3?! { Apparently, playing for the connected central passers was not the right approach, which is admittedly shocking. } { [%clk 0:12:35] } (26... Nxa4 { The better pawn, as now } 27. bxa5 bxa5 28. Rxb8 Rxb8 29. Rxf5 { allows } 29... Nc3 { with a tempo on the light-squared bishop. } 30. Bg2 Rf8 $10) 27. bxa5 { [%clk 0:17:04] } 27... bxa5 { [%clk 0:09:23] } 28. Rxb8 { [%clk 0:16:10] } 28... Qxb8 { [%clk 0:09:23] } (28... Rxb8 { was more testing, as } 29. Rxf5 Nc5 30. Rf7 { is hard to evaluate. } 30... Qg6 (30... Rf8 { Black would love to expel the rook immediately with this move, } 31. Bxa5 { wins, as } 31... Nxa4 32. Bc7 { forces the queen away from defense, and threats of Bc7xe5 against the pinned g7-bishop force } 32... Qg6 { but } 33. Rxf8+ Bxf8 34. Qxe5+ Bg7 35. Qe7 Qc2+ 36. Bg2 h6 37. Be5 $18 { liquidates to a winning endgame for White. Note that 26. ... Nxa4 allowed for ... Na4-c3 before ... Rb8-f8, saving the a5-pawn and removing Ba5-c7-xe5 threats! That one seemingly insignificant c3-square was the difference between holding equality and being worse@ }) 31. Qh4 e4 32. Qe7 e3 33. Be1 Ne6!? 34. Bxe6! (34. Qxe6? Qxe6 35. Bxe6 Rb2+ 36. Kg1 Rb1 37. Rf1 e2 38. Rf3 Rxe1+ 39. Kf2 $14) 34... Qc2+ 35. Kg1 Qe2 36. Rf1 $18) 29. Rxf5 { [%clk 0:16:04] } 29... Nc5 { [%clk 0:07:21] } (29... Rxf5 30. Qxf5 Nc5 31. Bxa5 { White is winning, even after } 31... e4 { because of the fancy } 32. Bb4 $18 { with the point that the threat of Qf5-c8+ keeps Black's queen from capturing the dark-squared bishop, whereas the c5-knight is the only thing stopping Bd5xe4 with the threat of Qf5xh7 mate coming. }) 30. Bg2?! { White was presumably nervous about } { [%clk 0:14:30] } (30. Bxa5 Qb2+ 31. Bg2 { but Black's pawns are harmless! For instance, } 31... d3 { or } (31... Rxf5 32. Qxf5 { comes with threats on the c8-square, and } 32... Qb8 33. Bb4! $18 { reintroduces the threat of Bg2-e4 now that Black's queen is cut off the b-file. }) 32. Rxf8+ Bxf8 33. Qf7 $18 { wins. }) 30... Rxf5 { [%clk 0:02:59] } 31. Qxf5 { [%clk 0:14:30] } 31... Qd8?? { [%clk 0:02:59] } (31... Qf8! { Black will be suffering after the trade of queens, but well within the drawing margin after } 32. Qxf8+ Bxf8 33. Bxa5 Nxa4 34. Bc7 { when the pawns look flimsy but Black has the resource of } 34... d3 { shedding excess material rather than staying passive by defending the e5-pawn! Now, } 35. Bxe5+ Bg7 36. Bf4 (36. Bxg7+ Kxg7 37. Bf3 d2 38. Kg2 Nb2 39. c5 d1=Q 40. Bxd1 Nxd1 41. c6 Ne3+ 42. Kf3 Nd5 $10) 36... Bc3 $44) 32. Bxa5 { A familiar theme! } { [%clk 0:14:18] } 32... Qe8 { [%clk 0:02:13] } 33. Bb6 { With the same ideas as Ba5-b4, discussed earlier. } { [%clk 0:13:44] } 33... Nxa4 { [%clk 0:01:49] } 34. Be4 { The mate threat is more important than the hanging b6-bishop! } { [%clk 0:13:44] } 34... Qg8 { [%clk 0:01:49] } 35. Bc7? { [%clk 0:13:19] } (35. c5 { The winning move. Again, this requires fearlessness in the face of checks. } 35... Qa2+ 36. Bc2 $18 { But the mate threat remains! }) 35... Nc3! { Suddenly, White's bishop pair is in peril. Without a threat on the h7-square, Black's queen can reenter the game. But allowing ... e5-e4 liberates Black's bad bishop. } { [%clk 0:01:42] } 36. Bxe5 { White allows Black to "escape" into a pawn-down queen-and-pawn endgame, and likely had no better options. } { [%clk 0:09:39] } 36... Nxe4 { [%clk 0:00:53] } 37. Qxe4 { [%clk 0:09:39] } 37... Qd8? { Now, it was Black's turn to be fearless: } { [%clk 0:00:32] } (37... Qxc4! 38. Qa8+ Qg8 { The pawn endgame holds: } 39. Bxg7+ Kxg7 40. Qxg8+ Kxg8 41. Kg2 Kf7 42. Kf3 d3 43. Ke3 { The confidence to correctly assess this as a draw from so far away would be impressive, indeed. Especially considering how many subtle variations to consider just to get here. But, now, } 43... Ke6 44. Kxd3 Ke5 45. Ke3 Kf5 46. Kf3 h5 $10 { and the reader is invited to find any improvements for White along the way. }) 38. Bxg7+?! { [%clk 0:08:30] } (38. Bf4! d3 39. Bd2 $16 { Black's pawn is immobilized and it will be much harder for Black to do the same along the c-file. }) 38... Kxg7 { [%clk 0:00:32] } 39. Qd3 { [%clk 0:07:58] } 39... Qd6 { [%clk 0:00:32] } 40. Kg2 { Black is down to 32 seconds remaining for the game. There's a ten-second delay each turn, but no increment. } { [%clk 0:07:58] } 40... h6 { A weakening move, but apparently } { [%clk 0:00:21] } (40... h5 { was relevantly different after } 41. Kf3 Kf6 { when now preparing Qd3-f5+ with } 42. g4 { is met by } 42... hxg4+ 43. hxg4 Qc6+ 44. Kf2 Qc5 $10) 41. Kf3 { [%clk 0:07:37] } 41... Kf6 { [%clk 0:00:21] } 42. g4 { The problem for Black is that, with the h3- and h6-pawns still on the board, Black's king has to get all the way to the h3-square after a queen trade, rather than already be threatening a capture after ... Kf6-g5. So, Black has fewer resources here without being able to play for a queen trade. } { [%clk 0:06:15] } 42... Qc6+ { [%clk 0:00:18] } 43. Kf2 { [%clk 0:06:15] } 43... Qd6 { [%clk 0:00:18] } 44. Qg3 { With the queen trade winning for White, Vemparala can shuffle happily as he looks for concrete improvements. } { [%clk 0:04:10] } 44... Qc5 { [%clk 0:00:18] } 45. Qf3+ { [%clk 0:04:04] } 45... Kg7 { [%clk 0:00:17] } 46. Qb7+ { [%clk 0:02:59] } 46... Kf6 { [%clk 0:00:17] } 47. Qf3+ { [%clk 0:02:50] } 47... Kg7 { [%clk 0:00:17] } 48. Qd3 { [%clk 0:02:50] } 48... Qe5 { [%clk 0:00:17] } 49. Kf3! { Black has no more worthwhile checks, and h3-h4 is prepared (buying White another 50 moves!). } { [%clk 0:02:42] } 49... Kf6 { [%clk 0:00:03] } 50. h4 { [%clk 0:01:56] } 50... Qc5 { [%clk 0:00:03] } 51. h5 { The g6-square is now a target. } { [%clk 0:01:47] } 51... Kg5! { A brilliant defensive resource to find with only three seconds on the clock. } { [%clk 0:00:03] } 52. Qd2+ { [%clk 0:01:41] } 52... Kh4 { How is Black's king so hard to attack here!? } { [%clk 0:00:03] } 53. Qh2+ { [%clk 0:01:41] } 53... Kg5 { [%clk 0:00:03] } 54. Qf4+ { [%clk 0:01:41] } 54... Kh4 { [%clk 0:00:03] } 55. Qf6+ { [%clk 0:00:57] } (55. Qh2+ Kg5 56. Qe2! $18 { was apparently the right approach, intending future Kf3-e4-d3 maneuvering with the g-pawn now protected by the queen. }) 55... Kh3 { [%clk 0:00:03] } 56. Qe6? { Now apparently Black has a perpetual. } { [%clk 0:00:57] } (56. g5 { was the only winning move. }) 56... Kh4?? { [%clk 0:00:03] } (56... Qa3+ 57. Kf2 (57. Kf4?? Qg3+ 58. Ke4 Qe1+ 59. Kd5 Qxe6+ 60. Kxe6 d3 $19) 57... Qg3+ 58. Ke2 Qc3! { It's hard to believe that this is still equal, as } 59. g5+ { was the reason Black played 56. ... Kh4, but now } 59... Kh4 60. g6 d3+ $10 { and the evaluation remains level. }) 57. Ke4 $18 { Having defended both the c4- and g4-pawns, the king can activate. Now, White is winning. } { [%clk 0:00:22] } 57... Kg3 { [%clk 0:00:03] } 58. Kd3 { [%clk 0:00:12] } 58... Kh4 { [%clk 0:00:02] } 59. Qe4 { [%clk 0:00:12] } 59... Qa7 { [%clk 0:00:02] } 60. Qxd4 { [%clk 0:00:12] } 60... Qa3+ { [%clk 0:00:02] } 61. Qc3 { [%clk 0:00:12] } 61... Qe7 { [%clk 0:00:02] } 62. Qd4 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 62... Qa3+ { [%clk 0:00:02] } 63. Kd2 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 63... Qa2+ { [%clk 0:00:02] } 64. Ke3 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 64... Qa3+ { [%clk 0:00:02] } 65. Kf4 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 65... Qf8+ { [%clk 0:00:02] } 66. Ke5 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 66... Qg7+ { [%clk 0:00:02] } 67. Ke4 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 67... Qh7+ { [%clk 0:00:02] } 68. Kf3 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 68... Qb7+ { [%clk 0:00:02] } 69. Qe4 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 69... Qb3+ { [%clk 0:00:02] } 70. Kf4 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 70... Qb8+ { [%clk 0:00:02] } 71. Kf5 { [%clk 0:00:09] } 71... Qf8+ { 1-0 White wins. } { [%clk 0:00:00] } 1-0