[Event "U.S. Masters 2023"] [Site "Charlotte"] [Date "2023.11.24"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Liang, Awonder"] [Black "Homa, Seth"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2640"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [BlackElo "2234"] [BlackTeam "USA"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C79"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Steinitz Deferred"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/DWSre2Gn/mRUEjgEV"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. Re1 Bd7 7. c3 g6 8. d4 Bg7 9. h3 O-O 10. Bc2 Nh5 11. Be3 Qe8 12. Nbd2 Kh8 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Nf1 f5 15. Bc5 Rg8 16. Bb3 Be6 17. Ne3 Nf4 18. Qc2 Bxb3 19. axb3 Ne6 20. Ba3 f4 21. Nd5 g5 22. Qe2 Qg6 23. Rad1 Bf8 24. Nh2 h5 25. f3 Rg7 26. b4 b5 27. b3 Bd6 28. Bb2 Rag8 29. Kf1 g4 30. fxg4 hxg4 31. Nxg4 Rf8 32. Rd3 a5 33. bxa5?! Nxa5 34. Qc2 { The attempt to defend the b3-pawn only improves Black's initiative. } (34. Rf3 Nxb3 35. Rd1 $15) 34... Nc5 35. Rf3 Naxb3 36. c4 Nxe4! 37. Rxe4 (37. Rxb3?? Ng3+ 38. Kg1 Qxc2 $19) 37... Qxe4 38. Qxb3 (38. Qxe4 Nd2+ $19) 38... Qb1+ 39. Ke2 bxc4 40. Nc3! { The only move that keeps White in the game. } (40. Qc3?? Rb8! (40... Qe4+ 41. Nde3 fxe3 42. Qxe3 Qc2+ 43. Qd2 Qxd2+ 44. Kxd2 Rxf3 45. gxf3 Kh7 46. Ke3 Rg5 $17) 41. Bc1 Qe4+ 42. Nde3 Rb3! $19) 40... Qg1 41. Qxc4 Rb8 42. Nd1 Qxg2+ 43. Rf2 f3+ 44. Kd3 Qg1 45. Nge3 Qg6+ 46. Kd2 Rb4 47. Qc2 Qxc2+ 48. Nxc2 Rf4 { Black's pawns are scary, but White has enough pieces to hold. The brunt of the attack is over. } 49. Ne1 Rg3 50. Nd3 Rf5 51. Ne3 Rh5 52. Nf4 Rh7 53. Ng4 Rd7 54. Kc2 Rd8 55. Nxe5 Kh7 56. Nh5 Rg2 57. Nf6+ Kg7 58. Nfg4 Bxe5 59. Bxe5+ Kg6 60. Kc3 Rxf2 61. Nxf2 { Black should be happy to trade off the redundant rook, knowing that the central king, dangerous f3-pawn, and target on h3 means there is no way to lose this endgame. } 61... Kf5 62. Bd4 Rd7 63. Be3 Rh7 64. Kd3 Rd7+ 65. Kc3 Rh7 66. Kd3 c6 67. Bc5 Rb7 68. Be3 Rb3+ 69. Kd2 Rb2+ 70. Kd3 Rb3+ 71. Kd2 Rb2+ { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2