[Event "U.S. Junior Championship - Open"] [Site "Saint Louis, US"] [Date "2024.07.16"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Wang, Justin"] [Black "Liang, Jason"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2517"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [BlackElo "2412"] [BlackTeam "USA"] [Annotator "IM Carissa Yip"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D44"] [Opening "Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/HdJRwKaQ/OS8034sf"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5 Be7 { A deviation from the typical 10. ... Nbd7. } 11. exf6 Bxf6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. g3 Na6 14. Bg2 Bb7 15. a4 Qe7 (15... O-O-O { Is the main continuation, but if either side doesn't know the theory, it can turn quite scary. The best line continues: } 16. axb5 cxb5 17. Bxb7+ Kxb7 18. Nxb5 e5 19. d5 Nc5 20. Rxa7+ Kb6 21. Qd2 Nd3+ 22. Kf1 Qxf2+ 23. Qxf2+ Nxf2 24. Kxf2 Kxb5 { From here, it fizzles out into a still-sharp endgame, where all three results still possible (but a draw is most likely lol). }) 16. Qf3 b4 17. Ne2 Rb8?! (17... O-O-O { Black really needed to get his king to safety and then push in the center with either ... e6-e5 or ... c6-c5, depending on White's next move. }) 18. Qf4 c5 19. Bxb7 Qxb7 20. O-O Qd5 (20... Rh5 { Black needed this at some point; either here, or any time across the next few moves. The rook activates to gain control of some of the key central/light squares. Otherwise, White immediately kills when his pieces are prepared enough to open up the center. }) 21. h4 Rd8 22. Rad1 Ke7 23. Rfe1 (23. dxc5 { An immediate blow; the following variations highlight the danger of Black's position. } 23... Qxc5 (23... Qxd1 24. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 25. Kg2 Nxc5 26. Qc7+ Nd7 27. Qxc4 $18 { The queen and knight are too strong against Black's king, and White will pick up the pawns on the queenside. The rooks are too uncoordinated; the d1-rook is not doing much, and the h8-rook is tied to watching the passed h-pawn. }) 24. Rc1 Rc8 25. Rfd1 $18 { More or less winning on the spot; Rd1-d4 is coming, the c4-pawn drops, and Black's king is weak. }) 23... Qf5 { Desperate; the endgame is losing because of Black's weak pawns and misplaced knight. But Liang is already in deep trouble, as d4xc5 is coming. } (23... Rhg8 24. dxc5 Qxd1 25. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 26. Kg2 $18) 24. Qxf5 exf5 25. Rc1 Kf6 26. Rxc4 { Wang converts with no issues from here. } 26... Rhe8 27. Kf1 Re4 28. Rec1 Kg7 29. f3 Re3 30. Kf2 Rd3 31. dxc5 Rd2 32. R4c2 b3 33. Rxd2 Rxd2 34. c6 Nc7 35. Ke3 Rxb2 36. Nd4 Ra2 37. Nxb3 Rxa4 38. Nd4 Ra5 39. Rb1 Kf6 40. Kd3 Ke5 41. h5 Ra3+ 42. Rb3 Ra1 43. Nb5 Nd5 44. h6 Kf6 45. Kd4 Ne7 46. c7 Kg6 47. Re3 Rd1+ 48. Kc5 Rc1+ 49. Rc3 Re1 50. Nxa7 Kxh6 51. c8=Q Nxc8 52. Nxc8 Kg5 53. Nd6 Rg1 54. Nxf7+ Kf6 55. Nd8 Rxg3 56. Kd4 Rg1 57. Ke3 Ra1 58. Rc6+ Ke7 59. Nb7 Ra4 60. Rb6 Kf7 61. Kf2 Kg7 62. Kg3 Kf7 63. Nd6+ Kf6 64. Rb5 Ke6 65. Nxf5 Kf6 66. Ne3 Ra3 67. Ng4+ Kg6 68. Rb6+ Kg5 69. Nf2 Kf5 70. Rb5+ Ke6 71. Ne4 Ra8 72. Kf4 Rf8+ 73. Ke3 Ra8 74. Rb6+ Kf7 75. Kf4 Ra5 76. Rb5 Ra3 77. Ke5 Ra6 78. f4 Ke7 79. f5 Ra8 80. Rb7+ Kf8 81. Ng5 Ra5+ 82. Kf6 Ra6+ 83. Ne6+ Kg8 84. Kg6 Ra8 85. f6 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0