[Event "U.S. Junior Chess Championships 2024"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2024.07.21"] [Round "06"] [White "Ladan, Nicholas"] [Black "Hong, Andrew"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2211"] [BlackElo "2570"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Annotator "Matt Clibanoff"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D02"] [Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: London System"] [StudyName "2024 U.S. National Championships (Junior/Girls' Junior/Senior)"] [ChapterName "Ladan, Nicholas - Hong, Andrew"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/HdJRwKaQ/WEXvQhJ6"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 { [%clk 2:00:55] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:59:15] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 2:01:15] } 2... d5 { [%clk 1:58:02] } 3. Bf4 { [%clk 2:01:19] } 3... c5 { [%clk 1:57:37] } 4. e3 { [%clk 2:01:26] } 4... Nc6 { [%clk 1:57:43] } 5. Nbd2 { [%clk 2:01:32] } 5... e6 { [%clk 1:57:04] } 6. c3 { [%clk 2:01:46] } 6... Nh5 { [%clk 1:57:10] } 7. Bg5!? { A move that the computer likes but seems to inexplicably score horribly. } { [%clk 1:57:29] } 7... f6 { [%clk 1:57:10] } 8. Bh4 { [%clk 1:57:19] } 8... g6! { Opening the g7-square for the h5-knight. } { [%cal Bh5g7] [%clk 1:57:18] } 9. Be2 { [%clk 1:41:56] } 9... cxd4 { [%clk 1:53:42] } 10. cxd4 { [%clk 1:40:46] } 10... Be7 { [%clk 1:53:04] } 11. g4?! { Kind of an odd move. The knight wants to go to g7, and the break with g4-g5 isn't particularly strong. } { [%clk 1:34:43] } (11. Rc1! { Probably the best move in this position. White improves the rook without making any committal moves. } { [%cal Bc1c8] }) 11... Ng7 { [%clk 1:49:41] } 12. h3?! { Sort of a pointless move. White really needs to concern himself with the ... e6-e5 break. } { [%clk 1:31:12] } (12. Bg3! e5 13. dxe5 Bxg4 14. Qb3 { This keeps White in the game. }) 12... e5! { Black breaks the center while he has the numbers. } { [%clk 1:29:47] } 13. dxe5 { [%clk 1:24:44] } 13... fxe5 { [%clk 1:30:03] } 14. Bg3 { [%clk 1:23:01] } 14... e4! { Grabbing space. } { [%clk 1:26:40] } 15. Ne5 { [%clk 1:21:43] } 15... Bh4 { [%clk 1:26:44] } 16. Nxc6 { [%clk 1:03:06] } 16... bxc6 { [%clk 1:26:53] } 17. O-O { [%clk 0:57:59] } 17... Bxg3 { [%clk 1:07:33] } 18. fxg3 { And this exchange has clearly benefitted Black. White's king is a bit shaky, his pawn structure is terrible, and he seriously lacks space. Black should stand considerably better already. } { [%clk 0:58:22] } 18... Qg5?! { [%clk 1:07:46] } (18... Qb6! { [%cal Bb6e3,Bb6b2] } 19. Kg2 Qxe3 20. Rc1 Rf8 (20... Qb6?? { This is likely what Hong saw. } 21. Nxe4 dxe4 22. Qd6 { Black's king is trapped and the c-pawn will fall. }) 21. Rxf8+ Kxf8 22. Rxc6 Ne6 { This is probably the best continuation, but the position feels unclear. }) 19. Qb3 { [%clk 0:53:02] } 19... Qe5 { [%clk 1:05:15] } 20. Nxe4? { [%clk 0:50:47] } 20... Rb8! { The best response. Black grabs tempo and goes after White's queenside pawns rather than recapturing the knight. } { [%clk 0:51:23] } (20... dxe4?? 21. Qf7+ Kd8 22. Rad1+ { This will eventually lead to mate. }) (20... Qxe4 21. Qc3! Bd7 (21... Rg8?? 22. Qxc6+ Kd8 23. Qxa8) 22. Qxg7 Qxe3+ 23. Kh1 O-O-O) 21. Qc3 { [%clk 0:48:04] } 21... Qxc3 { [%clk 0:51:11] } 22. Nxc3 { [%clk 0:48:29] } 22... Rxb2 { [%clk 0:51:32] } 23. Bd1 { [%clk 0:35:35] } 23... Ba6?! { [%clk 0:37:18] } (23... Ne6! { A slight improvement, developing the knight. } 24. Rf6? Ke7 { The rook cannot infiltrate and must retreat. }) 24. Rf6! { Attacking c6 with tempo and giving White some counterplay. } { [%clk 0:35:50] } 24... Bb7 { [%clk 0:33:42] } 25. Ba4 { [%clk 0:30:59] } 25... Ke7 { [%clk 0:32:45] } 26. Raf1 { [%clk 0:26:45] } 26... Ne6 { [%clk 0:32:42] } 27. h4 { [%clk 0:21:49] } (27. e4! Ba6 28. exd5 Ng5 29. d6+ Kd7 30. Re1 Nxh3+ 31. Kh1 { And the best Black has is a perpetual with ... Nh3-f2+. }) 27... Rb4 { [%clk 0:30:20] } 28. g5 { [%clk 0:15:39] } 28... Rc4 { [%clk 0:25:11] } 29. Rc1 { [%clk 0:14:14] } (29. Rf7+! Kd6 (29... Kd8?? 30. Rxb7 Rxc3 31. Rb8+ Kc7 32. Rxh8) 30. Rc1 { A slightly more aggressive try. }) 29... h6 { [%clk 0:20:12] } 30. Rxg6 { [%clk 0:10:45] } 30... hxg5 { [%clk 0:20:24] } 31. hxg5 { [%clk 0:05:27] } 31... Rg4 { [%clk 0:19:48] } 32. Kg2? { A very logical move in an extremely complex position. The issue is that Black's queenside pawns will march, eventually opening up the light-squared bishop. } { [%cal Bc6c4,Bb7g2] [%clk 0:03:20] } (32. Rb1! { Grabbing tempo. } 32... Ba8 (32... Rxg3+?? 33. Kf2 { [%cal Bf2g3,Bb1b7] }) 33. Rh6 Rxg3+ 34. Kf2 Rh3 35. Rxh3 Rxh3 36. Rb8 d4 37. exd4 Rxc3 38. Rxa8) 32... c5 { [%clk 0:19:57] } 33. Rb1 { [%clk 0:01:27] } 33... Ba8 { [%clk 0:20:20] } 34. Bd1?? { A blunder in time trouble. } { [%clk 0:01:29] } (34. e4! { It's not a great move, but at least something will remain in front of the bishop. }) 34... d4+! { With this discovery, Black is easily winning. } { [%clk 0:18:01] } 35. Bf3 { [%clk 0:01:51] } 35... dxc3 { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:17:23] } 0-1