[Event "U.S. Chess Championship - Open"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2024.10.16"] [Round "05"] [White "Yoo, Christopher Woojin"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2590"] [BlackElo "2796"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Annotator "FM Davis Zong"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A30"] [Opening "English Opening: Symmetrical Variation"] [StudyName "2024 U.S. Championship and U.S. Women's Championship"] [ChapterName "Yoo, Christopher Woojin - Caruana, Fabiano"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/K5XjRsoK/RMyF7zYd"] [Orientation "white"] 1. Nf3 { [%clk 1:30:50] } 1... c5 { [%clk 1:30:55] } 2. c4 { [%clk 1:31:16] } 2... b6 { A rare line from Caruana! Normally, the kingside bishop is fianchettoed, but when you're castling queenside, the queenside is the side with the king. } { [%clk 1:31:20] } 3. Nc3 { [%clk 1:27:55] } 3... Bb7 { [%clk 1:31:33] } 4. e4 { [%clk 1:26:31] } 4... e6 { [%clk 1:30:55] } 5. d4 { [%clk 1:23:16] } 5... cxd4 { [%clk 1:31:10] } 6. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:23:43] } 6... Nf6 { [%clk 1:31:32] } 7. Bd3 { [%clk 1:23:25] } 7... Nc6 { [%clk 1:31:19] } 8. Nxc6 { [%clk 1:22:48] } 8... dxc6 { [%clk 1:31:44] } 9. e5 { [%clk 1:20:32] } 9... Nd7 { [%clk 1:32:08] } 10. Bf4 { [%clk 1:18:50] } 10... Qc7 { [%clk 1:30:26] } 11. Qe2 { [%clk 1:17:50] } 11... O-O-O { [%clk 1:29:19] } 12. Bg3 { [%clk 1:16:17] } 12... h5 { [%clk 1:19:16] } 13. Bh4! { Not an intuitive move, especially since we moved the bishop already! White wants f2-f4, but they want to prevent ... h5-h4, so this in-between move is very effective. } { [%clk 1:14:43] } 13... Nxe5 { [%clk 0:41:53] } (13... Re8 14. f4 $16) (13... Qxe5 14. Bxd8 Qxe2+ 15. Bxe2 Kxd8 $10 { The engine believes this is drawn because the rook is unable to prevail over the dark-squared bishop and a pawn in a position with few open files! Of course, it's understandable to avoid this as Black. }) 14. Bxd8 { [%clk 1:15:00] } 14... Nxd3+ { [%clk 0:42:20] } 15. Qxd3 { [%clk 1:15:17] } 15... Qxd8 { [%clk 0:42:47] } 16. O-O-O { [%clk 1:06:08] } 16... Qc7 { [%clk 0:42:48] } 17. Kb1 { [%clk 1:02:44] } 17... Be7 { [%clk 0:41:15] } 18. Rhe1 { [%clk 1:02:20] } 18... g6 { [%clk 0:35:10] } 19. g3 { [%clk 1:00:32] } 19... Kb8 { [%clk 0:33:16] } 20. Qe3 { [%clk 0:59:53] } 20... Ba6 { [%clk 0:29:40] } 21. b3 { [%clk 0:59:40] } (21. Ne4! $16 { This was the way to go. With c4-c5 and Ne4-d6 in the cards, a win will come shortly after the knight reaches the d6-perch. }) 21... Bc8 { [%clk 0:26:49] } 22. f4 { [%clk 0:51:57] } 22... h4 { [%clk 0:26:27] } 23. Qe5 { [%clk 0:48:06] } 23... f6 { [%clk 0:20:21] } 24. Qe3 { [%clk 0:47:34] } 24... hxg3 { [%clk 0:14:53] } 25. hxg3 { [%clk 0:47:50] } 25... e5 { [%clk 0:15:04] } 26. fxe5 { [%clk 0:47:26] } 26... fxe5 { [%clk 0:15:16] } 27. Rh1 { [%clk 0:43:38] } 27... Bc5 { [%clk 0:11:47] } 28. Qg5 { [%clk 0:43:52] } 28... Rxh1 { [%clk 0:10:13] } 29. Rxh1 { [%clk 0:44:19] } 29... Qd6! { A strong play, eyeing the weak squares around the white king. Since White's queen stepped too far away, the bishop pair and queen will form a deadly attack now. } { [%clk 0:09:07] } 30. g4 { [%clk 0:40:23] } 30... Qd3+ { [%clk 0:09:07] } 31. Kb2 { [%clk 0:40:50] } 31... Bd4 { [%clk 0:09:20] } 32. Rc1 { [%clk 0:41:16] } 32... a5 { [%clk 0:05:02] } 33. a4 { [%clk 0:39:39] } 33... Qe4 { [%clk 0:03:01] } 34. Qf6 { [%clk 0:38:27] } 34... Kc7 { [%clk 0:02:01] } 35. g5 { [%clk 0:34:38] } (35. b4! { and it's still a game, as the b3-square is freed for the king. Of course, as a human, it's so unnatural to weaken three pawns at once. } 35... axb4 36. Qe7+ Bd7 37. Qxb4 Bxg4 $17 { No guarantee White holds this either, but the chances are way higher. }) 35... Qd3 { [%clk 0:02:24] } 36. Qe7+ { [%clk 0:33:59] } 36... Kb8 { [%clk 0:02:15] } 37. Qd6+ { [%clk 0:32:18] } 37... Kb7 { [%clk 0:02:41] } 38. Qe7+ { [%clk 0:32:45] } 38... Ka6 { Somehow, the king always finds a shelter! The same can't be said about White's king, who is in dire straits at the hands of the queen and bishop pair. } { [%clk 0:02:25] } 39. b4 { [%clk 0:31:02] } 39... Qxc4 { [%clk 0:01:56] } 40. Qe8 { [%clk 0:30:35] } 40... Qxb4+ { [%clk 0:01:47] } 41. Ka2 { [%clk 0:31:02] } 41... Qc4+ { [%clk 0:01:40] } 42. Kb2 { [%clk 0:31:29] } 42... Kb7 { [%clk 0:27:01] } 43. Qe7+ { [%clk 1:01:46] } 43... Kb8 { [%clk 0:27:19] } 44. Qd6+ { [%clk 1:02:10] } 44... Ka8 { [%clk 0:26:17] } 45. Qxg6 { [%clk 1:01:08] } 45... Be6 { [%clk 0:25:34] } 46. Rc2 { [%clk 0:58:50] } 46... Qa2+ { [%clk 0:24:54] } 47. Kc1 { [%clk 0:59:15] } 47... Be3+ { [%clk 0:25:21] } 48. Kd1 { [%clk 0:59:40] } 48... Bg4+ { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:25:44] } 0-1