[Event "U.S. National Middle School Championship 2024"] [Site "Atlanta, Georgia"] [Date "2024.05.12"] [Round "06"] [White "Vemparala, Nikash"] [Black "Eric Chang Liu"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2171"] [BlackElo "2468"] [TimeControl "5400+10"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C54"] [Opening "Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with d6"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/O4mAGfsa/4ZBRmHeT"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:29:45] } 1... e5 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:29:42] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 3. Bc4 { [%clk 1:29:39] } 3... Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 4. d3 { [%clk 1:29:39] } 4... Bc5 { [%clk 1:21:33] } 5. c3 { [%clk 1:28:48] } 5... d6 { [%clk 1:21:33] } 6. O-O { [%clk 1:27:55] } 6... a5 { [%clk 1:21:33] } 7. a4 { [%clk 1:23:43] } 7... O-O { [%clk 1:19:37] } 8. Nbd2 { [%clk 1:21:44] } 8... Ba7 { [%clk 1:15:49] } 9. Bb3 { [%clk 1:15:15] } 9... Re8 { [%clk 1:03:58] } 10. Nc4 { [%clk 1:07:32] } 10... h6 { [%clk 0:56:46] } 11. Be3 { [%clk 1:05:24] } 11... Bxe3 { [%clk 0:39:15] } 12. fxe3 { [%clk 0:54:53] } 12... Be6 { [%clk 0:36:18] } 13. Qe1 { [%clk 0:41:07] } 13... Ne7 { [%clk 0:35:56] } 14. Nh4 { [%clk 0:39:03] } 14... c6 { [%clk 0:29:05] } 15. Qg3 { [%clk 0:35:07] } 15... Kh8 { [%clk 0:21:55] } 16. Nf5 { [%clk 0:27:53] } 16... Nxf5 { [%clk 0:19:14] } 17. exf5 { [%clk 0:27:53] } 17... Bxc4 { [%clk 0:19:14] } 18. Bxc4 { [%clk 0:27:26] } 18... d5 { [%clk 0:19:14] } 19. Ba2 { [%clk 0:27:13] } 19... Qe7 { [%clk 0:17:40] } 20. Rae1 { [%clk 0:23:24] } 20... Rab8 { [%clk 0:16:37] } 21. e4 { [%clk 0:21:28] } 21... dxe4 { [%clk 0:15:05] } 22. dxe4 { [%clk 0:21:12] } 22... Rbd8 { [%clk 0:13:43] } 23. Qe3 { [%clk 0:20:14] } 23... Rd7 { [%clk 0:13:32] } 24. Bb3 { [%clk 0:16:22] } 24... Red8 { [%clk 0:11:09] } 25. Rd1 { [%clk 0:16:22] } 25... Rxd1 { [%clk 0:10:02] } 26. Rxd1 { [%clk 0:16:22] } 26... Rxd1+ { [%clk 0:09:52] } 27. Bxd1 { [%clk 0:16:22] } 27... Qd6 { [%clk 0:08:34] } 28. Be2 { [%clk 0:16:22] } 28... Nd7 { [%clk 0:07:02] } 29. Qd3 { [%clk 0:11:21] } 29... Qxd3 { [%clk 0:05:28] } 30. Bxd3 { [%clk 0:11:21] } 30... Nc5 { [%clk 0:05:28] } 31. Bc2 { [%clk 0:11:21] } 31... Kg8 { [%clk 0:04:55] } 32. Kf2 { [%clk 0:10:42] } 32... b5 { [%clk 0:04:43] } 33. axb5 { [%clk 0:09:14] } 33... cxb5 { [%clk 0:04:43] } 34. b4 { [%clk 0:08:12] } 34... axb4 { [%clk 0:04:43] } 35. cxb4 { [%clk 0:08:12] } 35... Na6 { [%clk 0:04:43] } 36. Bd3 { [%clk 0:08:12] } 36... Nxb4 { [%clk 0:04:43] } 37. Bxb5 { [%clk 0:08:12] } 37... Nc2 { [%clk 0:04:27] } 38. Ba4 { [%clk 0:07:40] } 38... Nd4 { [%clk 0:04:26] } 39. Ke3 { [%clk 0:07:40] } 39... Kf8 { [%clk 0:04:26] } 40. Kd3 { [%clk 0:07:28] } 40... Ke7 { [%clk 0:04:26] } 41. Bd1 { [%clk 0:07:24] } 41... Kd6 { [%clk 0:04:11] } 42. Kc4 { [%clk 0:07:24] } 42... g6 { [%clk 0:03:19] } 43. fxg6 { [%clk 0:06:45] } 43... fxg6 { [%clk 0:03:19] } 44. h4 { [%clk 0:06:45] } 44... Ne6 { [%clk 0:03:08] } 45. g3 { [%clk 0:06:10] } 45... Nc5 { [%clk 0:03:08] } 46. Bc2 { [%clk 0:05:56] } 46... Nd7 { [%clk 0:03:08] } 47. Bd1 { [%clk 0:05:10] } 47... Nf6 { [%clk 0:03:08] } 48. Bf3 { [%clk 0:05:10] } 48... Kc6 { [%clk 0:03:08] } 49. Kb4 { [%clk 0:05:08] } 49... Kd6 { [%clk 0:02:37] } 50. Kc4 { [%clk 0:05:08] } 50... Nh7 { [%clk 0:02:37] } 51. Kb4 { [%clk 0:03:52] } 51... Nf8 { [%clk 0:02:37] } 52. Kc4 { [%clk 0:03:38] } 52... Ne6 { [%clk 0:02:37] } 53. Bd1 { [%clk 0:03:27] } 53... Kc6 { [%clk 0:02:30] } 54. Ba4+ { [%clk 0:03:24] } 54... Kd6 { [%clk 0:02:30] } 55. Bd1 { [%clk 0:03:24] } 55... Nf8 { [%clk 0:04:30] } 56. Bf3 { [%clk 0:03:12] } 56... Nd7 { [%clk 0:04:30] } 57. Bd1 { [%clk 0:03:12] } 57... Nf6 { [%clk 0:04:30] } 58. Bf3 { [%clk 0:03:12] } 58... g5 { [%clk 0:04:30] } 59. hxg5 { [%clk 0:02:42] } 59... hxg5 { [%clk 0:04:30] } 60. Kb4 { [%clk 0:02:42] } 60... g4 { The critical moment in an even game. Black had a preferable position out of the opening, but was never able to achieve anything more than trading into an endgame with the preferable minor piece. But White continued to defend solidly, liquidating one set of pawns at a time, to reach this position. The question is: can the e4-pawn be defended? } { [%clk 0:04:30] } 61. Be2! { No, it cannot! In fact, it must not be defended! } { [%clk 0:02:42] } (61. Bd1 { is the same, and just as good. The point is that White absolutely must not play: }) (61. Bg2?? { which loses the g-pawn: } 61... Nh5! { This still wins a pawn for Black and, more importantly, it leaves Black with a passed pawn that is both more advanced and further away from White's king! } 62. Kc4 Nxg3 63. Kd3 Ke6 64. Ke3 Kf6 65. Kf2 Nh5 $19 { and Black creates a forcefield around the g-pawn. There is no way to stop Black from playing ... Kf6-g5-f4 and ... Nh5-f6, winning a second pawn and the game. }) 61... Ke6 { [%clk 0:03:15] } (61... Nh5 62. Bxg4 { is why the bishop absolutely had to remain on the d1-h5 diagonal. }) 62. Kc4 { [%clk 0:02:42] } 62... Nxe4 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 63. Bxg4+ { [%clk 0:02:42] } 63... Kf6 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 64. Be2 { [%clk 0:02:39] } 64... Nxg3 $10 { Black wins a pawn, but with only one pawn remaining, it will be easy for White to sac the bishop for it and claim a draw. } { [%clk 0:02:52] } 65. Bd3 { [%clk 0:02:39] } 65... Nf5 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 66. Kc3 { [%clk 0:02:34] } 66... Kg5 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 67. Kd2 { [%clk 0:02:34] } 67... Nd6 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 68. Ke3 { [%clk 0:02:34] } 68... Kf6 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 69. Kd2 { [%clk 0:02:29] } 69... Nb7 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 70. Ke3 { [%clk 0:02:29] } 70... Nc5 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 71. Bc2 { [%clk 0:02:29] } 71... Ke6 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 72. Bh7 { [%clk 0:02:29] } 72... Kd5 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 73. Bb1 { [%clk 0:02:29] } 73... Nd7 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 74. Be4+ { [%clk 0:02:29] } 74... Kc4 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 75. Bd3+ { [%clk 0:02:29] } 75... Kd5 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 76. Be4+ { [%clk 0:02:29] } 76... Kd6 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 77. Bh7 { [%clk 0:02:29] } 77... Nf6 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 78. Be4 { [%clk 0:01:56] } 78... Ke6 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 79. Bf3 { [%clk 0:01:56] } 79... Kf5 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 80. Bb7 { [%clk 0:01:56] } 80... Ng4+ { [%clk 0:02:52] } 81. Kf3 { [%clk 0:01:56] } 81... Nh6 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 82. Ke3 { [%clk 0:01:56] } 82... Nf7 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 83. Be4+ { [%clk 0:01:56] } 83... Kf6 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 84. Bb1 { [%clk 0:01:53] } 84... Nd6 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 85. Bd3 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } { [%clk 0:01:53] } 1/2-1/2