[Event "U.S. National Middle School Championship 2024"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2024.05.11"] [Round "03"] [White "Liu, Chris Ping"] [Black "Paragua, Megan Althea"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1995"] [BlackElo "2198"] [TimeControl "5400+10"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D00"] [Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/O4mAGfsa/LLBAFZbM"] [Orientation "white"] { A very complete game from Black. She shows specific opening knowledge to gain a strong position, makes the correct calls with respect to dynamics in the center, and prevents White from ever using the light-squared bishop he worked so hard to preserve. From there, she is happy to play the long game, choosing practical moves over more complicated but potentially more forcing ones, winning the endgame after her opponent failed to find the most precise moves from a precarious position in time trouble. } 1. d4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 1... d5 { [%clk 1:26:36] } 2. Bf4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 2... Nf6 { [%clk 1:25:35] } 3. e3 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 3... e6 { [%clk 1:25:32] } 4. Nf3 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 4... Bd6 { [%clk 1:24:04] } 5. Nbd2 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 5... O-O { [%clk 1:21:44] } 6. Bd3 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 6... c5 { [%clk 1:16:50] } 7. c3 { [%clk 1:25:20] } 7... Bxf4 { [%clk 1:08:22] } 8. exf4 { [%clk 1:25:20] } 8... b6 { [%clk 1:08:16] } 9. Qe2 { [%clk 1:23:31] } 9... a5 { An astute way to play against the London. Black's delayed queenside development is very intentional, aiming for ... Bc8-a6 to remove White's light-squared bishop. } { [%clk 1:04:28] } 10. dxc5!? { [%clk 1:10:51] } (10. O-O Ba6 { is Black's point, trading off White's attacking bishop. } 11. Ne5 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 a4 13. f5 exf5 14. Qxf5 Qc8 $10 { is an objectively equal position, although it should be easier to play for Black with the clear plan to create weaknesses on the queenside. }) 10... bxc5 { [%clk 1:04:22] } 11. O-O { [%clk 1:10:51] } 11... Ba6 { Black gets what she wanted out of the opening, with more flexibility in the center to boot! } { [%clk 1:02:33] } 12. c4 { This was White's idea, giving up the center to keep an attacking piece. } { [%clk 1:10:50] } 12... Nc6 { [%clk 1:01:25] } 13. Rac1 { [%clk 1:01:59] } 13... Qd6 { [%clk 0:53:59] } 14. Ne5 { [%clk 0:59:24] } 14... Nb4 { [%clk 0:46:26] } 15. Bb1 { [%clk 0:57:54] } 15... Rfb8 { [%clk 0:43:43] } 16. Rfd1 { [%clk 0:53:28] } 16... Qc7 { [%clk 0:37:57] } 17. Ndf3 { [%clk 0:48:46] } 17... dxc4 { If White really wants to attack, Black should mop up on the queenside! } { [%clk 0:36:26] } 18. Qe1 { [%clk 0:42:02] } 18... h6 { [%clk 0:28:00] } (18... Nbd5 19. Ng5 { is what Black did not want to have to calculate. Apparently, her pieces are better after } 19... Rxb2 20. Nexf7 Nxf4! { with the threat of ... Nf4-e2+. That said, Black's position was very solid, and this is very double-edged, so 18. ... h6 is a commendable practical choice. }) 19. f5? { [%clk 0:30:04] } (19. Nxc4 Nbd5 20. Qe5 Qxe5 21. fxe5 Bxc4 22. Rxc4 Nd7 23. Rd2 Rb4 $15) (19. Rd2 { was nice prophylaxis against ... Nb4-d5, revealing an attack on the weak b2-pawn. } 19... Nbd5 20. g3 $15 { and White is solid, putting the pressure on Black to decide how to prove her advantage. }) 19... exf5! { [%clk 0:26:18] } 20. Nxc4 { [%clk 0:29:46] } 20... Re8 { The point. White was fixated on the b1-h7 diagonal but missed the vulnerability on the e-file. } { [%clk 0:25:36] } 21. Qf1 { [%clk 0:26:04] } 21... Ne4 { And there goes White's golden diagonal! } { [%clk 0:24:50] } 22. a3 { [%clk 0:24:32] } 22... Nc6 { [%clk 0:24:44] } 23. Bd3 { [%clk 0:24:01] } 23... Rad8 { [%clk 0:21:24] } 24. Ne3 { [%clk 0:21:10] } 24... Bxd3 { [%clk 0:19:54] } 25. Rxd3 { [%clk 0:21:10] } 25... Rxd3 { [%clk 0:19:54] } 26. Qxd3 { [%clk 0:21:10] } 26... Rd8 { [%clk 0:19:54] } 27. Qc4 { [%clk 0:18:04] } 27... Ne5 { [%clk 0:18:34] } 28. Nxe5 { [%clk 0:12:34] } 28... Qxe5 $17 { Black's pieces have full control of the center, making it difficult to find any plans for White. } { [%clk 0:18:34] } 29. Rc2 { [%clk 0:12:21] } 29... g6 { [%clk 0:12:19] } 30. Qe2 { [%clk 0:06:31] } 30... Qd4 { [%clk 0:11:09] } 31. g3 { [%clk 0:05:38] } 31... Rb8 { [%clk 0:09:50] } 32. Qc4 { [%clk 0:04:56] } 32... Kg7 { Black's patient play is commendable. She has more attacking chances, yes, but she also has the better endgame, so why hurry? } { [%clk 0:08:52] } 33. Kg2 { [%clk 0:04:25] } 33... a4 { [%clk 0:07:56] } 34. Qxd4+ { [%clk 0:02:50] } 34... cxd4 { [%clk 0:07:56] } 35. Nd1 { [%clk 0:02:50] } 35... Kf6 { [%clk 0:06:02] } (35... Rb3! { was more precise. } 36. Rc4? Rd3) 36. Rc4 { [%clk 0:02:35] } 36... Ke5 { [%clk 0:06:02] } 37. Rxa4 { [%clk 0:02:24] } 37... Rc8 { White is still alive, but has just over two minutes (to Black's six) for the rest of the game. } { [%clk 0:06:02] } 38. f4+?? { [%clk 0:01:32] } (38. Ra5+ Kd6 $17) 38... Kd5 $19 { An important point: now Ra4-a5+ is met by ... Kd5-c4 and Black's king crashes through. } { [%clk 0:06:00] } 39. Kf1 { [%clk 0:00:37] } 39... Rc1 { [%clk 0:05:56] } 40. Ke1 { [%clk 0:00:17] } 40... Rc2 { White's pieces are spectators. } { [%clk 0:05:43] } 41. b3 { White covers the c4-square, but it is too late. } { [%clk 0:00:17] } (41. Ra7 Rxh2 42. Rxf7 Kc4 43. Rb7 Kd3 44. Rb3+ Kc2 $19 { is a nice illustration of Black's active king. }) 41... Rxh2 { [%clk 0:05:42] } 42. Ra5+ { [%clk 0:00:17] } 42... Kc6 { [%clk 0:05:42] } 43. Ra7 { [%clk 0:00:01] } 43... d3 { [%clk 0:05:38] } 44. Ne3 { [%clk 0:00:01] } (44. Rxf7 Rh1# { was the point. }) 44... Rh1+ { [%clk 0:05:05] } 45. Nf1 { [%clk 0:00:01] } 45... d2+ { and, with one second remaining on the clock, White resigned due to the inevitable material loss. } { [%clk 0:05:05] } 0-1