[Event "2023 North American Junior U20"] [Site "Dulles"] [Date "2023.12.20"] [White "Iris Mou"] [Black "Zoey Tang"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2106"] [BlackElo "2284"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B51"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/PMUD6XkL/xG4dlhf1"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. a4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 g6 7. a5 b5 8. axb6 Bb7 9. d3 Bg7 10. O-O O-O 11. Qd2 Nxb6 12. Qf4 a5 13. Qh4 Qc7 14. Ra3 Rfb8 15. Bh6 Nbd7 16. Ng5 Qd8 17. d4 cxd4 (17... Bxh6 18. Qxh6 cxd4 19. Nb5 Bxe4 20. Nxd4 Qb6 $17) 18. Bc4 Ne5 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. Bxf7 Bc8 (20... dxc3!? { is not totally outrageous, believe it or not: } 21. Ne6+ Kxf7 22. Nxd8+ Rxd8 23. f4! { secures a plus, however. } (23. Rxc3 Bxe4 $13)) 21. Nd5 Nxf7 22. Nxf7 Qf8 (22... Kxf7 { might have been a cleaner draw: } 23. Nxf6 exf6 24. Qxh7+ Ke6 25. Qh3+ Ke7 26. Qh7+ Ke6 { and White can try to push with } 27. Qxg6 { but after } 27... Kd7 28. Qf5+ Kc7 29. Qd5 Bd7 30. Qxd4 Rb4! { Black holds. }) 23. Nxd6 Nxd5 24. Rf3 Nf6 25. e5 exd6?! (25... Bg4! { is the engine's improvement. } 26. Rxf6 (26. exf6+ exf6 27. Qxg4 Qxd6) 26... exf6 27. Qxg4 fxe5 28. Qd7+ Kg8 29. Qe6+ Kg7 30. Qd7+ Kg8) 26. Rxf6?! (26. exf6+ { White has two pawns for the piece. But Black's pieces are far away. The engine insists White wins here. Typically, it takes three pieces to make an attack work, but perhaps the f6-pawn counts as a piece? } 26... Kh8 (26... Kg8?? 27. f7+ Kg7 (27... Kh8 28. Qf6+ Qg7 29. f8=Q#) 28. Qf6+ Kh6 29. Re1 { with the dual threats of Re1-e4 but preparing to meet ...Rb8-b5 with Re1-e8. }) 27. Re1!! { The only move. Re1-e7 is unstoppable. } (27. f7? Bf5 28. Qxd4+ Qg7 29. Qxd6 { is an instructive point. Black had to play ...Bc8-f5 to block off the f-file, but now this means the f-pawn is untouchable as the queen walks into a pin. So Black must play slowly with } 29... Rf8 { but slowly is not the same as "too slow" and Black should win. }) 27... Bb7 (27... Bf5 28. Re7 { is the threat. } 28... Qg8 (28... h5 29. Rxf5 $18) 29. f7 $18) (27... Rb7 { still fails to stop the threat: } 28. Re7 h6 29. Qxd4 $18) (27... Rxb2 { There is no time for pawn-grabbing, even with White's problems on the back rank, as now Black's own back rank is weaker, meaning that the plan with } 28. f7! { works. } 28... Bf5 29. Qf6+ Qg7 30. Re8+ Rxe8 31. fxe8=Q#) 28. Re7! Qxe7 29. fxe7 Bxf3 30. Qf6+ Kg8 31. Qxf3 Re8 32. Qd5+ Kg7 33. Qxd6 $18) 26... Qe8 27. e6 { The transmission ends here. Possibly a draw was agreed, or possibly more moves were played from this roughly level position. If 27. ...Rb7 was played, here is one continuation illustrating the best attempts and defenses: } 27... Rb7 28. Qxd4 Kg8 29. Qd5 Rab8 30. e7+ Kg7 31. Qd4 Rxe7 32. Rxd6+ Kf7 33. Rd8 Re4 34. Qd5+ Qe6 { when neither side has an advantage and play remains murky. } 1/2-1/2