[Event "FIDE World Cup 2023"] [Site "Baku"] [Date "2023.08.04"] [Round "2.4"] [White "Yilmaz, Mustafa"] [Black "Liang, Awonder"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2639"] [BlackElo "2649"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A40"] [Opening "English Defense"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/QLPThvQV/6LnMq0nw"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 b6 { Remember, this is a "must win" for Liang. } 2. e4 Bb7 3. Bd3 e6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Qe2 d5 6. e5 Nfd7 7. O-O c5 8. c3 Nc6 9. a3 Be7 10. Be3 Qc7 11. Nbd2 h6 12. b4 c4 13. Bc2 O-O-O 14. b5 Na5 15. a4 { Assuming it's possible to experience happiness from a French structure, I imagine Liang would have to be pretty happy about his position here. White's queenside is locked up, while the kingside is now going to be an expansive frontier. Shades of Spassky – Petrosian, game seven (1966). } 15... Rdg8 16. h3 Kb8 17. Nh2 f5 18. g4 g6 19. Rab1 Nf8 20. Kh1 a6 21. Rg1 axb5 22. axb5 Bc8 23. f4 Bd7 24. Nhf3 Qd8 25. Rg3 Qe8 26. Qg2 Kc7 27. Ba4 g5! 28. fxg5 hxg5 29. gxf5 exf5 30. Nxg5? { With Black's firm grip on the initiative, it makes sense why White did not want to sit still. But this helps Black! } 30... f4 31. Bxf4 Bxg5 32. Bxg5 Bxh3?! (32... Rxg5! 33. Rxg5 Bxh3 34. Qf2 Ne6 $17) 33. Rxh3 Rxh3+ 34. Qxh3 Rxg5 35. Bd1 Qg6 { White has achieved an objectively equal position. But between mental presssure and clock pressure, that does not matter so much. } 36. Bf3?? (36. Ra1! Rg3 37. Qh2 Ne6 38. Bf3 Rg5) 36... Nb3! { A nice overload on the b1-rook, from a part of the board that White could be forgiven for overlooking. } 37. Rd1 Rg3! 38. Qh4 (38. Qh5 Nxd2 { is no different. }) 38... Nxd2 39. Bxd5 Rg5?? { Missing a crafty resource in mutual time trouble. } (39... Rg4!) 40. Bf7? (40. Ra1! Rh5 41. Ra7+ Kb8 42. Ra8+) 40... Qf5 41. Rxd2 Qf1+ 42. Kh2 Qg1+ 43. Kh3 Qh1+ 44. Rh2 Qf3+ { Onto the blitz! } 0-1