[Event "Round 9: Liang, Jason - Sonis, Francesco"] [Site "https://lichess.org/broadcast/35th-annual-chicago-open/round-9/y7GtQaNJ/KIIT7m9S"] [Date "2026.05.25"] [Round "9.5"] [White "Liang, Jason"] [Black "Sonis, Francesco"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2440"] [WhiteTitle "IM"] [WhiteFideId "30940303"] [BlackElo "2556"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "895733"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C54"] [Opening "Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo"] [StudyName "2026 Memorial Day Weekend Wrap-Up"] [ChapterName "Liang, Jason - Sonis, Francesco"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/SNrtQXpx/KnWVRbyg"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 1... e5 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 3. Bc4 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 3... Bc5 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 4. c3 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 4... Nf6 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 5. d3 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 5... d6 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 6. O-O { [%clk 1:20:00] } 6... a5 { [%clk 1:20:00] } 7. Re1 { [%clk 1:19:39] } 7... O-O { [%clk 1:19:30] } 8. h3 { [%clk 1:19:39] } 8... h6 { [%clk 1:19:30] } 9. d4 { [%clk 1:19:39] } 9... Ba7 { [%clk 1:19:25] } 10. Bb3 { [%clk 1:19:39] } 10... Re8 { [%clk 1:18:50] } 11. Bc2 { [%clk 1:19:39] } 11... Bd7 { [%clk 1:17:28] } 12. a4 { [%clk 1:07:20] } 12... Qc8!? { This move was tried once by GM Jeffery Xiong in 2021. } { [%clk 1:13:29] } (12... exd4 { is the main continuation, played by the likes of Giri and Robson. } 13. cxd4 Nb4 $10 { This is why we trade after a2-a4 is played, as now the b4-square belongs to the knight, allowing Black to neutralize the bishop pair. } 14. Nc3) 13. Na3 { [%clk 1:02:54] } 13... exd4!? { This move makes less sense now that ... Nc6-b4 can be met by Bc2-b1, retaining the bishop pair. } { [%clk 1:12:29] } (13... Bxh3 { The engine calmly shows zeroes here. It is consistent with Black's previous move, at least. } 14. gxh3 Qxh3 15. Nh2 (15. Nb5 Ng4 { might even give Black an edge: } 16. Nxa7 Re6!! { Speaking of consistent play. } 17. Nxc6 bxc6 { Now White has to find } 18. Bf4! { to stay in the game. After } 18... exf4 19. e5 { White has stopped ... Re6-g6, and play rages on. } 19... Rf8 $13) 15... exd4 16. Qf3 Qh4 17. Qf4 Qh3 $10 { Neither side can improve on the repetition. }) 14. cxd4 { [%clk 1:00:43] } 14... Nb4 { [%clk 1:12:28] } 15. Bb1 { [%clk 1:00:37] } 15... d5?! { [%clk 1:05:17] } (15... Bc6 { was another idea, provoking } 16. d5 { to improve Black's a7-bishop and entomb White's b1-bishop. Now, } 16... Bd7 17. Nb5 Bc5 { We must keep the prize! } 18. Bf4 $14 { Black has to decide when to pull the trigger on ... Bd7xh3. }) 16. e5 { White's b1-bishop is definitely a keeper now. } { [%clk 0:59:29] } 16... Ne4 { [%clk 1:05:17] } 17. Nb5 { [%clk 0:59:15] } 17... Bb6 { [%clk 1:04:31] } 18. Nc3 { The knight has re-entered the conversation in the center. } { [%clk 0:58:52] } 18... f5 { [%clk 0:53:37] } 19. exf6 { [%clk 0:57:16] } 19... Nxf6 { [%clk 0:53:37] } 20. Rxe8+ { [%clk 0:55:13] } 20... Qxe8 { [%clk 0:48:23] } 21. Ne5 { White has made incremental gains in the center at the expense of Black's kingside knight. } { [%clk 0:52:36] } 21... c5?! { This is very logical, undermining the center, but Liang saw the problem with it. } { [%clk 0:48:14] } (21... Qe7 { or }) (21... Qe6 { or even }) (21... Be6 { were all prophylactic ideas against Bb1-g6. }) 22. Bg6! { [%clk 0:51:28] } 22... Qd8 { [%clk 0:43:23] } 23. Bf7+ { [%clk 0:38:53] } 23... Kf8 { [%clk 0:43:23] } 24. Qf3 { Who needs the center, anyways? } { [%clk 0:35:56] } 24... cxd4 { [%clk 0:36:27] } 25. Nxd5 { [%clk 0:31:51] } 25... Be8 { [%clk 0:26:28] } (25... Nbxd5 26. Bxd5 { is very strong. } 26... Be8 27. Bxb7 Ra7 28. Bc6 $18) 26. Nxb6 { [%clk 0:19:54] } 26... Qxb6 { [%clk 0:24:24] } 27. Qb3 { Surgical precision from White! } { [%clk 0:17:15] } 27... g5 { [%clk 0:19:44] } 28. Bxe8 { [%clk 0:17:04] } 28... Kxe8 { [%clk 0:19:44] } 29. Qf7+ { [%clk 0:17:04] } 29... Kd8 { [%clk 0:19:44] } 30. Bd2 $18 { With the rook entering the game, Black's king is hopeless. } { [%clk 0:14:01] } 30... Nbd5 { [%clk 0:17:12] } 31. Re1 { [%clk 0:11:00] } 31... Kc8 { [%clk 0:16:08] } 32. Nd7 { [%clk 0:08:44] } 32... Nxd7 { [%clk 0:14:19] } 33. Re8+ { [%clk 0:08:43] } 33... Kc7 { [%clk 0:14:19] } 34. Rxa8 { [%clk 0:08:43] } 34... Qxb2 { [%clk 0:12:34] } 35. Bxa5+ { [%clk 0:07:52] } 35... Kd6 { [%clk 0:12:34] } 36. Re8 { [%clk 0:07:18] } 36... Nc3 { [%clk 0:11:12] } 37. Qe6+ { [%clk 0:07:18] } 1-0