[Event "2023 U.S. Junior Chess Championship"] [Site "Saint Louis, United States"] [Date "2023.07.17"] [Round "3.5"] [White "Liang, Jason"] [Black "Wang, Justin"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2499"] [BlackElo "2488"] [Annotator "WGM Jennifer Yu"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A45"] [Opening "Indian Defense"] [StudyName "2023 National Championships"] [ChapterName "Liang, Jason - Wang, Justin"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/ZBuAQUT7/GDAvnAW4"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by WGM Jennifer Yu } 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb7 4. f3 d5 5. e4 e6 6. Nb5 Na6 7. e5 Nd7 8. c3 c6 9. Nd6+ Bxd6 10. exd6 O-O 11. Bd3 Re8 12. Qe2? { This natural move attempting to deter ... e6-e5 ironically walks right into it. Wang takes advantage of this opportunity to gain the initiative. This is worth far more than the brief pawn sacrifice that he will quickly regain. } (12. Bg3 { is a safer option. After } 12... e5 13. Ne2 exd4 14. cxd4 { , White's pieces are developed and his king is heading to safety. }) 12... e5! { Blasting open the position, and all of a sudden Liang is going to have a real problem coordinating his pieces and keeping his king safe. } 13. dxe5 Nac5 14. Bc2 Ba6 15. Qe3 f6 { Wang gets his pawn back ... plus more! } 16. O-O-O Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Rxe5 18. Qf4 Qxd6 19. Nh3 Rae8 20. Qh4 g6 21. Nf4 Re3 22. Qh6 Qf8 23. Qh4 Bc4 24. Kb1 Qf7 25. b3 Ba6 26. Qg3 { Although he is in a tough situation down by a clean pawn, Liang looks for opportunities to create counterplay. He is ready to launch a kingside attack. } 26... Qg7 (26... Ne4! { forces the trade of the bishop, ending Liang's counterplay hopes. } 27. Bxe4 dxe4 $17) 27. h4 Rxc3 28. h5 g5 29. Rhe1 Re5? { Wang misses Liang's nice tactical idea, throwing the game result back in the air. } (29... Qf7 { maintains Black's advantage. However White has a creative try } 30. Bg6! hxg6 31. hxg6 Qd7 32. Rxe8+ Qxe8 33. Qh2 Qd7 34. Re1 gxf4 35. Re8+ Qxe8 36. Qh7+ Kf8 37. g7+ Ke7 38. g8=Q+ Kd8 39. Qxe8+ Kxe8 $17 { with Black's pieces dominating the queen and weak king. The game will end soon. However, from a distance, White's attempt to create a mating net and win the black queen is quite intimidating. It's very understandble to be deterred from entering this line, even if concretely Black is winning in the final position. }) (29... Rce3? 30. Rxe3 Rxe3 31. Nxd5! cxd5 32. Qb8+ Qf8 33. Bxh7+ Kf7 (33... Kg7?? 34. h6+ Kf7 35. Bg6+ $18) 34. Bg6+ Kg8 35. Bh7+ Kf7 36. Bg6+) 30. Rxe5 fxe5 31. h6! { White's counterplay on the kingside has complicated the position, and now he has many ideas and tactical opportunities. } 31... Qe7 (31... Qxh6 { White's idea is } 32. Nxd5! cxd5 33. Qxe5 { when the center is blown open and the black rook is trapped. } 33... Rxc2 34. Kxc2 Bb7 35. Re1 $15) 32. Nh3 { The g-pawn, which is currently serving as the king's shield, will fall and with that the danger begins. } 32... Bd3 33. Bxd3 Rxd3 34. Re1 Nd7 35. Nxg5 Kf8 36. Qg4 Ke8 37. Qf5? { It was White's most natural-looking moves that caused him a lot of grief in this game. This intuitive move appears dangerous by snatching a pawn to promote the passed h -pawn. However, it allows Black's rook to enter the second rank where it will create the threat of a dangerous mating net. } (37. Ne6! { The threat is Qe8-g8 as well as trapping the rook in the middle of the board with Kb1-c2! } 37... Qf6 38. Qg8+ (38. Kc2? e4!) 38... Ke7 39. Qxh7+! Kxe6 40. Qxd3 Qxh6 { For the first time in the game, it is White who holds the advantage with his extra material. }) 37... Rd2 38. Nxh7 Rxg2 39. f4 Kd8 (39... Qa3?? 40. Nf6+ Nxf6 41. Rxe5+ Kf7 42. Qe6+ Kg6 43. Qf5+ Kf7 44. Qe6+) 40. Nf6 Qxf6 41. Qxf6+ Nxf6 42. fxe5 Nh7 43. e6 Ke7 44. Rc1 c5 45. b4 c4 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1