[Event "U.S. Senior Ch"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2022.07.16"] [Round "9"] [White "Gurevich, Dmitry"] [Black "Christiansen, Larry"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "King"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E16"] [Opening "Queen's Indian Defense: Yates Variation"] [StudyName "2022 U.S. Senior and Juniors"] [ChapterName "Gurevich, Dmitry - Christiansen, Larry"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/cfnNS6tI/uKVgkIYa"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,146,13,27,33,6,6,-3,28,11,14,12,12,13,13,11,11,19,25,-21,25,11,34,34, 39,42,48,0,2,10,5,5,18,3,3,3,13,-23,8,-47,-12,-17,-10,-126,-16,-16,0,0,0,0,0, -38,-33,-27,-34,-57,-80,-127,-123,-138,-138,-188,-188,-201,-116,-105,-70,-106, -106,-112,-100,-100,-94,-112,-120,-110,-100,-106,-101,-114,-121,-121,-134,-123, -129,-144,-146,-146,-145,-147,-148,-148,-148,-158,-158,-158,-149,-155,-155, -158,-155,-161,-149,-161,-155,-161,-161,-161,-161,-184,-155,-155,-159,-170, -149,-149,-149,-172,-159,-158,-161,-161,-161,-161,-161,-161,-149,-158,-158, -158,-103,-121,-117,-145,-144,-144,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0] } 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 { The Queen's Indian Defense. } 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 a5 7. O-O O-O 8. Bg5 Be7 9. Qc2 Be4 10. Qd2 d5 11. Nc3 Nbd7 12. cxd5 exd5 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. Qf4 c5 16. dxc5 bxc5 { Christiansen has reached the same "hanging pawns" structure as in his Round 8 game against Shabalov. Like in that game, he uses it to develop a promising initiative in the center and kingside. } 17. Rfd1 Ndf6 18. g4 h6 19. h4 Rad8 20. e3 Rfe8 21. Rac1? $19 { Allowing a subtle tactic. } (21. Nd2 $13 { was safer. }) 21... Qe6? $13 (21... Rb8! { was virtually decisive, the point being } 22. b3 Nxf2!! 23. Kxf2 Rb4! $19 { and e3 and g4 are both hanging. }) 22. Nh2?! $17 (22. Nd2 $13 { was again best. }) 22... c4?! $13 (22... Qb6 $17 { would have prepared the same central break Christiansen played in the previous round: } 23. b3 d4! $19 { when the f6-knight can come to the much more effective d5-square, rather than the passive h7-square that it ends up on in the game. }) 23. g5 hxg5 24. hxg5 Nh7 25. Bxe4 dxe4 26. Rxd8 Rxd8 { The simplifications have brought White some relief - his king is safer, and Black no longer has any powerful pawn breaks. } 27. Qc7 Rd5 28. Rxc4 Rxg5+ 29. Kh1 Nf8 30. Rc1? $19 (30. Rc5! $13 { was correct, aiming for further simplification. }) 30... Qxa2 31. Rg1 Rxg1+? $13 { Black, in turn, should be avoiding trades. } (31... Rh5!? $19 { was one of various much stronger moves. }) 32. Kxg1 { White is still down a pawn, but has good chances to hold. However, one more subtle chance for Black appears shortly before the time control. } 32... a4 33. Qc3 Qd5 34. Nf1 Ne6 35. Ng3 Kh7 36. Qc2 Nc5 37. Kg2 g6 38. Qc3? $19 { Taking the a4- and e4-pawns out of the crosshairs. } (38. Kg1!? $13 { was one of many neutral moves that would maintain the status quo. }) 38... Kg8? $13 { Christiansen misses his final chance. } (38... Nd3! { was temporarily possible: } 39. Kg1 Qe5! 40. Qc4 (40. Qxe5 Nxe5 41. Nxe4 Nc4 $19 { regains the pawn, with a winning knight ending. }) 40... f5! 41. Qxa4 Qxb2 { and now White has to play the passive } 42. Nh1 $19 { after which Black has much better winning chances than in the game. }) 39. Qa5 Qe5 40. Qb5 Kg7 41. Qc4 f5 42. Ne2 Nd3 43. Qxa4 Qxb2 44. Qd4+! Qxd4 45. Nxd4 { Since Black's extra pawn is not passed, the ending is straightforward for White to hold, and Gurevich has no problems. } 45... Kf6 46. Kg3 Ne1 47. Nc6 Nf3 48. Nb4 g5 49. Nd5+ Ke6 50. Nc3 Ke5 51. Ne2 Kd5 52. Nc3+ Kc4 53. Na4 Kb5 54. Nc3+ Kc6 55. Ne2 Kc5 56. Nc3 Ng1 57. Kg2 Nf3 58. Kg3 Ne1 59. Ne2 Nc2 60. Kg2 Kd5 61. Kh3 Ke6 62. Kg2 Ne1+ 63. Kg3 Ke5 64. Nd4 f4+ 65. Kg4 Nd3 66. Nc6+ Kd5 67. exf4 Nxf2+ 68. Kg3 Nh1+ 69. Kg4 e3 70. fxg5 e2 71. Nb4+ Ke4 72. Nc2 Nf2+ 73. Kg3 Kf5 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2