[Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Date "2022.10.12"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Xiong, Jeffery"] [Black "Liang, Awonder"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2690"] [WhiteTeam "United States"] [BlackElo "2608"] [BlackTeam "United States"] [Annotator "Watson,John"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D02"] [Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation, Pseudo-Catalan"] [StudyName "2022 U.S. Championships"] [ChapterName "Xiong, Jeffery - Liang, Awonder"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/dfRDZs7P/OH3RqLR7"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 c5 4. Bg2 cxd4 5. O-O Nc6 6. Nxd4 e5 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. c4 Be6 9. Qa4 (9. Nc3 { and }) (9. Bg5 { arguably create more problems for Black, although current theory seems to indicate that they lead to positions close to equality. }) 9... Qd7 10. Nc3 Rc8 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Qxd7+ Kxd7 13. Rd1 Bc5 14. Nxd5 (14. Na4 { is White's best chance to avoid an extremely drawish position. Black should be okay if he knows what he's doing, e.g., } 14... Be7 (14... h6!? { has also drawn a lot of games, but the bishop move is probably more reliable }) 15. Bg5 Ng8 (15... Rhd8 { and }) 16. h4 Bxg5 17. hxg5 Ne7 18. Nc3 Rc5 19. Rd2 Rd8 20. Nxd5 Nxd5 { 1/2-1/2 (20) Meskovs,N (2550)-Khenkin,I (2540) Kiel 2021 }) 14... Nxd5 15. Bxd5 Bxd5 16. Rxd5+ Ke6 { This well-known position has led to many draws and a 50% split of games. } 17. Rd2 (17. Rd1 Rhd8 18. Bd2 Bd4! 19. Rab1 Rc2!) 17... Rhd8 (17... h5 { is also possible; Black needn't hurry. }) 18. Kf1 Bb6 { Threatening 19...Rxc1+!, winning. } 19. Rxd8 Rxd8 20. Be3 { There's no good place to put the bishop. } 20... Bxe3 21. fxe3 Rc8 { A new move? } (21... Rd2 { has drawn all 10 games in my database. }) 22. Ke1 f6 23. Rd1 Rc2 24. Rd2 Rc1+ 25. Rd1 Rc2 26. Rd2 Rc1+ 27. Kf2 h5 28. e4 g5 29. Rd5 Rh1 30. Kg2 Re1 31. Kf2 Rh1 32. Ra5 Rxh2+ 33. Kf1 Rh1+ 34. Kg2 Rb1 35. Ra6+ Kf7 36. Rxa7+ Kg6 37. Rb7 Ra1 38. a3 g4 { White has two passed pawns, but they can't advance by themselves. This is drawn. } 39. Kf2 Kg5 40. Rg7+ Kh6 41. Ra7 Rb1 42. Rb7 Ra1 43. Rd7 (43. Rb4 Ra2 44. a4 Kg5 45. b3 h4) 43... Kg5 44. Rd8 Ra2 45. Rg8+ Kh6 46. Rb8 Ra1 47. Rb3 Kg5 48. Rb6 Kg6 49. Ra6 Rb1 50. Rb6 Ra1 51. Ra6 Rb1 52. Rb6 Ra1 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2