[Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/dfRDZs7P/qOqDFEET"] [Date "2022.10.14"] [Round "9.3"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Liang, Awonder"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2608"] [Annotator "cahan"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C42"] [Opening "Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit"] [StudyName "2022 U.S. Championships"] [ChapterName "Caruana, Fabiano - Liang, Awonder"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/dfRDZs7P/qOqDFEET"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,153,16,29,29,29,29,0,65,66,48,48,45,55,65,65,65,69,90,69,69,72,91,72, 77,77,79,79,79,79,95,31,67,67,92,86,93,93,108,83,74,74,74,74,80,68,67,49,61,61, 75,75,73,57,80,79,93,61,82,84,82,82,104,80,125,102,95,95,95,93,87,93,89,81,83, 86,89,69,72,66,66,66,66,66,65,65,65,51,61,65,65,40,36,26,26,26,77,73,77,15,5,4, 26,20,28,27,19,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,1,0,0,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0] } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4!? { A rare but enterprising line, the so-called Damiano Petroff that was subject to a Chessable course by the Polish FM Kamil Plichta. Several of the other players in the post-game interviews admitted to be familiar with move and knowing that it wasn't as bad as its reputation, but few had actually invested much time in looking at it. Being a university student with little extra time on his hands, Liang decided to give the line a go against the always phenomenally well-prepared Caruana. } 4. Qe2 Qe7 5. Qxe4 d6 6. d4 dxe5 7. dxe5 Nc6 8. Bb5 Bd7 9. Nc3 O-O-O 10. Bf4 { A couple of years ago, Sam Sevian faced the line in an online competition and went for } (10. O-O { but after } 10... Nxe5 11. Bf4 Ng6 12. Bxd7+ Rxd7 13. Be3 Qxe4 14. Nxe4 f5 { , Black had already taken over the initiative and eventually won the game, Sevian,S (2660)-Ponkratov,P (2631) Chess.com INT 2020. }) 10... Qb4! { A surprising move that allows Black to equalize smoothly despite currently being a pawn down. } 11. O-O-O Qxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe5 13. Bxd7+ Nxd7 14. Ng5 Be7 15. h4 Bxg5? { This exchange allows White an unpleasant pressure against the black kingside pawn. A better choice was } (15... Nc5 16. Rxd8+ Rxd8 17. Re1 Bf6 { and Black has equalized. }) 16. hxg5 f6 17. Rde1 fxg5 18. Bxg5 Rdf8 19. Re7 { White's active rook is a nuisance, but Black is not without chances. } 19... Nb6! { The best defense. } 20. Rxg7 Rxf2 21. Bh4! Rff8 22. Be7 Re8?! { Now Black is in a bit of trouble. A safer option was } (22... Rf2 { when } 23. Bc5 Re2 24. Rd1 Re6 25. Bxb6 Rxb6 26. Rdd7 Rc6 27. Rxh7 Rxh7 28. Rxh7 Ra6 29. a3 Rg6 { leads to a rook ending that Black should not lose. }) 23. Rhxh7 Rxh7 24. Rxh7 Nd5 25. Bg5 Re2 26. Rh2 b5 27. Kd1 Re4 28. Bd2 Kd7 29. g3 Rg4 30. Rh3 a5 31. Ke2 Nb4 32. Bf4? { White would have had excellent winning chances after } (32. Rh7+ Kc6 33. Bf4 Nd5 34. Kf3 Rg8 35. Rf7 { when Black will not have many hopes of saving the rook ending. }) 32... Rg7 33. Rh5 Kc6 34. a4?! (34. c3 Nd5 35. Kf3) 34... bxa4 35. Rxa5 Nxc2 36. Rxa4 Kd5 { The reduction of the material has helped Black whose active pieces now cause real headaches for White in his attempts to convert the pawn advantage. } 37. Kd3 Ne1+ 38. Kc3 Ng2 39. Ra5+ Ke4 40. Ra4+ Kd5 41. Ra5+ Ke4 42. Rg5 Rd7 43. Bd2 Rd3+ 44. Kc2 Ne3+ 45. Kc1 Nf5 46. g4 Nd4 { Black has defended actively and well and is now in "safe territory". However, that doesn't mean that Caruana is just going to stop trying to win. } 47. Bc3 c5 48. Kb1 c4 49. Bxd4 Kxd4 { This should now be a relatively trivial draw for Black, but Caruana is still not done! } 50. Rg8 Rd1+ 51. Ka2 Ke5 52. Re8+ Kf4 53. Re2 Rc1 54. Ka3 Kxg4 55. Kb4 Kf5 56. Kc5 Kf6 57. Kd4 Kf5 58. Kc5 Kf6 59. Kd5 Kf7 60. Kd6 Rd1+ 61. Kc5 Rc1 62. Kb4 Kf6 63. Re3 Rc2 64. Ka3 Kf5 65. Rc3 { The pawn ending is an easy draw but there was no other way forward. } 65... Rxc3+ 66. bxc3 Ke6 67. Kb4 Kd6 68. Kxc4 Kc6 69. Kd4 Kd6 70. c4 Kc6 71. c5 Kc7 72. Kd5 Kd7 73. c6+ Kc7 74. Kc5 Kc8 75. Kb6 Kb8 76. c7+ Kc8 77. Kc6 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2