[Event "World Open"] [Site "Philadelphia"] [Date "2024.07.11"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Schmakel, Sam"] [Black "Liang, Awonder"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2442"] [WhiteTitle "IM"] [WhiteFideId "2039311"] [BlackElo "2648"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "2056437"] [Annotator "Matt Clibanoff"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B12"] [Opening "Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Short Variation"] [StudyName "2024 World Open"] [ChapterName "Schmakel, Sam - Liang, Awonder"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/hLNeBtws/EJW90xUr"] [UTCDate "2024.07.11"] [UTCTime "15:33:48"] [Orientation "white"] { In round three, GM Awonder Liang suffered his only loss of the tournament, against a Chicago-based IM that he out-rates by over 100 points. For a lesser player, this loss may have had a serious psychological effect. Liang, on the other hand, went out after this loss and won six straight games, scoring 8/9 and taking clear first. } 1. e4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 1... c6 { Another Caro-Kann. } { [%clk 1:27:26] } 2. d4 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 2... d5 { [%clk 1:27:26] } 3. e5 { White decides on the Advanced variation. } { [%clk 1:30:00] } 3... Bf5 { [%clk 1:27:26] } 4. Nf3 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 4... e6 { [%clk 1:27:26] } 5. Be2 { [%clk 1:30:00] } 5... Nd7 { [%clk 1:27:26] } 6. O-O { [%clk 1:30:00] } 6... h6 { [%clk 1:27:26] } 7. Nbd2 { [%clk 1:29:24] } 7... Ne7 { [%clk 1:27:26] } 8. c3 { [%clk 1:29:22] } 8... Bh7 { [%clk 1:27:26] } 9. a4!? { Up to this point, the game was following more or less mainstream theory, but this move has only been played a few times. These big a2-a4 pushes always remind me of Ding – Nepomniachtchi, Astana (6), 2023. lichess.org/broadcast/fide-world-chess-championship-2023/round-6/Teae9PdP#boards } { [%clk 1:26:25] } 9... a5 { [%clk 1:26:47] } 10. Nb3 { [%clk 1:26:05] } 10... Nf5 { [%clk 1:26:46] } 11. Bd3 { [%clk 1:21:37] } 11... Qb6 { And up until this point Liang is following his own game in Yoo – Liang, St. Louis, 2024. www.chess.com/games/view/17156675 } { [%clk 1:26:46] } 12. Kh1!? { This is now a new game. } { [%clk 1:21:25] } 12... Be7 { [%clk 1:26:46] } 13. Bc2 { [%clk 1:17:04] } 13... Bd8 { [%clk 1:22:00] } 14. Ne1 { This isn't a bad move, but is perhaps a bit cautious. } { [%clk 1:09:30] } (14. g4! Ne7 15. Bxh7 Rxh7 16. Qc2 { This is played later, but could probably have been tried here as well. }) 14... Bc7?! { [%clk 1:18:20] } (14... c5! { Creating counterplay in the center to take the bite out of the g2-g4 push. }) 15. Nd3 { [%clk 1:00:09] } 15... Bg6?! { A small mistake that is going to give White the initiative. } { [%clk 1:14:43] } 16. Nf4! { Hitting the bishop and threatening to ruin Black's pawns. } { [%cal Bf4g6] [%clk 0:57:19] } 16... Bh7 { [%clk 1:13:44] } 17. g4! { And now the attack is on! } { [%clk 0:49:57] } 17... Ne7 { [%clk 1:13:44] } 18. Bxh7 { [%clk 0:49:53] } 18... Rxh7 { [%clk 1:13:44] } 19. Qc2 { [%clk 0:47:06] } 19... g6 { And already White can boast a big initiative. } { [%clk 1:12:26] } 20. Be3 { [%clk 0:41:14] } 20... O-O-O { [%clk 1:11:58] } 21. Nd3 { [%clk 0:29:35] } 21... Rdh8 { [%clk 1:07:37] } 22. Nbc5! { With the d3 knight protecting c5, White will maintain the outpost on c5. } { [%clk 0:24:19] } 22... Nxc5 { [%clk 1:07:17] } 23. Nxc5 { [%clk 0:24:19] } 23... g5 { [%clk 1:06:39] } 24. f3! { Not a move that immediately jumps out as "great," but I like this. } { [%clk 0:19:36] } (24. b4!? { This is the obvious move in this position, attacking the queenside, but White patiently locks down the pawn on g4 before beginning an attack: } 24... h5 25. f3 hxg4 26. fxg4 Rxh2+ 27. Qxh2 Rxh2+ 28. Kxh2 axb4 29. Rxf7 { This is playable but very double-edged. }) 24... h5 { [%clk 1:01:03] } 25. Rf2 { Protecting h2. } { [%cal Bf2h2] [%clk 0:18:04] } 25... Ng6 { [%clk 0:41:30] } 26. Re1 { [%clk 0:09:10] } 26... hxg4 { [%clk 0:32:05] } 27. fxg4 { [%clk 0:09:10] } 27... Rh3 { [%clk 0:32:05] } 28. Qd2 { [%clk 0:04:27] } 28... f6?? { It's unclear what Liang saw here, but this drops the e6 pawn. Time was dwindling with his opponent under five minutes with 12 more moves to reach the bonus, so this is possibly an unforced error due to poor clock management. } { [%clk 0:27:20] } 29. Nxe6 { [%clk 0:02:28] } 29... fxe5 { [%clk 0:26:55] } 30. dxe5 { [%clk 0:02:28] } 30... c5 { [%clk 0:26:12] } (30... Rxe3 { The computer likes this, but it's not a particularly hopeful move. } 31. Qxe3 Qxe3 32. Rxe3 Nxe5 { White clearly stands better. }) 31. Nxc7 { [%clk 0:00:30] } 31... Qxc7 { [%clk 0:26:12] } 32. Qxd5 { [%clk 0:00:30] } (32. Bxg5! { Slightly preferable. It still wins a pawn, but opens the e1-rook, adding defense to the e5-pawn. White will still have a chance to grab the d5-pawn. } { [%cal Bd2d5] }) 32... Qxe5 { [%clk 0:16:42] } 33. Qxc5+ { [%clk 0:00:30] } 33... Qxc5 { [%clk 0:16:42] } 34. Bxc5 { White is up two pawns here, and Black doesn't really have a chance. } { [%clk 0:00:30] } 34... Nf4 { [%clk 0:16:42] } 35. Ref1 { Jumping out of the way of Black's fork on d3. } { [%clk 0:00:18] } 35... Kd7 { [%clk 0:06:20] } 36. Rd2+ { [%clk 0:00:18] } 36... Kc6 { [%clk 0:06:19] } 37. Bd6 { [%clk 0:00:16] } 37... Nd5 { [%clk 0:06:19] } 38. Be5 { [%clk 0:00:16] } 38... Re8 { [%clk 0:04:17] } 39. Bg3 { [%clk 0:00:16] } 39... Ne3 { [%clk 0:04:08] } 40. Re1 { And that about does it. This is by no means a shining example of Liang's talent. In fact, it was a rather one-sided affair. But while the game isn't particularly instructive, there's a lot to glean from Liang's response to this defeat and the unflappable attitude he brought to the latter two-thirds of the tournament. } { [%clk 0:00:02] } 1-0