[Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.10.06"] [Round "2"] [White "Niemann, Hans Moke"] [Black "Xiong, Jeffery"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C11"] [WhiteElo "2699"] [BlackElo "2690"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "2022.10.04"] [SourceVersionDate "2022.10.01"] {[%evp 0,85,25,16,41,26,36,22,28,7,19,13,23,29,34,24,24,24,70,0,0,-11,-31,-5,-10,-40,-21,-24,-22,-12,-40,-36,-12,15,12,5,24,21,10,32,12,22,30,35,97,55,61,64,79,96,104,48,9,-8,8,5,3,0,0,0,0,-18,0,-18,0,0,0,-6,-9,-13,0,-19,0,0,-2,-3,18,38,17,-16,0,-32,-22,-16,0,-10,0,-11]} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Qb6 9. a3 Bc5 10. Ncb5 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 O-O 12. Bxc5 Nxc5 13. Qd4 f6 14. Be2 fxe5 15. fxe5 Bd7 16. Nd6 Ba4 17. b3 Be8 18. b4 Ne4 19. Qxb6 axb6 20. Nxe4 dxe4 21. Bc4 Kh8 22. Bxe6 Ba4 23. O-O-O e3 24. Rhf1 $1 g6 {Niemann has played very well to this point, and has a winning advantage. There are still problems to solve, though, and he doesn't manage to finish the job.} 25. Bg4 $4 (25. Rxf8+ $1 {Not the only winning move, but the best.} Rxf8 26. Bd5 $1 Rf2 27. Be4 Bc6 28. Bxc6 bxc6 29. Re1 Rxg2 30. Rxe3 Kg8 (30... Rxh2 $4 31. e6 $18) 31. h3 $18) 25... Rfe8 {Unfortunately for White, the e-pawn can't be saved.} 26. Rd4 $2 (26. e6 $4 {even loses after} Rac8) ({, while} 26. Rd5 $2 {"only" leaves White with the worse position after} Bc6 27. Rd6 Rxe5 $15) (26. Rfe1 $1 Rxe5 27. Rd3 {was the only way to keep some advantage.} Bc6 28. Rexe3 Rxe3 29. Rxe3 Bxg2 30. Kb2 $16 {is not yet drawn, though this is a wonderful outcome for Black compared to where he was before White's 25th move.}) 26... Rxe5 $11 {Black has full equality, and if anyone winds up with an advantage between now and the end of the game it's Xiong. A close shave for Xiong, and a real missed opportunity for Niemann.} 27. Be2 Kg7 28. g3 Bc6 29. Kb2 b5 30. Rd3 Rae8 31. Rc3 Rd8 32. Rd3 Rde8 33. Rc3 h5 34. Rd3 Rc8 35. Rc3 Rh8 36. h4 Rc8 37. Rd3 Rce8 38. Rd6 R8e7 39. Rd4 Be4 40. Rfd1 Bc6 41. Rf1 Be4 42. Re1 Bc6 43. Rf1 1/2-1/2 [Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.10.06"] [Round "2"] [White "Swiercz, Dariusz"] [Black "Shankland, Sam"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D87"] [WhiteElo "2652"] [BlackElo "2712"] [PlyCount "92"] [EventDate "2022.10.04"] [SourceVersionDate "2022.10.01"] {[%evp 0,92,27,32,13,-8,54,39,68,68,64,64,61,41,46,41,41,32,44,49,49,43,64,48,49,20,29,36,41,37,36,46,59,57,88,71,77,77,106,58,31,20,21,11,18,19,23,23,21,5,5,0,22,44,34,8,0,-42,-15,-25,-38,-54,-36,-27,-32,-38,-28,-34,-34,-28,-31,-48,-25,-23,-28,-27,-14,-12,-7,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 c5 9. O-O Nc6 10. Be3 e6 11. dxc5 Ne5 12. Qxd8 Rxd8 13. Rfd1 Bd7 14. Bb3 Bc6 15. f3 Rdc8 16. Nf4 a5 17. a4 Be8 18. Bd4 Nc6 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. Nd3 Nb8 21. Bc4 Nd7 22. Bb5 Nxc5 23. Bxe8 Nxd3 24. Rxd3 Rxe8 25. Rd7 Red8 26. Rxb7 Rac8 27. Rb5 Rxc3 28. Rxa5 Rd2 29. Rg5 Rcc2 30. a5 h6 31. Rg3 Ra2 32. Rxa2 Rxa2 33. f4 Rxa5 34. Re3 Ra2 35. h4 Kf6 36. g3 h5 37. Kf1 e5 38. Re2 Ra3 39. Kg2 Ke6 40. Rb2 exf4 41. gxf4 Ra4 42. Kf3 Ra3+ 43. Kg2 Ra4 44. Kf3 Ra3+ 45. Kg2 Ra4 46. Kf3 Ra3+ 1/2-1/2 [Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.10.06"] [Round "2"] [White "Robson, Ray"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E10"] [WhiteElo "2690"] [BlackElo "2763"] [PlyCount "93"] [EventDate "2022.10.04"] [SourceVersionDate "2022.10.01"] {[%evp 0,93,13,13,37,-9,0,4,-10,-24,3,-23,-31,-20,-25,-10,-35,-55,-64,-33,-45,-64,1,4,13,0,19,9,22,-23,0,0,-12,-3,-7,-10,-2,-7,-14,-18,-15,-15,-2,-53,-38,-22,-9,-4,-5,-6,5,-2,4,4,17,9,0,-4,-5,6,7,-1,-14,-29,-20,-29,-24,-24,-17,-27,-35,-37,-19,-30,-33,-48,-48,-41,-46,-41,-37,-62,-15,-21,-17,-50,-32,-15,-15,-15,-12,-15,-12,-15,-12,-12]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Nbd2 dxc4 6. Bg2 b5 7. a3 Be7 8. Ne5 Nd5 9. O-O O-O 10. b3 Bb7 11. bxc4 Nc3 12. Qe1 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 bxc4 14. Ndf3 Ne4 15. Nxc4 Qd5 16. Ne3 Qb7 17. Bd2 Nd7 18. Qb1 Rfb8 19. Qxb7 Rxb7 20. d5 Ndc5 21. dxe6 Nxe6 22. Nc4 Nxd2 23. Nfxd2 Rd8 24. e3 Rb5 25. Rfc1 f5 26. h4 Bf6 27. Rab1 a6 28. a4 Rxb1 29. Rxb1 Nc5 30. a5 Kf7 31. Kf3 Ke6 32. h5 Bc3 33. Ke2 Na4 34. Nf3 Bf6 35. Ke1 Rd5 36. Rb8 Rc5 37. Ncd2 Rxa5 38. Nb3 Rd5 39. Ra8 a5 40. Nfd4+ Bxd4 41. Nxd4+ Ke7 42. Rc8 Rc5 43. Nb3 Rb5 44. Nd4 Rc5 45. Nb3 Rb5 46. Nd4 Rc5 47. Nb3 1/2-1/2 [Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.10.06"] [Round "2"] [White "Moradiabadi, Elshan"] [Black "Liang, Awonder"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C92"] [WhiteElo "2534"] [BlackElo "2608"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "121"] [EventDate "2022.10.04"] [SourceVersionDate "2022.10.01"] {[%evp 0,121,14,26,20,13,12,7,25,2,-13,9,24,-3,3,11,22,-27,-22,-17,-6,-13,36,10,11,-28,8,23,28,-36,0,22,15,51,65,60,63,59,63,63,70,76,111,110,77,77,86,97,128,152,129,93,166,163,168,198,199,181,194,193,204,203,194,196,198,220,216,229,236,223,269,186,289,287,425,408,408,338,497,363,399,338,418,366,366,330,351,353,373,373,377,333,333,357,365,321,465,372,372,372,465,345,361,290,349,373,377,364,388,326,369,259,290,257,333,361,363,340,340,442,442,551,552,552]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 {An actual closed Ruy, without the threat of the Marshall. It's nice to see a 1.e4 e5 game that isn't a Petroff, a Giuoco, a Berlin or a Marshall/Anti-Marshall.} 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Bb7 {A Zaitsev...} 10. a4 Nb8 {...or a Breyer? Probably the latter, now.} 11. d3 Nbd7 12. Na3 {Very rare.} c5 (12... Re8) 13. Bg5 Qb6 $146 (13... Bc6 {had been played in the three previous 13.Bg5 games.}) 14. Nc2 c4 $6 15. dxc4 Nc5 $2 {I don't know if Liang miscalculated something or just misassessed his idea, but the result after White's accurate play is a winning advantage for Moradiabadi.} 16. Bxf6 $1 Bxf6 17. a5 $1 Qc7 18. Ne3 Nxb3 (18... Bxe4 19. Nd2 Bc6 20. cxb5 axb5 21. Nd5 Qd8 22. Nb4 Bd7 23. a6 Be6 24. Bd5 $1 $18) 19. Qxb3 Bxe4 20. cxb5 axb5 21. Qxb5 Bxf3 22. gxf3 $18 {White is clearly winning: an extra pawn, two connected passers, the possibility of embedding his knight on d5, etc. His open kingside would be a problem if this were bughouse, but the pieces Black has in this game are in no position to cause White any real difficulties.} Rfb8 23. Qc4 Qd7 24. b4 e4 (24... Qxh3 25. Qg4 Qh6 26. Red1 Be7 27. a6 $18) 25. Nd5 Qxh3 26. Qxe4 Be5 27. f4 Bxc3 28. Re3 Qg4+ 29. Rg3 Qxg3+ 30. fxg3 Bxa1 {Now Black's position is hopeless - but in a different way. (Variety is the spice of life.)} 31. Qd3 Bf6 32. a6 Bd8 33. b5 h6 34. Kg2 Bb6 35. f5 Bc5 36. f6 gxf6 37. Nxf6+ Kg7 38. Nd7 Re8 39. Qc3+ Kh7 40. Nf6+ Kg6 41. Nxe8 Rxe8 42. Qd3+ Kg7 43. Qf3 Re3 44. Qb7 Rb3 45. Qc6 Kg6 46. Kh3 Kg7 47. Qe8 Re3 48. Qc8 Ra3 49. Qg4+ Kf8 50. Qf4 Kg7 51. Kg4 Re3 52. Qa4 Re5 53. Qa5 Bf2 54. Qc3 Bc5 55. Qc4 Kf6 56. Kh3 Rh5+ 57. Kg2 Re5 58. Qg4 Re3 59. Qa4 Ba7 60. Qb4 Bc5 61. Qb2+ {White didn't exactly set any records for speedy technique, but with b6 coming next the maneuvering around comes to an immediate end.} 1-0 [Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.10.06"] [Round "2"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "Dominguez Perez, Leinier"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2755"] [BlackElo "2747"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "2022.10.04"] [SourceVersionDate "2022.10.01"] {[%evp 0,67,32,25,25,24,10,3,44,30,31,9,5,-10,-4,-4,52,12,36,35,51,51,76,76,78,67,76,46,46,68,42,10,61,50,60,46,60,64,88,46,69,36,50,-9,44,55,86,85,80,74,81,37,41,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. Nbd2 Bf5 9. Re1 Nxd2 10. Qxd2 Qd7 11. Bxf5 Qxf5 12. Ne5 Nd8 13. Qc3 Ne6 14. Bd2 Bd6 15. Re3 O-O-O 16. Rae1 Bxe5 17. Rxe5 Qg4 18. f4 (18. Qe3 $1 $18) 18... g6 19. Qe3 Kb8 20. Qf2 Ng7 21. f5 $5 {Clever, though 21.Bb4 was better.} (21. Bb4 $18) 21... gxf5 $8 (21... Nxf5 $4 22. h3 $18 {wins a piece. If Black plays 22..Qxd4, 22...Qg3 or 22...Qh4, White wins a piece with 23.Rxf5. As for 22...Qh5, White wins the knight with 23.g4.}) 22. Bh6 Rhg8 23. Bxg7 (23. h3 $142) 23... Rxg7 24. Rxf5 b6 25. c3 (25. Kh1 $1) 25... Rdg8 26. Re2 $2 (26. g3 h5 27. Rf4 Qg5 28. Kh1 $16) 26... Qh3 $1 $11 27. Rxf7 Rxg2+ 28. Qxg2 Rxg2+ 29. Rxg2 Qe3+ 30. Rff2 Qe1+ 31. Rf1 Qe3+ 32. Rff2 Qe1+ 33. Rf1 Qe3+ 34. Rff2 1/2-1/2 [Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.10.06"] [Round "2"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Yoo, Christopher Woojin"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2563"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "96"] [EventDate "2022.10.04"] [SourceVersionDate "2022.10.01"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 c6 9. Re1 Bf5 10. Qb3 Qd7 11. c5 Bc7 12. Qc2 $146 (12. Nbd2 $142) 12... Na6 13. a3 Bg6 (13... Rae8 $142) 14. Nc3 f5 15. Ne2 Bh5 16. Ng3 Bg6 17. Ne2 Bh5 18. Ng3 Bg6 19. b4 $16 {Despite the result of the game, White was correct to play this and avoid the repetition.} Rae8 20. Bb2 (20. Rb1 $142) (20. Ne5 $142) 20... Re6 (20... Qe7 $142) 21. Ne2 Qe7 22. Ne5 f4 {The excitement begins. White is much better, but it's also the sort of position where a mistake for White can be fatal. (And eventually will be.)} 23. Nxg6 Rxg6 24. f3 Qh4 $1 25. Nc3 $1 Rh6 26. h3 $2 (26. Nxe4 $1 Qxh2+ 27. Kf1 dxe4 28. Bxe4 Bd8 29. d5 $1 Nc7 30. d6 Ne6 31. Ke2 $1 Qxg2+ 32. Kd1 $18 {Not an easy line, but White's reward is a winning advantage thanks to his beautiful bishops and the monster pawn on d6.}) 26... Ng5 $15 27. Qf2 Qh5 (27... Qxh3 $1 28. gxh3 Nxh3+ 29. Kf1 Nxf2 30. Kxf2 Rh2+ 31. Kf1 Rxb2 $15) 28. b5 (28. Nd1 $142 $11) 28... Nb8 29. a4 Bd8 (29... Nd7 $15) (29... Ba5 $15) 30. Re2 $11 Qf7 (30... Nd7 $142) 31. Kf1 $2 (31. Qf1 $11) 31... Nd7 $19 32. a5 Nxh3 $1 33. gxh3 Rxh3 34. Qg2 Qh5 35. Rf2 Rg3 36. Qh2 Rh3 37. Qg2 Re8 $1 38. Ne2 Re3 39. Ra3 $2 Rh1+ (39... Bxa5 $1 40. Rxa5 Rexf3 $19) 40. Ng1 Nf6 $2 (40... Bxa5 $1 $19) 41. Bc1 $6 (41. Bf5 $1 Rxg1+ 42. Kxg1 Qxf5 43. a6 $1 bxa6 44. Rxa6 $11) 41... Qh4 $1 42. Bxe3 fxe3 43. Bxh7+ $8 Qxh7 44. Rxe3 Bc7 (44... Qb1+) 45. Re7 $4 (45. Rb3 $1 $11 {keeps Black's queen out while preparing a6 and/or b6.}) 45... Qb1+ $19 (45... Nh5 $1 {is even better. The tactical point is} 46. Rxc7 Qb1+ 47. Ke2 Nf4+ $19) 46. Re1 Qd3+ 47. Rfe2 $2 (47. Ree2 $142) 47... Rh2 48. Qg5 Nh5 {Black's coming ...Ng3+ will be crushing, and White has no good way to avoid this. An impressive bounce-back game for Yoo, after losing to Niemann in round 1.} 0-1 [Event "ch-USA 2022"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2022.10.06"] [Round "2"] [White "Lenderman, Aleks"] [Black "Sevian, Samuel"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E04"] [WhiteElo "2535"] [BlackElo "2684"] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "2022.10.04"] [SourceVersionDate "2022.10.01"] {[%evp 0,70,37,13,29,4,4,-24,-26,-40,-19,-14,-1,-10,2,4,41,25,36,29,29,11,11,18,23,-12,11,-14,-24,-1,-9,9,18,13,12,0,0,3,6,-3,-10,-8,-8,-15,-14,-7,-7,-9,-7,-7,-6,-13,-9,-10,-4,-10,-2,-2,-13,-13,-6,-11,-9,-9,-9,-9,-9,-9,-9,-9,-9,-9,-9]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 c5 6. O-O Nc6 7. dxc5 Qxd1 8. Rxd1 Bxc5 9. Nbd2 c3 10. bxc3 O-O 11. Nb3 Be7 12. Nfd4 Bd7 13. a4 Rfd8 14. Nb5 a6 15. Nd6 Be8 16. Ba3 Bxd6 17. Rxd6 Nd5 18. Bxd5 exd5 19. Rxd8 Nxd8 20. Bb4 Ne6 21. a5 Bb5 22. e3 Rc8 23. f3 h5 24. Kf2 f6 25. Nd4 Nxd4 26. exd4 Re8 27. Re1 Rxe1 28. Kxe1 Kf7 29. Bc5 g5 30. Kd2 Ke6 31. Ke3 Ba4 32. Bb6 Bb5 33. Bc5 Ba4 34. Bb6 Bb5 35. Bc5 Ba4 1/2-1/2