[Event "Mid-Year Scholastic Cup"]
[Site "Bellevue, WA"]
[Date "2025.06.28"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Lee, Justin"]
[Black "Byelashova, Sofia"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Justin Lee"]
[ECO "B45"]
[WhiteElo "1280"]
[BlackElo "1274"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "45"]
[GameId "2220493155147825"]
[EventDate "2025.06.28"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,45,32,31,59,64,63,19,12,6,41,41,56,41,32,32,36,32,37,13,16,1,31,31,30,32,92,92,105,100,104,63,104,112,144,91,159,142,958,984,1514,1500,29995,29996,29997,29998,29999,29999]} 1. e4 {Before the start of this round, I was feeling nervous because I knew my opponent has competed internationally.} c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nc3 d6 {We play into the open Sicilian, Taimanov variation.} 6. Bb5 Bd7 7. O-O Be7 8. Be3 Nf6 9. Re1 O-O 10. Bd3 d5 $6 {This move just gives my opponent and Isolated pawn} 11. exd5 exd5 12. h3 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Be6 14. Qf3 Re8 15. Bf5 Bxf5 16. Qxf5 Rc8 17. Re3 Qd6 18. Rae1 {I double my rooks to pin the bishop.} Qb4 $2 19. Bxf6 {My opponents bishop is pinned to the rooks. Taking the bishop back with the g pawn would somehow make their position even worse after 20.Nxd5 Qh4 21.nxe7+ Kg7 22.Nxc8 Rxe3 23.Rxe3} d4 (19... gxf6 20. Nxd5 Qh4 21. Nxe7+ Kg7 22. Nxc8 Rxe3 23. Rxe3) 20. Rxe7 {Here my opponents best move is to sacrifice the queen for the rook, which is hard to see.} Rf8 21. Qg5 g6 22. Qh6 Qxb2 23. Qg7# 1-0

[Event "Mid-Year Scholastic Cup"]
[Site "Bellevue, WA"]
[Date "2025.06.29"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Ge, Emma"]
[Black "Lee, Justin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Justin Lee"]
[ECO "C54"]
[WhiteElo "1221"]
[BlackElo "1280"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "120"]
[GameId "2220493155168306"]
[EventDate "2025.06.28"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,120,24,20,31,22,14,17,13,11,-8,-12,-12,-8,-8,-26,13,36,62,20,14,-5,-12,-7,-15,-27,-18,-16,-24,-72,-22,-72,15,-178,-174,-160,-169,-168,-128,-131,-142,-144,-119,-160,-137,-167,-164,-165,-168,-167,-177,-173,-241,-307,-324,-319,-348,-394,-394,-410,-314,-349,-233,-263,-224,-249,-289,-302,-326,-321,-356,-386,-356,-406,-417,-410,-478,-549,-600,-749,-519,-794,-632,-777,-777,-782,-1005,-1128,-1170,-1282,-1325,-1632,-2172,-2164,-2400,-29977,-29978,-29981,-29982,-29983,-29984,-29987,-1815,-28141,-29980,-29983,-29978,-29979,-29984,-29985,-29986,-29987,-29988,-29991,-29992,-29997,-29992,-29993,-29994,-29995,-29996,-29997,-29998]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 {We play into the giuoco Piano: Center attack.} exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 {The best move here is to take the e pawn. Somehow I completely miss that.} Bxd2+ (7... Nxe4 8. Bxb4 Nxb4 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qb3+ Ke8 11. Qxb4) 8. Nbxd2 O-O {Castling here is bad because it allows white to gain more space in the center with d5. instead of castling, I should have played 1.Nxe4, Nxe4 2.D5} (8... Nxe4 9. Nxe4 d5) 9. O-O d5 10. Bd3 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Bg4 12. h3 Bh5 13. Nxf6+ Qxf6 14. Be4 Rad8 15. Qb3 b6 16. Qc2 Bxf3 17. Bxf3 Nxd4 18. Qc3 (18. Qxc7 Nxf3+ 19. gxf3 Rd5 20. Qc3 Rg5+ 21. Kh2 Qf4+ 22. Kh1 Rh5 23. Kg2 Rg5+ 24. Kh1 Rh5 25. Kg2 Qg5+ 26. Kh2 Qh4 27. f4) 18... Nxf3+ 19. Qxf3 Qxf3 {I decide to trade the queens instead of taking the b pawn ♟ because I am up a pawn, and I don’t want to give my opponent any counterplay.} 20. gxf3 Rd2 21. b3 Re8 22. Rfe1 Kf8 23. Rxe8+ Kxe8 24. Re1+ Kd7 25. a4 Rd3 26. Re3 Rxe3 27. fxe3 {This endgame is much harder to draw without rooks on the board.} Kc6 28. b4 Kd5 29. a5 bxa5 30. bxa5 (30. h4) 30... h5 31. Kf2 h4 32. Ke2 Kc4 33. Kd2 Kb5 34. a6 Kxa6 35. Kc3 c5 36. Kc4 Kb6 37. f4 Kc6 38. e4 a5 {My outside passed pawns act as diversions because they prevent my opponent from using her king to defend her own pawns.} 39. Kb3 Kd6 40. Ka4 c4 41. Ka3 Kc5 42. Kb2 Kd4 43. e5 Ke4 44. Kc3 Kxf4 45. Kxc4 Kxe5 46. Kb5 f5 47. Kxa5 f4 48. Kb4 f3 49. Kc4 f2 50. Kd3 f1=R 51. Ke2 Rf4 52. Ke3 Kf5 53. Ke2 Ke4 54. Kd2 Rf3 55. Ke2 Rxh3 56. Kf2 Rg3 57. Kf1 Kf3 58. Ke1 Rg2 59. Kd1 h3 60. Kc1 h2 {White resigns. 0-1} 0-1

[Event "2025 Seattle Seafair Open"]
[Site "Seattle, WA"]
[Date "2025.07.12"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Pikh, Akim"]
[Black "Gottumukkala, CM Ananth"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Ralph Dubisch"]
[ECO "B25"]
[WhiteElo "1942"]
[BlackElo "2188"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[GameId "2221750006464627"]
[EventDate "2025.07.12"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,75,25,24,54,49,82,25,39,32,20,25,26,7,7,0,27,7,7,15,72,32,14,4,28,37,89,43,93,28,28,8,31,33,25,8,23,18,63,-15,-16,-44,-21,-22,-16,-16,-13,-35,-15,-10,25,13,116,138,125,72,144,108,120,15,8,22,0,0,100,74,41,26,43,85,188,202,180,180,359,414,29989,29992]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 ({2...a6 is not played often. The most natural and common move is} 2... Nc6 {, though}) (2... d6) ({and} 2... e6 {are also reasonable, and more popular than ...a6.That said, there's nothing inherently wrong with hinting at expansion on the queenside and protecting the b5-square against invasion by knight or bishop.}) 3. g3 Nc6 (3... b5 4. Bg2 Bb7 {feels a more consistent continuation.}) 4. d3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. f4 d6 7. Nf3 e6 8. O-O Nge7 9. Be3 Nd4 10. Rb1 O-O 11. Ne2 Nxe2+ 12. Qxe2 Nc6 13. c3 Re8 14. g4 f5 15. Nd2 Kh8 16. Rbe1 Bd7 17. h3 (17. Nc4) 17... Rb8 18. Nb3 (18. Nf3) 18... b5 19. Qd2 (19. e5 $5) 19... a5 20. Nc1 b4 21. Ne2 bxc3 22. bxc3 a4 23. Qc2 Qa5 24. Rb1 Rbc8 25. Rb7 Rcd8 $6 (25... Qd8 $13) 26. exf5 Qa6 27. Rfb1 exf5 28. R1b6 Qa5 29. Bxc6 ({Just removing the e3-bishop from the line of fire causes some problems for Black.} 29. Bf2 Ne7 (29... Rb8 $5) 30. Rxd6 Bc8 31. Rxd8 Qxd8 32. Rb8 {with a helpful extra pawn.} Qd7 (32... Qc7 $2 33. Qxa4 {would be two helpful extra pawns.}) 33. g5 {and White is for choice.}) 29... Bxc6 30. Rxc6 Rxe3 31. Rcc7 Rg8 32. Qb2 a3 33. Qb3 c4 (33... Qa8 {creates an interesting position, full of immediate sharp tactics. For example,} 34. Rxg7 (34. Kf2 Qe8 35. Qxg8+ {is a weird draw.} Kxg8 36. Rxg7+ Kh8 37. Rxh7+ Kg8 38. Ng3 Rxg3) (34. gxf5 {is an improvement on the 34.Kf2 line:} gxf5 (34... Rxe2 35. f6 Qe8 36. Qxg8+ Kxg8 37. f7+) 35. Kf2 Qe8 36. Qxg8+ Kxg8 37. Rxg7+ Kh8 38. Ng3 Rxg3 39. Rxg3 $16) 34... Rxg7 35. Rb8+ Qxb8 36. Qxb8+ Rg8 37. Qxd6 Rxe2 {, but here White should probably take the perpetual.}) 34. Qxc4 Ree8 $2 (34... Qa8 35. Kf2 Rxh3 36. g5 {White is more aggressively placed.}) 35. Kf1 (35. g5 $5 {, since} Rxe2 $4 36. Rxg7 $1) 35... fxg4 36. hxg4 h5 37. Qc6 $1 g5 (37... Re3 38. Ra7 Qc5 39. Qb7 {and the black queen is trapped.}) 38. Rxg7 $1 1-0

[Event "2025 Seattle Seafair Open"]
[Site "Seattle, WA"]
[Date "2025.07.12"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Kottcamp, Jeff"]
[Black "Panda, Vedic"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Ralph Dubisch"]
[ECO "B22"]
[WhiteElo "1690"]
[BlackElo "2276"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "205"]
[GameId "2221750006464620"]
[EventDate "2025.07.12"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,205,25,24,46,15,22,16,22,30,20,18,20,19,38,21,26,18,57,29,41,14,56,0,-6,17,9,-20,-15,-28,-26,-29,-13,-26,-18,-39,-35,-35,-35,-39,-35,-42,-37,-45,-45,-45,-51,-48,-41,-48,-40,-50,-47,-49,-43,-50,-42,-56,-58,-58,-65,-101,-112,-109,-67,-75,-60,-71,-59,-83,-75,-59,-69,-53,-52,-52,-44,-33,-26,-26,-15,-26,-6,0,0,0,0,-22,0,0,0,-22,-14,-23,-1,-1,0,-14,-5,-2,-1,-75,-75,-74,-74,-3,-1,-52,-1,-1,-1,-31,0,-1,-1,-4,-4,-93,-98,-4,-4,-4,-4,-4,-1,-4,-1,-1,-1,-4,-1,-1,-1,-1,0,-1,-1,-4,-1,-1,-1,-1,0,0,0,0,0,-4,-4,-4,0,-4,-4,-4,-4,-4,-4,-4,0,-3,0,-3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,-4,-4,-4,-3,-3,-2,-2,-2,-2,-1,-1,-1,-1,0,-1,0,0,0,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 d6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Nc3 (7. Bc4 Nb6 8. Bb5 dxe5 9. Nxe5 Bd7 10. Nxd7 Qxd7 11. Nc3 e6 12. O-O {is a fairly typical, and fairly equal, main line.}) 7... dxe5 8. dxe5 Nxc3 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 (9... Nxd8 10. bxc3 Bd7) 10. bxc3 Bg4 11. Bf4 (11. Be2 e6 12. Be3 {allows the white bishops slightly more active roles.}) 11... Bxf3 12. gxf3 e6 13. Bb5 Kc7 14. Bxc6 ({No need to rush this exchange. Start with} 14. Ke2 {. Maybe Black will spend a tempo to encourage the capture later.}) 14... Kxc6 $15 15. Ke2 Be7 16. Be3 Rhd8 17. Rhd1 b6 18. f4 Ba3 19. Rd4 Bc5 20. Rd3 Rxd3 21. Kxd3 Rd8+ 22. Kc2 Kb5 23. Bxc5 Kxc5 24. Re1 Rd5 25. a4 a6 26. Re4 Rd7 27. Rb4 b5 28. axb5 $2 ({Despite the disadvantage of White having something like five pawn islands to Black's two, White is hanging on because there are no clear entry routes for the black rook. Exchanging on b5 creates one. It's much easier to continue to defend by blocking the queen side with} 28. a5 $15) 28... axb5 29. Re4 Ra7 30. Kb3 Ra1 31. Rd4 Rb1+ (31... Ra4 $1 $19) 32. Kc2 Rf1 33. Rd2 Rh1 $6 ({This impatient move allows White to activate the rook.} 33... h5 {can be played essentially at no cost here, as White has no constructive plans.} 34. h4 (34. Rd7 $4 Rxf2+ 35. Kd3 Rxf4 $19) ({After} 34. Kd3 {, the best plan for Black isn't the obvious attack on the h-pawn. Instead, Black should shift to harassing from the other wing:} Ra1 (34... Rh1 35. Ke2 Rxh2 36. Rd7 {is similar to the game line, a likely draw.}) 35. Ke3 (35. Kc2 $2 Ra4 $19) 35... Ra3 36. Rd3 Kc4 37. Kd2 Ra2+ 38. Ke3 Rc2) 34... f5 35. exf6 (35. Kd3 Rh1 36. Ke3 Re1+ $1 37. Kf3 (37. Kd3 Re4) (37. Re2 Rc1 38. Kd2 Rh1) 37... Kc4 $17) 35... gxf6 $17 {For the rest of the game Black tries to grind out something, but White defends tenaciously.}) 34. Rd7 $1 Rxh2 35. Rxf7 Rxf2+ 36. Kd3 g5 37. Rc7+ Kb6 38. Rxh7 Rf3+ 39. Kd2 Rxf4 40. Rh6 Re4 41. Rxe6+ Kc5 42. Kd3 Re1 43. Kd2 Re4 44. Kd3 Rf4 45. Rg6 g4 46. e6 Kd6 47. Rg5 Rf3+ 48. Ke2 Rxc3 49. Rxb5 Kxe6 {It's worth noting that the defender here doesn't even need Philidor's drawing method, which can be summarized as king in front of pawn, rook on third rank until pawn advances to that rank, then rook to eighth rank to check King from behind. Against a b- or g-pawn, even a first-rank passive defense is adequate.} 50. Kf2 Kf6 51. Kg2 Kg6 52. Ra5 Rf3 53. Rb5 Kf6 54. Ra5 Re3 55. Rb5 Re5 56. Rb2 Kg5 57. Ra2 Kh4 58. Rb2 Re3 59. Ra2 Rg3+ 60. Kh2 Re3 61. Rb2 Kg5 62. Kg2 Kf4 63. Rf2+ Kg5 64. Ra2 Kf5 65. Ra5+ Kf4 66. Ra4+ Re4 67. Ra2 Rc4 68. Rb2 Rc3 69. Ra2 Rg3+ 70. Kf2 Rh3 71. Ra4+ Kg5 72. Kg2 Rc3 73. Ra2 Kh4 74. Rb2 Rh3 75. Ra2 Rg3+ 76. Kh2 Rd3 77. Rb2 Rd4 78. Kg2 Kg5 79. Ra2 Re4 80. Rb2 Kf4 81. Rf2+ Ke5 82. Ra2 Re3 83. Rb2 Kf6 84. Ra2 Kg5 85. Rb2 Kh4 86. Ra2 Re4 87. Rb2 g3 88. Ra2 Kg4 89. Rb2 Kh4 90. Ra2 Rf4 91. Rb2 Rg4 92. Ra2 Rg7 93. Ra4+ Rg4 94. Ra2 Rc4 95. Rb2 Ra4 96. Rc2 Kg4 97. Rb2 Rf4 98. Ra2 Rf8 99. Ra4+ Rf4 100. Ra2 Kh4 101. Rb2 Rf2+ 102. Rxf2 gxf2 103. Kxf2 1/2-1/2

[Event "2025 Seattle Seafair Open"]
[Site "Seattle, WA"]
[Date "2025.07.12"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Sundaram, Siddarth Meenakshi"]
[Black "Jammalamadaka, Vihaan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Ralph Dubisch"]
[ECO "B29"]
[WhiteElo "2415"]
[BlackElo "2092"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "86"]
[GameId "2221750006464625"]
[EventDate "2025.07.12"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,86,25,16,58,64,82,56,66,49,28,60,50,4,-4,16,6,-12,-12,5,-12,-12,-12,-12,-12,-4,-16,-12,-8,-16,-19,-22,-11,-26,-10,-19,36,24,49,20,26,-2,21,14,10,24,27,-4,7,0,9,-8,-8,-9,-14,-10,1,0,-16,-23,3,0,0,0,10,-27,-4,-148,-170,-156,-165,-249,-239,-660,-682,-691,-694,-1140,-1174,-1181,-1162,-1274,-1201,-1729,-1485,-1532,-2284,-29983,-1460]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 ({One of the two main moves for White in this slightly obscure Nimzovichian line of the Sicilian. The other,} 3. e5 Nd5 {, takes on aspects of an Alekhine's Defense, though the c-pawn's influence on the d4-square should be marginally helpful for Black.} 4. Nc3 e6 (4... Nxc3 5. dxc3 Nc6 6. Bf4 {is also played.}) 5. Nxd5 exd5 6. d4 $14) 3... d5 4. e5 (4. exd5 Nxd5 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Ne5 (6. Qe2 $5) 6... Bxb5 7. Qf3 f6 8. Nxb5 Na6 (8... fxe5 9. Qxd5 $14) 9. Qh5+ g6 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. Qxh8 $14) 4... Nfd7 5. Nxd5 Nxe5 6. Bb5+ (6. Ne3 $5) (6. Nxe5 Qxd5 7. Qe2 g6 8. b3 Bg7 9. Bb2 O-O 10. O-O-O {has a different feel to it.}) 6... Nbc6 7. Nc3 (7. Ne3) 7... Nxf3+ 8. Qxf3 Bd7 9. O-O a6 10. Bd3 (10. Bxc6 Bxc6 11. Qh5 (11. Qg3 $15 {is the game at move 13.}) 11... e6 12. Re1 {Black has the bishops, but White is slightly ahead in development. There's also the small threat of 13.Rxe6 to counter.} g6 13. Qe5 Qd4 {seems to solve most of the issues, though.}) 10... Ne5 11. Qe3 Nxd3 12. Qxd3 Bc6 13. Qg3 g6 (13... h5 14. d3 h4 15. Qh3 e6 $15) 14. d3 Bg7 15. Re1 O-O 16. Bg5 Re8 17. Qh4 Bf6 $6 ({Black is not obligated to passively defend the e-pawn.} 17... Qd7 18. Bxe7 (18. Rxe7 Rxe7 19. Bxe7 h6 {is similar.}) 18... h6 {and ...g5 will trap the bishop, though there are some complications.} 19. Bxc5 $2 Bxc3 20. bxc3 Qd5 {forks and wins.}) 18. Bxf6 exf6 19. Rxe8+ Bxe8 20. Ne4 Kg7 21. Re1 b6 (21... Bc6 22. Nxc5 Qa5 23. b4 Qxa2 $15) 22. Qg3 Bd7 23. h4 h5 24. b3 Be6 25. a4 Rc8 26. Re3 Rc6 27. Qf4 b5 28. axb5 axb5 29. Re1 c4 30. dxc4 bxc4 31. b4 Bf5 32. Nc5 (32. c3 Re6 33. Re3 $13) 32... c3 33. Qf3 $6 (33. Qe3 Bxc2 (33... Qd2 34. Qxd2 (34. Nb3 Qxe3 (34... Qd5 35. Qd4) 35. fxe3 (35. Rxe3 $6 Rc4 36. b5 Rxh4 37. Rxc3 Rb4 $15)) 34... cxd2 35. Rd1 Rd6 36. Nd3 Bxd3 37. Rxd2 Rb6 38. cxd3 Rxb4) 34. Qxc3) 33... Qd2 34. Re3 ({White's position begins to collapse.} 34. Re8 Rd6 35. g3 Bxc2 36. Qa8 f5 {is, at least, messy.}) 34... Rb6 (34... Rd6 35. Ne4 Bxe4 36. Rxe4 Qxc2 $17) 35. Qf4 $6 (35. Nb3 Qxc2 36. Nd4 Qb1+ 37. Kh2 Bg4 $17) 35... Qxc2 36. Re7 $2 Qb1+ 37. Kh2 Qxb4 38. Rxf7+ {A desperate hope, but of course nothing is there.} Kxf7 39. Qc7+ Ke8 40. g4 hxg4 41. h5 gxh5 42. Kg3 c2 43. Nd3 Qd6+ 0-1

[Event "2025 Seattle Seafair Open"]
[Site "Seattle, WA"]
[Date "2025.07.12"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Porter, Ryan W"]
[Black "Palathingal, Rafael"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Ralph Dubisch"]
[ECO "A14"]
[WhiteElo "2287"]
[BlackElo "1961"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[GameId "2221750006472829"]
[EventDate "2025.07.12"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,38,42,-14,0,-15,-23,-11,-23,-15,14,4,2,-5,0,-2,-3,-2,6,24,18,28,28,23,34,15,108,117,96,109,191,241,204,170,186,182,159,141,123,135,238]} 1. c4 e6 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. b3 d4 ({Grabbing space, but it can be hard to maintain the pawn on this advanced square.} 6... c5) ({and} 6... b6 {are the most played moves here.}) 7. e3 c5 8. Ne5 (8. exd4 cxd4 9. d3 Nc6 10. Re1 {is a reversed Benoni.}) 8... Qc7 9. f4 Nbd7 10. Nd3 e5 11. Bb2 exf4 (11... e4 {overextends the center pawns.}) 12. Nxf4 dxe3 ({The opening of central lines likely favors White, with bishops on the long diagonals, a potentially strong central outpost, and fewer central targets.} 12... Ne5 $5 13. exd4 cxd4 14. Bxd4 Rd8 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. cxd5 {Black has at least partial compensation for the pawn.}) 13. dxe3 $14 Re8 (13... Ne5) 14. Nc3 Nf8 15. Ncd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 Ne6 17. Nh5 ({Local material sueriority builds up on the kingside.} 17. Qg4 Bf8 18. Nh5 $18) 17... Bg5 18. Qf3 Bh6 19. Rae1 Ng5 20. Nf6+ $1 Kh8 21. Qh5 Rf8 22. Qxh6 $1 gxh6 23. Ne8+ Kg8 24. Nxc7 1-0

[Event "2025 Vancouver Open"]
[Site "Vancouver, WA"]
[Date "2025.07.19"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Heath, Derek"]
[Black "Tang, Austin"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Ralph Dubisch"]
[ECO "A45"]
[WhiteElo "2112"]
[BlackElo "2153"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[GameId "2221750157537442"]
[EventDate "2025.07.19"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,74,25,13,30,24,52,41,41,44,31,19,37,30,27,20,23,11,24,21,67,70,70,65,73,67,70,71,71,79,73,76,81,68,69,69,61,58,57,57,51,49,49,50,71,67,71,79,80,79,79,46,104,110,130,62,149,147,151,115,97,101,103,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. h4 h5 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Ne5 c5 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. dxc5 Ne4 $6 (9... Bf5) 10. Nxc6 bxc6 (10... Nxd2 $4 11. Nxd8 Nxf1 12. Bc7 e6 13. c6 $16) (10... Bxc3 11. Qxc3 $1 bxc6 12. Qa3 $16) 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. O-O-O Bg4 (12... Qe8 13. Qb4 $14) 13. Qxd8 Raxd8 14. Rxd8 Rxd8 15. Bc4 $14 Kf8 (15... e5 16. Bg3 Kf8 {reaches the game, but is a more accurate move order.}) 16. c3 ({White has the option to avoid entombing the bishop:} 16. Bc7 Rd7 17. Ba5 $14) 16... e5 17. Bg3 Ke7 18. Kc2 Be6 19. Bxe6 Kxe6 20. b4 f5 21. c4 Bh6 22. Rd1 Rxd1 23. Kxd1 Bf8 (23... f4 $5) 24. Kc2 Be7 25. Kb3 Kd7 26. b5 Ke6 $6 ({The black king doesn't do much to aid the advance of the kingside pawns. It should stay on the queenside to help defend.} 26... Bd8 27. Kb4 Kc8 28. bxc6 f4 29. exf4 exf4 30. Bxf4 Bxh4 {, and this strange position is already equal. In fact, White can go wrong with} 31. g3 $2 {, when Black will be able to create an outside passed pawn winning the bishop and the game.}) 27. Kb4 ({For} 27. bxc6 Bd8 (27... Bxc5 28. Bxe5 $1) 28. Kb4 a6 {see the next note.}) 27... Bd8 28. bxc6 a6 29. Ka4 ({Wasting a key tempo, allowing Black to support along the b8-h2 diagonal. This is the only opportunity to strike with} 29. f4 $3 exf3 (29... Bc7 30. fxe5 Ke7 31. Bf4 Ke6 32. Bg5 Kf7 33. e6+ Kxe6 34. g3 Bxg3 35. Ka5 $18 {, because} f4 36. exf4 (36. Bxf4 Bxf4 37. exf4 e3 38. Kxa6 e2 39. c7 {also wins for White.}) 36... e3 37. Kxa6 (37. f5+ gxf5 38. Bxe3 Bxh4 39. Bf4 {wins as well.}) 37... e2 38. c7 e1=Q 39. c8=Q+ {is mate soon.}) 30. gxf3 Bc7 31. f4 e4 32. Be1) 29... Bc7 30. f3 f4 $1 31. Bf2 (31. exf4 exf4 32. Be1 e3 33. Kb3 $14) 31... exf3 32. gxf3 e4 $3 33. fxe4 f3 $1 34. Kb3 Ke5 35. Kc2 Kxe4 36. Kd2 Ba5+ 37. Kc2 Bc7 {A weird and difficult tripled-pawn endgame. At the finish, White's two extra pawns are permanently blockaded. There's no chance for zugzwang as the white bishop can tempo f2-g1 as needed. A draw is a fair result.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "2025 Vancouver Open"]
[Site "Vancouver, WA"]
[Date "2025.07.20"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Hanson, Roger"]
[Black "Zhang, Kylie"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Ralph Dubisch"]
[ECO "A04"]
[WhiteElo "1874"]
[BlackElo "1912"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[WhiteFideId "-1"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[GameId "2221750157570213"]
[EventDate "2025.07.19"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

{[%evp 0,47,25,24,54,52,40,6,36,5,50,32,24,20,22,3,-2,-35,11,0,55,76,91,48,106,127,136,170,168,166,149,162,291,324,317,314,340,352,358,387,410,412,603,633,652,717,885,763,1725,1717]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d3 e5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. c3 O-O 8. a3 f5 9. b4 cxb4 $6 ({There are all sorts of positional reasons not to capture on b4 here. The exchange is Black's c-pawn for White's a-pawn, slightly improving White's central influence, increasing Black's pawn islands, and automatically developing the rook on a1 on its original square. White is left with more freedom, queenside space, and initiative.} 9... d6 $11) 10. axb4 $14 d5 $2 (10... b5) 11. b5 Nb8 $6 (11... fxe4 12. dxe4 dxe4 13. Ng5 Qxd1 14. Rxd1 Bg4 15. Re1 $16) 12. Qb3 Kh8 13. Ba3 Be6 14. Ng5 Bg8 15. exd5 Re8 (15... Nxd5 16. Bxf8 Bxf8 17. c4 Nb6 (17... Qxg5 18. Bxd5 Bxd5 19. cxd5 Nd7 20. d6 $16) 18. Bxb7 Qxg5 19. Bxa8 Nxa8 20. Rxa7 $16) 16. Ne6 Qc8 17. Nxg7 Kxg7 18. c4 Bf7 19. Qc3 Nd7 20. f4 Ng8 21. fxe5 Nxe5 22. Bd6 Kf6 23. Re1 Qd8 24. Bxe5+ 1-0

