The Night Diary

Timur Gareyev – 熊奕韬 (Jeffery Xióng)
63rd U.S. Open Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 20, 2019
Réti Opening A09

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. b4 Bg4 4. Ne5 Bf5 5. e3 Nf6 6. g4!? And that is White’s opening surprise, which, however, may well be more improvised than prepared, at least judging by the huge amount of time Gareyev will take for his next moves. 6. ... Be4 7. f3 Bg6 8. Bb2 dxe3 9. dxe3 Nbd7 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. Nc3 e6 12. c5 c6 13. g5 Nd5 14. Nxd5 exd5 15. f4 Qe7 16. Qd2 Rh4 17. Qf2 Qe4 18. a3. Now Gareyev has only 5 minutes left for the next 22 moves, so it’s not too hard to figure out how it’s gonna end. 18. ... Qxh1 19. Qxh4 a5∞

20. Qf2? The crisis begins. Worth considering was 20. Qh3! axb4 21. Kd2! (Δ Bf1-d3) 21. ... Qe4 (21. ... bxa3?? loses the Queen after both 22. Bg2 and 22. Bd3) 22. Bd3 Qe7 23. axb4 Rxa1 24. Bxa1 b6!∞ with an uncertain balance between hate and love. 20. ... axb4 21. axb4 Rxa1+ 22. Bxa1 Qe4 23. Bc3? This leads to a quick defeat. White’s best — and maybe only — chance to hold on was 23. Qb2! offering a Pawn in order to exchange Queens (23. ... Qxe3+ 24. Qe2). 23. ... b6! 24. Kd2 bxc5 25. b5!? This hastens the end, though even with style. 25. ... cxb5 26. Bxb5 c4! 27. Qe2 Qb1 28. Bxd7+ (28. Bxc4!? Bb4!−+) 28. ... Kxd7 29. Qg4+ Qf5 30. h3 Kc6 31. Ke2 Kb5 32. Bd4 Qxg4+ 33. hxg4 Kb4 34. e4 dxe4 35. Kd2 Bc5 36. Bxg7 Kb3 37. f5 e3+ 38. Ke2 c3 0 : 1.

熊奕韬 (Jeffery Xióng) deeply concentrating before the game. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.