Round Two: Pirc Defense
Alice Dong (1396) - Ziping Liu (1419), Westfield NJ 2/24/2008
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.g3 0-0 6.Bg2 c6 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.h3 e5 9.Be3 Re8 10.Qd2 Qc7 11.Bh6 a5
A safer move for Black is 11...Bh8, preserving his dark-squared bishop.
12.Nh4
This move is a mistake that costs White material. She should play 12.Bxg7.
12...exd4 13.Ne2 Nxe4 14.Qf4 Ndc5 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Nxd4 Bd7
Black is living dangerously. He should consolidate by playing 16...Qd8, prepared to meet 17.Rae1 by 17...Qf6.
17.Rae1 Nf6 18.Kh2
White misses a chance to regain her pawn with an equal position by 18.Ndf5+ Bxf5 19.Nxf5+ Kg8 20.Qd4 Qd7 21.Nxd6 Nfe4 22.Bxe4 Nxe4 23.Rxe4 Rxe4 24.Qxe4 Qxd6.
18...Be6 19.Qg5 Qd7 20.f4 h6 21.Nxe6+ Qxe6 22.Rxe6 hxg5 23.Rxe8 Rxe8 24.fxg5 Nh7 25.Rd1
Instead, 25.Nf3 leaves Black with only a slight advantage after 25...d5.
25...Re2
Now Black has a winning position.
26.Rc1 Nxg5 27.a3 a4 28.b4 axb3 29.cxb3 Nxb3 30.Rb1 Nc5 31.Ra1 Rb2, White resigns.
