While all the decisive results were pouring in, Caruana swiftly outplayed Xiong and is not in complete control. A victory will almost certainly propel him into a shared lead.
#USChessChamps
#USChessChamps
Round 3 in US ch: Caruana beat Xiong, Zherebukh beat Robson, Shankland beat Izoria. All other games drawn. Caruana, So, and Akobian all lead with 2.5 out of 3. Rd 4 pairings: Robson-Shankland, Caruna-Izoria, Akobian-Xiong, So-Lenderman, Nakamura-Liang, and Zherebukh-Oniscuk.
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📘 White has the two-bishop advantage and more space. He also controls the open a-file, so he can convert his positional advantages to the material advantage.
29.Bf5
Intending 30.Bc2, restricting the black knight.
29...g6 30.Bc2 Kg7 31.Re1 Bb8 32.h4! f6 33.g4 Kf7 34.g5 f5 35.Kg2 +-
29.Bf5
Intending 30.Bc2, restricting the black knight.
29...g6 30.Bc2 Kg7 31.Re1 Bb8 32.h4! f6 33.g4 Kf7 34.g5 f5 35.Kg2 +-
📘 Black has two problems in the position:
1-Having a bad Bishop.
2. Limited in space.
Gavin Jones decides to solve the first one.
20...Nh7! 21.Kh2 Bf6 22.Rac1 Bg5
1-Having a bad Bishop.
2. Limited in space.
Gavin Jones decides to solve the first one.
20...Nh7! 21.Kh2 Bf6 22.Rac1 Bg5
📘 8...d6!?
This sacrifice line in the Symmetrical English variation has been employed by Kovalev in a few games.
9.N×c6 b×c6 10.B×c6 Rb8 11.Bg2 Qa5 12.Qd2 Be6 13.b3 R×b3 14.a×b3 Q×a1 15.Nb5 a6 16.Na7 Bd7
This sacrifice line in the Symmetrical English variation has been employed by Kovalev in a few games.
9.N×c6 b×c6 10.B×c6 Rb8 11.Bg2 Qa5 12.Qd2 Be6 13.b3 R×b3 14.a×b3 Q×a1 15.Nb5 a6 16.Na7 Bd7
📘 34.Bf1
Parham decides to keep his bishop instead of the knight in the Knight + 4 pawns vs Knight + 3 pawns ending.
(34.B×c6! N×c6 35.b5 Ncb4 36.b×a6 N×a6 +/-)
34...N×b4 35.Bc4 Nd5 36.Nd8 Kf8 37.N×c6 N×c6 38.B×d5
Parham decides to keep his bishop instead of the knight in the Knight + 4 pawns vs Knight + 3 pawns ending.
(34.B×c6! N×c6 35.b5 Ncb4 36.b×a6 N×a6 +/-)
34...N×b4 35.Bc4 Nd5 36.Nd8 Kf8 37.N×c6 N×c6 38.B×d5
23...Qd8!
In order to play ...e6-e5 without allowing White to hit the queen with Nd5.
24.Rf3 Bf8! 25.Rg3 e5! 26.f5 Nd4.
In order to play ...e6-e5 without allowing White to hit the queen with Nd5.
24.Rf3 Bf8! 25.Rg3 e5! 26.f5 Nd4.