by National Life Master Loal Davis
Ray Robson
There was a single decisive game in the fourth round of the U.S. Championship 2019. Despite the fact that it was a hard fought game, I’m extremely disappointed with both players regarding this game. I realize I am most likely way out of my league in discussing this game; these players. Ray Robson is 24 years of age and has a rating of 2739. Jeffery Xiong is 18 years of age and has a rating of 2740. Your author is a “mere” Life Master and at the time of this writing very tired. Nevertheless I am reminded of a quote – “A win by an unsound combination, however showy, fills me with artistic horror.” – Wilhelm Steinitz. In this case the “unsound combination” definitely was bad, and the “perpetrator” definitely did not win. Take a look at this game – especially after move 19.
[Event “US Chess Championship 2019”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2019.03.23”]
[Round “?”]
[White “Xiong, Jeffery”]
[Black “Robson, Ray”]
[Result “0-1”]
[PlyCount “90”]
[EventDate “2019.03.20”]
[SourceDate “2019.03.23”]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. dxe5 Nxb5 7. a4 Nbd4 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 d5 10. Qd3 g6 11. Nc3 c6 12. Be3 Bf5 13. Qd2 Qa5 14. Rfe1 O-O-O 15. e6 Bxe6 16. Bg5 Rd7 17. Bf6 Rg8 18. Qe3 Bb4 19. Red1 Bf5
White has been outplayed and is going down.
He now plays –
20. Nb5 ? ! ?
What is this ? !
(20… cxb5 21. axb5 Qxb5 22. Rxa7 Kc7 23. Rda1 Bc5 24. Qe5+ Kc6) – leads to
Analysis Diagram
And – White is flat busted ! This is NOT hard to see for a 2700 player who takes a little time in his response; the clock was not a factor. What happened? Robson playing Black thought for a VERY long time and either believed his opponent (was bluffed), distrusted his appraisal/analysis of the position, or out of fear found a way to “just” keep the game going while avoiding his opponent’s “main line”.
Bxc2 ? ! ?
Extremely disappointing (personal opinion).
21. Rdc1 Bf5 22. Nxa7+ Kb8 23. Nb5 Ka8 24. Bc3 Bxc3 25. bxc3 Be6 26. Re1 Re8 27. h3 h5 28. Kh2 Rde7 29. Qc5 Kb8 30. Qd6+ Kc8 31. Qc5 Kd8 32. g3 cxb5 33. axb5 Qc7 34. Qd4 Kd7 35. Ra4 Rc8 36. c4 Qc5 37. cxd5 Bf5 38. Rxe7+ Kxe7 39. Qe5+ Kd7 40. Rf4 Qd6 41. Qxd6+ Kxd6 42. g4 Ke5 43. Rf3 hxg4 44. hxg4 Bxg4 45. Rxf7 Rb8 0-1
Final Position
Fabiano Caaruana has yet to win a game but gave it a good/close shot in this hard fought draw.
[Event “US Chess Championship 2019”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2019.03.23”]
[Round “4”]
[White “Caruana, Fabiano”]
[Black “Dominguez Perez, Leinier”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[PlyCount “170”]
[EventDate “2019.03.20”]
[SourceDate “2019.03.23”]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qa4 a6 8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2 Be4 11. Qc1 c6 12. a4 Nbd7 13. Nc3 Bg6 14. Nh4 Bh5 15. h3 Nd5 16. axb5 axb5 17. Rxa8 Qxa8 18. e4 Nb4 19. Bg5 Qd8 20. Bxe7 Qxe7 21. Qe3 Rd8 22. Rc1 Nf8 23. Bf3 Bxf3 24. Nxf3 Nd7 25. Kg2 h6 26. h4 Nb6 27. b3 Nd7 28. Rd1 Ra8 29. Qe2 Nf6 30. Ne5 Nd7 31. Ng4 Nf6 32. Ne3 Ra3 33. e5 Nd7 34. Ne4 Nb6 35. Qh5 Rxb3 36. Ng4 N4d5 37. Ra1 Ra3 38. Nxh6+ gxh6 39. Nf6+ Nxf6 40. exf6 Rxg3+ 41. fxg3 Qxf6 42. Qg4+ Kh8 43. Ra6 Qd8 44. Ra7 Qf8 45. Qf3 Kg8 46. Qxc6 Qd8 47. Kh2 Qf6 48. Qe4 Qf2+ 49. Kh3 Qf1+ 50. Qg2 Qf5+ 51. g4 Qd3+ 52. Qg3 Qxd4 53. g5 h5 54. g6 Nd7 55. Ra8+ Kg7 56. gxf7+ Kxf7 57. Qg8+ Ke7 58. Re8+ Kd6 59. Rxe6+ Kc5 60. Qg5+ Kb4 61. Qxh5 Nc5 62. Re7 Nd3 63. Qf3 Kc3 64. h5 b4 65. h6 b3 66. h7 b2 67. Rb7 Kd2 68. Qg2+ Kc1 69. Rc7+ Kb1 70. Qh1+ Nc1 71. Qa8 Qe3+ 72. Kg4 Qe6+ 73. Kf3 Qe2+ 74. Kg3 Qe5+ 75. Kh3 Qh5+ 76. Kg2 Qe2+ 77. Kh1 Qh5+ 78. Kg1 Qd1+ 79. Kh2 Qh5+ 80. Kg3 Qe5+ 81. Kg4 Qe6+ 82. Kh5 Qf5+ 83. Kh4 Qf4+ 84. Kh5 Qf5+ 85. Kh4 Qf4+ 1/2-1/2
