Bob Simmons has shared his first round game. It was a draw, but as Black against an opponent that was rated 230 points higher. In the final position Black has the advantage (he can win the d-pawn due to tactics), but as Bob’s team had already lost the round might as well take the points you can get and save up for round 2.
[Event “USATE 2020”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “????.??.??”]
[Round “1”]
[White “Sokolovsky, Eugene “]
[Black “Simmons, Robert”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteELO “2077”]
[BlackELO “1848”]
- d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 Be7 6. b3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O b6 9. Bb2 Bb7 10. Qe2 Rc8 11. Rfd1 Qc7 12. Rac1 Qb8 13. e4 dxe4 14. Nxe4 Nxe4 15. Bxe4 Nf6 16. Bb1 Rfd8 17. Ng5 Qf4 18. Nh3 Qh4 19. f3 Bd6 20. Be4 g5 21. d5 Nxe4 22. Qxe4 Qxe4 23. fxe4 1/2-1/2
White’s last mistake was 22. Qxe4; the computer prefers dxe6 first, but that is a hard move for a human to make – in in-between move to grab a pawn while down a piece.