GOTW: FM Hua - IM Brooks, St.Louis 2016

[Event "Saint Louis Invitational"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.06.12"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Hua, Lefong"]
[Black "Brooks, Michael"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A42"]
[WhiteElo "2277"]
[BlackElo "2410"]
[Annotator "Elias Oussedik"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]

{At long last, the return of FM Lefong Hua! It has been nearly ten years since
Lefong's last tournament. Lefong used to be a chess prodigy himself
representing Canada at the U10 World Youth Chess Championships competiting
with the likes of Grischuck, Aronian, Bacrot, McShane, Vallejo Pons, Ganguly
etc..} 1. d4 {Even ten years later, Lefong still hasn't changed his openings.
He has stayed loyal to his queen pawn.} g6 {IM Michael Brooks was the top seed
of this Closed tournament. He's known for his offbeat openings.} 2. c4 d6 3. e4
e5 {Already an interesting choice by Black. Insider information tells me that
Lefong was expecting this opening and had received some outside help before
the game. Who was his secret second? The "Gohan" of Canadian Chess: IM Aman
Hambleton.} 4. Ne2 {With this move, White is hoping to transpose into a
Saemich. This was uncharted waters for Lefong, as he usually opts for the
four pawns attack in the KID.} Nd7 5. Nbc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nh6 $6 {Creative!
Typically ...Nf6 is played. However, this isn't a new move and many games have
gone ...Nh6.} 7. f3 {White's idea here is to play Qd2 and long castle. White
then has many different ideas in this position, he can either chose to play on
the queenside or the kingside. Considering Black has played Nh6, he might be
aiming for an f5 type of break. This might be dubious as it might weaken
Black's kingside.} f5 8. Qd2 Nf7 9. O-O-O O-O {In my eyes, this is a critical
part of the game. White must decide on a plan. Will he play on the queenside
or kingside. If he chooses to play on the queenside, he will continue with Kb1,
Nc1-b3, Rc1, d5 and break with c5. If White wants to play on the kingside, he
will take on f5 and try to blast Black on the kingside. Lefong plays the
Benoni as Black, so he's the type of player who likes to tango. One can
already guess what type of position he decided to play.} 10. exf5 $1 {Concrete
and great preparation! I am sure Lefong had already looked at this position
before the game.} gxf5 11. dxe5 Ndxe5 {White has a gorgeous position here. Two
key squares have opened up for White's pieces. The f4 and d4 square will soon
be launching squares for White's knights.} 12. Nf4 c5 $2 {An unnecessary
weakening move. Black deliberately weakens his light squares and the d5/d6
squares. A hard move to understand.} 13. Nh5 Bh8 14. Kb1 {A prophylactic move.
Simply putting the king away from danger.} a6 {Black is in need of desperate
counterplay. Hoping for a potential b5 in the future.} 15. h4 {White is hoping
for a potential rook lift in the near future and controlling the g5 square if
he chooses to play Bg5. White's plan is clear here. He is improving his pieces
and bringing them closer to Black's king move by move. Nd5 will follow and
sooner or later a tactic will appear. What can Black do to create counterplay?}
Re8 $2 {Too slow! Black needs to counterattack! ...b5 was a must!} (15... b5
16. cxb5 axb5 17. Bxb5 Be6 $16 {Even though White still has a very nice
position, this was the type of counterplay Black should be looking for.}) 16.
Nd5 Be6 17. Bg5 {Threatening Nf6+ winning the exchange on e8 or threatening to
open the h-file for White's rook.} Nxg5 18. hxg5 Nd7 19. Nhf6+ $6 {Even though
this move is still strong, Lefong had a calmer continuation. What piece isn't
part of the attack and needs to be better placed? The bishop on d3! Hence, Bd3
was a more eloquent way of playing the position.} (19. Bd3 $18 {White will
continue with g4 and target the h7 pawn.}) 19... Nxf6 20. gxf6 Bxf6 21. Qh6 {
This is the continuation that Lefong had seen after playing 19.Nhf6+. He is
attacking the h7 pawn and the f6 bishop simultaneously.} Bg7 $2 (21... Bxd5 $1
{Black missed his chance to remove White's powerful knight on d5. The idea of
this move stems from the fact that the check on h7 doesn't bring White too
much. With bishops of opposite color and Black's monster bishop on f6, he
might have some chances of his own in this position.} 22. Qxh7+ (22. cxd5 Qe7
23. Bd3 Qg7 24. Qd2 Qg5) 22... Kf8 23. cxd5 Qb6 {As we can see, Black's
counterplay has potential.} 24. Qh6+ (24. b3 $2 Qb4 $1 {Black infiltrates on
the dark squares.} 25. Qxf5 Qc3 {White has nothing better than a perpetual
here.} 26. Rh8+ Kf7 27. Rh7+ Kf8 28. Rh8+ $11) 24... Bg7 25. Qd2 $14 {White is
forced to retreat to protect b2. Even though Black's king is slightly weaker
than White's king, Black still has a fully playable position.}) 22. Qxh7+ Kf8
23. Rh5 {Brooks lets Lefong loose, who is known to be dangerous in these
tactical positions. Lefong is thirsty looking for ways to make his mark in St.
Louis.} b6 24. Bd3 {Finally the final piece joins the show!} Ra7 (24... Bxd5 {
This powerful knight should be removed even at the cost of the f5 pawn. It
might seem that Black's king will succumb to White's attack if the f5 square
falls into White's hands, but it isn't the case.} 25. cxd5 Re5 $1 26. Rxf5+
Rxf5 27. Bxf5 Qf6 {Again, a powerful battery is formed between queen and
bishop.} 28. Rd2 Qh6 29. Qxh6 Bxh6 30. Re2 $16 {Bishops of opposite color give
Black holding chances though White's two connected passed pawns on the
kingside make Black's defense difficult.}) 25. Qg6 Rf7 26. Bxf5 Bxd5 {Finally!}
27. cxd5 Rf6 (27... Re2 {Lefong had a trap up his sleeve if ...Re2 had been
played.} 28. Be6 Rf6 $2 (28... Qf6 $1 29. Qxf7+ Qxf7 30. Bxf7 Kxf7 31. b3 Rxg2
$14 {with potential drawing chances for Black.}) 29. Rh8+ $1 Bxh8 30. Qg8+ Ke7
31. Qh7+ Ke8 32. Qxh8+ Rf8 33. Qh5+ Ke7 34. Qg5+ Ke8 35. Qg6+ Ke7 36. Rh1 $18 {
With mate in five!}) 28. Qg4 Re2 29. Rdh1 $1 {The rook is eyeing h8!} Kf7 30.
Rh7 Qf8 31. Rxg7+ Qxg7 32. Rh7 Qxh7 33. Bxh7 Ke7 34. Bf5 {And Brooks resigned.
As a professional chess coach, Lefong Hua showed us some professional level
opening preparation. Hopefully this is the start of something and the former
chess prodigy can finally achieve the IM title he entirely deserves!} 1-0