[Event "Seongeup Village vs. Douglaston Village Summit"] [Site "Douglaston"] [Date "2005.02.01"] [Round "0"] [White "Lauren S Hwang"] [Black "Hyungsook Kim"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2207"] [ECO "D02"] [Opening "Queen's Pawn: 2.Nf3 Nf6"] 1.d4 { Lauren S. Hwang (2005) authors the annotative notes to this game in the private Book of the Douglaston-Seongeup Chess Summit, a joint project of the DCC and the SCS. On 1 February 2005, four members of the Seongeup Chess Society squared off in four individual games against four Douglaston masters at Rockefeller Park. We used the Douglaston Time Control of three hours per player per game with no increments. The four SCS members who partook in this summit (all very young women) were Haneul Chung, Junghye Kang, Eunyoung Park, and Hyungsook Kim, the twenty-year-old team captain and youngest member of the delegation. The four DCC members who partook in this summit were Frank Estrus, Paul Roberts, Andrew West, and myself. We were only told that the four were players of 2200 strength and well-versed in prophylaxis. As anyone from the Korean chess school of thought will tell you, Korean chess players, especially girls, will only play "conventional openings" (i.e., the Ruy Lopez and not the Damiano Defense). It conforms to notions of Confucian duties and an adherence to principles of "virtuous obedience" as opposed to "innovative individualism." I felt that the romantically inclined chess styles of Estrus, West, and Roberts had absolutely no chances against their respective opponents. The next day, the girls punctually arrived at the park. I was quite shocked! They emerged from a limousine, were extraordinarily well-dressed, and had personal servants, as if their stunning looks and ultra-trim figures weren't enough. Estrus, West, Roberts, and I crammed ourselves in a taxicab to save money (!). I was wondering whether these people really came from Seongeup Village, a tourist attraction in Korea renown for its thatched huts and villagers. In this game, I crossed swords with Hyungsook Kim, the team captain. I was told that Kim was an expert at Queen-and-Pawn endgames. Her apparent reputation for playing quickly, though, frightened me a little. Nonetheless, I smiled warmly and bowed to my opponent, who reciprocated the gesture. The arbiter, Mr. Steven Brooks, started our four clocks at two in the afternoon, Eastern Standard Time. The summit ended at five, and the final score was: DCC 1, SCS 3. I notched up our only point, and my colleagues fell to their opponents. } 1...d5 2.Nf3 { I wasn't afraid that the prim-and-proper Kim would play 2...e5, for the rough-and-tumble Albin Countergambit that is certainly not the favorite province of Korean chess-players. } 2...Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.cxd5 { Having just watched my three respective colleagues essay three unsound openings at the starts of their games, I was groaning in my mind and decided that against the "Great Wall of Korea" I had no choice but to go for the Slav Exchange (the fast-track to equality) and at least salvage some DCC dignity. } 4...cxd5 { With this move, Kim turned down my first offer of a draw. } 5.Nc3 Nc6 { With this move, Kim turned down my second offer of a draw. } 6.Bf4 Bf5 { With this move, Kim turned down my third offer of a draw. } 7.e3 e6 { With this move, Kim turned down my fourth offer of a draw. } 8.Bd3 Bxd3 { With this move, Kim turned down my fifth offer of a draw. } 9.Qxd3 Bd6 { With this move, Kim turned down my sixth offer of a draw. } 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 { With this move, Kim turned down my seventh offer of a draw. } 11.O-O O-O { With this move, Kim turned down my eighth offer of a draw. } 12.a3 a6 { With this move, Kim turned down my ninth offer of a draw. } 13.Na4 { This is the first new move in the given position. According to my database the first dozen moves have occurred sixteen times in history, with a record of O-O-16 (!!). Only three of those sixteen games actually lasted longer than fourteen moves. } 13...e5 { When Kim made this move, I was quite shocked. Surely the captain of the Seongeup Chess Society did not mean to create an IQP for herself...or did she? Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Junghye Kang, who looked rather happy pummeling the living daylights of her confused DCC opponent. When she noticed Black's thirteenth move, she placed her hand over her mouth and quickly walked away. Black's thirteenth move is a positional error, but one cannot blame her. Everyone else on her side was winning games, and she felt compelled to follow the lead. } 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Qxe5 16.h3 { At this point the both of us had consumed about five minutes of our time. Perhaps my pawn nudge was superfluous but I did not want to see 16...Ng4. Now I get to double Rooks on the d-file, a possibility that was slowed down by my somewhat laborious 22. Qd4?!. } 16...b5 17.Nc3 Rac8 18.Rad1 Rfd8 19.Qd4 Qd6 20.Rd2 Rc4 21.Qa7 Rc7 22.Qd4 Rcc8 { I found this move rather astonishing. Kim is essentially saying "pass" but I don't think she is conveying her wish constructively. } 23.Rfd1 Rc4 24.Qa7 Qe6 { Black simply overlooked White's next move, but then again her d-pawn is no asset and I am not sure she wanted her entire army stuck defending it. Still, I would have been more worried if she tried to isolate my b-pawn by a Queenside demonstration. } 25.Nxd5 Nxd5 26.Rxd5 Rxd5 27.Rxd5 h6 28.Rd2 { As I felt during the game, White had several plans of action. Plans involving the placement of my heavy pieces on Black's first rank seemed highly suspect and I decided to cautiously defend my Queenside pawns instead. } 28...Qe5 29.Rd1 { Here I took my turn in saying "pass" but I think that this version was better than Kim's espousal of 22...Rcc8. I am tempting Black to play 29...Rc2. } 29...Rc2 30.Qxa6 Qf5 31.Qa8+ Kh7 32.f4 Rxb2 33.Rd8 Rb3 34.Re8 Rc3 35.Kh2 Qd7 36.Qe4+ f5 37.Qe5 { With this move I have achieved a fairly dominating position. White's maneuvers from moves 30 to 36 deserve careful study. } 37...Rc7 38.Re6 Qf7 39.g4 { This move, which Kim could not avoid in the long run, helps to create a passed e-pawn. In addition, the constellation of White's heavy pieces around the King is of grave concern and Kim's b-pawn looks unhealthy. The student should give serious thought to White's thirty-ninth to fifty-first moves. } 39...fxg4 { If Black tried 39...g6?! there would follow 40. Re8! (40. Rf6?? Qa2+ and mates) Qg7 41. Qxb5. } 40.hxg4 Qd7 41.Kh3 Ra7 42.Rd6 Qf7 43.Qe4+ g6 44.Qd3 Re7 45.Kg3 Qe8 46.Kf3 Qa8+ 47.e4 Qc8 48.e5 Qe8 49.Rb6 Rc7 50.Kg3 Ra7 51.Rxb5 { White finally wins the weak b-pawn. The win would seem easy but Black is still fighting and the advance of White's passers is by no means a sure possibility. I was moreover concerned about my consumption of time here. Kim, true to her swift nature, had consumed only half an hour but I had used ninety-five minutes. } 51...Qe7 52.Rb4 Qc5 53.Qf3 Qe7 54.Rb3 Kg7 55.Re3 Ra5 { Black has achieved the optimal placements of her pawns and pieces for a position this desperate. Her defensive maneuvers indicate her depth of defensive strategies and deserve diligent study. } 56.Qe4 { I played this move after nine minutes' thought and was muttering regrets to myself. I can't believe I let Kim take one of my pawns AND go into the Queen-and-pawn endgame that is her specialty. But what else could I do? } 56...Rxa3 57.Rxa3 Qxa3+ 58.Qf3 { With this move, I began the hardest Queen-and-pawn endgame of my life. Hyungsook Kim's strength in these endgames is best demonstrated by a game I remembered in the back of my head. In a game with Junghye Kang, she fell behind three pawns in a Queen-and-pawn endgame and miraculously managed to draw! I give the endgame of that fascinating encounter below, played in Andong in 2001: White (Kim) to move: Kb1, Qd2; Black: Kd5, Qc5, Pc4, Pd3, Pg6: 52. Qg2+ Kd6 53. Qxg6+ Kc7 54. Qg7+ Kb6 55. Qc3 Qg1+ 56. Kb2 Qf2+ 57. Kc1 Qf1+ 58. Kb2 Qe2+ 59. Kc1 Kb5 60. Kb1 d2 61. Qb2+ Kc5 62. Qa3+ Kc6 63. Qa8+ Kc7 64. Qa5+ Kd6 65. Qd8+ Kc5 66. Qc7+ Kd4 67. Qd6+ Ke4 68. Qe6+ Kf3 69. Qh3+ Kf4 70. Qh4+ Kf5 71. Qh7+ Kg4 72. Qg7+ Kf3 73. Qf6+ Kg3 74. Qg5+ Kf2 75. Qf4+ Kg2 76. Qg5+ Kf1 77. Qf4+ Kg1 78. Qd4+ Qf2 79. Qg4+ Kf1 80. Qxc4+ Qe2 81. Qf4+ Kg2 82. Qg5+ Kh3 83. Qf5+ Kg3 84. Qg5+ Kf2 85. Qf4+ Ke1 86. Qh4+ Qf2 87. Qe4+ Kd1 88. Qg4+ Ke1 89. Qe4+ Qe2 90. Qh4+ Kf1 91. Qf4+ Kg1 92. Qg3+ Kh1 93. Qh3+ Qh2 94. Qxh2+ Kxh2 95. Kc2 d1=B+ Draw. It was on this game that Hyungsook's reputation with this endgame was established. } 58...Qe7 59.Qe3 Qe6 { Kim played this move immediately. As a matter of fact, Kim would only consume five minutes for her fifty-ninth through one-hundred-and-twentieth moves (!!). This was really not cool and I resented having to play against "Miss Endgame Perfection." } 60.Qa7+ Kh8 61.Qb8+ Kg7 62.Qc7+ Kg8 63.Qb7 Kh8 64.Qb4 Kg7 65.Qd6 Qb3+ 66.Kf2 Qb2+ 67.Kf3 Qb3+ 68.Ke4 Qc4+ 69.Qd4 Qc6+ 70.Ke3 Qc1+ 71.Kf3 Qf1+ 72.Kg3 Qe1+ 73.Qf2 Qc3+ 74.Qf3 Qe1+ 75.Kg2 Qa5 76.Kh3 { The annoying checks have ended and I am itching to advance a pawn. } 76...Qc5 77.e6 Qe7 78.Qe3 Kg8 79.f5 gxf5 80.gxf5 Qf6 81.Qe4 Qc3+ 82.Kg4 Qg7+ 83.Kf3 Qc3+ 84.Qe3 Qf6 85.Qg1+ Kh7 86.Ke4 { I have finally achieved a beautiful arrangement of my pieces and pawns and this is practical Zugzwang for Kim! I honestly thought she would resign here. } 86...Qe7 { Kim's alternative was 86...h5, which loses quickly 87. Qg6+ Qxg6 88. fxg6+ Kxg6 89. Ke5 h4 90. Kd6 h3 91. e7. She decided to jettison her last pawn but obtains a healthy and continuous resistance. } 87.Qg6+ Kh8 88.Qxh6+ { I began to relax a little here. Am I not winning? Unfortunately, the issue is very complicated. } 88...Kg8 89.Qd2 Qh4+ 90.Qf4 Qe7 91.Qg3+ Kh7 92.Qe5 Qb4+ 93.Kf3 Qb3+ 94.Kf4 Qh3 95.Qc7+ Kh6 96.Qc1 { After exhaustive preparations, I finally get to advance a pawn. } 96...Qh2+ { This move is objectively Black's best reply. Kim later told me that she during the game she rejected 96...Qh4+ because it loses more quickly, having foreseen the following variation: 97. Ke5+ Kh7 98. Qg1 Qb4 99. Qg6+ Kh8 100. Qh6+ Kg8 101. Qg5+ Kh8 102. Qd8+ Kh7 103. Qd7+ Kg6 104. e7 Qe1+ 105. Kd5 Qd1+ 106. Kc6 Qa4+ 107. Kd6 Qf4+ 108. Kc5 Qe3+ 109. Qd4 Qa3+ 110. Kc6 Qxe7 111. Qd6+ Qxd6+ 112. Kxd6 Kg5 113. Ke6. } 97.Ke4+ Kh7 98.f6 Qe2+ 99.Kd5 Qd3+ 100.Ke5 Qb5+ 101.Kd6 Kg6 { This move is objectively Black's best reply. Kim later told me that she during the game she rejected 101...Qb6+ because it loses more quickly, having foreseen the following variation: 102. Qc6 Qd4+ 103. Ke7 Kg6 104. Qc2+ Kg5 105. f7 Qa7+ 106. Kd8 Qa3 107. Qc6 Qf8+ 108. Kd7 Kf5 109. Qd6 Qg7 110. Qd5+ Kg6 111. Qg2+. } 102.f7 Qb6+ 103.Qc6 Qd8+ 104.Qd7 Qb6+ 105.Ke7 Qb4+ 106.Kd8 Qf8+ 107.Kc7 Qc5+ 108.Qc6 Qe7+ 109.Kc8 Kh6 { Kim cannot afford to check again, i.e.: 109...Qf8+ 110. Kd7 Kg7 111. Qc3+ Kg6 112. Qg3+ Kh7 113. Qh2+ Kg7 114. Qe5+ Kg6 115. Qe4+ Kg7 116. Qg4+ Kf6 117. Qf4+ Kg6 118. e7. } 110.Qd7 Qa3 { Kim still cannot check again, i.e. 110...Qf8+ 111. Qd8 Qc5+ 112. Qc7 Qf8+ 113. Kd7 Kh5 114. Qd6, or 110...Qf8+ 111. Qd8 Qc5+ 112. Qc7 Qf5 113. Qh2+ Kg7 114. Qd6 Qc2+ 115. Kd8 Qf5 116. f8=Q+. } 111.Qd4 Kg6 { Kim is simply stuck for checks, i.e.: 111...Qf8+ 112. Kd7 Kh5 113. Qd5+ Kh6 114. Qg2+ Kh7 115. Qg8+. I believe the divergence of our depths of foresight in this endgame illustrates Kim's superior understanding of Queen-and-pawn endgames over my insights. The student will notice that the variations I foresaw are rather short, but Kim's lines reached much further in the earlier parts of the game when affairs were less certain. } 112.Qg4+ Kf6 { Kim was fighting bravely in a very uphill battle, and very quickly at that. I was clearly unhappy with my progress. I was inching ever closer to victory but she seemed to elude my grasp. I had forty minutes left on my clock and sank into deep thought here. At first, I believed I had an easy win because of my opportunity for a second Queen with 113. Qf4+. On deeper reflection, however, I found out what a sly fox Kim was. As a matter of fact, Black actually escapes with a draw and might even win (!), as the following variations will show. I have omitted confusing ?sub-variation? parentheses and the like, so the student can easily view each variation as a separate line: (A) 113. Qf4+ Kxe6 114. f8=Q Qa6+ 115. Kd8 Qa5+ 116. Qc7 Qd5+ 117. Kc8 Qa8+ 118. Qb8 Qc6+ 119. Qc7 Qa8+ 120. Qb8 Qc6+ 121. Qc7 Qa8+ drawn. (B) 113. Qf4+ Kxe6 114. f8=Q Qa6+ 115. Kd8 Qa5+ 116. Kc8 Qa6+ 117. Kc7 Qc6+!! 118. Kb8 Kb6+ 119. Kc8 Qa6+ drawn. (C) 113. Qf4+ Kxe6 114. f8=Q Qa6+ 115. Kd8 Qa5+ 116. Kc8 Qa6+ 117. Kc7 Qc6+!! 118. Kxc6 stalemate. (D) 113. Qf4+ Kxe6 114. f8=Q Qa6+ 115. Kd8 Qa5+ 116. Qc7 Qd5+ 117. Kc8 Qa8+ 118. Qb8 Qc6+ 119. Qc7 Qa8+ 120. Qb8 Qc6+ 121. Qc7 Qa8+ drawn. (E) 113. Qf4+ Kxe6 114. f8=Q Qa6+ 115. Kd8 Qa5+ 116. Ke8?? Qa8+ 117. Qb8 Qxb8#. (F) 113. Qf4+ Kxe6 114. f8=Q Qa6+ 115. Kd8 Qa5+ 116. Qc7 Qd5+ 117. Ke8?? Qa8+ 118. Qd8 Qc6+ 119. Qd7+ Qxd7#. (G) 113. Qf4+ Kxe6 114. f8=Q Qa6+ 115. Kb8 Qb6+ 116. Kc8 Qa6+ 117. Kd8 Qa5+ 118. Qc7 Qd5+ 119. Kc8 Qa8+ drawn. In each of the seven variations, Black employs some very elegant-looking geometric themes (even a thematic concession of the Queen for stalemate!!) to survive by the narrowest of margins despite being DOWN A QUEEN in every single line! I did not foresee all of these variations (though my opponent did, as she told me after the game) but I finally (and sadly) convinced myself that there was no win with 113. Qf4+. My best try would have been obviously 113. Qf4+ Ke6 114. f8=N+ etc., but I had only five minutes left and I had no desire to engage Kim any further in her field of expertise. I was about to offer a draw. As I plowed through the thicket of all these divinely ordained Two-Queens-versus-one-Queen draws, my head was bowed and my eyes were closed. I slowly opened my eyes. The three winners of these games were calmly sipping on bubble tea and by their expressions, looked satisfied that there was no win for me. Out of my corner of my eye, I even saw Kim write 1/2 on her score sheet (!!). I began to despair; maybe she really was unbeatable in Queen and pawn endgames! Then suddenly, I noticed something awry about the placement of Black's Queen and King. My mind suddenly leapt for joy. With a slight grin on my face (I don't like showing over-ecstatic emotions very much) I slipped the Queen between my thumb and index finger and gently nudged it one square. } 113.Qf3+ { Oh wow! This is White's quickest and perhaps most elegant way to victory. After years of boring positional struggles with JW, it's nice to know that I can still pull off a "Queen sacrifice" every now and then (it's not really a sacrifice, but for me, it counts!). At this point, Kim gasped and buried her face in her hands. She then stared at the board for about a minute, her longest think (!) of the second half of this game. } 113...Qxf3 114.f8=Q+ Ke5 { Kim vainly tries to take advantage of my time-trouble by one last trick, as White cannot play 115. e7. } 115.Qxf3 Kxe6 116.Qh5 { There are obviously quicker mates in the QK v. K endgame but I wasn't inclined in the least to figure this one out. } 116...Kd6 117.Qf5 Kc6 118.Qe5 Kb6 119.Qd5 Ka6 120.Kc7 Ka7 { Kim quietly made this move and gently pushed her clock. I took my pen and began to write her move. My opponent finally muttered (in Korean), "Not bad at all..." and tipped her King over. You could not hear a pin drop in those next few moments as my opponent and I looked at each other blankly for a few moments. Then we both got up and embraced. This marathon struggle won the Brilliancy Prize. } 121.Qa5# 1-0