[Event "U.S. Open"] [Site "Reno USA"] [Date "1999.08.11"] [Round "2"] [White "Walter Shawn Browne"] [Black "Lawrence Stevens"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2567"] [BlackElo "2046"] [ECO "D20"] [Opening "QGA: 3.e4 e5 4.Nf3 Bb4+"] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 { The text is a longtime favorite of Walter's. } 3...e5 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Bxd2+ 6.Nbxd2 exd4 7.Bxc4 c5 { Trying to hang onto the pawn doesn't enjoy a great reputation. } 8.Rc1 Nc6 9.Bb5 Ne7 { It's very risky for Black to try to hang onto the pawn. One example is 9...Qb6 10.Nc4. } 10.Rxc5 Bg4 11.Qa4 O-O 12.O-O a6 13.Bxc6 Nxc6 14.Rd5 { This leads to sharp play. White looks to have an advantage after the quieter 14.h3. } 14...Qf6 15.Re1 { It's not possible to capture on d4 as 15.Nxd4 b5 wins a piece. } 15...Rfd8 16.Qa3 Be6 17.e5 Qe7 18.Rd6 Rd7 19.Ne4 Rad8 20.Qc5 $2 { This drops an important pawn. Walter was already in time pressure. } 20...Nxe5 $1 21.Rxd7 Nxf3+ 22.gxf3 Qxd7 { Black's extra pawn and White's exposed King give Stevens a winning advantage. } 23.Qg5 Kf8 24.Nc5 Qe7 25.Qe5 Qd6 26.Nxe6+ Qxe6 27.Qxe6 fxe6 28.Rxe6 { In extreme time pressure - Walter had only two minutes on his clock on move 25! - the Six-Time US Champion falls into a lost King and Pawn ending. } 28...d3 $1 { Lawrence Stevens understands the position quite well. His passed pawn ties down White's forces and allows him to transpose into a winning King and Pawn ending at the right moment. } 29.Re1 d2 30.Rd1 Kf7 { Black's King wants to head to f4. } 31.Kf1 Kf6 32.Ke2 Kf5 33.Rg1 { Even in extreme time pressure Walter understands that the position is lost and White needs a trick to save the position. The natural looking 33.Ke3 (to keep the Black King from f4) fails to 33...Re8+ 34.Kd3 (34.Kxd2 Rd8+ leads to a winning pawn ending as in the game.) 34...Kf4 35.Kc3 (Once again 35.Rxd2 or 35.Kxd2 allows 35...Rd8+ with a winning pawn endgame.) 35...Rd8 followed by capturing the Kingside pawns. } 33...d1=Q+ $1 { Black shows he knows his endgame fundamentals. } 34.Rxd1 Rxd1 35.Kxd1 Kf4 36.Ke2 h6 { White is a pawn up, but Black's better King and superior pawn structure. } 37.h3 g6 38.b3 h5 39.Ke1 Kxf3 40.Kf1 b5 41.Kg1 g5 42.Kf1 b4 43.Kg1 g4 44.hxg4 Kxg4 { The power of the outside passed pawn is proven once again. } 45.Kg2 Kf4 { A memorable win for Stevens and a tough start for the Six-Time US Champion. Don't count Walter out just yet. He often needs an early loss to get his competitive juices flowing. } {#R} 0-1