Black, 872 vs. Clark Brown, 1500

This was my fourth game in the 2023 US Open. Lichess continues to rate my performance consistently, this time reporting 84% accuracy and only one blunder.

I managed to keep things even for nearly half the game, until about move 14 or 15. I consider this impressive for multiple reasons:

• My opponent was rated higher than me by over 600 points;
• I have historically felt less confident playing through the opening as Black than as White; and
• I have historically felt less confident playing any opening other than 1. e4 e5, regardless of which side I’m on.

My one blunder for this game was at move 16, when I allowed White’s knight to capture my own on d7. I hadn’t been worried about the triple-fork, given that I could immediately recapture the knight with my bishop, but I failed to realize that this exchange opened the way for White’s bishop to fork both my rooks. I fought as best I could for the remainder of the game, but I was never able to close the gap.