[Event "US Championships 2025"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2025.10.22"] [Round "9"] [White "Pourkashiyan, Atousa"] [Black "Krush, Irina"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2291"] [WhiteTitle "WGM"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackElo "2388"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [Annotator "GM Brewington Hardaway"] [GameId "2235937586144897"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B46"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation"] [StudyName "2025 U.S. Championship and Women's Championship"] [ChapterName "Pourkashiyan, Atousa - Krush, Irina"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/A14BIUWB/rHoHaVIN"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 d6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Be3 Be7 9. f4 O-O 10. Kh1 Bd7 11. Qe1 b5 12. a3 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Bc6 14. Qg3 g6 15. Bd3 Nh5 16. Qf2 { Objectively, White is fine, but this allows a simple tactical shot. } (16. Qe3 { would have prevented ... Nh5xf4 because } 16... Nxf4 17. Rxf4 e5 { runs into } 18. Bb6! $18 exf4 19. Bxd8 fxe3 20. Bxe7) 16... Nxf4! 17. Qxf4 e5 18. Bxe5 dxe5 19. Qxe5 { White is up a pawn, but the bishop pair is extremely powerful, especially since the dark-squared bishop is now free and is always eyeing the h2-square. } 19... Bd6 20. Qf6 Qc7 21. Qh4 Rae8 22. Rad1 Re5 23. Be2 Rfe8 $15 { Black has brilliant compensation for the pawn and a lot of easy moves, while White has to find ways to defend all of Black's ideas on both sides of the board. } 24. Bf3 a5 25. Qf2 h5 26. Nd5 Bxd5 27. exd5 Qe7 28. Qd4 h4 29. c3 Re3 30. Qg4 Kh7?! (30... Kg7 $17 { More precise, not allowing g2-g3. } 31. g3 hxg3 32. hxg3 Re5 $19) 31. g3 hxg3 32. hxg3 f5 (32... Re5 33. Qh4+!) 33. Qh4+ Kg7 34. Qxe7+ R8xe7 35. g4 Kf6 36. Kg2 Rh7 37. Rde1 (37. Kf2 { This would have been the easiest way to equalize. } 37... Bc5 38. Kg2 Bd6) 37... Rh2+ 38. Kg1 Rxb2 39. gxf5?? { The decisive error. } (39. Rxe3 Bc5 40. gxf5 Bxe3+ 41. Kh1 gxf5 42. d6 Ke6 43. Rd1 $10) 39... Rxe1 40. Rxe1 Bc5+ 41. Kh1 { This may seem very similar to the line with 39. Rxe3, but, now if ... g6xf5, there is no Bf3-g4 since White's rook is on e1, and if ... Kf6xf5, there is no d5-d6 since Black's bishop is no longer on e3 and now covers the d6-square. } 41... Kxf5?! (41... gxf5 { The more precise move. }) 42. Re2 (42. d6!? { The best chance for survival. } 42... Bxd6 43. Be4+ Kf6 44. Rf1+ Kg7 45. Rd1! { White can hold this due to her pieces getting active. }) 42... Bxa3 43. Re8 Kf4 44. Bg2 Bc5 45. Kh2 a4 46. Ra8 a3 47. Ra6 g5 48. Rf6+ Kg4 49. Ra6 a2 50. c4 bxc4 51. Ra4 Bd6+ 52. Kg1 Rb1+ { A solid game by Irina to get within a half-point of the leaders. } 0-1