[Event "XV Campeonato Continental Femenino de Ajedrez de las Americas"] [Site "Distrito Nacional Albergue Olimpico, Dominican Republic"] [Date "2024.11.24"] [Round "2.3"] [White "Heredia Serrano, Carla"] [Black "Tang, Zoey"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2097"] [WhiteTitle "WGM"] [WhiteFideId "3603687"] [BlackElo "2306"] [BlackTitle "FM"] [BlackFideId "30952530"] [TimeControl "90 Minutos + 30 Segundos de Incrementos desde el primer movimiento"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/broadcast/-/-/TXxPzBRP"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B30"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack"] [StudyName "15th Women's Continental Championship"] [ChapterName "Heredia Serrano, Carla - Tang, Zoey"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/GU9SYWDv/XlQ3vYBm"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:26:21] } 1... c5 { [%clk 1:30:58] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:26:08] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 1:31:24] } 3. Bb5 { [%clk 1:26:03] } 3... e6 { [%clk 1:31:48] } 4. O-O { [%clk 1:21:37] } 4... Nge7 { [%clk 1:32:03] } 5. Re1 { [%clk 1:21:27] } 5... Nd4 { [%clk 1:32:26] } 6. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:17:39] } 6... cxd4 { [%clk 1:32:51] } 7. a4!? { This is often played to anticipate ... a7-a6 and ... b7-b5. But, as Tang will demonstrate, this move does not have such an effect here. } { [%clk 1:07:20] } 7... a6 { [%clk 1:33:01] } 8. Bc4 { [%clk 1:06:18] } 8... Nc6 { [%clk 1:32:15] } 9. d3 { [%clk 1:05:59] } 9... Qc7 { [%clk 1:31:38] } 10. Nd2 { [%clk 1:04:53] } 10... Bb4 { Black exploits White's awkward 7. a4 to prevent White from continuing with natural development such as Nd2-f1, as now there is no a2-a3 to kick the bishop. } { [%clk 1:29:08] } 11. Re2!? { This artificial move hands Black the advantage. The rook is not doing anything here besides blocking in the queen, and so it will still need help after Nd2-f3 or Nd2-f1. Instead, } { [%clk 0:50:18] } (11. Rf1! { was an astute point, as perhaps Black has nothing better than playing ... Bf8-e7. Otherwise, } 11... O-O 12. f4 { prepares f4-f5 and an eventual rook lift. After the thematic } 12... f5 { , making use of the d7-pawn's patience as the e6-square is well-protected, White has } 13. Nf3 { and can meet developing moves like } 13... b6 { with } 14. exf5 Rxf5 15. Nh4 $14 { and play for f4-f5. Note that Black's dark-squared bishop would have been more effective on the e7-square, covering this Nf3-h4 and f4-f5 idea, than it is "offsides" on the b4-square here after Re1-f1. } { [%cal Gf4f5] }) 11... O-O { [%clk 1:27:23] } 12. Nf3 { [%clk 0:48:42] } 12... Rb8 { Black prepares ... b7-b5. } { [%clk 1:20:09] } 13. Bd2 { White has nothing else, so she trades off Black's bishop despite the d4-pawn restricting its prospects. } { [%clk 0:47:51] } 13... Bc5 { An admirably bold move by Tang, keeping the "bad" bishop on the board because now White has no way to push back in the center without playing c2-c3, turning the dark-squared bishop into a serious force. } { [%clk 1:14:46] } 14. c3 { White continues to play logical moves that belie a lack of situational awareness. } { [%clk 0:37:40] } 14... b5 { [%clk 1:13:05] } 15. axb5 { [%clk 0:36:38] } 15... axb5 { [%clk 1:13:29] } 16. Bb3 { [%clk 0:36:37] } 16... Bb7 { Black's pieces are coming to life! } { [%clk 1:10:19] } 17. Rc1 { White is playing for ideas along the c-file, even though Black's next move easily addresses the threat. } { [%clk 0:34:39] } 17... Qb6 { Now White no longer has a grip on the a-file unless she plays Rc1-a1. It's unclear what she gained with Ra1-c1. } { [%clk 1:09:01] } 18. Bf4 { After conceding the a-file, White forces Black's rook towards it! } { [%clk 0:34:54] } 18... Ra8 { [%clk 1:06:07] } 19. h4 { White stakes out space on the kingside. } { [%clk 0:31:51] } 19... Rfc8 { [%clk 1:00:26] } 20. h5 { [%clk 0:32:10] } 20... h6 { [%clk 0:59:04] } 21. Qd2 { [%clk 0:31:54] } 21... Kh7 { [%clk 0:55:08] } 22. Bg3 { White prepares Qd2-f4, even at the cost of allowing Black to create weaknesses along the queenside. } { [%clk 0:22:28] } 22... dxc3 { [%clk 0:49:29] } 23. bxc3 { [%clk 0:22:37] } 23... b4! { [%clk 0:47:26] } 24. Qf4?! { White stubbornly marches forward with her plan, missing the powerful reply her opponent had prepared. The best response required considerably more creativity: } { [%clk 0:20:13] } (24. cxb4 Bxb4 25. Qe3 { White anticipates } 25... Nd4 { but prepares } 26. Rec2! { when the d4-knight is pinned to the unprotected b6-queen. Now, } 26... Bc5 27. Rxc5! Rxc5 28. Rxc5 Ra1+ 29. Kh2 Nxf3+ { wins the piece back after } 30. gxf3 Qxb3 { but White can apparently stave off mate with } 31. Be5! { buying a turn with tempo on the a1-rook. } 31... Rf1 32. Rc1 { Black's attack is defanged, remarkably. }) 24... bxc3 { Black removes the defender of the d4-square. } { [%clk 0:40:16] } 25. Rxc3 { [%clk 0:18:40] } 25... Nd4 { Black is now ready to break through on the back rank. } { [%clk 0:41:28] } 26. Nxd4 { [%clk 0:19:20] } 26... Bxd4 { [%clk 0:41:53] } 27. Rxc8 { [%clk 0:19:32] } 27... Rxc8 { [%clk 0:42:05] } 28. Bc4 { [%clk 0:18:22] } 28... Kg8 { [%clk 0:40:09] } 29. Qd6?? { White has dreams of meeting 29. ... Bc6 with 30. Ra2 and Ra2-a6. But she failed to calculate a forcing line. } { [%clk 0:17:15] } (29. Re1! { Defending her opponent's threat was necessary. }) 29... Qb1+ { [%clk 0:34:43] } 30. Kh2 { [%clk 0:16:20] } 30... Qd1! { The threat of ... Qd1-xh5+-d1+ and ... Rc8-c5 decides the game. } { [%clk 0:35:09] } (30... Rc5 { was just as good. }) 31. Ra2 { [%clk 0:15:58] } 31... Qxh5+ { [%clk 0:35:32] } 32. Kg1 { [%clk 0:16:20] } 32... Qd1+ { [%clk 0:35:58] } 33. Kh2 { [%clk 0:16:45] } 33... Rc5 { White's king is toast. } { [%clk 0:33:40] } 34. e5 { [%clk 0:14:18] } 34... Qh5+ { [%clk 0:34:05] } 35. Kg1 { [%clk 0:14:45] } 35... Rxe5 { [%clk 0:34:00] } 36. Qb8+ { [%clk 0:13:16] } 36... Kh7 { [%clk 0:33:53] } 37. Bxe5 { [%clk 0:13:26] } 37... Bxe5 { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:34:24] } 0-1