[Event "U.S. Junior Championship - Girls"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2024.07.20"] [Round "05"] [White "Lee, Alice"] [Black "Gaw, Chloe"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2371"] [BlackElo "2000"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Annotator "Matt Clibanoff"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D27"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Main Line"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/HdJRwKaQ/qZLlGblO"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 { [%clk 2:00:57] } 1... d5 { [%clk 2:00:59] } 2. c4 { [%clk 2:01:19] } 2... dxc4 { [%clk 2:01:25] } 3. Nf3 { [%clk 2:01:43] } 3... Nf6 { [%clk 2:01:51] } 4. e3 { [%clk 2:02:08] } 4... e6 { [%clk 2:02:17] } 5. Bxc4 { [%clk 2:02:32] } 5... c5 { [%clk 2:02:43] } 6. O-O { [%clk 2:02:53] } 6... a6 { [%clk 2:03:11] } 7. Be2!? { A jump from more traditional lines. Magnus Carlsen has tried this line a few times in recent years to limited success. } { [%clk 2:03:14] } 7... b5?! { A bit too much too early. } { [%clk 2:03:07] } (7... Nbd7 { Better to just continue developing. }) 8. dxc5 { [%clk 2:03:28] } 8... Bxc5 { [%clk 2:03:13] } 9. Qxd8+ { [%clk 2:03:48] } 9... Kxd8 { [%clk 2:03:38] } 10. a4! { And here we have a new game. White is attempting to crack Black's queenside early. } { [%clk 2:04:10] } 10... b4 { [%clk 2:01:11] } (10... bxa4 11. Ne5 { [%cal Be5f7] } 11... Ke7 12. Nc3 { Black will be unable to hold the a4-pawn long-term. } { [%cal Bc3a4,Ba1a6] }) 11. Ne5 { Threatening the f7 fork. } { [%cal Be5f7] [%clk 2:02:48] } 11... Ke7 { [%clk 2:01:07] } 12. Bf3!? { [%clk 1:49:50] } (12. Nd2! { The computer prefers rapid development with tempo. } 12... Bb7 13. Nb3 Bd6 14. Nc4 Bd5) 12... Ra7 { [%clk 1:58:09] } 13. Nd3 { [%clk 1:48:50] } 13... Bd6 { [%clk 1:39:40] } 14. e4! { This was a clever maneuver not entirely loved by the computer. White grabs central space and is sure to maintain her bishop pair so she can keep up an attack. } { [%clk 1:38:54] } 14... e5 { [%clk 1:17:44] } 15. Be3 { [%clk 1:38:00] } 15... Rc7 { [%clk 1:16:04] } 16. Nd2 { [%clk 1:36:02] } 16... Be6 { [%clk 1:14:31] } 17. Bd1 { [%clk 1:33:31] } (17. Rfc1! Rhc8 18. Rxc7+ Rxc7 19. Bd1 { This is slightly preferable, as Black won't be able to double on the c-file after trading rooks, but it's tough to trade down when playing for a win. }) 17... Nbd7 { [%clk 1:08:33] } 18. f3 { [%clk 1:31:13] } 18... Rb8 { [%clk 0:55:06] } 19. a5 { [%clk 1:25:17] } 19... Nc5 { [%clk 0:53:04] } 20. Nf2 { [%clk 1:23:34] } 20... Bd7?! { This abandons the c4-square and gives White an opportunity to gain some ground. } { [%cal Bd2c4] [%clk 0:46:09] } 21. Be2 { [%clk 1:17:25] } (21. Nc4! { Black left the c4 square open! }) 21... Bb5 { [%clk 0:41:18] } 22. Bxb5 { [%clk 1:17:42] } 22... axb5 { [%clk 0:37:24] } 23. Bxc5 { [%clk 1:11:14] } 23... Bxc5 { [%clk 0:35:03] } 24. Nb3 { [%clk 1:10:44] } 24... Nd7?! { [%clk 0:32:29] } (24... Ba7! { Black needs to put something in front of White's dangerous a-pawn. }) 25. Rfc1 { [%clk 1:04:40] } 25... Rbc8 { [%clk 0:27:10] } 26. Kf1 { [%clk 1:03:34] } 26... Bxf2?! { It's unclear what this actually accomplishes. That diagonal seemed okay for Black. The fewer pieces she has, the more difficult it will be to stop the a-pawn's advance. } { [%clk 0:27:06] } 27. Kxf2 { [%clk 1:03:57] } 27... Kd8 { [%clk 0:13:36] } (27... Rc2+!? { Maybe worth a try, though it doesn't really work. } 28. Kg3! (28. Rxc2? Rxc2+ 29. Kg3 Rxb2)) 28. a6 { [%clk 0:37:00] } 28... Rxc1 { [%clk 0:11:47] } 29. Nxc1 { [%clk 0:37:24] } 29... Nc5 { [%clk 0:08:12] } 30. a7 { [%clk 0:35:18] } 30... Ra8 { [%clk 0:08:16] } 31. Ra5! { Looks like it's a two-for-one sale on pawns! } { [%cal Ba5b5,Bb5b4] [%clk 0:33:46] } 31... Kc7 { [%clk 0:07:22] } 32. Rxb5 { [%clk 0:34:04] } 32... Kc6 { [%clk 0:07:20] } 33. Rxb4 { [%clk 0:34:27] } 33... Rxa7 { [%clk 0:07:46] } 34. Ke3 { [%clk 0:31:33] } 34... f6 { [%clk 0:06:58] } 35. Rb8! { Grabbing the back rank and preparing a possible attack on the kingside pawns. } { [%clk 0:30:55] } 35... Rd7 { [%clk 0:05:25] } 36. b4 { [%clk 0:29:54] } 36... Na6 { [%clk 0:04:32] } 37. b5+! { [%clk 0:30:02] } 37... Kc7 { [%clk 0:04:56] } 38. Rh8! { I like this idea a lot. White correctly assess that it will be a bit difficult to promote the b-pawn, so she switches fields. Soon she'll be up a pawn on the kingside, where her pieces are more readily available for the endgame push. } { [%clk 0:29:04] } 38... Nc5 { [%clk 0:04:30] } 39. Rxh7 { [%clk 0:28:52] } 39... Kb6 { [%clk 0:04:53] } 40. Ne2 { [%clk 0:26:31] } 40... Kxb5 { And, okay, Black has taken the b-pawn, but it's cost her quite a few moves. } { [%clk 0:03:24] } 41. Ng3 { [%clk 0:17:19] } 41... Kc4? { [%clk 0:02:23] } (41... Ne6! { This was Black's chance to save the game. It's all hands on deck time and the g7-square needs defending. }) 42. Nf5 { [%clk 0:16:58] } 42... Ne6 { [%clk 0:02:07] } 43. Rh8 { [%clk 0:10:50] } (43. h4 { This doesn't quite work. } 43... Nf4 44. g3 Ne6 45. h5 Ra7 46. h6 Ra3+ { White will be checked forever. }) 43... Nf4 { [%clk 0:01:49] } 44. Rc8+ { [%clk 0:11:00] } 44... Kb3?? { [%clk 0:01:49] } (44... Kb4!! { This saves the game by not blocking Black's rook's access to the a3-square! } 45. g3 Rd3+ 46. Kf2 Nh3+ 47. Ke2 Ra3 48. Rh8 Ra2+!) 45. g3 { [%clk 0:10:59] } 45... Ne6 { [%clk 0:01:01] } (45... Rd3+ 46. Kf2 Nh3+ 47. Ke2 Rd7 { And Black's rook is kicked out of play. } 48. Rh8 { [%cal Bh8h3] } 48... Ng5 49. h4 Ne6 50. Re8 { And Black's knight will be shoved away from the position. }) 46. Rc6 { [%clk 0:10:51] } 46... Nf8 { [%clk 0:00:52] } 47. h4 { [%clk 0:10:40] } 47... Kb4 { [%clk 0:00:54] } 48. h5 { [%clk 0:09:56] } 48... Kb5 { [%clk 0:01:06] } 49. Rc8 { [%clk 0:09:58] } 49... Ne6 { [%clk 0:01:30] } 50. Re8 { [%clk 0:09:53] } 50... Nc5 { [%clk 0:01:35] } 51. Re7! { [%clk 0:09:59] } 51... Rd3+ { [%clk 0:01:16] } 52. Ke2 { [%clk 0:10:06] } 52... Ra3 { [%clk 0:01:28] } 53. Rxg7 { And now that the g-pawn has fallen off, the rest of this game will be like filing paperwork. Lee showed off both incredible practical endgame skills and great, down-the-line calculating prowess as well. Stellar win. } { [%clk 0:09:35] } 53... Ra2+ { [%clk 0:01:18] } 54. Kf1 { [%clk 0:08:35] } 54... Ra1+ { [%clk 0:01:07] } 55. Kg2 { [%clk 0:08:55] } 55... Ra2+ { [%clk 0:00:52] } 56. Kh3 { [%clk 0:09:17] } 56... Nd3 { [%clk 0:01:08] } 57. h6 { [%clk 0:09:28] } 57... Nf2+ { [%clk 0:01:05] } 58. Kh4 { [%clk 0:09:47] } 58... Ra1 { [%clk 0:00:49] } 59. Kh5 { 1-0 White wins. } { [%clk 0:10:09] } 1-0