[Event "U.S. Chess Championships 2024"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2024.10.16"] [Round "05"] [White "Yip, Carissa"] [Black "Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2418"] [BlackElo "2374"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Annotator "FM Davis Zong"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C00"] [Opening "French Defense: King's Indian Attack"] [StudyName "2024 U.S. Championship and U.S. Women's Championship"] [ChapterName "Yip, Carissa - Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/K5XjRsoK/69bDirg3"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:30:57] } 1... e6 { [%clk 1:30:47] } 2. d3 { The main line 2. d4 is over 10x more common, but 2. d3 allows Yip to reach her signature King's Indian-esque setup with the King's Indian Attack. } { [%clk 1:26:32] } 2... d5 { [%clk 1:29:48] } 3. Nd2 { [%clk 1:26:59] } 3... c5 { [%clk 1:29:41] } 4. g3 { [%clk 1:27:19] } 4... Nc6 { [%clk 1:29:18] } 5. Bg2 { [%clk 1:27:46] } 5... Nf6 { [%clk 1:29:26] } 6. Ngf3 { [%clk 1:28:11] } 6... dxe4!? { An interesting choice, clarifying the tension in the center. Perhaps Tokhirjonova wanted to clear the d5-square for the f6-knight in case White decided to push e4-e5. } { [%clk 1:24:58] } (6... Be7 7. O-O O-O { maintained equality. }) 7. dxe4 { [%clk 1:27:44] } 7... e5 { [%clk 1:25:18] } 8. O-O { [%clk 1:27:44] } 8... Be7 { [%clk 1:25:40] } 9. c3 { [%clk 1:21:31] } 9... O-O { [%clk 1:25:36] } 10. Qc2 { [%clk 1:20:52] } (10. Nc4! { offers a slight edge for Yip. The fianchetto bishop is super strong, and while White's c3 pawn guards the d4-square, and Black's d5-square is weak. } 10... Qc7 11. Ne3 $14) 10... b5 { [%clk 1:11:48] } 11. a4 { [%clk 1:20:08] } 11... b4 { [%clk 1:11:20] } 12. Rd1 { [%clk 1:10:01] } 12... Be6 { [%clk 1:05:17] } 13. Nc4 { [%clk 1:02:26] } 13... Qb8 { [%clk 0:49:00] } 14. Qe2 { [%clk 1:01:06] } 14... h6 { [%clk 0:36:14] } 15. Bd2 { [%clk 1:00:58] } 15... Rd8 { [%clk 0:36:23] } 16. Be1 { [%clk 0:58:40] } 16... Rxd1 { [%clk 0:34:26] } 17. Rxd1 { [%clk 0:59:06] } 17... bxc3 { [%clk 0:34:43] } 18. bxc3 { [%clk 0:49:46] } 18... Qc7 { [%clk 0:34:42] } 19. Nfd2 { [%clk 0:40:54] } 19... Rd8 { [%clk 0:34:25] } 20. Ra1 { [%clk 0:39:13] } 20... Na5 { [%clk 0:33:11] } 21. Bf1 { [%clk 0:39:32] } 21... Nxc4 { [%clk 0:28:09] } 22. Nxc4 { [%clk 0:39:53] } 22... Bc8 { [%clk 0:28:13] } 23. f3 { [%clk 0:38:52] } 23... Ba6 { [%clk 0:28:19] } 24. Qa2 { [%clk 0:39:11] } 24... Bf8 { [%clk 0:23:41] } 25. Rb1 { [%clk 0:38:48] } 25... Bc8 { [%clk 0:15:56] } 26. a5 { [%clk 0:35:21] } 26... Nh7 { [%clk 0:15:45] } 27. h4 { [%clk 0:33:20] } 27... Kh8 { [%clk 0:13:33] } (27... g5! 28. Qb2 Ba6 29. Ne3 $14) 28. a6! { Keep an eye on this pawn! It might be important later. } { [%clk 0:30:42] } 28... g5 { A strong thrust by Tokhirjonova. If nothing happens on the kingside, Yip will inevitably crash through on the queenside. } { [%clk 0:11:50] } 29. h5 { [%clk 0:28:42] } (29. Qa5! { Offering a queen trade immediately was more accurate, softening the second player's defenses. } 29... Qxa5 30. Nxa5 Rd6 31. Nc4 Rxa6 32. Nxe5 Rb6 33. Ra1 $16) 29... g4! $10 { [%clk 0:11:43] } 30. fxg4 { [%clk 0:27:40] } 30... Nf6 { [%clk 0:11:28] } 31. Qa5 { [%clk 0:22:45] } 31... Bd6 { [%clk 0:11:37] } 32. Be2 { [%clk 0:17:08] } 32... Nxe4 { [%clk 0:11:12] } 33. Qa4 { [%clk 0:16:27] } 33... Bd7 { [%clk 0:07:27] } 34. Qc2 { [%clk 0:12:17] } 34... Bc6 { [%clk 0:07:48] } 35. Rd1 { [%clk 0:08:41] } 35... Be7 { [%clk 0:05:28] } 36. Rxd8+ { [%clk 0:05:08] } 36... Bxd8 { [%clk 0:05:57] } 37. Qd3 { [%clk 0:04:52] } 37... Be7 { [%clk 0:05:30] } 38. Bf3 { [%clk 0:03:14] } 38... Ng5 { [%clk 0:05:46] } 39. Bxc6 { [%clk 0:03:07] } 39... Qxc6 { [%clk 0:06:15] } 40. Nxe5 { [%clk 0:03:32] } 40... Qe6 { [%clk 0:06:26] } 41. Qf5 { [%clk 0:03:23] } 41... Qa2 { [%clk 0:29:48] } 42. Nf3 { [%clk 0:16:10] } 42... Nxf3+ { [%clk 0:19:54] } 43. Qxf3 { [%clk 0:16:35] } 43... Kg7 { [%clk 0:20:13] } 44. Qb7 { [%clk 0:14:48] } 44... Bd6 { [%clk 0:13:38] } 45. Bf2 { [%clk 0:14:34] } 45... Qe2 { [%clk 0:12:39] } 46. Qc6 { Both players have been playing really precisely up to here, but a natural-seeming check turns out to be the tipping point of the game. Black's drawing mechanism is perpetual check/attack on the bishop whenever White goes for the a7 pawn, but she doesn't want to deliver the check just yet. } { [%clk 0:13:20] } (46. Qxa7 Qd1+ 47. Kh2 Qe2 48. Kg1 Qd1+ $10) 46... Qd1+? { [%clk 0:08:57] } (46... Be7 47. Qb7 Bg5 48. Qxa7 Be3 $10) 47. Kg2 { [%clk 0:13:18] } 47... Qd3 { [%clk 0:08:53] } 48. c4! { A fantastic touch by Yip! The pawn is taboo, and Qc6-d5 is threatened, forcing the bishop away. } { [%clk 0:13:05] } 48... Be7 { [%clk 0:05:12] } 49. Qb7 { [%clk 0:12:12] } 49... Bf8 { [%clk 0:03:58] } 50. Qxa7 { [%clk 0:08:56] } 50... Qe4+ { [%clk 0:01:20] } 51. Kg1 { [%clk 0:09:11] } 51... Qb1+ { [%clk 0:00:54] } 52. Kh2 { [%clk 0:09:37] } 52... Bd6 { [%clk 0:00:43] } (52... Qc2 { A key detail due to the passivity of Black's bishop! White need not acquiesce to a draw by repetition, instead sacrificing her bishop to promote the pawn. } 53. Qb7! Qxf2+ 54. Qg2 $18) 53. Bd4+ { [%clk 0:04:02] } 53... cxd4 { [%clk 0:00:34] } 54. Qxd4+ { [%clk 0:04:27] } 54... Kh7 { [%clk 0:00:36] } 55. Qxd6 $18 { The white king can find refuge on the h3-square, and the a-pawn will be escorted home. } { [%clk 0:04:46] } 55... Qc2+ { [%clk 0:00:54] } 56. Kh3 { [%clk 0:04:58] } 56... Qxc4 { [%clk 0:01:13] } 57. Qf6 { [%clk 0:05:25] } 57... Qa2 { [%clk 0:01:04] } 58. Qf5+ { [%clk 0:05:02] } 58... Kg7 { [%clk 0:00:49] } 59. Qe5+ { [%clk 0:05:27] } 59... Kh7 { [%clk 0:00:57] } 60. Qe4+ { [%clk 0:05:53] } 60... Kg8 { [%clk 0:01:10] } 61. Qb7 { [%clk 0:05:56] } 61... f5 { [%clk 0:00:41] } 62. Qc8+ { [%clk 0:04:17] } 62... Kg7 { [%clk 0:01:07] } 63. Qd7+ { [%clk 0:04:40] } 63... Kg8 { [%clk 0:00:35] } 64. a7 { [%clk 0:04:22] } 64... fxg4+ { [%clk 0:00:52] } 65. Qxg4+ { [%clk 0:04:46] } 65... Kh7 { [%clk 0:00:58] } 66. Qe4+ { 1-0 White wins. } { [%clk 0:05:11] } 1-0