[Event "U.S. Chess Championships 2024"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2024.10.14"] [Round "4"] [White "Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim"] [Black "Zatonskih, Anna"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2374"] [BlackElo "2312"] [Annotator "FM Zoey Tang"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C11"] [Opening "French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Morozevich Line"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/K5XjRsoK/DiUaQfkw"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Bxf6 gxf6 7. Nc3 { A rare move. White takes the tempo out of Black's ... f6-f5. } (7. Nf3 f5 8. Nc3 a6 9. g3 b5 $14) 7... Nc6 8. Nf3 Nb4 9. Bc4 c6 10. Qd2 Qa5 11. O-O { The wiser option of the two directions, since the c4-bishop will be a hook for an expedited queenside attack. } 11... Qf5 12. a3 Rg8! { Intermezzo } 13. Ne1 Nd5 14. Nxd5 cxd5 { Even though this move does not open the light-squared bishop like ... e6xd5 would have, it keeps the king safer. } (14... exd5 15. Bd3 Qg4 16. c3 h5 17. f3 Qg7 18. f4 h4 19. Nf3 $14 { Black's king is always a cause for worry. } { [%cal Ga1e1] }) 15. Bd3 Qh5 16. Rc1 Bd7 17. f4 O-O-O { A pretty successful opening for Black. Black has a clear target on g2, while after her king hides on b8 it will be relatively safe. The only problem is the light-squared bishop. } 18. Rf3?! { It was more important to start creating an attack. } (18. Be2 Qh6 19. a4 Kb8 20. a5 e5 21. a6 b6 22. Rf2) (18. c4?! { never works well because after } 18... dxc4 19. Bxc4 Kb8 $17 { , the c-file is rather useless. }) 18... Kb8 19. Qf2?! { Once again rather passive. } (19. Be2 e5 20. Rf2 Qh6 21. Rd1 $17) 19... Bd6 20. Be2 Qh6?! { Initiative! } (20... e5! { Braving the scary discovered attack to open a diagonal and attack h2. } 21. Rb3 Qh6 $19) 21. Rd1 Rg6 { Preparing ... Rd8-g8, or more importantly, ... e6-e5 now that Rf3-f6 is defended against after the f-file opens. } 22. g3? (22. Nd3 { , stopping black's plan, was imperative. } 22... Rdg8 23. g3 $14) 22... e5! 23. fxe5 fxe5 24. dxe5 Bc7! 25. Rb3 Ba4 26. Rb4 Bb6 27. Rxb6 Rxb6 28. Rd4 Be8 { Black is up an Exchange for a pawn, and White's king is still not safe enough. Normally, this would be a pretty risk-free position, but one must always be careful. } 29. Nd3 Qd2? (29... f6 30. exf6 Rxf6 31. Nf4 Bc6 $17 { [%cal Gd8g8] }) 30. c4! { Great timing. The d-pawn is pinned, and Rd4xd5 is no small threat. } 30... Bc6?? { Passive defense does not help. } (30... Rc8 { Giving back material is fine, and should be considered seriously to release the pressure. } 31. Rxd5 Bc6 32. Rd4 Rxb2) 31. b4? (31. e6! fxe6 32. Nf4 Qc1+ 33. Rd1 Qxb2 34. Nxe6 $18) 31... Re8?? (31... Qa2 32. c5 Qa1+ 33. Ne1 Rb5! $16) 32. c5? { Both sides are relatively short on time, hence the tactical mistakes. } (32. b5 dxc4 (32... Bd7 33. Nc5) 33. bxc6 cxd3 34. c7+! Kxc7 35. Qxf7+ $18 { is a quick win. }) 32... Ra6 33. Ne1 Qc1 34. Bxa6 bxa6 35. Kg2 Qxa3 36. Qxf7 Qe3?? (36... a5! { , breaking up White's structure and trying to win c5. } 37. Nd3 Qc3 38. Qf4 Bb5 39. e6+ Kc8 40. Ne5 Rxe6 $14) 37. Nf3 { Black has no counterplay after this. The light-squared bishop is completely locked out of the game. } 37... Qe2+ 38. Kh3 Qe3 39. Qf4 Qe2 40. Rd2 Qe4 41. Rd4 Qe2 42. g4 Qf2 43. Rd2 Qf1+ 44. Kg3 d4 45. Nxd4 Qe1+ 46. Rf2 Bd5 47. e6+ Ka8 48. Kh3 h5 49. gxh5 Qc3+ 50. Kh4 Qxb4 51. Qe5 Qxc5 52. h6 Rxe6 53. Rf8+ Qxf8 54. Qxd5+ Kb8 55. Qxe6 Qf4+ 56. Kh5 Qxd4 57. h7 Qd1+ 58. Kg6 Qc2+ 59. Kg7 Qg2+ 60. Qg6 Qb2+ 61. Qf6 Qb7+ 62. Kh6 { Black resigned. } 1-0