[Event "U.S. Chess Championship - Women"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2024.10.11"] [Round "01"] [White "Zatonskih, Anna"] [Black "Atwell, Rose"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2312"] [BlackElo "2185"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A05"] [Opening "King's Indian Attack: Spassky Variation"] [StudyName "2024 U.S. Championship and U.S. Women's Championship"] [ChapterName "Zatonskih, Anna - Atwell, Rose"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/K5XjRsoK/XxrgEBKq"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. Nf3 { [%clk 1:30:56] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:55] } 2. g3 { [%clk 1:30:10] } 2... b5 { [%clk 1:30:47] } 3. Bg2 { [%clk 1:23:17] } 3... Bb7 { [%clk 1:31:09] } 4. O-O { [%clk 1:22:57] } 4... e6 { [%clk 1:30:01] } 5. d3 { [%clk 1:19:39] } 5... c5 { [%clk 1:24:45] } 6. e4 { [%clk 1:18:11] } 6... d6 { [%clk 1:23:30] } 7. c3 { [%clk 1:07:49] } 7... Nbd7 { [%clk 1:20:20] } 8. Re1 { [%clk 0:55:04] } 8... Be7 { [%clk 1:13:55] } 9. Nbd2 { [%clk 0:51:38] } 9... O-O { [%clk 1:09:36] } 10. d4 { [%clk 0:49:54] } 10... e5 { [%clk 1:03:27] } 11. dxe5 { [%clk 0:41:13] } 11... dxe5 { [%clk 0:58:30] } 12. b3 { [%clk 0:40:22] } 12... Qc7 { [%clk 0:53:13] } 13. Qe2 { [%clk 0:37:20] } 13... c4! { An energetic sac from Black, opening up great squares and lines for her pieces. } { [%clk 0:49:00] } 14. bxc4 { [%clk 0:30:09] } 14... bxc4 { [%clk 0:49:21] } 15. Nh4?! { [%clk 0:28:51] } (15. Qxc4 { was the lesser eveil: } 15... Nc5 16. Qe2 Rad8 17. Ba3 Rfe8 $15 { Black's pieces are all well-placed, but at least White has a pawn. }) 15... g6 { [%clk 0:43:36] } 16. Qxc4 { [%clk 0:28:03] } 16... Nc5 { [%clk 0:42:01] } 17. Qe2 { [%clk 0:28:08] } 17... Na4!? { [%clk 0:33:44] } (17... Rfd8 { Why give up pressure on the e4-square when you can add pressure to the d3-square instead? } 18. Nb3 Ba6 19. c4 Nd3 $17) 18. c4 { [%clk 0:27:00] } 18... Rfd8 { [%clk 0:31:55] } 19. Nb3 { [%clk 0:19:14] } 19... Rac8 { [%clk 0:23:02] } 20. Bb2? { This hands the initiative to Black, who does not need to simplify by trading queens on c4. } { [%clk 0:16:19] } (20. Bd2! { was better: } 20... Qxc4 21. Qxc4 Rxc4 22. Nf3 Rc2 { and White's bishop is ready to create some problems with } 23. Ba5 $10 { before both e-pawns fall. }) 20... Bb4 { [%clk 0:21:21] } 21. Rec1 { [%clk 0:11:46] } 21... Nxb2 { [%clk 0:20:18] } 22. Qxb2 { [%clk 0:12:14] } 22... Bxe4 { [%clk 0:18:05] } (22... Bf8!? { is a nice idea, keeping more pieces on the board. }) 23. c5 { [%clk 0:11:36] } 23... Bxg2 { [%clk 0:14:16] } 24. Nxg2 { [%clk 0:11:54] } 24... Qe7 { [%clk 0:10:53] } 25. Rc4 { [%clk 0:10:13] } 25... Bxc5 { [%clk 0:08:19] } 26. Qc2 { Black is pawn-up, but has to simplify urgently. } { [%clk 0:08:49] } 26... Bxf2+ { [%clk 0:06:19] } 27. Kxf2 { [%clk 0:08:59] } 27... Qe6 { White has just equalized, as long as she doesn't decide to push for more. } { [%clk 0:05:54] } 28. Nc5?? { Black to play! } { [%clk 0:03:33] } (28. Rxc8 Rxc8 29. Qe2! Ng4+ 30. Kg1 Qb6+ 31. Kh1 Nf2+ $10 { is not a Smothered Mate, and so White is fine. }) 28... Rxc5! { [%clk 0:02:43] } 29. Rxc5 { [%clk 0:03:50] } 29... Rd2+! { [%clk 0:03:03] } 30. Qxd2 { [%clk 0:02:45] } 30... Ne4+ { Black wins the queen and converts against the veteran former champion without much issue. } { [%clk 0:03:28] } 31. Ke3 { [%clk 0:02:26] } 31... Nxd2 { [%clk 0:03:52] } 32. Rac1 { [%clk 0:01:49] } (32. Kxd2? Qd6+ $19) 32... Qd6 { [%clk 0:03:11] } 33. Ne1 { [%clk 0:01:14] } 33... Qd4+ { [%clk 0:02:38] } 34. Ke2 { [%clk 0:01:41] } 34... e4 { [%clk 0:01:55] } 35. R1c3 { [%clk 0:00:56] } 35... e3 { [%clk 0:01:48] } 36. Rc8+ { [%clk 0:01:09] } 36... Kg7 { [%clk 0:02:17] } 37. Nc2 { [%clk 0:01:15] } 37... Qg4+ { [%clk 0:01:51] } 38. Kxe3 { [%clk 0:01:42] } 38... Qd1 { [%clk 0:02:05] } 39. h4 { [%clk 0:00:57] } 39... Nf1+ { [%clk 0:01:35] } 40. Kf2 { [%clk 0:01:19] } 40... Nh2 { [%clk 0:01:58] } 41. Ne1 { No better was } { [%clk 0:15:29] } (41. R8c4 Qd2+ 42. Kg1 Ng4! $19) 41... Ng4+ { [%clk 0:28:10] } 42. Kf1 { [%clk 0:15:04] } 42... Qd2 { [%clk 0:28:32] } 43. Nd3 { [%clk 0:13:22] } 43... Ne3+ { White resigns a move before mate. } { [%clk 0:28:54] } 0-1