[Event "U.S. Chess Championships 2024"] [Date "2024.10.18"] [Round "7"] [White "Yu, Jennifer"] [Black "Krush, Irina"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2267"] [BlackElo "2388"] [Annotator "WGM Katerina Nemcova"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B21"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit"] [StudyName "2024 U.S. Championship and U.S. Women's Championship"] [ChapterName "Yu, Jennifer - Krush, Irina"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/K5XjRsoK/kcfdWiQq"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qd3 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Bf4 Bb4 7. O-O-O O-O 8. f3 d5 9. exd5 exd5 10. Nge2 Be6 11. Nb5 Rc8 12. Ned4 Bc5 13. Kb1 a6 14. Nxc6 bxc6 15. Nd4 Bxd4 16. Qxd4 c5 17. Qa4 d4 18. c4 Nh5 19. Bc1 Bf5+ 20. Ka1 Qd6 21. g4 Bd7 22. Qc2 Nf4 23. h4 f5 24. Rg1 fxg4 25. fxg4 Rce8 26. h5 Bc6 27. Bd3 Nxd3 28. Qxd3 Rf3 29. Qd2 Qe6 30. h6 Qxc4 31. Qg5 Rf7 32. Rge1 Be4 33. b3! { This is a critical point in the game. Both sides are trying to attack, but what should Krush do here? } 33... Qc2? (33... Qc3+? 34. Bb2! $18 Qc2 (34... Qf3 35. Qxc5 { and Black's strong center is falling apart }) 35. Rd2! { and the queen is trapped. }) (33... Qd5? 34. Qxd5 Bxd5 35. Rxe8+ $18) (33... Qe6 34. Qxc5 $16) (33... Qb4?? 34. Rxe4 Rxe4 35. Qd8+ Rf8 36. Qd5+ $18) (33... Qb5!! $13 { This is the only move that keeps equality as it controls the back rank as well as the c5-pawn. }) 34. Bb2! { White threatens to trap the queen with Rd1-d2, while also clearing the c1-square for the rook to capture the c5-pawn after Rd1-c1. } 34... Bc6 35. Rxe8+ Bxe8 36. Re1! { An important intermediate move. Yu finds the best continuation despite her time pressure. This move forces the bishop from the back rank, giving White opportunities to exploit it. } (36. Rc1 Qh2 { and Black is recovering. }) 36... Bc6 37. Rc1! Qe2 { An interesting plan which fails to one precise move. } (37... Qe4 { This was a safer way to continue. Although White is doing better, the game is not yet won. } 38. Qxc5 d3 39. Bc3 $14) 38. Qxc5 d3 39. Qxc6 d2 40. Qa8+!! $18 { This is the move. White is winning here. } (40. Qc8+?? Rf8 $19) 40... Rf8 41. Qd5+ { Krush resigned here because the alternative is getting checkmated by a pawn or suffering back rank mate. } 1-0