[Event "U.S. Chess Championship - Women"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2024.10.11"] [Round "01"] [White "Lee, Megan"] [Black "Yu, Jennifer"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2253"] [BlackElo "2267"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B75"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Early Deviations"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [StudyName "2024 U.S. Championship and U.S. Women's Championship"] [ChapterName "Lee, Megan - Yu, Jennifer"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/K5XjRsoK/lKNoAGkN"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:30:58] } 1... c5 { [%clk 1:30:48] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 1:31:18] } 2... d6 { [%clk 1:31:03] } 3. d4 { [%clk 1:31:43] } 3... cxd4 { [%clk 1:31:13] } 4. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:32:11] } 4... Nf6 { [%clk 1:31:29] } 5. Nc3 { [%clk 1:32:36] } 5... g6 { [%clk 1:31:35] } 6. f3 { [%clk 1:28:35] } 6... Bg7 { [%clk 1:30:03] } 7. Be3 { [%clk 1:28:42] } 7... a6!? { Black goes for a less theoretical line of the Dragon, promising a fresh game with mutual chances. } { [%clk 1:29:53] } 8. Qd2 { [%clk 1:28:07] } 8... Nbd7 { [%clk 1:29:48] } 9. O-O-O { [%clk 1:23:57] } 9... b5 { [%clk 1:29:52] } 10. g4 { [%clk 1:20:07] } 10... Bb7 { [%clk 1:29:39] } 11. h4 { [%clk 1:10:42] } 11... Nb6 { [%clk 1:29:07] } 12. Nb3?! { [%clk 1:05:10] } (12. h5! { is more testing. Black cannot "castle into it" and is faced with a hard decision. } 12... Rf8 { might be best, allowing the bishop to remain on the a1-h8 diagonal. But White still wins the h-file. } 13. hxg6 hxg6 14. g5 Nfd7 15. f4 $16) 12... Nc4 { [%clk 1:19:38] } 13. Bxc4 { [%clk 1:02:26] } 13... bxc4 { [%clk 1:18:42] } 14. Nd4 { [%clk 1:01:10] } 14... h5! { Black shuts down White's most obvious plan. } { [%clk 1:18:11] } 15. g5 { [%clk 0:53:10] } 15... Nd7 { [%clk 1:18:12] } 16. Nde2 { [%clk 0:46:49] } 16... Ne5 { [%clk 1:03:51] } 17. Rhf1 { [%clk 0:45:48] } 17... O-O { [%clk 0:57:41] } 18. Bd4 { [%clk 0:42:20] } 18... Qa5 { [%clk 0:47:43] } 19. Qe3 { [%clk 0:38:41] } 19... Qc7 { [%clk 0:47:12] } 20. Bxe5 { Unnecessary, and based on a misevaluation. Black's bishop will re-enter the game on a new diagonal, allowing her to lock the center here. } { [%clk 0:26:53] } 20... dxe5! { White would have a serious initiative after 20. ... Bxe5 21. f4, which might have been what White expected. Or, at least, she underestimated the force with which Black's dark-squared bishop will emerge from its slumber. } { [%clk 0:38:33] } 21. Nd5?! { [%clk 0:26:45] } 21... Bxd5 { [%clk 0:38:48] } 22. Rxd5 { [%clk 0:26:57] } 22... e6 { [%clk 0:37:56] } 23. Qc5?! { [%clk 0:14:18] } 23... Qb7 { [%clk 0:35:43] } 24. Rd2 { [%clk 0:14:09] } 24... Rfc8 { [%clk 0:34:58] } 25. Qa5 { [%clk 0:12:27] } 25... Bf8! { Black now has a serious attack. } { [%clk 0:24:35] } 26. c3 { [%clk 0:08:09] } 26... Bc5?! { [%clk 0:21:10] } (26... Rc5! { was a more direct route to the b-file, but it required a pseudo-sac of the c4-pawn: } 27. Qa4 Rb5 28. Qxc4 Ba3! $19 { This is what Black had to see: White's queen cannot capture the c4-pawn without conceding the key a3-square. }) 27. Kb1?! { [%clk 0:07:26] } (27. Kc2 { was slightly better, allowing Rf1-b1 as an extra defensive resource, e.g.: } 27... Be3 28. Rd6 Rab8 29. Rb1! $17 { although Black is still for choice. }) 27... Be3 { [%clk 0:15:32] } 28. Rc2 { The more active rook moves no longer work here: } { [%clk 0:07:30] } (28. Rd6? Rab8 $19) 28... Rc5 { Black is finally ready to grip the b-file! } { [%clk 0:15:55] } 29. Qa4 { [%clk 0:04:23] } 29... Rb8 { [%clk 0:11:57] } 30. Ka1 { [%clk 0:03:03] } 30... Rb5 { [%clk 0:10:47] } 31. Rb1 { [%clk 0:03:18] } 31... Qc7 { [%clk 0:10:48] } 32. b4 { [%clk 0:01:33] } 32... cxb3 { [%clk 0:10:00] } 33. Rxb3 { [%clk 0:01:44] } 33... Qd6 { So far, so good for Black. White's king is toast! } { [%clk 0:08:20] } 34. Kb2 { [%clk 0:01:24] } 34... Qd3 { [%clk 0:06:22] } 35. c4 { [%clk 0:01:05] } 35... R5b7 { [%clk 0:05:25] } 36. Nc1 { [%clk 0:00:36] } 36... Bd4+ { [%clk 0:03:28] } 37. Kb1 { White's only hope of counterplay comes from deflections with c4-c5 and a liquidation into an endgame with pawns only on one side of the board, favoring her knight. } { [%clk 0:00:50] } 37... Qxf3?! { [%clk 0:03:44] } (37... Qe3! { Or capturing on b3 first, with the same effect. The point is that now } 38. Qa3 (38. c5 Rxb3+ 39. Nxb3 Qg1+ 40. Rc1 Qf2 41. Rc2 Qf1+! { gives Black some active defense. } 42. Rc1 Qd3+ 43. Rc2 Bxc5! $19 { and she can scoop of the c-pawn under ideal circumstances. }) 38... Rxb3+ 39. axb3 Rb6! $17 { Defending the a6-pawn before c4-c5 can be played. }) 38. c5! { [%clk 0:00:43] } 38... Qxe4 { [%clk 0:02:31] } 39. c6 { [%clk 0:01:11] } 39... Rxb3+ { [%clk 0:02:45] } 40. axb3 { It's hard to believe the c-pawn is as testing as it is! } { [%clk 0:01:23] } 40... Rc8 { [%clk 0:01:33] } (40... Qd5 { was no better: } 41. c7 Rc8 42. Qxa6 Qd7 $10 { Neither side can make progress, as White's passed b-pawn will catch up to its friend on the c-file, making Black's passed e-pawns much less ominous. }) (40... Kg7! { was the only chance: } 41. c7 Rc8 42. Qd7 Qb7 { and White has no resources with check. } 43. Rc6 (43. Qc6 { is not nearly as good when Black still has the a-pawn! } 43... Qxc6 44. Rxc6) 43... a5 $17) 41. Qxa6 { [%clk 0:29:01] } 41... Rc7 { [%clk 0:31:52] } 42. Qa5 { [%clk 0:28:07] } 42... Rc8 { [%clk 0:32:13] } 43. Qa6 { [%clk 0:25:39] } 43... Rc7 { [%clk 0:30:48] } 44. Qa5 { [%clk 0:23:39] } 44... Rc8 { Draw by repetition. } { [%clk 0:30:22] } 1/2-1/2