[Event "2025 KCF All-Girls National Chess Championship, U18"] [Date "04/05/2025"] [Round "3"] [White "Stella Xin"] [Black "Megan Paragua"] [Result "0-1"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D31"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Slav, Abrahams Variation"] [StudyName "2025 KCF All-Girls Nationals"] [ChapterName "Xin, Stella – Paragua, Megan"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/LuRpburA/e5H0c0x2"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. a4 Bb4 6. e3 b5 7. Bd2 a5 8. axb5 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 cxb5 10. b3 Bb7 11. bxc4 { Annotations by JJ Lang } 11... b4 { Paragua has gotten her desired set-up out of the opening. White enjoys the center and a slight lead in development, but Black has connected queenside passers already on move 11! } 12. Bb2 Nf6 13. Be2!? { A bit passive. White needs to use her control of the center to attack on the kingside. } (13. Bd3 O-O 14. O-O Nbd7 15. Nd2 { is the engine's preference, preparing more space and helping the queen then move to the kingside. }) 13... O-O 14. O-O Nbd7 15. Nd2 Qc7 16. f3 { The right idea from White, although, again, the bishop could still be more active on the d3-square. } 16... e5 { Paragua sees a weakness in White's position and takes the opportunity to open up the center. } 17. c5!? { Fixing pawns on dark squares with the unopposed dark-squared bishop seems strategically dubious. } (17. Bd3 { is balanced. }) 17... Rfd8 18. Qc2 Nd5 { Black's play is exemplary. She has identified the weak square and continues to pressure it. White's unforced c4-c5 gave Black control of this square. } 19. Nc4 { Still, White has gained some squares too. This is the only move that keeps the game close to level. } 19... Ba6? { An oversight from Paragua. } (19... exd4 20. exd4 Bc6 { was better, preparing ... a5-a4. } (20... Nf4 $15 { is not so special, as this bishop was not a great piece for White. })) 20. Qb3?? { White makes the critical mistake of trusting her opponent! } (20. Rxa5! { was strong. Black's position hinged on the queenside passers, so this required careful calculation. Perhaps White was worried about } 20... Bxc4?! 21. Rxa8 { but } 21... Nxe3 (21... Rxa8 { hangs a piece to } 22. Bxc4 { and } 22... Nxe3 { is rebuked by } 23. Qe4 $18 { with pressure on the loose a8-rook. }) 22. Qa4 { was not as scary as it looks: } 22... Bxe2 23. Re1! $18 { and loose pieces drop off, giving White the material plus. }) 20... exd4 21. exd4 Nf4 { Now, with the e2-bishop playing a crucial defensive role on the now-pinned c4-knight, Black's ... Nd5-f4 is very strong. } 22. Qc2 Nxc5! 23. dxc5 Qxc5+ { A thematic exploitation of the weakening f2-f3 move. } 24. Kh1 Nxe2 25. Qxe2 Bxc4 $19 { Black emerges up two pawns and won shortly. } 26. Qc2 Qb5 27. Rfe1 Re8 28. h3 a4 29. Rxe8+ Rxe8 30. Qxa4 Re1+ 31. Kh2 Qb8+ 32. g3 Re2+ 33. Kh1 Bd5! 34. Rf1 Qxg3 { White resigned. } 0-1