[Event "WWTC Pool Stage"] [Site "https://lichess.org/broadcast/fide-world-womens-team-championship-2025--pool-stage-a/round-3/9IPpx9gt/cajrE29x"] [Date "2025.11.19"] [Round "3.7"] [White "Mammadova, Gulnar"] [Black "Krush, Irina"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2338"] [WhiteTitle "IM"] [WhiteTeam "Azerbaijan"] [WhiteFideId "13403508"] [BlackElo "2396"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackTeam "USA"] [BlackFideId "2012782"] [TimeControl "45+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B43"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Wing Attack"] [StudyName "2025 FIDE Women's World Teams"] [ChapterName "Mammadova, Gulnar - Krush, Irina"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/OP9vYWiS/RDDyfxdE"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 0:45:57] } 1... c5 { [%clk 0:45:53] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 0:46:24] } 2... e6 { [%clk 0:46:14] } 3. d4 { [%clk 0:46:47] } 3... cxd4 { [%clk 0:46:38] } 4. Nxd4 { [%clk 0:47:09] } 4... a6 { [%clk 0:47:01] } 5. Nc3 { [%clk 0:46:51] } 5... b5 { The modern treatment of the Kan Sicilian, rather than the traditional 5. ... Qc7. } { [%cal Gg8f6,Gb5b4,Gf6e4] [%clk 0:47:06] } 6. a3 { [%clk 0:44:04] } 6... Bb7 { [%csl Ge4] [%clk 0:47:21] } 7. Bd3 { [%clk 0:43:47] } 7... Nc6 { [%clk 0:47:47] } 8. Nxc6 { [%clk 0:43:13] } 8... Bxc6 { [%clk 0:47:49] } 9. O-O { [%clk 0:43:28] } 9... Ne7 { Black does not want to concede e4-e5 with tempo on an f6-knight. } { [%clk 0:42:21] } (9... Nf6 10. e5 Nd5 11. Ne4 { [%cal Gc3e4,Ge4e5,Gc1g5,Ye4d6] }) 10. Bg5 { [%clk 0:40:10] } 10... Qb8 { Black can coordinate with ... Bf8-d6 against the h2-square, and avoids tricks with Nc3xb5 associated with the c7- and d6-constellation. } { [%cal Gb8h2] [%clk 0:41:35] } 11. Qe2?! { White dreams of Nc3-d5 motifs, but they're not there. } { [%clk 0:38:33] } 11... Ng6 { Instead, White's bishop is misplaced, while Black continues to develop harmoniously. } { [%cal Gh7h6,Rg5h4] [%clk 0:41:27] } 12. Be3 { [%clk 0:36:03] } 12... Bd6 { [%cal Gb8h2] [%clk 0:38:39] } 13. g3 { [%clk 0:34:23] } 13... Ne5 { The e7-square may have looked like a concession compared to the f6-square, but the e5-square is a bit of a caterpillar/butterfly moment. Black can either let the knight hang out here, or part with the light-squared bishop. } { [%csl Gd3] [%clk 0:38:35] } 14. f4 { [%clk 0:34:35] } 14... Nxd3 { [%clk 0:38:52] } 15. Qxd3 { White is prepared for e4-e5, but, without a light-squared bishop, it lacks any punch. Meanwhile, Black can always play ... Bd6-c7-b6 to trade off the bishop, or let it remain on the board on the e7-square after the eventual e4-e5. } { [%clk 0:33:36] } 15... O-O { [%clk 0:38:40] } 16. e5 { [%cal Gb8h2] [%clk 0:30:26] } 16... Be7 { Given White's hopes of Nc3-e4-g5, the bishop makes sense here as a defender. } { [%clk 0:38:33] } 17. Ne4 { [%clk 0:30:52] } 17... b4! { Disrupting White's queenside, with ... Rf8-c8 and more pressure to come. } { [%cal Gb8b2,Gf8c8,Gc8c2] [%clk 0:30:32] } 18. a4 { [%clk 0:29:15] } 18... Qb7 { [%cal Gb7e4,Gb7h1] [%clk 0:29:42] } 19. Nc5 { [%clk 0:27:54] } 19... Bxc5 { [%clk 0:29:43] } 20. Bxc5 { White has gained the dark squares, but Black's control of the long light-squared diagonal is clearly more of a trump. } { [%csl Rg2][%cal Gc5f8,Gb7h1] [%clk 0:28:21] } 20... Rfc8 { Black still has the c-file! } { [%cal Gc8c2] [%clk 0:29:36] } 21. Qd4 { [%cal Gd4c5] [%clk 0:28:03] } 21... a5 $17 { Fixing the a4-pawn as a weakness, with the idea that b2-b3 further cements the c2-pawn as a target on the half-open file. White really has no play here. } { [%cal Gc6h1,Gb7g2] [%clk 0:27:09] } 22. Rf2 { [%csl Gg2] [%clk 0:22:13] } 22... Bxa4! { [%clk 0:25:21] } 23. b3 { [%clk 0:19:47] } (23. Rxa4 { [%csl Ga4,Gc5] } 23... Qb5 $19 { was the idea. }) 23... Bc6 $19 { A dominant performance. Black has no problems from here. } { [%clk 0:25:49] } 24. f5 { [%clk 0:17:08] } 24... exf5 { [%clk 0:25:14] } 25. Rxf5 { [%cal Ga1f1] [%clk 0:17:34] } 25... Be4 { [%csl Bg6,Bf7,Bh7][%cal Ya1f1,Bc6e4,Be4g6] [%clk 0:22:29] } 26. Rf2 { [%clk 0:17:55] } 26... Bg6 { [%csl Rf7][%cal Ga1f1] [%clk 0:21:54] } 27. Rd1 { [%clk 0:16:13] } 27... h6 { [%cal Gd4d7,Gc8c5] [%clk 0:22:05] } 28. Rdd2 { [%clk 0:15:02] } 28... Ra6 { [%cal Ga6g6] [%clk 0:21:58] } 29. Be7 { [%clk 0:14:36] } 29... Rac6 { [%clk 0:19:43] } 30. Qxd7 { [%clk 0:11:57] } 30... R6c7 { [%clk 0:14:36] } 31. e6 { [%clk 0:11:30] } 31... Kh7 { [%clk 0:14:52] } 32. Bh4 { [%clk 0:09:44] } 32... fxe6 { [%clk 0:13:34] } 33. Qxe6 { [%clk 0:09:48] } 33... Re8 { [%clk 0:11:48] } 34. Qd5 { [%clk 0:09:22] } 34... Qa6 { [%clk 0:09:30] } 35. Qg2 { [%clk 0:06:57] } 35... Bxc2 { [%clk 0:06:00] } 36. Bd8 { [%cal Gd8c7] [%clk 0:05:26] } 36... Bd3 { [%clk 0:04:06] } 37. Rxd3 { [%clk 0:04:11] } (37. Bxc7 Re1+) 0-1