[Event "The American Cup 2024"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2024.03.14"] [Round "2"] [White "Paikidze, Nazi"] [Black "Krush, Irina"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2319"] [BlackElo "2421"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B23"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Closed"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/R6LLNwTu/EMqpswD0"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 g6 5. d3 Bg7 6. Be3 d6 7. Qd2 Qd7 8. O-O-O $146 { In a must-win game, Paikidze must have been pleased to see Krush "stick to her guns" and play a Sicilian despite only needing a draw. Paikidze employs a closed setup with particularly early queenside castling, eschewing theory early while keeping strong attacking chances. } 8... Rb8 9. f4 Nge7 10. g4 (10. Nf3 b5 11. e5! { already gives White a nice edge, as } 11... dxe5 12. fxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Bxe5 14. Ne4! $16 { primes White to exploit the weakened d6- and f6-squares, while the c5-pawn is not a keeper. }) 10... b5 11. f5?! { With Black's king not committed to the kingside, her attack should be faster than White's on the opposing flank. } 11... Nd4? (11... b4 12. Nce2 (12. Na4? Ne5 13. b3 Nxg4 $19) 12... Ne5 13. h3 c4 $17 { and White is lagging. }) 12. Nce2 { With the extra tempi, and no worry of ... Nc6-e5 hitting the g4-pawn, White can go about her plans with relative ease. } 12... Nec6 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. c3 Nc6 15. Nf3 b4 16. c4 Nd4 17. Bxd4! cxd4 18. Kb1 O-O $16 { White has managed to trade off some of Black's more dangerous pieces, keep the center relatively fixed against Black's pair of bishops, and can expand on the kingside at her leisure. Krush was perhaps hoping that the trades could lead the game towards more drawish waters, but that would be inconsistent with the opening she chose! } 19. h4 Qe7 20. Rde1 e5 { Black decides to release some of the tension before it's too late, but this only makes kingside play safer for White. } 21. g5 gxf5 22. exf5 Bxf5 23. Nxd4 Bd7 24. h5 { The attack is still going strong. } 24... h6 25. gxh6 Bf6 26. Bh3 Kh7 27. Qf2 Bg5 28. Bf5+ Kh8 29. Bxd7 Qxd7 30. Qf5 Qxf5 31. Nxf5 Rb6 32. Rhg1 f6 33. d4! { Paikidze has navigated towards a very winnable endgame with no risk of counterplay for her opponent. } 33... b3 34. axb3 Rxb3 35. Nxd6 Bxh6 36. d5 { This position is clearly won for White. The passed pawns are too strong and Black's pieces lack coordination given the cornered king. } 36... Kh7 37. c5 Rfb8 38. Rg2 Bf8 39. Ne4 Bg7 40. c6 f5 41. Ng5+ Kh6 42. Ne6 Bh8 43. c7 Rc8 44. Rh1 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0