[Event "Women"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2024.03.19"] [Round "04-03"] [White "Lee, Alice"] [Black "Krush, Irina"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2356"] [BlackElo "2421"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A56"] [Opening "Benoni Defense: Czech Benoni Defense"] [StudyName "American Cup 2024"] [ChapterName "Lee, Alice - Krush, Irina"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/R6LLNwTu/l0yuAuyo"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] { Grand Final game 3 } 1. d4 { [%clk 1:30:57] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:53] } 2. c4 { [%clk 1:31:22] } 2... c5 { [%clk 1:31:12] } 3. d5 { [%clk 1:31:45] } 3... e5 { [%clk 1:31:33] } 4. Nc3 { [%clk 1:30:38] } 4... d6 { [%clk 1:31:52] } 5. e4 { [%clk 1:30:13] } 5... Nbd7 { [%clk 1:32:13] } 6. Nge2 { [%clk 1:26:33] } 6... g6 { [%clk 1:29:23] } 7. Ng3 { [%clk 1:24:36] } 7... h5 { [%clk 1:28:19] } 8. Bd3 { [%clk 1:20:26] } 8... h4 { [%clk 1:25:50] } 9. Nge2 { [%clk 1:17:59] } 9... Bh6 { [%clk 1:23:34] } 10. Bxh6 { [%clk 1:15:35] } 10... Rxh6 { [%clk 1:24:00] } 11. Qd2 { [%clk 1:14:39] } 11... Rh8 { [%clk 1:22:54] } 12. a3 { [%clk 1:08:38] } 12... Kf8 { [%clk 1:18:08] } 13. O-O-O { [%clk 1:03:23] } 13... Kg7 { [%clk 1:11:32] } 14. g3 { [%clk 1:01:32] } 14... a6 { [%clk 1:05:50] } 15. f4 { [%clk 0:59:06] } 15... Ng4 { [%clk 0:58:03] } 16. Rdf1 { [%clk 0:58:03] } 16... hxg3 { [%clk 0:57:46] } 17. hxg3 { [%clk 0:57:48] } 17... Ndf6 { [%clk 0:55:04] } 18. Kb1 { [%clk 0:51:46] } 18... Bd7 { [%clk 0:50:56] } 19. f5 { [%clk 0:47:14] } 19... Rb8 { [%clk 0:40:18] } 20. a4 { [%clk 0:38:36] } 20... Nh2! { White had missed this resource for a few turns, and Black now has a nice advantage, with the other knight about to enter on g4 and smother White's kingside. } { [%clk 0:37:59] } 21. Rd1 { [%clk 0:33:57] } 21... Nf3 { [%clk 0:36:24] } (21... Nfg4 22. Nc1 Qf6 $17 { and the f-pawn is falling. }) 22. Qc1 { [%clk 0:32:27] } 22... Ng4 { [%clk 0:34:47] } 23. Rxh8 { [%clk 0:30:55] } 23... Qxh8 { [%clk 0:34:04] } 24. Rh1 { [%clk 0:30:38] } 24... Qd8 { [%clk 0:28:32] } (24... Nfh2! { preserved the advantage, as there is no way to exploit the pin, while Black threatens to take on a4 as well as invade on the other side with ... Qh8-h3. }) 25. Ng1 { This allows White to trade off the invaders. } { [%clk 0:26:10] } 25... Nxg1 { [%clk 0:16:01] } 26. Rxg1 { [%clk 0:26:22] } 26... Qf6 { [%clk 0:14:21] } 27. Rf1 { [%clk 0:25:02] } 27... Rh8 { [%clk 0:14:11] } 28. Be2 { [%clk 0:24:41] } 28... Nh6 { [%clk 0:12:12] } 29. g4 { [%clk 0:22:44] } 29... g5! $10 { Necessary, or else White takes over on the kingside. Now, the position is level, but still sharp. } { [%clk 0:11:12] } 30. Bd1 { [%clk 0:19:14] } 30... Ng8 { [%clk 0:06:36] } 31. Qe3 { [%clk 0:14:15] } 31... Qh6?! { [%clk 0:06:02] } (31... Rh4 { was more testing, immediately tying White down to a backwards pawn. } 32. Bf3 Qh6 33. a5 Nf6 34. Rg1 Rh2 { when Black can use the pressure on the g-pawn to regain the h-file with a small, cloying edge. }) 32. Ne2 { [%clk 0:14:13] } 32... b5 { [%clk 0:00:41] } 33. Ng3 { [%clk 0:12:31] } 33... f6 { [%clk 0:00:41] } 34. axb5 { [%clk 0:08:24] } 34... axb5 { [%clk 0:00:45] } 35. Qa3 { White now owns the open a-file and can sever Black's pieces along the h-file with Ng3-h5, giving her the time she needs to scoop up Black's weak center pawns. } { [%clk 0:08:34] } 35... Kf7 { [%clk 0:00:31] } 36. Qa7 { [%clk 0:08:02] } 36... Ke7 { [%clk 0:00:47] } 37. Rh1 { [%clk 0:07:08] } 37... Qxh1 { Black has nothing better: } { [%clk 0:00:34] } (37... Qg7 38. Rxh8 Qxh8 39. Nh5 { or even } (39. cxb5 { wins }) 39... bxc4 40. Ba4 { is the tactical point, but otherwise c4xb5 and White wins. }) 38. Nxh1 { [%clk 0:07:35] } 38... Rxh1 { [%clk 0:00:56] } 39. cxb5 { [%clk 0:04:06] } 39... Rxd1+ { [%clk 0:01:23] } 40. Ka2 { [%clk 0:04:20] } 40... Rd4 { [%clk 0:01:17] } 41. b6 { [%clk 0:04:37] } 41... Rxe4 { [%clk 0:01:32] } 42. b7 { [%clk 0:04:49] } 42... Rb4 { [%clk 0:01:57] } 43. b8=Q { [%clk 0:05:08] } 43... Rxb8 { [%clk 0:02:23] } 44. Qxb8 { Black tries to construct a fortress, but White is having none of it! } { [%clk 0:05:35] } 44... Nh6 { [%clk 0:02:29] } 45. b4 { [%clk 0:05:47] } 45... cxb4 { [%clk 0:00:45] } 46. Qxb4 { [%clk 0:06:15] } 46... Nf7 { [%clk 0:00:32] } 47. Kb3 { [%clk 0:06:09] } 47... Be8 { [%clk 0:00:47] } 48. Qb8 { [%clk 0:05:11] } 48... Bd7 { [%clk 0:01:08] } 49. Qc7 { [%clk 0:04:54] } 49... Ke8 { [%clk 0:00:48] } 50. Kb4 { [%clk 0:05:01] } 50... Ke7 { [%clk 0:01:09] } 51. Ka5 { [%clk 0:05:24] } 51... Ke8 { [%clk 0:00:55] } 52. Kb6 { [%clk 0:05:06] } 52... Ke7 { [%clk 0:00:53] } 53. Qc4 { [%clk 0:04:49] } 53... Be8 { [%clk 0:00:58] } 54. Kc7 { [%clk 0:05:05] } 54... Bd7 { [%clk 0:01:20] } 55. Qb4 { [%clk 0:04:21] } 55... Be8 { [%clk 0:01:40] } 56. Qb7 { [%clk 0:04:31] } 56... Bd7 { [%clk 0:02:00] } 57. Qb8 { [%clk 0:04:57] } 57... e4 { [%clk 0:01:29] } 58. Qb4 { [%clk 0:05:09] } 58... Be8 { [%clk 0:01:40] } 59. Qxe4+ { [%clk 0:05:34] } 59... Ne5 { [%clk 0:02:01] } 60. Qb4 { [%clk 0:05:58] } 60... Nf7 { [%clk 0:02:24] } 61. Qb8 { [%clk 0:06:19] } 61... Bd7 { [%clk 0:00:50] } 62. Qa8 { [%clk 0:05:24] } 62... Ne5 { [%clk 0:00:32] } 63. Qd8+ { [%clk 0:05:49] } 63... Kf7 { [%clk 0:00:58] } 64. Qxd7+ { 1-0 White wins. } { [%clk 0:06:14] } 1-0