[Event "The American Cup 2024"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2024.03.19"] [Round "4"] [White "Krush, Irina"] [Black "Lee, Alice"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2421"] [BlackElo "2356"] [Annotator "jonat"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D35"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/R6LLNwTu/oC1ShgUS"] [Orientation "white"] { Grand Final game 1 } 1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Bb4 6. e3 h6 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 O-O 10. Bd3 Bf5 11. Ne2 Nd7 12. O-O Nb6 13. f3 Qe6 14. Bxf5 Qxf5 15. e4 dxe4 16. Ng3 Qg5?! { Lee has shown good prep against Krush's Kmoch variation against the Nimzo, which she successfully employeed in an earlier round against Paikidze. But now the queen is a bit misplaced here, allowing White to grab the center with little to worry about. } (16... Qe6 17. fxe4 c5 { is more consistent, keeping an eye on both center pawns and trying to soften them up. }) 17. fxe4 Nc4 18. Rf3 Qd2 19. Qb3 Ne3 20. Rf2 Qd3 21. Rf3 Qd2 22. Rf2 Qd3 23. Rf3 (23. Re1 { was the best way to extend the game. The engine likes White, but perhaps Krush was worried about } 23... c5 24. d5 b5 { with a position that could be difficult to evaluate. But } 25. Rfe2 Nc4 { favors White after } (25... Qc4 { maybe looked more testing but } 26. Qb1 Ng4 27. e5! Qxd5 { actually just hangs a knight: } 28. h3) 26. Qxb5 Qxc3 27. Qxc5 Rfc8 28. Qf2 { when even after } 28... Ne5 $16 { , it's hard to believe in Black's position down a pawn against connected central beasts. }) 23... Qd2 { Black is happy to repeat after starting to drift a bit against White's promising center. } 1/2-1/2