[Event "2024 U.S. Senior Women's Chess Championship Closed"] [Site "Murray, Utah"] [Date "2024.12.14"] [Round "01"] [White "Julie O'Neill"] [Black "Belakovskaia, Anjelina"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1776"] [BlackElo "2178"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B23"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Grand Prix Attack"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [StudyName "2nd Annual U.S. Senior Women's Championship"] [ChapterName "Julie O'Neill - Belakovskaia, Anjelina"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/TH6coYRt/4NvBCVdH"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:30:57] } 1... c5 { [%clk 1:30:46] } 2. Nc3 { [%clk 1:31:19] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 1:31:12] } 3. f4 { [%clk 1:31:38] } 3... g6 { [%clk 1:31:29] } 4. d3 { [%clk 1:31:57] } 4... Bg7 { [%clk 1:31:40] } 5. Nf3 { [%clk 1:31:52] } 5... d6 { [%clk 1:27:42] } 6. Be2 { [%clk 1:31:10] } 6... e6 { [%clk 1:17:48] } 7. O-O { [%clk 1:29:38] } 7... Nge7 { [%clk 1:17:23] } 8. Qe1 { [%clk 1:27:00] } 8... Nd4 { [%clk 1:13:18] } 9. Bd1 { [%clk 1:26:48] } 9... O-O { [%clk 1:09:49] } 10. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:23:34] } 10... cxd4 { [%clk 1:09:36] } 11. Ne2 { [%clk 1:21:07] } 11... f5 { [%clk 1:07:32] } 12. Ng3 { [%clk 1:17:31] } 12... Qc7 { [%clk 1:01:11] } 13. Bd2 { [%clk 1:14:16] } 13... Qb6 { [%clk 1:00:56] } 14. Rb1 { [%clk 1:13:44] } 14... Bd7 { [%clk 0:56:46] } 15. Ba5 { [%clk 1:09:09] } 15... Qc6 { [%clk 0:44:23] } 16. h4 { [%clk 1:03:24] } 16... Rac8 { [%clk 0:43:33] } 17. h5 { [%clk 0:59:09] } 17... Rf7 { [%clk 0:39:42] } 18. Bd2 { [%clk 0:52:28] } 18... Qa6 { [%clk 0:34:19] } 19. a3 { [%clk 0:42:48] } 19... Bc6 { [%clk 0:25:54] } 20. Bb4 { [%clk 0:36:32] } 20... Rd8 { [%clk 0:25:11] } 21. Bf3 { We pick up here in a roughly equal position with numerous pawn trades and breaks to be aware of. } { [%clk 0:29:21] } 21... Bd7 { Black spent 19 minutes here, and is now down to six minutes (with a 30-second increment) for the remainder of the game. The position is roughly level, but massively complex considering the number of pawn breaks for each side. Other flexible moves, like: } { [%clk 0:06:04] } (21... Bf6 { kept things roughly level, but had the added benefit of introducing ... Rf7-h7+ ideas after h5xg6, as well as ... Bf6-h4 to pin the g3-knight, against White's intended plan of Kg1-h2 and Rf1-h1. Of course, this was not White's only plan in this position, nor necessarily what she intended in the event of 21. ... Bf6. But now } 22. Kh2 e5 $17 { favors Black, with h5xg6 less favorable as it introduces ... Rf7-h7+ ideas. }) 22. Kh2 { [%clk 0:27:07] } 22... Bc8 { [%clk 0:06:21] } (22... Re8 { , preparing ... e6-e5, or }) (22... Bf6 { , again, were also flexible options. }) 23. Rh1 { White continues with her plan, and, with Black's clock dwindling, it is becoming increasingly important that Black commits to something. } { [%clk 0:27:19] } 23... e5!? { There are so many variations to calculate in this incredibly tense position, and most of them favor Black. } { [%clk 0:02:39] } (23... fxe4 { was simpler, and even offered counterplay after } 24. Nxe4 (24. Bxe4?! e5 25. fxe5 Bxe5 $15) 24... Rxf4 25. Bd2 Rxf3!? { or } (25... Rff8 { with a level position }) 26. gxf3 Rf8 27. hxg6 Nxg6 { when White must find the quick } 28. Qe2! $14 { to have any advantage, as ... e6-e5 will cover the h3-square from White's queen, so it's really finding this plan or not having an initiative. } { [%cal Ge2h2,Gh2g1] }) 24. Bd2?! { With the clock advantage, White wants to preserve as much tension as possible and force her opponent to make the hard decisions. But } { [%clk 0:26:59] } (24. hxg6! { was the best move, improving the h-rook before anything else. } 24... Nxg6 (24... hxg6!? { is also playable, but White can now open up the kingside even more: } 25. exf5 Bxf5 26. Nxf5 Rxf5 27. Bd2 { Now covering the f-pawn makes more sense, as there are fewer chances to mate along the h-file. } 27... Re8 28. Kg1 d5 29. Qh4 exf4 30. Rf1 Qf6 31. Qh3 g5 32. Bg4 Re5 33. g3 $16) 25. Nxf5 { opens the e1-h4 diagonal for the queen, and } 25... Bxf5 (25... Nxf4 26. Qh4 $16) 26. exf5 Rxf5 (26... Nxf4? 27. g3 $18) 27. Bd5+ Kh8 28. Kg1! { sees White with the initiative, making use of her intended attack on the h-file. Play could continue } 28... exf4 29. Be4 Re5 (29... Rf6?? 30. Bxg6 Rxg6 31. Qh4 $18) 30. Rxh7+!? Kg8 (30... Kxh7 31. Qh4+ Bh6 32. Qxd8 $18) 31. Qf2 d5 32. Bxg6 Qxg6 33. Rh4 $14) 24... exf4! { The right order of captures to exploit problems along the f-file. } { [%clk 0:02:30] } 25. Ne2 { Recognizing the problems along the f-file, White looks to reinforce her grip of the f4-square. But this is too slow! } { [%clk 0:24:11] } (25. Bxf4 { would leave the f4-bishop exposed, but } 25... fxe4 26. Qxe4 { covers it, and } 26... d5 27. Qe1! { makes use of the newly opened e-file to meet } 27... Rxf4 { with capturing the hanging e7-knight, although } (27... Qf6 $17 { might be an improvement for Black }) 28. Qxe7 { and some hopes for counterplay, although after } 28... Rff8 $15 { Black's bishop pair offers an advantage on the open board. }) 25... g5 { [%clk 0:02:45] } 26. h6 { [%clk 0:16:35] } (26. exf5 Bxf5 $17 { sees Black consolidate, as well. }) 26... Be5 { The pawn mass is too strong, and White's king is in hot water. } { [%clk 0:02:14] } 27. Bh5 { [%clk 0:15:08] } 27... Rf6 { [%clk 0:02:15] } 28. Kg1 { [%clk 0:15:09] } 28... fxe4 { [%clk 0:01:23] } 29. dxe4 { [%clk 0:13:50] } 29... d3 { A lovely pawn break to bring the a6-queen quickly into the game. This a nice example of how opening up the board can turn long-range pieces from passive to active in the blink of an eye. } { [%clk 0:01:43] } 30. cxd3 { [%clk 0:13:45] } 30... Qxd3 { [%clk 0:02:11] } 31. Rd1 { [%clk 0:13:39] } 31... Qxe4 { [%clk 0:01:46] } 32. Bf3 { [%clk 0:13:43] } 32... Qf5 { [%clk 0:00:41] } 33. Nc3 { [%clk 0:12:58] } 33... g4 { [%clk 0:01:09] } 34. Be4 { [%clk 0:13:15] } 34... Qg5 { [%clk 0:01:31] } 35. Nd5 { [%clk 0:12:38] } 35... Bd4+! { White's king now has to go on a long walk! } { [%clk 0:01:12] } 36. Kf1 { [%clk 0:04:48] } 36... Nxd5 { [%clk 0:01:40] } 37. Ba5 { [%clk 0:03:26] } 37... Ne3+ { [%clk 0:01:49] } 38. Ke2 { [%clk 0:03:38] } 38... f3+ { [%clk 0:00:33] } 39. gxf3 { [%clk 0:03:45] } 39... gxf3+ { [%clk 0:00:59] } 40. Kd3 { [%clk 0:04:03] } 40... Re8 { [%clk 0:00:40] } 41. Rg1 { [%clk 0:04:23] } 41... Ng2 { [%clk 0:00:50] } 42. Bxh7+ { [%clk 0:03:43] } 42... Kf8 { [%clk 0:01:12] } 43. Qb4 { [%clk 0:03:54] } 43... Bxg1 { [%clk 0:00:42] } 44. Qc3 { [%clk 0:02:04] } 44... Bf5+ { [%clk 0:00:48] } 45. Kc4 { [%clk 0:02:23] } 45... Bxh7 { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:00:54] } 0-1