[Event "U.S. Women's Championship"] [Site "St Louis"] [Date "2023.10.12"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim"] [Black "Paikidze, Nazi"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2350"] [WhiteTeam "United States"] [BlackElo "2316"] [BlackTeam "United States"] [Annotator "WGM Katerina Nemcova"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B12"] [Opening "Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Short Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/b0nfXV2i/Kx4OZd3T"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Ne7 6. O-O h6 7. Nbd2 g5 8. Nb3 Qc7 9. Bd2 Nd7 10. a4 Bg6 (10... a5! { This is the theoretical move in this position. It stops White's pawn from marching forward and potentially weakening the c6-pawn. Many games continue as follows: } 11. Rc1 Bg7 12. c4 O-O $14 { Despite the computer favoring White, Black seems to have good results in this line. Compared to the game, this position is more solid and White has no clear way of continuing here. }) 11. a5! Nf5 (11... a6! { Black needs to stop the pawn from getting to a6. However, it is clear that this committing move also creates a weakness on the b6-square. }) 12. Rc1 Be7?! (12... a6 { Again, this is the best chance for Black. } 13. c4 Be7 (13... Bg7?? 14. cxd5 exd5 15. g4! Ne7 16. Bb4 $18 { White will do a lot of damage via the dark squares. This position is strategically lost for Black. }) 14. Bd3 $16 { White is certainly for choice here, however, proving a decisive advantage will still require a lot of skill. }) 13. c4 dxc4 14. Bxc4 O-O 15. a6!? { Strategically a very good idea. } (15. g4! { White has an even more direct way to play here. } 15... Ng7 (15... Nh4 16. Nxh4 gxh4 17. Bxh6 Rfe8 18. Bd2 $18 { And no one can stop the f4-f5 pawn advance with a crushing attack. }) 16. h4! $18 { White is targeting the g5-pawn, wishing it to be removed so she can continue with the f-pawn march. Black's position is collapsing. }) 15... b6 16. g4! { Very good decision by Tokhirjonova. While this move looks like it may weaken White's king, it is only the black king that will be in any danger. } 16... Ng7 17. h4 Qd8 (17... gxh4 18. Bxh6 Rac8 19. Qe2 c5 20. Bb5 Rfd8 21. Qe3 Nf8 22. Bg5 Bxg5 23. Qxg5 $18 { And White is slowly making progress on the kingside. }) 18. hxg5! $18 { This game is positionally lost now. Black has no way of defending her king. } 18... hxg5 19. Qe2 Re8 20. Qe3 b5 21. Bd3 Nb6 22. Bxg6 fxg6 23. Qe4 Qd5 24. Qxd5 cxd5 { Although it may look like the queen trade alleviated some pain for Black, it is far from true. There are so many weak pawns (g5, g6, e6, b5, a7) and squares (c-file and h-file) in the Black position that the position is impossible to hold. } 25. Bxg5! { The first healthy pawn is captured. } 25... Nc4 26. Bxe7 Rxe7 27. Rb1 Rf8 28. Ng5 Ne8 29. Kg2 Kg7 30. Nc5 { These white knights are an incredibly annoying duo for Black. } 30... Nc7 31. Rh1 { Once the knights are improved, it is time to look at other pieces and their improvement. This rook is excellent now on the h-file, threatening to get on the seventh rank. } 31... Rh8 32. Rxh8 Kxh8 33. Rh1+! { When one is traded, the other can take her spot. } 33... Kg8 34. b3 Nb6 35. Rh6! { There are great targets for White and not enough pieces for Black to defend them. } 35... Kg7 (35... Rg7 36. Ngxe6! $18) 36. Rh7+ Kf8 37. Rh8+ Kg7 38. Rb8 Kh6 39. f4 b4 40. Rb7 Nc8 41. Kg3 Nb6 42. Rxa7 Nc4!? { Paikidze is trying to create some last-minute ghosts on the board. This strategy is very good but it does not work for her this time. } 43. bxc4 dxc4 44. Rb7 { White is faster with her own pawn. } 44... c3 45. a7 { 1-0 White wins. } (45... c2 46. a8=Q Nxa8 47. Rxe7 c1=Q 48. Rh7#) 1-0