[Event "44th Chess Olympiad Women 2022"] [Site "Chennai"] [Date "2022.08.05"] [Round "7.13"] [White "Zuriel, Marisa"] [Black "Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2174"] [BlackElo "2329"] [Annotator "RC"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C49"] [Opening "Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/cS8lSqW7/4uj6RL5x"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Nxe5 Bxc3 8. dxc3 Nxe4 9. Qxd8 Rxd8 { It doesn't get any more boring than this! Queens off the board and a nearly symmetrical position after nine moves. But now Tokhirjonova rolls up her sleeves and goes to work. } 10. Bf4 Nd6 11. Rad1 Be6 12. a3 a5 { The accumulation of small advantages: Black grabs a little extra space on the queenside. } 13. a4 f6 14. Nd3 b6 15. Rfe1 Kf7 { Centralizing the king is usually a good idea in the endgame. } 16. f3 g5 { Sure, I'll take some extra space on the kingside as well. } 17. Bg3 (17. Bxd6 Rxd6 { would introduce an imbalance to the position in the form of knight vs. bishop, and in fact White's knight would be a little uncomfortable on d3 after moves like ... Be6-f5 and ...Ra8-d8. }) 17... Rd7 18. b3 Rad8 19. Nf2 Bf5 20. Re2 Nb7 21. Rde1 b5 { Creeping forward on the queenside. Objectively White is still fine, but winning such positions is as much about planting the seed of doubt in your opponent's mind as it is about seizing an objective advantage. } 22. h4 h6 23. hxg5 hxg5 24. Ng4?! (24. Ra1 { would have been preferable to avoid winding up with an isolated a-pawn. }) 24... bxa4 25. Nh6+ Kg6 26. Nxf5 Kxf5 27. bxa4 Nc5 { Now White is experiencing concrete problems defending the a-pawn. } 28. Bf2 Nxa4 29. Re6 Rd6 30. Re7 R8d7 31. Rxd7 Rxd7 32. Ra1 Nxc3 33. Rxa5+ Rd5 34. Ra7? { This allows Black's rook to invade. } (34. Rc5 { should still give White good chances to hold. }) 34... Nb5 35. Ra6 Rd1+ 36. Kh2 Rd2 37. Rxc6 { Now Black transposes into a winning rook and pawn endgame. } 37... Rxf2 38. Rc5+ Ke6 39. Rxb5 Rxc2 { Many pawn-up rook endgames are drawn, but here the deciding factor is the king positions. Black's king is ready to escort her passed pawn, whereas White's is stuck on the edge of the board. } 40. Kg3 c5 41. f4 Kf5 42. fxg5 Kxg5 { A step in the wrong direction. The winning plan was to use the king to support the c-pawn. } 43. Ra5 f5 { According to the computer this allows White a momentary chance to draw. } 44. Kf3 (44. Ra8! { And apparently White holds by checking from behind. It's very hard for humans to play these endgames perfectly. }) 44... Rc3+ 45. Kf2 Kf4 { Now Tokhirjonova is back in the driver's seat. } 46. Ra4+ c4 47. Ra5 Rc2+ 48. Kg1 c3 49. Kh2 Rd2 50. Rc5 c2 51. Kh3 Ke3 52. g3 f4 53. gxf4 Kd4 54. Rc8 Rd3+ { A nice finesse to finish it. The check gives Black the free move she needs to cut off White's rook from the queening square. } 55. Kg4 Rc3 56. Rd8+ Ke3 57. Re8+ Kf2 { White resigned because there is no longer any way to delay the pawn from queening. } 0-1