[Event "FIDE Women's Olympiad"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/cS8lSqW7/dCwqOFbu"] [Date "2022.08.03"] [Round "6"] [White "Yip, Carissa"] [Black "Rovira Contreras, Tairu Manuela"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2416"] [BlackElo "2036"] [Annotator "King,Alex"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C22"] [Opening "Center Game: Hall Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/cS8lSqW7/dCwqOFbu"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,55,38,22,25,13,5,17,2,-25,-23,-37,-35,-46,-32,-36,-29,-19,-38,-80,-42, -31,-10,-66,-30,-19,10,5,4,23,23,13,37,13,16,5,23,-11,39,95,107,59,123,40,116, 116,129,267,276,325,472,320,399,608,528,855,1126,626] } 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 { The Center Game, a favorite of both beginners and titled players! } 3... Nc6 4. Qc4!? { Much less common than the main line 4. Qe3, but not any worse. Coincidentally - or more likely not coincidentally - this unusual line was also played on Board 1 of this match by U.S.A.'s WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova. } 4... Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 { A position first reached in the 19th century - and then not again until the 21st century! } 6. Bd2 O-O (6... d6 7. O-O-O Be6 8. Qe2 Qe7 9. a3 Ba5 10. f3 O-O-O $13 { 1-0 (50) Tokhirjonova,G (2329) -Varela La Madrid,T (2079) }) 7. O-O-O Re8 8. f3 a6 9. g4 { The standard approach of the Center Game - White goes for an opposite-side pawn storm, a la the Open Sicilian. The objective evaluation - which according to the engine is 0.0 - is less important than the practical problems that White (and of course Black) can pose her opponent over the board. } 9... b5 10. Qe2 Bb7 (10... d5!? 11. g5 Bxc3 12. Bxc3 Nh5 $13 { is the type of non-standard decision that the engine quickly comes up with, but that is often difficult for a human to spring for, or even to consider in the first place. The main point is that } 13. Rxd5 { runs into } 13... Nf4! $132) 11. Qf2 Ne5 12. g5 Bxc3 13. Bxc3 Nxe4? $18 { In a sharp position like this, even one mistake can be fatal. } (13... Nh5 { was necessary, when after } 14. h4 Qe7 $14 { Black remains somewhat less comfortable but avoids any immediate crisis. }) 14. fxe4 Bxe4 15. Bxe5! (15. Bg2? Qxg5+ 16. Rd2 Ng4! $13 { was what Black was hoping for. }) 15... Bxh1 { Black's extra rook and two pawns are inactive and even vulnerable, whereas White's extra bishop and knight can easily be mobilized to strong effect. } 16. Qg3 $16 { Even stronger was } (16. Bf4!? $18) 16... d6 17. Bc3 Be4 18. Ne2 Qc8 $18 { Too passive. } (18... a5!? { intending ...b5-b4 was a better try for counterplay. }) 19. Nf4 Bg6 20. h4 { While Black is sitting around doing nothing, White is engaging her entire army. } 20... Rb8 21. Bh3 Qb7 22. h5 Be4 23. g6 { The troops arrive at Black's door. } 23... f6 24. Be6+ Rxe6 25. Nxe6 h6 26. Qf4 { Threatening Ne6xg7 as well as Bc3xf6. } 26... c5 27. Qxd6 Re8 28. Nxc5 { No longer with even a pawn for White's extra piece, Black abandonded the struggle. } 1-0