[Event "FIDE Women's World Cup 2025"] [Site "Batumi"] [Date "2025.07.11"] [Round "02-03"] [White "Kamalidenova, Meruert"] [Black "Goryachkina, Aleksandra"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2330"] [BlackElo "2533"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C54"] [Opening "Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Traditional Line"] [StudyName "Women's World Cup"] [ChapterName "Kamalidenova, Meruert - Goryachkina, Aleksandra"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/fB3lLxYD/JAxwsJQr"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 0:15:17] } 1... e5 { [%clk 0:15:19] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 0:15:26] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 0:15:27] } 3. Bc4 { [%clk 0:15:34] } 3... Bc5 { [%clk 0:15:30] } 4. c3 { [%clk 0:15:42] } 4... Nf6 { [%clk 0:15:37] } 5. d4 { [%clk 0:15:50] } 5... exd4 { [%clk 0:15:41] } 6. cxd4 { [%clk 0:15:58] } 6... Bb4+ { [%clk 0:15:46] } 7. Nbd2 { [%clk 0:16:00] } 7... d5 { [%clk 0:15:39] } 8. exd5 { [%clk 0:16:07] } 8... Nxd5 { [%clk 0:15:47] } 9. O-O { [%clk 0:16:15] } 9... O-O { [%clk 0:15:30] } 10. a3 { [%clk 0:16:22] } 10... Be7 { [%clk 0:13:36] } 11. Re1 { [%clk 0:16:05] } 11... Bf5 { [%clk 0:11:57] } 12. Nf1 { [%clk 0:14:35] } 12... Bg6 { [%clk 0:11:15] } 13. Ng3 { [%clk 0:13:09] } 13... a6 { [%clk 0:10:49] } 14. Bb3 { [%clk 0:12:50] } 14... Qd7 { [%clk 0:09:49] } 15. h4 { [%clk 0:11:58] } 15... h6 { [%clk 0:09:09] } 16. h5 { [%clk 0:11:23] } 16... Bh7 { [%clk 0:09:17] } 17. Ne5 { [%clk 0:11:29] } 17... Nxe5 { [%clk 0:09:11] } 18. dxe5 { [%clk 0:11:36] } 18... Rad8 { [%clk 0:09:00] } 19. Qf3 { [%clk 0:11:31] } 19... c6 { [%clk 0:08:23] } 20. Bd2 { [%clk 0:11:15] } 20... Qe6 { [%clk 0:06:33] } 21. Rad1 { [%clk 0:10:56] } 21... Kh8 { [%clk 0:05:48] } 22. Ba5 { [%clk 0:09:08] } 22... Rd7 { [%clk 0:05:51] } 23. Bc3 { [%clk 0:09:14] } 23... Rfd8 { [%clk 0:04:52] } 24. Bd4 { [%clk 0:07:36] } 24... Bf8 { [%clk 0:03:27] } 25. Rc1 { [%clk 0:07:06] } 25... Be7 { [%clk 0:03:07] } 26. Bc3 { [%clk 0:04:25] } 26... b6 { [%clk 0:02:46] } 27. a4 { [%clk 0:04:22] } 27... a5 { [%clk 0:02:32] } 28. Bd4 { [Annotations by JJ Lang] In the first rapid tie-breaker, Kamalidenova came out swinging with an aggressive Italian, gaining space on the board and time on the clock. } { [%clk 0:04:18] } 28... Rb8? { [%clk 0:01:54] } 29. Rcd1? { Missing a sharp improving move. } { [%clk 0:03:36] } (29. Ne4! Rdd8 (29... Bxe4 { might be necessary, giving White the bishop pair and a promising attack on the light squares. }) 30. Nd6 $16 { The point is that Black cannot play } 30... Bxd6?! 31. exd6 Qxd6? { due to } 32. Be5 { illustrating why Black's rook is misplaced on the b8-square. }) 29... Rdd8 { [%clk 0:01:56] } 30. Bc3 { [%clk 0:03:13] } (30. Ne4 { is no longer as strong because } 30... Qf5 { does not hang the c-pawn after Rc1-d1. }) 30... Kg8 { [%clk 0:01:05] } 31. Ne2 { [%clk 0:03:03] } 31... Qf5 { [%clk 0:00:55] } 32. Nd4 { [%clk 0:02:43] } (32. Qxf5! Bxf5 33. Nd4 $16 { With a similar attack to the game and a better pawn structure, White's advantage is more pronounced. } { [%cal Ge5e6] }) 32... Qxf3 { [%clk 0:00:55] } 33. gxf3 { [%clk 0:02:51] } 33... Nxc3 { [%clk 0:00:35] } 34. bxc3 { [%clk 0:02:53] } 34... Rdc8?! { [%clk 0:00:41] } (34... Kf8 { would avoid much of White's attack, e.g.: } 35. e6 c5 36. Nc6 Rxd1 37. Rxd1 { when Black has the incredible } 37... c4!! 38. Bxc4 (38. Nxb8? cxb3 39. Nd7+ Ke8 $17 { wins material for White, but there is no answer to ... b3-b2-b1, as the h7-bishop defends the b1-square! }) 38... Rc8 39. Bb5 Bf5 40. exf7 (40. Rd7 Bxe6 41. Ra7 Bd6 $15) 40... Kxf7 $10 { [%cal Rd1d7] }) 35. e6 { [%clk 0:02:32] } 35... f6 { [%clk 0:00:44] } 36. Ne2 { Threatening Rd1-d7. } { [%clk 0:02:40] } 36... Kf8 { [%clk 0:00:37] } (36... Rd8?! 37. Rd7 { is also strong. Note that } 37... Rxd7 38. exd7+ Kf8 39. Nd4 $18 { is decisive. } { [%cal Gd4c6] }) 37. Rd7 { [%clk 0:02:42] } 37... b5 { [%clk 0:00:35] } 38. Nd4?! { [%clk 0:02:39] } (38. Kh1 b4 39. c4 { This is stronger without the knight on the d4-square, as } 39... c5 40. Nf4 $16 { sees White quickly play around Black's pawns. }) 38... c5 { [%clk 0:00:21] } (38... b4! { was Black's last chance for counterplay: } 39. cxb4 (39. c4 c5 $10 { is much better for Black here, as the knight is so far from the d5-square. }) 39... axb4 40. Bc4 c5 41. Nb5 b3 $13 { The b-pawn stops White from making much progress. }) 39. Nxb5 { [%clk 0:02:43] } 39... c4 { [%clk 0:00:30] } (39... Rd8 { trading at all costs was the best strategy, as at least now } 40. Ra7 Ra8 41. Rd7 Bf5 { keeps on some counterplay, although } 42. Red1 $16 { looks like it will lead to the same outcome. }) 40. Bd1 { The bishop is annoyingly useful on the d1-h5 diagonal, as it will defend the h5-pawn after f3-f4. } { [%clk 0:02:30] } 40... Rc5 { [%clk 0:00:38] } 41. f4 { Black can't win her pawn back and, as a result, can't uncage her bishops! } { [%clk 0:02:30] } 41... Rd8 { [%clk 0:00:23] } 42. Ra7 { [%clk 0:02:20] } 42... g6 { [%clk 0:00:15] } 43. Rxa5 $18 { From here, Kamalidenova was unflappable. After holding a draw in the return game, she is through to the round of 32! } { [%clk 0:01:30] } 43... gxh5 { [%clk 0:00:24] } 44. Ra7 { [%clk 0:01:37] } 44... h4 { [%clk 0:00:25] } 45. Bf3 { [%clk 0:01:38] } 45... Rd3 { [%clk 0:00:14] } 46. Ra8+ { [%clk 0:01:23] } 46... Rd8 { [%clk 0:00:17] } 47. Nd4 { [%clk 0:01:20] } 47... Rxa8 { [%clk 0:00:23] } 48. Bxa8 { [%clk 0:01:28] } 48... Bg6 { [%clk 0:00:19] } 49. Bc6 { [%clk 0:01:24] } 49... Ra5 { [%clk 0:00:14] } 50. Bb5 { [%clk 0:01:25] } 50... Ra8 { [%clk 0:00:21] } 51. Ra1 { [%clk 0:01:22] } 51... Bd8 { [%clk 0:00:24] } 52. Bc6 { [%clk 0:00:46] } 52... Ra5 { [%clk 0:00:18] } 53. Re1 { [%clk 0:00:28] } 53... h3 { [%clk 0:00:20] } 54. Bb5 { [%clk 0:00:28] } 54... Be7 { [%clk 0:00:21] } 55. Kh2 { [%clk 0:00:20] } 55... Ra8 { [%clk 0:00:19] } 56. Kxh3 { [%clk 0:00:21] } 56... f5 { [%clk 0:00:18] } 57. Ra1 { [%clk 0:00:19] } 57... Bd6 { [%clk 0:00:25] } 58. a5 { [%clk 0:00:21] } 58... Bxf4 { [%clk 0:00:22] } 59. a6 { [%clk 0:00:25] } 59... Bd2 { [%clk 0:00:24] } 60. Ra3 { [%clk 0:00:29] } 60... f4 { [%clk 0:00:19] } 61. Bxc4 { [%clk 0:00:32] } 61... Be4 { [%clk 0:00:23] } 62. f3 { [%clk 0:00:36] } 62... Bg6 { [%clk 0:00:27] } 63. Bd5 { [%clk 0:00:44] } 63... Bc1 { [%clk 0:00:16] } 64. Ra2 { [%clk 0:00:44] } 64... Ra7 { [%clk 0:00:13] } 65. Bb7 { 1-0 White wins. } { [%clk 0:00:44] } 1-0