[Event "Women's World Cup 2025"] [Site "Batumi, Georgia"] [Date "2025.07.09"] [Round "9.2"] [White "Kamalidenova, Meruert"] [Black "Goryachkina, Aleksandra"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2323"] [BlackElo "2533"] [Variant "Standard"] [Annotator "Foisor,Sabina"] [FEN "r3r3/1p1q2k1/p1pb1npR/3p1pB1/P2P4/2P2QP1/1PB2PK1/R7 b - - 0 32"] [ECO "?"] [Opening "?"] [StudyName "Women's World Cup"] [ChapterName "Kamalidenova, Meruert - Goryachkina, Aleksandra"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/fB3lLxYD/ttjwSg47"] [FEN "r3r3/1p1q2k1/p1pb1npR/3p1pB1/P2P4/2P2QP1/1PB2PK1/R7 b - - 0 32"] [SetUp "1"] [Orientation "white"] { This was a beautiful positional domination played by IM Meruert Kamalidenova that took down reigning Women's World Cup Champion and former Women's World Championship challenger GM Aleksandra Goryachkina. In this position, Black attempted the trade of White's attacking h6-rook, but missed a tactical idea of which White took advantage of immediately. } 32... Rh8? (32... Ne4 { first was necessary, though Black finds herself in a difficult position already. } 33. Rah1 Rh8 34. Bxe4 dxe4 35. Qd1 Be7 36. Qc1 $16) 33. Bxf5! Qxf5 34. Qxf5 gxf5 35. Rxf6 { The type of tactic one doesn't want to miss. Although White still has to play in a precise manner to win this endgame, White was able to bring home the full point in the end. } 35... Be7 36. Rxf5 Kg6 37. Bxe7! { This is probably the move where one can move from calculation to evaluation and realize that the passed f- and g- pawns, together with the bishop, are more powerful than the rook. The reason for this evaluation is Black's lack of open files for the rooks to get activated and attack. } 37... Kxf5 38. Bd6 Rh6 39. Be5 c5 40. Re1 Re8 41. f3 Rb6 42. g4+ Kg6 43. dxc5?? { This gives away a lot of the advantage, as White weakens the pawn structure } (43. f4 { was the correct approach! } 43... cxd4 44. cxd4 Rxb2+ 45. Kg3 Rb3+ 46. Kh4 $16 { Followed by f4-f5 and Kh4-g5, and then activating the rook either on the c- or h- file to continue pushing the connected passed pawns! }) 43... Rxb2+ 44. Kg3 Rb3?? (44... Ra2! { Black misses the only way to a draw! } 45. f4 Rxa4 46. Rb1 Rxe5! 47. Rb6+ Kf7 48. fxe5 Rc4) 45. Kh4 { From now on, it is all over! } 45... d4 46. cxd4 Rxf3 47. Rb1 b5 48. cxb6 Re7 49. g5 Rb7 50. Kg4 Rf5 51. a5 Rxg5+ 52. Kf4 Rg2 53. Ke4 Rc2 54. Rg1+ Kh6 55. Kd5 Rf7 56. Ke6 Rb7 57. d5 Rc5 58. Bc7 Rxa5 59. d6 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0