[Event "US Open - Invitationals"]
[Site "Middleton, WI, United States"]
[Date "2025.07.30"]
[Round "4.13"]
[White "Jou, Esther"]
[Black "Paragua, Megan Althea"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2173"]
[WhiteTeam "USA"]
[BlackElo "2294"]
[BlackTeam "USA"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[Annotator "Foisor,Sabina"]
[FEN "rq3rk1/p3np1p/1p1b2p1/3b4/1P4R1/4BN2/P2QBPPP/3R2K1 w - - 0 21"]
[WhiteClock "0:02:29"]
[BlackClock "0:05:27"]
[ECO "?"]
[Opening "?"]
[StudyName "125th US Open Rds 1-4 and Invitationals"]
[ChapterName "Jou, Esther - Paragua, Megan Althea"]
[ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/foytapOs/8xl3FFQO"]
[FEN "rq3rk1/p3np1p/1p1b2p1/3b4/1P4R1/4BN2/P2QBPPP/3R2K1 w - - 0 21"]
[SetUp "1"]
[Orientation "white"]
{ A very well-played game by Esther so far, and now after }
21. Rd4! { she is able to gain material advantage! } 21... Qc7 22. Rxd5 Nxd5 23. Qxd5 Bxb4 24. Qg5 (24. Ne5 { seems a bit more precise! } 24... Bc5 25. Nd7 Bxe3 26. fxe3 Qc3 (26... Rfc8 27. Rf1 $18) 27. Nxf8 Qxe3+ 28. Kh1 Rxf8 29. Bc4 $18) 24... Qc2 { Megan fights back, trying to gain some counterplay! } 25. Kf1?! (25. Nd4! { keeps everything safe before rebuilding the kingside attack! } 25... Qxa2 26. Qf6 $18 { followed by Nd4-h5, and Black's king is under pressure! }) 25... Bc5 26. Bf4? { This gives up the remaining advantage! } (26. Bxc5 bxc5 27. Qc1 Qxc1 28. Rxc1 Rfc8 29. Bc4 $16) 26... Rae8 27. Rd2 Qb1+ 28. Rd1 Qxa2 29. Be5 f6 30. Qh4 Kg7 31. Ra1 Qb3 32. Bf4?? (32. Rxa7+ { and White is still in the game! } 32... Re7 33. Rxe7+ Bxe7 34. g3 $16) 32... h5? { A small miss by Black, which would have allowed White to avoid the material loss. } (32... Rxe2! 33. Rxa7+ Re7 34. Rxe7+ Bxe7 35. Bh6+ Kf7 36. Bxf8 Qd3+ 37. Ke1 Kxf8 $19) 33. Qg3?? { The final mistake, after which it is all over! } (33. Bd2) (33. Rxa7+ Kh8 34. Bd2 Rxe2 35. Kxe2 Re8+ 36. Be3 $13) 33... Rxe2 34. Kxe2 Qb2+ $19 35. Nd2 Re8+ 36. Be3 Qxa1 37. Qf4 Qa6+ 38. Kf3 Bxe3 39. fxe3 Qd3 40. Ne4 Qf1+ 41. Nf2 Re7 42. Qd6 Rf7 43. e4 b5 44. Kg3 Qe2 45. Qd4 b4 46. Nd3 Re7 47. Nc5 Qg4+ 48. Kf2 Qf4+ 49. Kg1 b3 50. g3 Qe5 { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1