[Event "US Open - Invitationals"]
[Site "Middleton, WI, United States"]
[Date "2025.07.31"]
[Round "5.11"]
[White "Paragua, Megan Althea"]
[Black "Cortez, Rebecca"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2294"]
[WhiteTeam "USA"]
[BlackElo "2036"]
[BlackTeam "USA"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[Annotator "Foisor,Sabina"]
[FEN "r2qk2r/p4p2/2pp1P2/1p2bn1p/4Q1bP/2N4N/PPPB2P1/2K2R1R b kq - 0 17"]
[WhiteClock "0:43:36"]
[BlackClock "0:28:20"]
[ECO "?"]
[Opening "?"]
[StudyName "125th US Open Rds 1-4 and Invitationals"]
[ChapterName "Paragua, Megan Althea - Cortez, Rebecca"]
[ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/foytapOs/WaCvRvWl"]
[FEN "r2qk2r/p4p2/2pp1P2/1p2bn1p/4Q1bP/2N4N/PPPB2P1/2K2R1R b kq - 0 17"]
[SetUp "1"]
[Orientation "white"]
17... Ng3?! (17... Qd7 { was an improvement: } 18. Bf4 O-O-O $15) 18. Qxc6+ Bd7 19. Qd5 Bxh3?? { Black correctly assessed that neither of the rooks should have been captured, but this was no better. } (19... Be6 { had to be played: } 20. Qxb5+ Qd7 21. Qd3 { would leave } 21... Nxh1 { playable, and after } 22. Rxh1 Bf5 { the position remains unclear. }) (19... Nxh1?? 20. Ng5 { had to be avoided, and hence illustrates why 17. ... Ng3 was not advisable. }) 20. gxh3 Nxh1 21. Qc6+ { A lovely intermezzo. White has a considerable advantage now that Black's king will be unable to reach safety. } 21... Kf8 22. Qxh1 Rc8 23. Qg2 Ke8 24. Qg7 Rf8 25. Bh6 Kd7 26. Qh7 Bxc3 27. Qf5+ Kc6 28. Bxf8 Qxf8 (28... Bxb2+ 29. Kxb2 Qxf8 30. Rd1 d5 31. a3 $14) 29. bxc3 Qh6+ 30. Kb2 Re8 31. Rd1 Re6 32. Qd5+ Kb6 33. a4 a6 34. axb5 axb5 35. Qd4+ Kc6 36. Qd5+ Kb6 37. Ra1 Qxf6 38. Ra8 b4 39. Rb8+ Ka7 40. Qb7# { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0