[Event "US Championship"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/iLDop9iy/mbsi626A"] [Date "2021.10.14"] [Round "8"] [White "Foisor, Sabina"] [Black "Yip, Carissa"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Yu,Jennifer"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E64"] [Opening "King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Pterodactyl Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/iLDop9iy/mbsi626A"] [Orientation "white"] { After a shaky opening by the former U.S. Champion WGM Sabina Foisor, IM Carissa Yip holds onto the initiative for the remainder of the game and fantastically converts her positional advantage. This win keeps her at a half point advantage on the top of the leader board. } 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. g3 c5 5. Bg2 Qa5+ { A bit uncommon. It looks like Foisor was out of book at this point and fighting for equality from here on. } (5... O-O 6. O-O cxd4 7. Nxd4 Nc6) 6. Nbd2 (6. Nc3 Ne4 7. Qd3 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nc5 9. Qd1 Nc6 10. e3 Ne6 11. O-O { we get a playable position for both sides. }) 6... cxd4 7. Nxd4 Nc6 8. Nb3 Qc7 (8... Qb4 9. a3 Qa4 { and at first glance it seems strange that the queen is stranded on a4. But in actuality, the queen is making white's position quite uncomfortable. The d2-knight is tied down to the c4-pawn, making it difficult to develop the c1-bishop. The c4-pawn will become a target in the next few moves. Also, it isn't easy to attack and remove the black queen from her lodging on a4. A sample continuation: } 10. Qc2 (10. O-O d6 11. e4 Be6 12. Qc2 Rc8 { and the c4-pawn is falling soon }) 10... d6 11. Nd4 Qxc2 12. Nxc2 O-O $15) 9. O-O { In the game, Foisor logically castles. However, it was difficult to develop her pieces, especially the c1-bishop, while being capable of defending weaknesses like the c4-pawn. An idea to avoid this is } (9. Nf1! { with the idea of relocating to e3, where the knight protects c4 and has Nd5 possibilities } 9... d6 10. Ne3 O-O 11. O-O Be6 12. Bd2) 9... O-O 10. Nf3 d6 { Now White is faced with a dilemma: where can the c1-bishop go? It seems there's a drawback wherever it lands! } 11. Bf4 (11. Bd2 Ne4) (11. Bg5 Ne4) 11... Nh5 12. Qd2 (12. Be3!? { , giving away the b2-pawn to keep the kingside pawn structure solid and to activate the pieces. After } 12... Bxb2 13. Rb1 Bg7 14. c5 dxc5 15. Nxc5 { White doesn't have enough compensation for the pawn, but perhaps this is a good practical alternative as the white pieces are active and Black's queenside is weak. }) 12... Nxf4 13. gxf4 { Now the white kingside is significantly weakened. } 13... Bd7 { preparing a smart manouvre to get the queen to c8, where it has the potential to swing to the kingside } 14. Rac1 Rad8 15. Nbd4 Qc8 16. Kh1 a6 { Preparing ...Nc6xd4 and .. .e7-e5 by stopping Nd4-b5. } (16... Nxd4 17. Nxd4 e5 18. Nb5 Bc6 { . Black isn't worried about sacrificing any pawns. The key to the position is white's open king. } 19. e4 (19. Nxa7 { (the a7-pawn doesn't matter!) } 19... Bxg2+ 20. Kxg2 Qg4+ 21. Kh1 d5! { Black sacrifices the pawn to open up the file: } 22. cxd5 exf4 23. f3 Qd7 24. Qxf4 Qxd5 { and despite being down a pawn, the activity of Black's pieces give her a large positional advantage. It definitely doesn't help that the white knight is trapped on the edge! }) 19... exf4 20. Nxa7 Qg4 21. f3 Qg5 $15 { Just compare White's g2-bishop to Black's g7-bishop! }) (16... Bh3 { is possible but after } 17. Bxh3 Qxh3 18. Ng5 Qh5 19. Ndf3 { Black's queen is kicked out of h3 and there are no other pieces to support an attack on the king. }) 17. Nxc6 Bxc6 18. Ne1 Bh6 { Pinning the f4-pawn and preparing ...e7-e5. } 19. e3 Bxg2+ 20. Nxg2 Qh3 { The queen made it to h3! Yip has a dominating position, but now she is faced with the next task: bringing the rest of the pieces into the attack. } 21. Rc3 Bg7 22. Rd3 Rc8 23. b3 (23. e4 { because after } 23... Qe6 24. b3 b5 (24... Qxe4?! 25. Re1 Qf5 26. Rxe7 { lets the advantage slip }) 25. cxb5 axb5 { the e4-pawn is just another weakness in the white camp. }) 23... Rc5! { The rook is prepared to swing over to the kingside while simultaneously preparing to double on the c-file. } 24. Rd5 (24. e4 { right away is more stubborn: } 24... Qe6 25. Re1 b5 26. f5 { and White can try for counterplay. }) 24... Rfc8 25. e4 Qe6 (25... Rxd5 26. exd5 b5! { would have been strong, busting open the queenside for a large positional advantage. } 27. cxb5 (27. Qe3 Qxe3 28. Nxe3 Bh6 { White will lose one of the weak pawns } 29. cxb5 axb5 30. f5 Ra8 $17) 27... axb5 28. Rc1 Rxc1+ 29. Qxc1 Qf3 { and the d5-pawn is falling. }) 26. Re1 Bh6 27. Qd3 { Black's pieces are all optimally placed, and the problem with White's position is that all of her pieces are stuck. Now is the time to strike and bust open the c-file. } 27... b5 28. f5 Qf6 29. fxg6 hxg6 30. Qh3 Bg7 31. cxb5 axb5 32. Rxc5 Rxc5 33. Qe3 Qb2 { White's position is beginning to fall apart. The difference in piece activity is crucial. Compare the powerful g7-bishop to White's "fianchettoed knight!" } 34. a4 b4 { Keeping the b3-pawn as a weakness. } 35. Re2 Rc1+ 36. Ne1 Qb1 37. Kg2 Rc3 38. Qb6 Qxb3 39. a5 { The a-pawn is a few moves too slow to create counterplay. } 39... Qc4 40. Kf1 Rc1 41. Qe3 b3 42. a6 b2 43. a7 Rxe1+ 44. Kg2 Ra1 45. Re1 Qa6 { A great game by Carissa Yip, who was in control from start to finish. } 0-1