[Event "2022 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Champions"] [Site "Almaty"] [Date "2022.12.26"] [Round "2.4"] [White "Zatonskih, Anna"] [Black "Harika, Dronavalli"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2268"] [BlackElo "2475"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B06"] [Opening "Modern Defense: Standard Defense"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/okgre2NA/ay1LnicO"] [Orientation "white"] { An incredibly tense game, where Zatonskih comes within an inch of victory early, then refuses to settle for a draw after some ill-timed trades. Harika then simplifies back into a drawn rook endgame when she could have played on. } 1. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 a6 5. Qd2 b5 6. f3 Nd7 7. O-O-O Nb6 8. Bd3 h5 9. Kb1 c6 10. f4 Nf6 11. Nf3 Bg4?! 12. Qf2 (12. h3 Bxf3 13. gxf3 { White should be happy with this trade. Her e-pawn is more supported, and even the g-file could prove useful. }) 12... Rb8 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Qc8 15. e5 Nfd5 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. exd6 (17. Rhe1 { White did not need to hurry to make a decision here, as Black does not want to capture even if given the time to do so } 17... dxe5 18. dxe5 e6 19. g4 { as White's pawns keep rolling. }) 17... Qe6! { Black jumps on the first hint of counterplay she could find. } 18. Bd2 Qxd6 19. f5 gxf5 20. Bxf5 b4 21. Be4 Rb7 22. Rhf1 e6 23. Bc1 a5 24. Bf4 Qe7 25. Be5? (25. Qg3! Rg8 { This would be a massive victory, fixing the king in the center and settling White's plan on how to continue. }) 25... Bxe5 26. dxe5 { The closing of the e-file makes Black's nomadic king a bit less vulnerable. } 26... h4 27. Rd4 Rg8 28. Bxd5 cxd5 29. Rf4 a4 30. Qf2 a3 31. b3 (31. Rxh4 axb2 32. Rf4 $16 { It is unclear how Black planned to continue, however it is understandable why White did not want to find out. }) 31... Qc7 32. Rxh4?! (32. Kc1 Qxe5 33. Rxf7 Qa1+ 34. Kd2 Qc3+) 32... Qc3 33. Qd4 Qxd4 34. Rxd4 Rxg2 { Now it is Black pushing for a win! } 35. Rg4 Rxg4 { Perhaps given the game's shape, Black is happy to cut her losses. But clearly she could play on here. } (35... Re2 $19) 36. hxg4 Kf8 37. Kc1 Kg7 38. Rf6 Rb8 39. Kd2 Rh8 40. Rf4 Rh2+ 41. Kd3 Rh3+ 42. Kd2 Rh2+ 43. Kd3 Rh3+ 44. Kd2 Rh2+ { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2