[Event "Round 8: Gabriel Eidelman - Farai Mandi"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2024.02.19"] [White "Chloe Gaw"] [Black "Paul Omar Perez Avendano"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E43"] [Opening "Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/rbSYSN7z/5WglpCfJ"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. f3 O-O 6. Bd3 d5 7. a3 Be7 8. Nge2 c5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. O-O Nc6 11. Bd2 a6 12. Be1 Re8 13. Bc2 Be6 14. Kh1 cxd4 15. Nxd4 Nxd4 16. Qxd4 Bc5 17. Qd3 Bc8?! { The plan of re-routing the bishop to b7, in order to facilitate a ... d5-d4 break, makes sense, as does the revealed pressure on the weak e3-pawn. But Gaw correctly assesses that she can ignore the "threat," following the "Shankland Rule" of asking "what if I let them do what they're threatening to do, anyways?" } 18. Bh4! Bb7 (18... Rxe3?? 19. Bxf6! Rxd3 20. Bxd8 Rd2 21. Rac1 { is a clean piece for White! }) (18... Bxe3 19. Bxf6 { also wins cleanly. }) 19. Bxf6 Qxf6 20. Qxh7+ Kf8 21. e4 (21. Bb3!? { is an interesting improvement. White should be happy to further open the center via exchanging the d5-pawn for her weakness on e3. But } 21... Rad8 22. Rad1 { forces the matter in White's favor. } 22... Bxe3 23. Bxd5 Bxd5 24. Nxd5 Qh6 25. Qxh6 Bxh6 26. Nxb6 $16) 21... d4 22. Ne2 g6 23. Rad1 Ke7? (23... d3 24. Bxd3 Qxb2 $14 { gives Black more practical chances. }) 24. e5! { This energetic thrust secures an advantage. } 24... Qxe5 (24... Qh8 25. Qxh8 Rxh8 26. b4! $18 { was the point. }) 25. Bxg6 Rh8 { Now, she swiftly ends the game: } 26. Qxf7+ Kd8 27. Nf4! Qe7 28. Qf5 Kc7 29. Rfe1 Qh4 30. Qe5+ Bd6 31. Rc1+ Bc6 32. Nd5+ (32. Rxc6+ { was a (totally unnecessary to find, but still neat, forced mate in seven): } 32... Kb7 33. Rxb6+! Ka7 34. Rxa6+! Kxa6 35. Qxd6+ Kb7 36. Be4+ Ka7 37. Qc7+ Ka6 38. Bd3#) 32... Kb7 33. Qxd6 { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0