[Event "Cairns Cup"] [Site "St Louis"] [Date "2023.06.12"] [Round "9"] [White "Paehtz, Elisabeth"] [Black "Kosteniuk, Alexandra"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2477"] [WhiteTeam "Germany"] [BlackElo "2523"] [BlackTeam "Switzerland"] [Annotator "WGM Begim Tokhirjonova"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C88"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Closed, Anti-Marshall"] [StudyName "2023 Cairns Cup"] [ChapterName "Paehtz, Elisabeth - Kosteniuk, Alexandra"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/sLZyX0Nq/ylEEXlxT"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by WGM Begim Tokhirjonova } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 { This was an important game for Alexandra. After an up-and-down tournament, she was fighting for second place. Therefore, getting to play a fighting line like the Spanish was great for her. } 3... a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4 Bb7 9. d3 d6 { Until now, this game was following well-known theory. } 10. c3 { Considerably less common. Usually, White prefers to play Nb1-c3 or Nb1-d2. } (10. Nc3 Na5 11. Ba2 b4) (10. Nbd2 Na5 11. Ba2 c5) 10... Na5 { This is still the same idea as in the other lines. } 11. Bc2 c5 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. Nf1 b4 14. Ng3 (14. Bd2 { is an interesting alternative: } 14... Qb6 (14... bxc3 15. bxc3 Rb8 16. Rb1 $13) 15. cxb4 cxb4 16. Be3 Qd8 17. Rc1 Bf8 18. Bg5 $13 { . }) 14... Bf8 15. h3 (15. cxb4 cxb4 16. Bd2 { or }) (15. Bd2 { immediately would be nice. Black pretty much finished their development, while White still needed to find places for their pieces. Even though in many lines, White does not rush to develop the c1-bishop, it would make sense to develop it here and put some pressure on the b4-pawn. }) 15... Rb8 (15... Rc8 { was another good option } 16. Bd2?! (16. Bg5 h6 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 $13) 16... d5) 16. cxb4 cxb4 { Now, it seems like the rook is not doing much on b8. } 17. d4 exd4 18. Nxd4 g6 { [%csl Rf5] } 19. Bf4 Nd7 (19... Rc8 20. b3 Qb6 { also looks good for Black. }) 20. b3 (20. Qd2 Bg7 (20... Nc4 21. Qxb4 Qf6 22. Nge2 Nce5 23. Qd2 d5 $13) 21. Rad1 { would be good for White, developing all the pieces. The position is still equal but at least White is fully developed. } 21... b3 22. Bxb3 Bxd4 23. Bxf7+ Kxf7 24. Qxd4 Qf6 25. Qxd6 { can be dangerous for Black: } 25... Ne5 (25... Qxd6? 26. Bxd6 Rbc8 27. Bb4 $16) 26. Qxf6+ Kxf6 27. Bd2 Nac6 28. f4 $13 { and it is still an interesting position to play. }) 20... Rc8 21. Rc1 (21. Qd2 { could put more problems on for Black. } 21... Nc6 22. Nxc6 Bxc6 (22... Rxc6 23. Qxb4 Rxc2 24. Qxb7 Nc5 25. Qd5 Qf6 26. Be3 Rb8) 23. Qxb4 Ba8 24. Rac1 d5 25. Qd2 $13) 21... Nc6 22. Nxc6 Rxc6 23. Qd2 Qa5 24. Bd3 d5 { Here is a weird but strong move for White to see. Can you find it? } 25. Rxc6 (25. Rcd1 { This move is not winning by all means, but creates more problems for Black to solve. } 25... dxe4 (25... Nf6 26. e5 Nd7 27. Be4 Rc5 28. Bf3 $14) (25... Rf6 26. Bc2 h5 { These are not the easiest moves are to make, but they keep the equality. }) 26. Bxe4 $16) 25... Bxc6 26. e5 { They are trying to get some play instead of simplifying. You can see how much fighting spirit they have! } (26. exd5 Qxd5 27. Be4 Qxd2 28. Bxd2 Bxe4 29. Rxe4 Rxe4 30. Nxe4) 26... Bg7 27. Rc1 Qb6 28. a5 { White wants to isolate the a6-pawn, try to attack it, and then create a passed a-pawn of their own! } 28... Qb7 29. Qe2 Nxe5 30. Bxa6 Qa8 31. Qf1? { White is over-pushing to win the game a bit and trying to avoid any exchanges. } (31. Bb5 Nf3+ 32. Qxf3 Bxb5 33. Rc7) 31... Re6 { I like this move a lot as well. Creating harmony in pieces and including it to defend the queenside if needed. Also avoiding Bd4xe5 ideas that are lurking, with Rc1xc6 and then Ba6-b5. } (31... Nc4 32. Bxc4 dxc4 33. Qxc4 Bxg2 { is also an interesting continuation. }) 32. Bxe5? { Giving up the bishop? Not a good idea! Especially when the position is open, and there is a bad knight on g3. } 32... Bxe5 33. Bb5 Bb7 { Fully controlling the a6-square and keeping the two bishops. } { [%csl Ra6,Ra8,Rb7][%cal Re6a6] } 34. Bd7 Re7 35. Ba4 Qa7 36. Qd3 { [%csl Ra7,Rg3] } 36... Bd4 37. Rc2 Re6 (37... Re1+ 38. Nf1 Qa6 39. Bb5 Qxa5 $19) 38. Nf1 Bc3 { Domination of the two bishops. } 39. Ne3 d4 40. Ng4 h5 41. Re2 Ba6 42. Nh6+ Kg7 43. Nf5+ gxf5 44. Qg3+ Rg6 45. Qe5+ Kh7 { One bad exchange cost White a game. White seemed to want to win the game so much that they rationalized wrong decisions to keep the game going instead of exchanging. Alexandra played an excellent game and punished White's mistakes, giving her a whole point and second place in the tournament. And overall, nice finish. } 0-1