[Event "U.S. Senior Women's Chess Championship 2023"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.11.04"] [Round "02"] [White "Root, Alexey"] [Black "Marinello, Beatriz"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "1949"] [BlackElo "2111"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B03"] [Opening "Alekhine Defense"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/vcXH3769/EYfoiy2i"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 2. e5 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 2... Nd5 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 3. d4 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 3... e6 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 4. c4 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 4... Nb6 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 5. Nc3 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 5... d5 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 6. c5 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 6... N6d7 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 7. f4 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 7... Nc6 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 8. Nf3 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 8... Be7 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 9. Bb5 { [%clk 1:30:30] } 9... O-O { [%clk 1:30:30] } 10. O-O { [%clk 1:30:30] } 10... Ndb8 { [%clk 1:17:28] } 11. Kh1 { [%clk 1:24:19] } 11... b6 { [%clk 1:17:28] } 12. Be3 { [%clk 1:24:19] } 12... bxc5 { [%clk 1:17:28] } 13. dxc5 { [%clk 1:24:19] } 13... a5 { [%clk 1:17:28] } 14. a3 { [%clk 1:24:19] } 14... Ba6 { [%clk 1:17:28] } 15. Rc1 { [%clk 1:24:19] } 15... Bxb5 { [%clk 1:17:28] } 16. Nxb5 { [%clk 1:24:19] } 16... Na6 { [%clk 1:17:28] } 17. Nbd4 { [%clk 1:24:19] } 17... Nxd4 { [%clk 1:17:28] } 18. Nxd4 { [%clk 1:24:19] } 18... Qe8 { [%clk 0:49:42] } 19. f5 { [%clk 1:03:17] } 19... Bxc5 { [%clk 0:49:42] } 20. f6 { [%clk 1:03:17] } 20... gxf6 { [%clk 0:49:42] } 21. exf6 { Root noted that, at the time, she thought the move order between exf6 and Qd1-h5 did not matter, but after the game realized it does. There are still wins here, but delaying exf6 actually leaves Black completely helpless: } { [%clk 1:03:17] } (21. Qh5 { White threatens Rf1-f3-h3. } 21... Kh8 { Black plans ...Rf8-g8-g7. Anything else is too slow, e.g. } (21... Be7 22. Rf3 { forces mate } { [%cal Rf3h3] } 22... Qd7 23. Rh3 Rfe8 24. Qxh7+ Kf8 25. Qh8# { but keeping the bishop off e7 with, e.g., }) (21... Qd7 { trying to vacate the premises } 22. Rf3 Rfe8 { lets White "shut the door" with } 23. Qh6 { with Rf3-g3+ to follow! }) 22. Rf3 Rg8 23. Rh3 Rg7 { and now (!) } 24. exf6 { wins. As Root says, "study-like!" }) 21... Kh8 { [%clk 0:49:42] } 22. Qh5 { [%clk 1:03:17] } 22... Rg8 { The official broadcast cut off here, but the remaining moves were provided courtesy WIM Root. } { [%clk 0:49:42] } 23. Rf3 Rg6 24. b4 (24. Nc6!! Bxe3 (24... Qxc6? 25. Rh3 $18) 25. Rxe3 { and Black has no way to prevent Re3-h3, when ...Qe8-g8 will now be met by Nc6-e7. }) 24... axb4 25. axb4 Bd6 (25... Bxd4 26. Bxd4 Nxb4 27. Rxc7 { gives White compensation for the pawn, but there is nothing forced after } 27... Qg8 28. g3 Rc8 29. Rfc3 $16 { and the game goes on. }) 26. Bh6 Bf8 27. Bxf8 Qxf8 28. Nc6 Rh6 29. Qg5 Rg6 30. Qh5 { Draw agreed. } (30. Qf4! { It is counter-intuitive to release the grip on the h-file, but apparently White uses the fact that } 30... Rh6 { now comes without tempo to play } 31. Rg3 { threatening Rg3-g7, cutting the queen off from the rook, to provoke } 31... Rg6 32. Rxg6 { when White must recapture with } 32... fxg6 { and now she has an unstoppable threat of pushing the f-pawn, placing the knight on e5, and putting the queen opposite Black's king on the long diagonal. For instance: } (32... hxg6 33. Qh4+ Kg8 34. Ne7+ $18) 33. Rf1 Nxb4 34. Ne5 d4 35. f7 Nd5 36. Qxd4 Qg7 37. f8=Q+ Rxf8 38. Rxf8+ Qxf8 39. Nxg6+ $18) 1/2-1/2