[Event "U.S. Senior Women's Chess Championship"] [Site "Berkeley"] [Date "2023.11.03"] [Round "1"] [White "Teasley, Dorothy O."] [Black "Kuhner, Mary"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Lang,JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A40"] [Opening "Horwitz Defense"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/vcXH3769/pSUFQ8b3"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by JJ Lang. One of two upsets from the first round. While the other game saw the higher-rated payer overlook an important tactical detail in a promising position, this game was a sharp fight with the lower-rated Kuhner wrestling the initiative away from White early on. } 1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nbd2 Nf6 4. g3 d5 5. Bg2 Bd6 6. c4 c6 7. O-O O-O 8. Ne5 Nbd7 9. Nxd7!? { It is unusual for White to willingly trade on d7 against the Stonewall Dutch, as 9. Ndf3 is a consistent way to keep the grip on the dark squares. } (9. Ndf3 Ne4 10. Bf4 $14 { since now } 10... g5 11. Nxd7 Bxd7 12. Bxd6 Nxd6 13. Qc1 { gives White serious chances to play against Black's weakened kingside. }) 9... Bxd7 10. Qc2 Qe8 11. f4!? (11. c5 Bc7 12. Nf3 Qe7 13. a4 { would be a way to keep the center locked while playing on the queenside, although Black should be comfortable using the familiar plan of ... Bd7-e8-h5 to activate her worst piece and bring more pressure on the kingside after. Teasley's plan is certainly more confrontational. }) 11... Qh5 (11... c5! { is a standard way to push back once White weakens the a7-g1 diagonal with f2-f4. } 12. e3 Bc6! { and Black can activate her worst piece in a more conventional way! }) 12. Nf3 Ng4 13. h3 Nf6 14. Ne5 Bxe5 15. dxe5 Ne4 16. Bxe4 fxe4 17. Kg2 (17. Kh2 { might be safer, reasoning that the king has no business being on light squares! }) 17... b6 18. b4 (18. c5! { It was essential to lock Black's bishop out sooner rather than later. Queens don't make great blockaders, but with no knights or dark-squared bishop, it won't be easy for Black to evict White's queen from the c5-square. }) 18... a5 19. Ba3? { White's best plan was to play dynamically. Now, surprisingly, her dark-squared bishop runs out of squares rather quickly despite having reached such a long diagonal. } (19. c5 b5 20. a4) 19... axb4 20. Bxb4 c5 21. Be1 (21. Bc3 d4 { and Black's bishop will be a force of nature. }) 21... Ra4?! (21... Ra3 { Why not go all the way? The c4-pawn isn't the goal: checkmate is! } 22. Rb1 Re3 $19) 22. cxd5 exd5 23. g4!? { Clearly a risky move, tempting Black to sac the bishop, but maybe a practical one, as Black's attack on the h3- and e2-pawns will dwindle if she does not commit to the sac now. } 23... Qe8? (23... Bxg4! { was winning: } 24. hxg4 Qxg4+ 25. Bg3 (25. Kh1 Rf5!) (25. Kh2 Rf5! $19) (25. Kf2 Rxf4+ $19) 25... Ra3 { possibly the resource that Black missed, as it's hard to believe that White has no useful interposition. Additionally, it can be hard to see a move like ...Ra4-a3, as she has just committed the rook to a4 and might reflexively dismiss moving it again. }) 24. Qb3 Qe6 25. Bg3 (25. f5!? { is a cool idea, arguing that after } 25... Qxe5 26. Bg3 $13 { at least White has a killer bishop. }) 25... Rb4 26. Qa3 (26. f5! { was the only move. White had to anticipate how quickly Black's ...d5-d4 and ...Bd7-c6 was coming. } 26... Qc6 { Now, Black's bishop cannot activate as quickly, and White is still alive. }) 26... d4! 27. Rfc1 Qd5 { Party on the light squares! Everyone is invited! } 28. Be1 e3+ 29. Kg3 Bc6 30. Bxb4 { Now, Black forces mate: } 30... Qg2+ 31. Kh4 Qf2+ { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1