[Event "45th FIDE Women's Chess Olympiad 2024"] [Site "Budapest"] [Date "2024.09.22"] [Round "11"] [White "Assaubayeva, Bibisara"] [Black "Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2482"] [BlackElo "2380"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A29"] [Opening "English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line"] [StudyName "45th FIDE Olympiad"] [ChapterName "Assaubayeva, Bibisara - Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/y8ExkpJx/s43nlIz8"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. c4 { [%clk 1:30:56] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:45] } 2. Nc3 { [%clk 1:31:12] } 2... e5 { [%clk 1:30:51] } 3. Nf3 { [%clk 1:31:06] } 3... Nc6 { [%clk 1:30:55] } 4. g3 { [%clk 1:26:21] } 4... Nd4!? { [%clk 1:30:38] } (4... Bb4 { is a typical idea, and 4. ... d5 is also a critical line. }) 5. Bg2 { [%clk 1:26:23] } 5... Nxf3+ { [%clk 1:30:44] } 6. Bxf3 { [%clk 1:26:51] } 6... Bb4 { [%clk 1:30:55] } 7. Qb3 { [%clk 1:23:35] } 7... a5 { [%clk 1:30:44] } 8. g4 $146 { This certainly took Black out of any remaining preparation. } { [%clk 1:23:31] } 8... h6 { [%clk 1:19:49] } (8... d6 9. h3 (9. g5 Nd7 10. h4 Nc5 11. Qd1 Ne6 12. d3 c6 $15 { might have been a bit of a premature kingside push from White. })) 9. d3 { [%clk 1:20:55] } 9... d5! { Black understands that opening the center is better than passively waiting for h2-h4 and g4-g5. } { [%clk 1:04:35] } 10. cxd5 { [%clk 1:08:56] } 10... Bxg4 { [%clk 1:03:21] } 11. Bg2 { [%clk 1:08:36] } (11. Bxg4 Nxg4 12. Rg1 Qh4 $15) 11... O-O { Astute play from Black to determine that there is nothing fatal along the g-file. } { [%clk 0:58:10] } 12. h3 { [%clk 0:58:18] } 12... Bh5 { [%clk 0:52:29] } 13. Bd2 { [%clk 0:50:33] } 13... Re8 { [%clk 0:48:19] } 14. Rg1 { [%clk 0:42:32] } 14... Ra6! { A lovely move and one of the ideas behind the earlier ... a7-a5 push. We see this in the Budapest Gambit sometimes, although here the ideas are also defensive-minded. } { [%clk 0:42:48] } 15. O-O-O { [%clk 0:29:38] } 15... Qd6 { [%clk 0:30:24] } 16. Rde1 { [%clk 0:25:17] } 16... a4 { [%clk 0:27:26] } 17. Qc4 { [%clk 0:23:09] } 17... a3 { [%clk 0:26:19] } 18. b3 { What a complicated position! Neither king is perfectly safe, and the center is clogged but not permanently so. } { [%clk 0:21:54] } 18... Ra5!? { [%clk 0:23:46] } (18... c6! { was strongest, to play against the open c-file. But the following ideas are sharp, to put it mildly. } 19. dxc6 e4! 20. Bxe4 (20. cxb7? { misses Black's point of } 20... Rc6 $19) (20. dxe4?? Bxc3 21. Bxc3 Rxc6 $19) 20... Nxe4 21. Nxe4 Rxe4! { Black would have to see at least up until here to justify 18. ... c6. } 22. Qxe4 Rxc6+ 23. Kd1 (23. Kb1?? Qf6 $19) 23... Qf6 24. d4 Rd6 $17) (18... e4!? { is also promising } 19. dxe4 c6 { even though this hits on similar ideas as 18. ... c6, there's something about this move order that makes it easier to calculate. Namely, taking the c-pawn loses on the spot, and so Black does not have to calculate as many variations. } 20. Bh1 cxd5 21. exd5 Raa8! $17 { Still, without this move, it's not clear that Black is much better, considering that she is pawn-down and parted with any battle for the center. }) 19. Kb1 { [%clk 0:20:24] } 19... Bxc3!? { With 21 more moves to reach the time control and each player hovering around the 20-minute mark before this move, Black spends half her time and elects to enter a liquidating line. It's easy to suggest that she should have looked for more flexible moves to keep the pressure, but that's easier said than done! } { [%clk 0:11:34] } (19... b5!? { was likely an idea behind 18. ... Ra5 as well, and } 20. Qc6 { is the critical continuation. } (20. Qh4?! Bg6 $17) 20... Rb8 21. Qxd6 cxd6 { is far from obvious to assess. Black's pieces do seem more active, however. But it is understandable why Black did not want to effectively force a queen trade! }) (19... c5!? { is another odd idea. Black wants to consolidate with ... Bh5-g6, but threats of Nc3-e4 and pressuring the b4-bishop are an issue. But not after this move! } 20. Rc1 (20. dxc6 b5! $17 { is the justification. Note how, now, White's queen cannot access the c6-square to initiate a trade! }) 20... Bg6 21. Rgd1 Qd7 $17) 20. Bxc3 { [%clk 0:20:45] } 20... Rc5 { [%clk 0:10:39] } 21. Bb4 { [%clk 0:20:53] } 21... Rxc4 { [%clk 0:10:56] } 22. Bxd6 { [%clk 0:21:22] } 22... Rf4 { [%clk 0:11:16] } 23. Bxc7 { [%clk 0:16:22] } 23... Rxf2 { All of this was effectively forced. Black has plenty to be happy about, but she does have to worry about both a passed d-pawn and some vague pressure on the kingside. } { [%clk 0:11:36] } 24. d6 { [%clk 0:12:58] } (24. Bb6 Rxe2 (24... Rxg2!? 25. Rxg2 Nxd5 $44 { would also have been very tempting. }) 25. d6 Rd2 26. Bc5 Rc8 27. Rc1 Nd7 $15) 24... Bxe2! { [%clk 0:11:39] } (24... Rxe2?? 25. Bxb7! { , with the threat of Bb7-c6, wins. }) 25. Bxb7 { [%clk 0:05:55] } 25... Bxd3+ { The point of Black's precise move order is that now her bishop reaches the a4-e8 diagonal in time! } { [%clk 0:11:53] } 26. Ka1 { [%clk 0:06:24] } 26... Bb5 { Suddenly, Black is ahead on the clock and still in control of the position. } { [%clk 0:11:37] } 27. Re3? { [%clk 0:05:40] } (27. Bb6! { was best: } 27... Rc2 28. Be3 { was a way of switching plans from advancing the d-pawn to using the open kingside. But Black can retain an advantage via a surprising idea: } 28... Bc6! (28... Kh7 29. Bc1 { by attacking the weak a3-pawn, White is much closer to equalizing. }) 29. Bxc6 Rxc6 30. Bxh6 Kh7 31. Bxg7 Rxd6 $17 { looks nice for Black, who has the more dangerous passed pawn and (somehow) the safer king)! }) 27... Nd7 { [%clk 0:08:55] } (27... Rd2! { Rooks belong behind enemy passed pawns. } 28. b4 e4 $17 { This way, Black can push her e-pawn when it is still under the coverage of her knight on f6. }) (27... e4!? 28. Rd1 { looks scary, as now White's rook is backing up her passer. But Black's plan is to meet b3-b4 with preparation for ... e4-e3. } 28... g5 29. b4 Rc2 30. Rxa3 e3) 28. b4 { [%clk 0:05:21] } 28... e4 { [%clk 0:07:52] } 29. Rxe4 { [%clk 0:03:24] } (29. Rge1! f5 30. Rxa3 Ne5 31. Rd1 Nd7 32. Re1 $10 { apparently prevents Black from making progress! }) 29... Rxe4 { [%clk 0:07:35] } 30. Bxe4 { Black has managed to keep her "thorn" on the a-file! } { [%clk 0:03:52] } 30... Rf4?! { Not a bad move, but less effective than the alternative, and the result of a long think. Black is more focused on the b4-pawn than advancing her own army! } { [%clk 0:04:33] } (30... f5! 31. Bd5+ (31. Bb1? f4 { suddenly leaves White unable to adequately defend the passer, as her dark-squared bishop is shut in by her own passer! }) 31... Kf8 32. Re1 g5 { leaves Black again with more dangerous pawns. Note that White's king is crucially out of play: } 33. Kb1 Rd2 34. Bb3 f4 35. Kc1 Rb2 $17 { and, still, White's king cannot contest the pawns. }) 31. Re1 { [%clk 0:03:06] } 31... f5?! { [%clk 0:04:06] } 32. Bc2!? { [%clk 0:01:55] } (32. Bd5+ Kf8 33. Kb1 g5 34. Kc2 { Tempo is everything. White's king is no longer shut in, and the a-pawn is guarded. }) 32... Rxb4?! { Another long think and forcing decision. Black clearly undervalued her f-pawn as a potential avenue of counterplay. } { [%clk 0:01:16] } 33. Bxf5 { [%clk 0:02:14] } 33... Nf6?! { This is not as obviously a "concrete" or "committal" move as the previous few, but passed pawns are criminals (according to Nimzowitsch) who must be kept under lock and key. So this requires a lot of precision to justify. } { [%clk 0:00:33] } 34. Re3 { [%clk 0:01:56] } 34... Rf4? { [%clk 0:00:36] } (34... Bd7 35. Bxd7 Nxd7 36. Rxa3 Re4 37. Ra8+ Kf7 $16 { is unpleasant, but the chance of creating a kingside passer gives Black some chances. }) 35. Be6+ { [%clk 0:01:04] } 35... Kh7 { [%clk 0:00:57] } 36. Rxa3 { [%clk 0:01:22] } 36... Rf1+ { [%clk 0:00:43] } 37. Kb2 { [%clk 0:01:51] } 37... Re1 { [%clk 0:00:46] } 38. Bf5+ { [%clk 0:02:09] } 38... g6?! { This sets up tactical chances on the knight. } { [%clk 0:00:55] } 39. Bd3 { [%clk 0:02:34] } 39... Bd7 { [%clk 0:01:09] } 40. Bd8! { The final move before the time control proves to be a tactically winning one. } { [%clk 0:02:09] } 40... Re6 { [%clk 0:00:36] } (40... Kg7 41. Ra7 { wins the bishop as well. }) 41. Bxf6 { [%clk 0:01:30] } 41... Rxd6 { Black has to part with the piece and hope for drawing chances due to White having nothing but rook's pawns. } { [%clk 0:22:45] } (41... Rxf6 42. Ra7 Rf7 { certainly looks to defend the bishop, break the pin against her king, and allow the bishop to escape to either the e6- or e8-squares safely, but that d6-pawn complicates things. } (42... Rxd6 43. Bb5 $18) 43. Bb5 Be6 44. Rxf7+ Bxf7 45. d7 $18) 42. Be7 { [%clk 0:28:24] } 42... Rb6+ { [%clk 0:22:19] } 43. Kc3 { [%clk 0:28:22] } 43... Bxh3 { [%clk 0:22:03] } 44. Ra7 { [%clk 0:28:24] } 44... Kg8 { [%clk 0:17:58] } 45. a4 { The a-pawn is too strong, and Black cannot afford to give up a second piece for it. She fights on, but Assaubayeva's position is too strong. } { [%clk 0:26:58] } 45... Bg2 { [%clk 0:13:22] } 46. Bc5 { [%clk 0:27:08] } 46... Rb7 { [%clk 0:13:08] } 47. Ra6 { [%clk 0:27:03] } 47... h5 { [%clk 0:08:59] } 48. Rxg6+ { [%clk 0:27:20] } 48... Rg7 { [%clk 0:09:09] } 49. Rh6 { [%clk 0:24:52] } 49... Rg5 { [%clk 0:09:07] } 50. Bd4 { [%clk 0:23:32] } 50... Kf8 { [%clk 0:08:25] } 51. Be2 { [%clk 0:19:33] } 51... Bd5 { [%clk 0:03:44] } 52. Bc4 { [%clk 0:16:36] } 52... Bg2 { [%clk 0:02:20] } 53. Bf6 { [%clk 0:16:03] } 53... Rg3+ { [%clk 0:02:12] } 54. Kb4 { [%clk 0:16:19] } 54... Ke8 { [%clk 0:00:55] } 55. Be6 { [%clk 0:16:48] } 55... Rg4+ { [%clk 0:00:33] } 56. Kc5 { Boards three and four immediately shake hands after Black's resignation here, cementing the final standings: Kazakhstan wins silver and USA the bronze. } { [%clk 0:16:52] } 1-0