Everything and More

Irina Borisivna Krush – 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú)
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 22, 2019
Caro-Kann Defence B13

1. c4 c6 2. e4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 Be6 7. a3 Qd7 8. Be2 Rd8 9. Bxf6 exf6 10. c5 g6 11. Nf3 h5 12. b4 Bh6 13. b5 Ne7 14. h4 Kf8 15. a4 Kg7 16. a5 Nc8 17. b6 a6 18. Na2 Ne7 19. Nb4 Qc8 20. Ra3 Rde8 21. Rc3 Bd7 22. 0-0 Bc6 23. Ne1 Nf5 24. Nxc6 Qxc6 25. Nc2 Nxh4 26. Nb4 Qe6 27. Bd3 Bf4 28. c6!?? At the cost of only a Pawn White succeeded in achieving most of the Panov Attack’s strategic goals, and now 27. Bc2 followed by Bc2-b3 seemed strong enough to bring Black serious worries, but Krush, utterly oblivious to any danger on the Kingside, goes for a sharper Queenside breakthrough. 28 ... Bd6 29. Rc5! This is the pretty pointe of White’s 28th move and certainly an unexpected blow for 于 (Yú). 29. ... Bxc5 30. dxc5 bxc6 31. Nxa6 Qe5 32. Nc7 Re7

33. Qa4? It sounds as if Krush has the right idea but the wrong way to do it. Maybe; maybe not! Best seems to be 33. a6 Qg5 34. g3 Re3! 35. Kh1! Rf3! (35. ... Rxg3 36. fxg3 Qxg3 37. Qe2 Qh3+ only leads to a draw) 36. Kh2! Qg4! 37. a7 Rxf2+ 38. Rxf2 Qxd1 39. gxh4 Qxd3 40. b7! with incalculable complications and uncertain outcomes. 33. ... Qg5 34. g3 Nf3+ 35. Kg2 Ne1+ 36. Rxe1 Rxe1. Now the threat is ... Qg5-c1. 37. Qf4 Qg4! 38. f3. 38. Qxg4 hxg4 is of no avail, as Black does threaten ... Re1-h1-h2 mate 38. ... Qd7 39. a6 Qe7 40. Qd2. Or 40. a7 Qxc5 41. a8=Q Qg1+ 41. Kh3 Qh1 mate. 40. ... Ra1 0 : 1.

Irina Borisivna Krush (left) vs. 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) (right). Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.