Two plus two equals four

于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) – Emily Nguyễn
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 23, 2019
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Bc5 5. 0-0 d6 6. c3 0-0 7. Bg5 Be6. The critical alternative is 7. ... h6 8. Bh4 g5 as occurred, for instance, in the 6th game of the 2016 Women’s World Chess Championship match between Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). 8. Nbd2 a5 9. a4 Re8. Or, by transposition, 9. ... Qe7 10. Qb3 Rab8 11. Rad1 h6 12. Bh4 Ba7 13. Bxe6 Qxe6 14. Bxf6 Qxb3 15. Nxb3 gxf6 16. Nbd2 Rfd8 17. Nh4 Ne7 with a rough balance, M. Adams – McShane, 105th British Chess Championship, Hull 2018, tie-break game 1 (20+10). 10. Re1. Also here 10. Qb3 came into consideration. 10. ... d5?? This is a very strange blunder which loses right off.

11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. exd5 Bxd5 13. Bxd5 Qxd5 14. Ne4 Be7 15. Nh4 Qe6 16. Qh5. White’s attack goes on by itself: Nh4-f5 followed by Re1-e3-h3. Black cannot do much against it. 16. ... Bf8 17. Nf5 Ne7 18. Nxe7+ Bxe7 19. Ng3 Kh8 20. Re4. The threat of Re4-h4 forces Black to give up a Pawn. 20. ... f5 21. Nxf5 Qg6 22. Qxg6. White plays it simple, contenting herself with an easy technical win. 22. ... hxg6 23. Nxe7 Rxe7 24. d4 Rd8 25. f4 f6 26. fxe5 fxe5 27. Rae1 c5 28. Rxe5 Rxe5 29. dxe5 Kg7 30. e6 Kf6 31. e7 Re8 32. Kf2 1 : 0. Thus, after four rounds, 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) is leading with 4/4.

于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) (centre) smiling and joking with 王安妮 (Annie Wáng) (left) and Emily Nguyễn (right) before the game. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.