Words and Languages

Anna Vitalievna Zatonskih – 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú)
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 30, 2019
Slav Defence D17

Everything is ready for the “big High Noon scene”. Two women of different origins and generations, who for one reason or another live in the same country, will contend tonight for the title of U.S. Women’s Chess Champion. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Bf4 Nfd7 11. Bg2 f6 12. 0-0 Rd8 13. Qc1 Be6 14. Ne4. A few days earlier, 于 (Yú) went through some very bad moments after 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. Qe3 Qa5? 16. Bxe5 fxe5 17. Qg5!→ 王安妮 (Annie Wáng) – 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú), 58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship, Saint Louis 2019. 14. ... Bb4 15. Rd1. In the first game of the 1937 World rematch, 5th World Chess Champion Max Euwe continued with 15. a5 0-0 16. a6!? bxa6? (16. ... b6 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. Qe3↑) 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. Nc5 Bxc5 19. Qxc5± Euwe – Alekhine, The Hague 1937, World Chess Championship match game 1. 15. ... 0-0 16. Rd4!? Zatonskih should have probably looked for an improvement between the lines of 16. a5 a6 17. Rd4 Nc5 18. Nxc5 Bxc5 19. Nxe5 fxe5 20. Qxc5 exf4 21. Rxf4 Rxf4 22. gxf4 Rd2 23. f5 Bf7 24. e4 Qd8 25. Re1 Rxb2 26. e5 Qd2 27. Rf1 Qg5 28. Kh1 Qxf5 29. Qd4 Bd5 30. Bxd5+ cxd5 31. Qxb2 ½ : ½ Shankland – Alonso, 9th American Chess Continental, Praia da Pipa 2014. 16. ... a5 17. h4 Nc5! 18. Rxd8. White cannot realistically hope for any advantage after 18. Nxe5 Nb3!∞ (19. Nxc6 Qxc6!). 18. ... Qxd8 19. Nxc5 Bxc5

20. Nxe5? Zatonskih probably felt by now quite demoralised and began to sink. Here she should have taken with the Bishop: 20. Bxe5 fxe5 21. e3, humbly playing for a draw. 20. ... Bxf2+! 21. Kh2. Not 21. Kxf2 on account of 21. ... fxe5 22. Qe3 Qf6 winning back the Bishop with interest. 21. ... fxe5 22. Bxe5 Bd4 23. Bf4 Qb6 24. Qc2 Bb3 25. Qc1 Qb4 26. Bd2 Qd6 27. Bf4 Qb4 28. Bd2. Now Zatonskih would be happy with a draw by repetition. 28. ... Qe7! But 于 (Yú), after gaining time on the clock, declined. 29. Bc3 Be3 30. Qe1? This loses on the spot! White had nothing better than 30. Bd2 Bxd2 31. Qxd2, but even then Black may continue 31. ... Rf2 32. Rf1 Rxe2 33. Qxa5 h6 with clear superiority. 30. ... Bf2 31. Qd2 Bxg3+! 32. Kxg3 Qc7+ 33. Kg4 Be6+ 0 : 1. For mate in two follows.

Thanks to her convincing victory over Anna Vitalievna Zatonskih, 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) succeeded in crowning herself U.S. Women’s Chess Champion a round in advance! Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.