Variation

于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) – 叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip)
58th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 31, 2019
English Opening A13

1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 e6!? 4. Bg2 Ne7 5. d4 d5 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Nf3 0-0 8. 0-0 Nbc6 9. a3 Nf5!? It’s already happened in women’s chess history: 9. ... Bg4 10. e3 Qd7 11. Qb3 b6 12. Qa4 Rad8 13. b4 Bh3 14. Bd2 Bxg2 15. Kxg2 Nf5 16. Rac1 Nce7 17. Qxd7 Rxd7 18. Ne5 Bxe5 19. dxe5 Ng7 20. Nb5 c6 21. Nd4 Rc8 22. Rc2 a6 23. Rfc1 Rdc7 24. e4 dxe4 25. Bg5 Ngf5 26. Nxf5 Nxf5 27. g4 Nd4 28. Rc4 c5 29. bxc5 Rxc5 30. Rxd4 Rxc1 31. Bxc1 Rxc1 32. Rxe4 ½ : ½ Chiburdanidze – Ioseliani, Women’s Candidates Tournament, 上海 (Shànghǎi) 1992. 10. e3 a6 11. Ne1 Nce7 12. Nd3 c6 13. b3 Nd6 14. a4 a5 15. Ba3 Re8 16. Re1 Nef5 17. Qc2 h5 18. h3 Nh6 19. Rad1 Bf5 20. Qc1 Rc8. 20. ... Ne4 seems more natural. 21. Nf4 Kh8 22. f3 b5 23. Bc5? The newly crowned U.S. Women’s Chess Champion, just a little distracted tonight, presents to her opponent the myth of her own invincibility on a golden plate. Simply 23. axb5 followed by Ba3-c5 would have yielded White an edge. 23. ... b4!∓ 24. Nce2 Nb7 25. Nd3 Qg5? Black goes for attack instead of securing his booty with 25. ... Bxd3! 26. Rxd3 Nf5∓ — White would be in serious trouble. 26. Kf2? White continues to risk her invulnerability! Best was 26. e4! Qxc1 27. Nexc1 Nxc5 28. Nxc5 Rc7! 29. Ne2 dxe4 30. fxe4 Bc8 with roughly equal chances. 26. ... Bxd3 27. Rxd3 Nxc5 28. Qxc5 Nf5? Here 叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip) probably lets slip her last opportunity to play for the win: 28. ... Bf8! 29. Qxa5 c5!→ — her opponent won’t give her another chance. 29. e4! Though being short of time, 于 (Yú) did not fail to spot her only saving move. 29. ... Bf8. 29. ... Bxd4+!? 30. Nxd4 Qxg3+ 31. Kf1 Nh4 32. Rd2 dxe4 33. fxe4 Rcd8∞ with very unclear play and a sort of dynamic balance. 30. Qc1. If 30. Qxa5 then 30. ... h4! 31. exf5+ hxg3+ 32. Kg1 Qxf5∞ — Black ought to have enough compensation. 30. ... Qxc1 31. Rxc1 Ng7 32. Rd2 Ne6? Black loses the thread and eventually also the game. Best seems to be 32. ... dxe4 33. fxe4 c5 with equality. 33. exd5 cxd5 34. Rxc8 Rxc8 35. f4 Rd8 36. Rc2 Bh6? Black’s last mistake. 36. ... h4! at once would have put up tough resistance, and perhaps also saved the game. Now, instead, White wins elegantly: 37. Rc6! h4 38. Ra6 hxg3+ 39. Kxg3 Bg7 40. Rxa5 Nxd4 41. Nxd4 Bxd4 42. Bxd5 Kg7 43. Rb5 Ba7 44. Kf3 Kf6 45. Ke4 Rb8 46. Rxb8. Even opposite-coloured Bishops don’t help with too many passed Pawns! 46. ... Bxb8

47. a5 Ke7 48. a6 f6 49. h4! Ba7 50. f5! g5 51. h5 Kf8 52. h6 1 : 0.

And finally, 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) won her first U.S. Women’s Chess Championship with a sensational score of 10/11. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.