The Eighth Day of the Week

Irina Borisivna Krush – Alice Teresa Lee
1st American Cup — Women’s Championship Match; game 1; Saint Louis, April 27, 2022
English Opening A13

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 a6 4. b3 d4 5. e3 c5 6. exd4 cxd4 7. Bg2 Nc6 8. 0-0 Bc5 (8. ... Nf6 9. d3 Be7 10. Na3 0-0 11. Qe2 Nd7 12. Nc2 e5 13. Rb1 a5 14. a3 Re8 15. Nd2 Bf8 ½ : ½ Contin – Lalić, 21st Bratto Chess Open, Castione della Presolana 2001) 9. d3

9. ... h6? An ugly move which weakens the light squares and the Pawn skeleton without providing anything in return. It is only the inexperience of youth that can have induced Lee to concede to her opponent — an eight-time U.S. Women’s Champion — such a big strategic advantage for the mere chimera of something messed up. Much better seems to be 9. ... Nf6 10. Ba3 Bxa3 11. Nxa3 0-0 with reasonable play. 10. Ba3 Bxa3 11. Nxa3 Nge7 12. Nc2 Qd6 13. Qd2 e5 14. b4

14. ... g5? The corollary to 9. ... h6 implies new weaknesses and nothing that resembles a counter-attack, but Black’s situation was already uncomfortable enough, since even a move like ... f7-f6 — which is in itself congruent — would lay bare the weakness of the light squares. 15. a4 Ng6 16. c5 Qc7 17. Na3 Be6 18. Qb2 0-0 19. Nd2

From a strategic standpoint, it is already a “cat and mouse” game, but Black’s next move makes it become a “big game”. 19. ... a5? Another impatient kick which hastens the collapse of the Queenside. On the other hand, White would maintain her manifest advantage against most plausible moves at Black’s disposal by means of Na3-c4. 20. Nb5 Qd7 21. bxa5 Rxa5 22. Nd6 Rb8. Clearly not 22. ... Rxc5?? on account of 23. Ne4 with the double threat of Ne4-f6+ and Ne4xc5. 23. Rfb1 Ra7. If 23. ... Nge7 there might follow 24. N2c4 Bxc4 25. Nxc4 Rxc5?! 26. Qa3 (or also 26. Qb6) winning the Exchange. 24. N2c4 Bxc4 25. Nxc4 Nce7. 25. .. Nge7 26. a5 is very discouraging, too. 26. Qb6. Also strong is 26. Qb5 Qxb5 (26. ... Qe6 27. c6+−) 27. Rxb5 and the b7-Pawn falls in a few moves. 26. .. Nc8 27. Qf6 Qe8 28. a5 Kh7 29. a6 Nf8 30. axb7 Rxa1 31. Rxa1 Ne7 32. Nd6

32. ... Qd7 33. Qxf7+ Kh8 34. Qf6+ Kg8 35. Qxe5 Nfg6 36. Qxd4 Kh7 37. Ra8 Nf4 38. Qe4+ Neg6 39. gxf4 1 : 0.

The mission has become (almost) impossible, but who knows? Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.