A Hard Day’s Night

于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) – Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze
61st U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, October 15, 2022
English Opening A17

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 c5 5. a3 Ba5 6. e4?! Strategically speaking, it is a punch in the eye that leaves a hole in the centre. Much more sensible is 6. e3 0-0 7. Be2 d5 8. 0-0 Nc6 9. Na4 Qe7 10. Qc2 Nd7 11. d4⩲ Karpov – Timman, 6th “Niemeyer” Junior International Tournament, Groningen 1968.
6. ... Nc6

7. e5? Maybe showing her hidden card, or maybe just making a virtue of necessity. Of course, on the other hand, it isn’t easy for 于 (Yú) to resign herself to an ugly move like 7. Bd3 and bring her lust for adventure down to a mere survival basis.
7. ... Ng4 8. Ne4 0-0! First spirit, then matter. If, instead, 8. ... Ngxe5? then 9. Nxe5 Nxe5 10. Qg3! Ng6 11. Nd6+ Kf8 12. b4!↑ with the initiative to White.
9. Nxc5 Bb6 10. Nd3 d6 11. c5!? White has nothing better than returning the Pawn, for if 11. exd6? there would follow 11. ... e5! with overwhelming threats.
11. ... dxc5 12. Qc4 Nh6 13. Nf4?! 13. Nxc5 might have been a little better, but likewise after 13. ... Na5 14. Qc3 Bxc5 15. b4 Bb6 16. bxa5 Bxa5 White’s development lags behind dangerously.
13. ... Bd7 14. Bd3 Nd4! Threatening ... Bd7-b5.
15. Nxd4 cxd4 16. Be4 Qg5 17. Nd3

17. ... Ng4! 18. h4 (18. 0-0? Nxh2!)
18. ... Qd8. Probably there’s nothing wrong with it, but much stronger seems 18. ... Qh5! 19. Bxb7 Rab8 20. Ba6 f6! with crushing threats.
19. f3 f5? Too hasty. Black ought first to play 19. ... Rc8! and if 20. Qa2 then 20. ... f5! 21. Bxb7 Bb5! 22. Bxc8 Bxd3 23. Qxe6+ Kh8 24. Qd7 Ne5 25. Qxd8 Rxd8 with an overwhelming dynamic preponderance.
20. Bxb7 Rb8? Her best seems to be 20. ... Qb8! 21. Bxa8 Nxe5 (but 21. ... Rc8! might be more promising) 22. Nxe5 Qxe5+ 23. Qe2 Qg3+ 24. Qf2 (24. Kf1 d3! 25. Qe1 Qc7↑) 24. ... Qe5+ with a draw by perpetual check.
21. Ba6 Nh6 22. f4? If nothing else, Black is now prevented from playing ... f5-f4, but simpler seems 22. b4 Qe8 23. Bb2± followed by the capture of the d4-Pawn.
22. ... Qe7 23. b4 Qf7? Here Black apparently misses the possibility of a brilliant Exchange sacrifice: 23. ... Rfc8! 24. Bxc8 Rxc8 25. Qa6 Ng4! followed by ... Qe7-e8 with powerful compensation.
24. Bb2 Qg6 25. 0-0! Thus White finally completes her development!

25. ... Qg3? White is suddenly faced with a deadly threat (... Nh6-g4), but at a too high price for Paikidze. Black was still in time for 25. ... Rfc8! 26. Bxc8 Rxc8 27. Qa6 Qe8! 28. a4 Ng4 29. Rfc1 Rc3! with excellent compensation.
26. Rf3 Qxh4 27. Bxd4!? 于 (Yú) is short of time as usual and cannot afford the luxury of divagating, but, indeed, 27. a4! (Δ a4-a5) could have been her best way to play for a win.
27. ... Bxd4+ 28. Qxd4 Bc6 29. Rh3 Qg4 30. Qf2 Qg6 31. Rc1 Bd5 32. Rc7 Ng4 33. Qg3 Qe8 34. Nf2 Qd8 35. Qc3 Rf7 36. Rxf7 Kxf7 37. d4? In the furious time scramble, they both play well and badly. Here 于 (Yú) probably missed her chance to consolidate her advantage with 37. Qd4± and, as almost always happens in such cases, the tables suddenly turn:
37. ... Rb6 38. Be2 Rc6 39. Qd2 Qc8 40. Bxg4 fxg4. Time control was finally reached, with Black on the attack
41. Rg3 h5 42. Nd3 Rc2 43. Qe3 Qc3

44. f5! As they say, attack is the best defence!
44. ... Qa1+ 45. Kh2 Qf1 46. fxe6+ Kg8. Threatening mate on g2.
47. Nf4 Rc1 Again menacing mate.
48. Qxc1 Qxc1 49. Nxd5 Qg5 50. e7 Kf7 51. Rc3 Qh4+ 52. Kg1 Qe1+ 53. Kh2 Qh4+ 54. Kg1 Qe1+ 55. Kh2 Qh4+ ½ : ½.

Despite her taking too big a risk in hunting for a win, 于 (Yú) eventually found the strength to save the day. Photo © Crystal Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.