Begin Again

于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) – Alice Teresa Lee
61st U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, October 11, 2022
Slav Defence D12

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Be4 7. f3 Bg6 8. Qb3 Qc7 9. Bd2 Be7 10. g3 dxc4 11. Bxc4 a6 12. a4 Nbd7 13. a5. 13. e4 0-0 14. Nxg6 hxg6 15. e5 Nd5 16. a5 b5 seems fine for Black, Tratar – V. Georgiev, 19th Croatian Team Chess Championship, Šibenik 2010.
13. ... Nh5 14. Nxg6 hxg6 15. Ne4 0-0-0 16. 0-0-0 Nhf6 17. Ng5 Rdf8

18. Bxe6!? Here is an intuitive sacrifice in the style of Tal, with which, perhaps, 于 (Yú) hoped to impress or intimidate her young adversary. But no, the prodigious Lee showed remarkable coolness and self-control, and in the end 于 (Yú) must have counted herself very lucky to have got a draw.
18. ... fxe6 19. Nxe6 Qd6 20. Nxf8 Rxf8 21. Rhf1 Qd5 22. Qc2 Bd8 23. Qxg6 Bxa5 24. Kb1 Bxd2 25. Rxd2 Qa5 26. Qd3 Nd5 27. e4 Nb4 28. Qa3 Qb5 29. Rc1 a5 30. Qc3 Qh5 31. f4 Re8

32. d5 Qg6 33. dxc6 Qxe4+ 34. Ka1 bxc6 35. Rd4 Qe6 36. Qa3 Kb7 37. Qxa5 Nd3 38. f5 Qf7 39. Rxd3 Ra8 40. Qxa8+ Kxa8 41. Rxc6 Qxf5 42. Rb3 Nc5 43. Rc3 Qf1+ 44. Ka2 Qf7+ 45. Ka3 Ne4

46. Rc1. 46. Rc8+ Kb7 47. R8c7+ Qxc7 48. Rxc7+ Kxc7 is a theoretical draw; for example: 49. Kb4 Kd6 50. Kc4 Nd2+ 51. Kd4 Nf1 52. Ke4 Nxh2 53. Kf5 Ke7 54. Kg6 Kf8 55. b4 Nf3 56. b5 Ne5+ 57. Kh7 Nd7 58. Kh8 Kf7 59. Kh7 g6 60. Kh8 Kf6 61. Kg8 g5 62. Kh7 g4 63. Kh6 Kf5 64. Kh5 and peace can be finally agreed.
46. ... Nd2 47. Kb4 Kb7 48. R6c3. Again, White misses, whether intentionally or negligently, 48. Rc7+ Qxc7 49. Rxc7+ Kxc7 with a tablebase draw. What follows is a few minutes of pure thrill:
48. ... Qe7+ 49. Ka4 Qd7+ 50. Ka3? (50. Kb4 Qd6+ 51. Ka5)
50. ... Qd6+ 51. b4 (51. Ka4 Kb6)
51. ... Ne4? (51. ... Qa6+! 52. Kb2 Qf6)
52. Rc4? History should not repeat itself so often, but yet 52. Rc7+! Kb6 53. R1c6+ Qxc6 54. Rxc6+ Kxc6 ends in a book draw.
52. ... Nf2 (52. ... Qa6+! 53. Kb2 Nd6)
53. Kb3 Ng4 54. Ne5 Kb6 55. Ra1? Once again 55. Rc6+ Qxc6 56. Rxc6+ Kxc6 would have led to a draw.
55. ... Nxh2? (55. ... Qd3+!)
56. Raa5 Qd1+ 57. Ka3 Qe2 58. Re5 Qc4 59. Rec5 Qe4 60. Rab5+ Ka6 61. Ra5+ Kb6 62. Rab5+ Ka6 63. Ra5+ Kb6 ½ : ½.

Maybe not today, but one day maybe 于 (Yú) will be proud of herself for saving a draw against Lee. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.