Just Ten Minutes

于润荷 (Jennifer Yú) – Irina Borisivna Krush

61st U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; tie-break game 1; time control: 10 minutes plus 2 seconds per move; Saint Louis, October 20, 2022

Benoni Defence A56

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e5 4. Nc3 d6 5. g3 g6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. e4 0-0 8. Nge2 Nbd7 9. 0-0 Ne8 10. h3 f5 11. f4 Nc7 12. Be3 exf4 13. Bxf4 Ne5 14. b3 Bd7 15. Qd2 b5 16. exf5 gxf5 17. cxb5 Nxb5 18. Rae1 Qf6 19. Nd1 a5 20. a4 Nd4 21. Nxd4 cxd4 22. Nf2 Rfb8 23. Nd3 Re8 24. Rc1 Rab8 25. Rc7 Bc8 26. Nc1 Rb4 27. Re1 Qd8 28. Rc2 Ba6 29. Kh2

29. ... Qb6? Better is 29. ... d3! 30. Rc6! Nxc6 31. Rxe8+ Qxe8 32. dxc6 when White’s dangerous passed Pawn provides compensation for the Exchange.
30. Qf2? (30. Rc6!+−)
30. ... d3 31. Be3 Qb7 32. Rd2 Qd7 33. Bf4 Rbb8 34. Bxe5 Bxe5 35. Nxd3 Bxd3 36. Rxd3 Kh8 37. Rf3 Rg8 (⌓ 37. ... Qg7)

38. Rxe5! dxe5 39. Rxf5 Rxb3? (39. ... Rg7)
40. Rf7 Qd6 41. Be4 Rg7 42. Rf8+ Rg8 43. Rf7 Rg7 44. Rf8+ Rg8

45. Qf7! Qxf8 46. Qxh7# 1 : 0.

于 (Yú) showed all her strength of character as well as her fickle talent in the first game of the tie-breaker. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.