Through the Eye of a Needle

Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova – 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú)
61st U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, October 17, 2022
Russian Defence C43

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Nd7 6. Nxd7 Bxd7 7. 0-0 Bd6 8. Nc3 Nxc3 9. bxc3 0-0 10. Qh5 f5 11. c4 Qf6 (11. ... dxc4 12. Bxc4+ Kh8 13. Rb1 b6 14. Re1 Qf6 15. Bb2 Rae8= Kanarek – Kuzubov, 18th European Individual Chess Championship, Minsk 2017)
12. c3 dxc4 13. Bxc4+ Be6 14. Bd3 h6!? It’s curious to note that a game between computers from the early 2000s continued 14. ... Rae8 15. Bg5 Qf7 with balanced play, Shredder – Junior, Cadaqués Computer Tournament, Cadaqués 2001.
15. Re1 Rae8 16. Bd2 Re7 17. h4 Bd5 18. Be3 c6 19. c4 Be4

20. Bg5 Qf7. Obviously not 20. ... hxg5?? on account of 21. hxg5 threatening both the Queen and g5-g6.
21. Qxf7+ Rexf7 22. Bxe4 hxg5 23. Bc2 Bb4 24. Re6 gxh4 25. Rb1 a5 26. d5 cxd5 27. cxd5 Rd8 28. Rd1 Bd6 29. Rb1 Kf8 30. Kf1 Bb4 31. Rd1 Rfd7 32. Bb3 Re7 33. Rg6? (⌓ 33. g3)
33. ... a4? And here better was 33. ... Rd6! forcing the exchange of Rooks in much more favourable circumstances.
34. d6 Rxd6 35. Rgxd6 Bxd6 36. Rxd6 axb3 37. axb3 Kf7 38. Rb6 g6 39. Kg1 Kg7 40. Kh2 Kh6 41. Kh3 Kh5

42. g3 hxg3 43. Kxg3?? A grave blunder which throws which throws away the game. 43. fxg3 was the move, with a draw soon.
43. ... g5 44. Rb5 f4+ 45. Kf3 Rc7 46. Rb6 (46. Kg2 Kh4! 47. Rb4 Rc3! 48. Rxb7 f3+−+)
46. ... Rc3+ 47. Kg2

47. ... Kh4! 48. Rh6+ Kg4 49. Rb6 Rc7 50. Rb4 Kh4 51. Kh2 Rd7 52. Rb6 Rd2 53. Kg2 g4! 54. Rxb7 g3 55. Rh7+ Kg5 56. Rg7+ Kf6 57. Rg8 Rxf2+ 58. Kg1 Rb2 59. b4 Rxb4 60. Kg2 Rb2+ 61. Kf3 Rf2+ 62. Kg4 g2 63. Kh3 f3 64. Rf8+ Kg7 65. Rf5. Now 于 (Yú) must only be careful to avoid the last trap: 65. ... g1=Q?? 66. Rg5+!! with a draw, as after 66. ... Qxg5 White is stalemated.
65. ... Rf1! 0 : 1.

And finally 于 (Yú), by virtue of her strength of will and purpose, was able to get a win out of a drawish Rook ending. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.