Anna Vitalievna Zatonskih – 于润荷 (Jennifer Yú)
61st U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, October 5, 2022
Nimzo-Indian Defence E20
61st U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, October 5, 2022
Nimzo-Indian Defence E20
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 0-0 5. a3 Bxc3 6. Bxc3 d5 7. e3 b6 8. Nf3 Bb7 9. Be2 Ne4 10. Rc1 Nd7 11. 0-0 Rc8 12. b4 Nxc3 13. Rxc3 c5 14. cxd5 Bxd5 15. dxc5 bxc5 16. Qc2 cxb4 17. axb4 Rxc3 18. Qxc3 Qb8 19. Rc1 Nf6 20. Nd4 Ne4 21. Qa3 h6 22. b5 Rc8 23. Nc6 Bxc6 24. bxc6 Qb6 25. Bd3 Nf6 26. Qa4 Nd5 27. Qa6 Qxa6 28. Bxa6 Rc7 29. Kf1 Kf8 30. e4 Nb4 31. Bb5 Ke7 32. Ke2 Kd6 33. Rd1+ Kc5 34. Ba4 Nxc6 35. Bxc6 Kxc6 36. Rc1+ Kd7 37. Ra1 Kd6 38. Ke3 Kc5 39. Rc1+ Kb6 40. Rb1+ Ka5 41. Ra1+ Kb4 42. Rb1+ Ka3 43. Ra1+ Kb2 44. Ra5 Kb3 45. Ra1 Rd7 46. h4 e5 47. h5 Kb4 48. Rb1+ Kc5 49. Rc1+ Kd6 50. Ra1 Rb7 51. g3 Kc6
52. Rc1+? Here is where White’s trouble starts. What was required instead was a good deal of bravery: 52. f4! Rb3+ 53. Kd2! Rxg3 54. fxe5 with definite drawing chances.
52. ... Kb6 53. Rb1+ Kc7 54. Rc1+ Kb8 55. Ra1 Rb3+ 56. Kd2 Kb7 57. Ra5 f6 58. Rd5 Kc6 59. Rd8 Rb7. Nevertheless, there were some good arguments in favour of 59. ... a5! at once.
60. Kc3 a5 61. f4 exf4 62. gxf4 Re7 63. Rd4 Ra7 64. Kb3 a4+ 65. Ka3 Kc5? A slip which throws away the victory. The right way to proceed was 65. ... Ra5! (66. f5 Ra7−+).
66. Rb4!= Rd7 67. Rxa4 Rb7 68. e5 fxe5 69. fxe5 Kd5 70. Rg4 Kxe5 71. Rg6 Kd4 72. Ka4 Ke3 73. Ka5 Kf3
52. ... Kb6 53. Rb1+ Kc7 54. Rc1+ Kb8 55. Ra1 Rb3+ 56. Kd2 Kb7 57. Ra5 f6 58. Rd5 Kc6 59. Rd8 Rb7. Nevertheless, there were some good arguments in favour of 59. ... a5! at once.
60. Kc3 a5 61. f4 exf4 62. gxf4 Re7 63. Rd4 Ra7 64. Kb3 a4+ 65. Ka3 Kc5? A slip which throws away the victory. The right way to proceed was 65. ... Ra5! (66. f5 Ra7−+).
66. Rb4!= Rd7 67. Rxa4 Rb7 68. e5 fxe5 69. fxe5 Kd5 70. Rg4 Kxe5 71. Rg6 Kd4 72. Ka4 Ke3 73. Ka5 Kf3
74. Ka4? White loses her way — 74. Rg1!□ was her “only” move to save a draw.
74. ... Re7!□ 75. Kb3 Re3+ 76. Kc4 Re4+ 77. Kd5 (77. Kd3 Rg4 78. Ra6 Rg5 79. Ra7 Kg4−+)
77. ... Rg4 78. Ke6
74. ... Re7!□ 75. Kb3 Re3+ 76. Kc4 Re4+ 77. Kd5 (77. Kd3 Rg4 78. Ra6 Rg5 79. Ra7 Kg4−+)
77. ... Rg4 78. Ke6
“Just as it looked like Zatonskih might be escaping with a draw, 于 (Yú) played the subtle yet decisive 78. ... Rg5! (if 78. ... Rxg6 79. hxg6 h5 80. Kf7 h4 81. Kxg7 both sides promote)”, Vanessa West wrote in her recap of day 1.
78. ... Rg5!□ 79. Rxg5 (79. Kf7 Kg4−+) 79. ... hxg5 80. Kf5 g4 81. Kg6 g3 82. Kxg7 g2 83. h6 g1=Q+ 84. Kh8 Qd4+ 0 : 1.
78. ... Rg5!□ 79. Rxg5 (79. Kf7 Kg4−+) 79. ... hxg5 80. Kf5 g4 81. Kg6 g3 82. Kxg7 g2 83. h6 g1=Q+ 84. Kh8 Qd4+ 0 : 1.
Somehow the 2019 U.S. Women’s Chess Champion managed to squeeze a win out of a drawish Rook ending. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club. |
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