Nothing for Nothing

Alice Teresa Lee – Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze

2nd American Cup — Women’s Champions Bracket; match game 1; Saint Louis, March 19, 2023

Benoni Defence A43

1. d4 c5 2. d5 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. a4 a6. Black’s Old Benoni is anything but a bed of roses and may easily turn out to be unsuccessful; for example: 7. ... 0-0 8. 0-0 Na6 9. Re1 Nb4?! 10. h3! e6 11. Bf4! e5 12. Bg5 Bc8?! 13. Nd2± Kasparov – Beliavsky, Candidates Quarterfinal Match, Moscow 1983, game 9.
8. Be2 Bg4

9. h3. Strategically and theoretically speaking, the best might be 9. Nd2(!) Bxe2 10. Qxe2 0-0 11. Nc4 b6 12. 0-0 with an advantage of position for White; now there can follow: 12. ... Ra7 13. Bg5 Rb7 14. f4 b5 15. axb5 axb5 16. Na5 Rb6 17. Nxb5 Nxe4 18. Qxe4 f6? 19. Nc6!+− Matulović – F. Petersen, 6th Politiken Cup, Copenhagen 1984.
9. ... Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Nbd7 11. Be2 Qa5 12. 0-0. A questionable move, allowing Black to push ... b7-b5 too easily. 12. Bd2 would probably have maintained an edge for White.
12. ... b5 13. Bf3. The tireless Bishop goes back and forth from e2 to f3.
13. ... b4 14. Nb1 Ne5. As a result of Lee’s colourless opening play, Black obtained a very comfortable equality.
15. Bf4 Nxf3+ 16. Qxf3 Nd7

17. Nd2! Indirectly defending the b-Pawn (17. ... Bxb2?? 18. Nc4+−).
17. ... Qc7 18. Qb3 c4! 19. Nxc4 Rc8 20. Nd2 Qxc2 21. Qxc2 Rxc2 22. Rac1 Rxc1 23. Rxc1 Nc5 24. Rc4 a5 25. Be3 (25. b3 Bc3 26. Nb1 Bg7=)
25. ... Nxa4 26. b3 Nc3 27. Bb6 0-0 28. Bxa5 Ra8 29. Bxb4 Ne2+ 30. Kh2. 30. Kf1 Nf4 31. Nf3 was here to be considered, but after 31. ... f5! 32. exf5 Ra1+ 33. Be1 Nxd5 34. fxg6 hxg6 35. Ke2 Ra2+ 36. Kd3 Rb2 37. b4 Bf6 Black, in spite of her Pawn minus, should be able to hold.
30. ... Bd4 31. Rc2. Simpler was 31. g3 Bxf2 32. Kg2 with approximately equal chances.
31. ... Bxf2 32. Nf1 Bg1+. If nothing else, 32. ... Ra1 33. Rxe2 Rxf1 makes it a bit harder for White.
33. Kh1 Ra1 34. Rxe2 Rxf1 35. Re1 Rxe1 36. Bxe1 Bd4 37. g4 Kg7 38. Kg2 f5? A fatal mistake due to time shortage. 38. ... e6 would have kept the balance.

39. gxf5? Probably for the same reasons White fails to take advantage of her opponent’s slip: 39. exf5 gxf5 40. g5!+− (40. gxf5? Kf6=).
40. ... gxf5 40. Kf3 Kf6 41. b4 Bb6 42. Kf4 e5+ 43. dxe6 fxe4 44. Kxe4 Kxe6 45. h4 d5+ 46. Kf4 Kf6 47. Bc3+ Ke6 48. Be1 Kf6 49. h5 Ke6 50. Bd2 Kf6 51 Bc3+ Ke6 52. Bg7 Kf7 53. Be5 Ke6 54. Bb2 Bf2 55. Kf3 Bb6 56. Kf4 Bf2 57. Bg7 Kf7 58. h6 Ke6 59. Bf8 Bb6 60. Bc5 Bxc5 61. bxc5 d4 62. Ke4 d3! The only move, but enough to draw.
63. Kxd3 Kd5 64. Ke3 Kxc5 65. Ke4 Kd6 66. Kf5 Ke7 67. Ke5 Kf7 68. Kf5 Ke7 69. Ke5 Kf7 70. Kf5 ½ : ½.

Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova is an interested spectator at the clash of generations between Lee and Paikidze. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.