2009 US Women's Ch. (1) |
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bg7 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 Qa5 8. f3 a6
8... Qb4 9. Bb3 Nxe4 10. Nxc6 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Qxc3+ 12. Ke2 dxc6 13. Bd4 e5 14. Bxc3 Nxc3+ 15. Kf2 Nxd1+ and Black has won the majority of games from this position.
10...
10... Bd7
11. Bxd4 Be6 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. h4 Rc8 14. h5!? e5
I'm struggling to find sufficient compensation for the pawn after 14... Nxh5 15. Bxg7 Nxg7 16.
15. h6 Bxh6 16. Rxh6 exd4 17. Qxd4 Qg5
This definitely looks good but white has an easy defense.
18. Qd2 Qg3+ 19. Qf2 Qxf2+ 20. Kxf2 b5 21. a3
Material may be even but the ending definitely favors black thanks to his easier to defend pawns and active knight and c8 rook.
25. f4?!
This move just loses a pawn.
25... Nc4 26. b3 Nxa3 27. Kd3 Nxc2 28. Nd5 a5 29. g4 Nb4+ 30. Kd4 Nxd5 31. Kxd5 Rc5+ 32. Ke6 Rxf4 33. Kxe7
The white king becomes very active, mopping up black pawns wherever he goes.
33... Re5+ 34. Kxd6 Rexe4 35. Rxh7 Rxg4 36. Ra7 Rh4 37. Rc1 Rd4+ 38. Ke6 Rhe4+ 39. Kf6 Rd6+ 40. Kg5 Re5+ 41. Kf4 Rf5+ 42. Ke4 Rf7 43. Rxa5
Double rook endings are notoriously difficult to calculate and as Ben Finegold said during his commentary, can lead to either side falling into a checkmate!
43... Re7+ 44. Kf4 Rd5 45. Rc6 Rf5+ 46. Kg4 Kh7 47. Raa6 Re4+ 48. Kg3 Rg5+ 49. Kf2 Rf4+ 50. Ke2 Rh4 51. Ra8 Rf5 52. Raa6 Rg4 53. Ke3 Kh6 54. Rab6 Kh5 55. Re6 Rfg5 56. Kd3 Rg3+ 57. Kc2 Rf5 58. Kb2 g5
The g-pawn starts it's march down the board.
59. Ka3 Rd3 60. Re8 Kg4 61. Reb8 Rdd5 62. Kb4 Kf3 63. Rg6 g4 64. Rbg8 Rf4+ 65. Ka5 b4+ 66. Ka4 Rd1 67. Rc6 g3 68. Rc4 Rxc4 69. bxc4 Rb1 70. Rf8+ Ke3 71. Rg8 Kf2 72. c5 b3 73. Rg5 g2 74. Rf5+ Ke3 0-1 [Bird C.]