SicilianB35

Battsetseg T. (2265)
Foisor S. (2390)

2009 US Women's Ch. (5)
St.Louis, 2009


1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bg7 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 Qa5 8. O-O

Tsagaan plays the best move. 8. f3 is what Foisor faced in round in round 1 against Yun Fan although she missed the correct follow up with 8...Qb4. I'm sure Foisor was relishing Tsagaan possibly giving her a chance to correct that missed opportunity.

8... O-O 9. Bb3 d6 10. h3 Bd7 11. Re1 Rac8 12. Nd5 Rfe8 13. Bd2 Qd8 14. Nf3 e6

14... Nxd5 15. exd5 Na5 16. c3 Nc4 17. Bxc4 Rxc4 has been played previously.

15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. c3 Qc7 17. Bg5 Bxg5 18. Nxg5 h6 19. Nf3 Red8 20. Qd2 Kg7 21. Rad1 Be8 22. Re3

22. Nd4! with threats of sacrifices on e6 is good for white 22... Qa5 (22... Nxd4 23. Qxd4+ Kh7 24. Qxa7) 23. Bxe6 fxe6 24. Nxe6+ Kh7 25. Qd5 protecting a2 as the rook on d8 has nowhere to go.

22... Ne7 23. Rd3 Bc6 24. Rxd6 Rxd6 25. Qxd6 Qxd6 26. Rxd6 Bxe4

After all the swaps, material is equal but the position still has some dynamic possibilities thanks to the pawn majorities on each side.

27. Ne5 Rc7 28. f3 Bd5 29. c4 Bc6 30. Kf2 h5 31. g4 hxg4 32. hxg4 g5 33. Bc2 Kf6 34. Nxc6 Nxc6 35. Be4 Ke5

35... Ne5! Even in some of the most innocent of positions there lays a tactic. Black misses this win of a pawn although both players were getting short of time approaching the 40 move time control 36. b3 Nxg4+ 37. fxg4 Ke5

36. Rd1 Ne7 37. b3 f5 38. gxf5 exf5 39. Bb1 Ke6 40. Ke3 a6 41. Rd8 Ng6 42. a3 Rh7 43. Bd3 Rh3 44. c5 Nh4?!

Black goes chasing the f3 pawn but it is the wrong idea. White's pawn majority will probably get there before black's given the bishop against knight and white's rook which is well position to defend against the black pawn push. 44... Nf4 45. Bc4+ Ke5 46. Re8+ Kf6 47. b4 g4 48. Rf8+ Kg5 49. Rg8+=

45. Bc4+ Ke7 46. Rb8 Nxf3 47. Rxb7+ Kd8 48. Bxa6 g4?!

Accurate play is needed by both sides but this should be drawn 48... f4+! 49. Kd3 Ne5+ 50. Ke4 Nc6 51. a4 Re3+ 52. Kf5 Nd4+ 53. Kxg5 Ne6+ 54. Kf5 Nxc5 55. Kxf4 Rxb3 56. Rxb3 Nxb3=

49. Kf4 Nd4 50. Bc4 Kc8 51. Rg7 Nxb3??

The capture of the b-pawn has to be prefaced with 51... Rc3 52. a4 Nxb3 53. Be6+ Kb8=

52. Be6+ Kb8 53. c6!

It is all over. Black will now have to lose the knight or get mated.

53... Rc3 54. Rb7+ Ka8 55. Rxb3 Rc5 56. Bxf5 Ka7 57. Bd7 Rc4+ 58. Kg3 Ka6 59. Rd3 Kb6 60. Rd5 Rc3+ 61. Kxg4 Rxa3 62. Rb5+ Kc7 63. Rb7+ Kd6 64. Kf5 Ra1 65. Rb4 Kc7 66. Rc4 Rf1+ 67. Ke5 Re1+ 68. Kd5 Rg1 69. Rc2 Rg5+ 70. Kc4 Rh5 71. Kb4 Rh4+ 72. Kb5 Rh5+ 73. Rc5 Rh1 74. Bf5 Rh8 75. Be4 Re8 1-0 [Bird C.]

Game(s) in PGN