WGP Geneva: four decisive games

[Event "Fondation Neva Women's Grand Prix"] [Site "Geneva"] [Date "2013.05.11"] [Round "8.3"] [White "Hou, Yifan"] [Black "Ushenina, Anna"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B51"] [Annotator "MIKHALCHISHIN"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:32:05"] [BlackClock "0:31:13"] {It was the game of the tournament for both players - in September they will play a match for the World Championship title in home city of Hou Yifan. So this game was a real warming up for the girls, or perhaps we could say 0! Now they really understand the power of the opponent. I would not overestimate or underestimate the result. It can have a different impact on each of the players, and although it is good to win it is not clear what is the best outcome here. Let us wait and enjoy their fantastic fight!} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. d4 Ngf6 5. O-O cxd4 ({Deadly dangerous here is materialism:} 5... Nxe4 6. Qe2 Nef6 7. dxc5 dxc5 8. Rd1 a6 9. Bc4 e6 10. Ng5 Qb6 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. Nxe6 Be7 13. Re1 Ng8 14. Bf4 $18 {1-0 Velicka,P-Johann,C/Passau op 2000}) 6. Qxd4 g6 ({The classical way is} 6... e5 7. Qd3 h6 8. Nc3 Be7 9. Be3 O-O) 7. e5 dxe5 8. Qxe5 Bg7 9. Re1 e6 10. Qd6 a6 11. Bf1 Bf8 ({Ushenina believed that more proper move here is} 11... Qb6 {but could not remeber her old analysis.}) 12. Qd3 ({ Serious attention deserves} 12. Qf4) 12... Bg7 13. c4 O-O 14. Nc3 b6 ({Better try was to develop differently in the center} 14... Qc7 15. g3 e5 16. Bg5 h6 17. Be3 Re8 18. Qc2 Nc5) 15. Bf4 Bb7 16. Rad1 Qc8 17. h3 Rd8 18. Na4 $2 {Looks tempting , but this decentralization is a serious mistake.} ({White could keep slight advantage after} 18. a3 Nh5 19. Bh2 Bh6 20. Ne5 Nxe5 21. Qxd8+ Qxd8 22. Rxd8+ Rxd8 23. Bxe5 Bf4 24. Bxf4 Nxf4 25. g3 Nh5 26. Na4 Rd6 27. c5 bxc5 28. Nxc5 Bc8) 18... b5 $1 {An unexpected counterstike.} ({White was ready for the long line} 18... Bc6 19. Nxb6 Nxb6 20. Qxd8+ Qxd8 21. Rxd8+ Rxd8 22. Bc7 Rc8 23. Bxb6 Bxf3 24. gxf3 Nd7 25. Be3 Bxb2 26. Rb1 Ba3 {but it is not clear what will happen after the blockade on c5.}) 19. cxb5 ({White could better hold after} 19. Nc3 bxc4 20. Qxc4 Bxf3 21. Qxc8 Rdxc8 22. gxf3) 19... axb5 20. Rc1 Nc5 21. Qxb5 {Ushenina honestly admitted that she overlooked this move, but eventually Black obtain a very strong initiative} ({White would get worse ending after} 21. Rxc5 Rxd3 22. Rxc8+ Rxc8 23. Bxd3 bxa4 24. Ne5 Nd5) 21... Rxa4 22. Rxc5 Qa8 23. Bc7 Rc8 24. Ne5 ({White would get a slightly worse position after the best move} 24. Bd6 Rxc5 25. Bxc5 Bxf3 26. gxf3 Ra5 27. Qc4 Nd7) 24... Rxa2 25. Nc4 Nd5 $1 {Now White's pieces started to become vulnerable.} 26. Bg3 ({It was necessary to try} 26. Be5) 26... Bc6 27. Qb3 Bd4 $1 {A very strong move. Now White's rook is in trouble.} 28. Nd6 Rxb2 ({Very strong was} 28... Bxc5 29. Nxc8 Bd4 30. Rb1 Kg7 31. Qc4 Bf6 32. Nd6 Rxb2) 29. Qc4 Bxc5 30. Qxc5 Rcb8 {Now Rb1 is a threat and it becomes clear that White is in serious trouble.} 31. Ne4 Rb1 32. Re2 Rxf1+ $1 33. Kh2 ({Immediately losing was} 33. Kxf1 Rb1+ 34. Re1 Qa6+) 33... Rbb1 {Black has won a rook and White has just few cheap threats.} 34. Be5 Rh1+ 35. Kg3 Rhe1 36. Ra2 {This brave sacrifice cannot help.} Qxa2 37. Qxc6 Qa3+ 38. f3 Rxe4 $1 39. Bd6 Qxd6+ 40. Qxd6 Reb4 0-1