A bodycheck, a Krushing attack, a rook retreat...

[Event "FIDE Women's World Teams"] [Site "Astana KAZ"] [Date "2013.03.03"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Krush, I."] [Black "Dauletova, G."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A25"] [WhiteElo "2448"] [BlackElo "2265"] [PlyCount "163"] [EventDate "2013.03.03"] [WhiteTeam "USA"] [BlackTeam "KAZ"] [WhiteTeamCountry "USA"] 1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 f5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Rb1 a5 6. e3 d5 7. cxd5 Nb4 8. d3 Nfxd5 9. Nxd5 Nxd5 10. Nf3 Bd6 11. O-O Nf6 12. b3 O-O 13. Bb2 Qe7 14. Qc2 c6 15. e4 fxe4 16. dxe4 Bg4 17. Nh4 g6 18. h3 Be6 19. Nf3 Nd7 20. Rbd1 Bc7 21. Rd2 h6 22. Rfd1 Rf7 23. Qc1 Kh7 24. Ba3 c5 25. Rxd7 Bxd7 26. Bxc5 Qe8 27. Be3 Rc8 28. Bxh6 Kh8 29. Qg5 Kh7 30. Qh4 Kg8 31. Qg5 Kh7 32. Qd2 Bd8 33. Ng5+ Bxg5 34. Bxg5 a4 35. Be3 axb3 36. axb3 Be6 37. Qb4 Rd7 38. Ra1 Qf7 39. Qb5 Qg7 40. h4 Rc3 41. b4 Bc4 42. Qb6 Bd3 43. Bc5 Be2 44. Qe6 Bc4 45. Qe8 Bb5 46. Qe6 Be2 47. Ra8 Bf3 48. Re8 Rcd3 49. Qxe5 Qxe5 50. Rxe5 Kg7 51. Rg5 Rd1+ 52. Kh2 Bxg2 53. Kxg2 Kf7 54. h5 gxh5 55. Rxh5 Kg6 56. Rh8 Re1 57. Re8 Rf7 58. f4 Rd7 59. Kf3 Kf7 60. Rf8+ Kg7 61. Rb8 Rd3+ 62. Kg4 Rxe4 63. Rxb7+ Kf6 64. b5 Rc4 65. Rc7 Ke6 66. b6 Rb3 67. Be7 Rd4 68. Bc5 Rc4 69. Kh4 Kd5 70. Be7 Rxb6 71. Rxc4 Kxc4 72. f5 Kd5 73. g4 Rb1 74. Kh5 Rg1 75. g5 Ke5 {Krushing Attack In a pure technical endgame a rook is usually much stronger than a bishop, but in the following case the two connected passed pawns are sufficient to win:} 76. f6 $2 {Now Black can stop the pawns as her king is very well placed on e6.} ({After} 76. Kg6 $1 {White can prepare the advance of the f-pawn and win sooner or later, e. g.} Rg2 (76... Kf4 77. Bd6+ Kg4 78. f6 Kh4 79. Bf4 Rf1 80. Kf5 $18) 77. Bd8 Rd2 (77... Rg1 78. f6 Ke6 79. f7 Rf1 80. Bf6 $18) 78. Bc7+ Kd5 79. Kh6 Rc2 (79... Rg2 80. Bd8 Ke5 81. f6 Ke6 82. g6 Rd2 83. Be7 Rd7 84. g7 Kf7 85. Kh7 $18) 80. g6 Rxc7 81. g7 Rc8 82. f6 Ke6 83. Kg6 $18) 76... Ke6 $1 77. g6 (77. Kg6 Rg2 78. Bd8 {is parried by} Rd2 $1 $11) 77... Rg2 $2 {Waiting is indeed the correct strategy, but it should be done on the h-file:} (77... Rh1+ $1 78. Kg5 Rh2 $1 { and White can't make progress, e.g.} 79. Bd8 Rh1 80. f7 (80. Bb6 Rd1 81. f7 Rf1 $11) 80... Rf1 81. Kh6 Rxf7 82. gxf7 Kxf7 $11) (77... Kf5 $2 78. f7 Rh1+ 79. Bh4 $18) 78. Kh6 $1 {Now Irina Krush's attack crushes through:} Rh2+ (78... Kf5 79. f7 Rxg6+ 80. Kh7 $18) 79. Kg7 Rf2 80. Bd8 Rd2 (80... Kd7 81. f7 Kxd8 82. f8=Q+ Rxf8 83. Kxf8 $18) 81. f7 Rd7 82. Kg8 (82. Kg8 Rxd8+ 83. f8=Q Rxf8+ 84. Kxf8 $18) 1-0

[Event "FIDE Women's World Teams"] [Site "Astana KAZ"] [Date "2013.03.03"] [Round "1.3"] [White "Saduakassova, D."] [Black "Foisor, S."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A52"] [WhiteElo "2353"] [BlackElo "2323"] [PlyCount "128"] [EventDate "2013.03.03"] [WhiteTeam "KAZ"] [BlackTeam "USA"] [BlackTeamCountry "USA"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bb4+ 6. Nbd2 Qe7 7. a3 Bxd2+ 8. Qxd2 Ngxe5 9. Nxe5 Nxe5 10. e3 O-O 11. Be2 d6 12. O-O Bf5 13. Rad1 Rfe8 14. Bg3 b6 15. f3 Rad8 16. e4 Be6 17. Qc3 f6 18. f4 Nd7 19. Bd3 a5 20. Bb1 Nf8 21. Rde1 Qf7 22. Ba2 Kh8 23. Rf2 Bc8 24. Bb1 Ba6 25. Ba2 Ng6 26. e5 dxe5 27. fxe5 Qe7 28. e6 Qc5 29. b4 axb4 30. axb4 Qd4 31. Qxd4 Rxd4 32. Bxc7 Bxc4 33. Bxb6 Rxe6 34. Rff1 Rde4 35. Bxc4 Rxe1 36. Bxe6 Rxe6 37. Bc5 Re5 38. g3 h5 39. Rc1 Re2 40. Bd4 Ne5 41. Bxe5 Rxe5 42. Rb1 Rb5 43. Kf2 Kg8 44. Ke3 Kf7 45. Kd4 Ke6 46. Kc4 Rb8 47. b5 g5 48. b6 f5 49. Kc5 f4 50. gxf4 gxf4 51. b7 f3 52. Kc6 Ke5 53. Kc7 Rxb7+ {The bodycheck This term is borrowed from ice-hockey:} 54. Kxb7 $2 {Now White's king will not be in time on the kingside.} (54. Rxb7 {wins as Black's counterplay is always just too late, e.g.} f2 (54... h4 55. Kc6 h3 56. Rh7 Ke4 (56... f2 57. Rf7 $18) 57. Rh4+ Ke3 58. Rxh3 Ke2 59. Rh8 f2 60. Rf8 f1=Q 61. Rxf1 Kxf1 62. h4 $18) 55. Rb1 Kf4 56. Kd6 Kf3 57. h4 Kg2 58. Ke5 f1=Q 59. Rxf1 Kxf1 60. Kf4 Ke2 61. Kg5 Kf3 62. Kxh5 Kf4 63. Kg6 $18) 54... h4 $1 ({ Of course neither} 54... f2 $4 55. Rf1 $18) ({nor} 54... Kf4 $2 55. Kc6 f2 56. Kd5 Kf3 57. h4 $18) 55. Kc6 h3 $1 {The h-pawn just marches on so that Black can use the bodycheck against White's king.} 56. Rb8 (56. Kd7 {does not help, e.g.} Ke4 57. Ke6 f2 58. Kf6 Kf3 59. Kg5 Kg2 60. Kg4 Kxh2 61. Kf3 f1=Q+ 62. Rxf1 {stalemate}) 56... Ke4 57. Kd6 f2 58. Rf8 (58. Rb1 Kf3 59. Ke5 Kg2 60. Kf4 Kxh2 (60... f1=Q+ 61. Rxf1 Kxf1 62. Kg3 Ke2 63. Kxh3 Kf3 $11) 61. Kf3 f1=Q+ 62. Rxf1 {stalemate}) 58... Ke3 59. Ke5 Ke2 60. Ke4 f1=Q 61. Rxf1 Kxf1 62. Kf3 { This bodycheck is not fatal due to} Ke1 $1 63. Kg3 Ke2 64. Kxh3 Kf3 1/2-1/2

[Event "FIDE Women's World Teams"] [Site "Astana KAZ"] [Date "2013.03.04"] [Round "2.4"] [White "Benmesbah, N."] [Black "Soumya, Sw"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B81"] [WhiteElo "2266"] [BlackElo "2283"] [PlyCount "108"] [EventDate "2013.03.03"] [WhiteTeam "FRA"] [BlackTeam "IND"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e6 7. g4 Be7 8. g5 Nfd7 9. h4 b5 10. a3 Bb7 11. Be3 Nc6 12. Qd2 Nde5 13. O-O-O Ng4 14. Nxc6 Bxc6 15. Bd4 e5 16. Bh3 exd4 17. Qxd4 Ne5 18. f4 Qc7 19. Nd5 Bxd5 20. exd5 Qc4 21. fxe5 Qxd4 22. Rxd4 dxe5 23. Rd3 Bd6 24. Rc3 Ke7 25. Bf5 g6 26. Bg4 h6 27. Re1 hxg5 28. hxg5 Rh4 29. Re4 Rh1+ 30. Kd2 Rb1 31. Rb3 Rb8 32. Bd1 a5 33. c4 bxc4 34. Rxb8 Bxb8 35. Kc2 Ra1 36. Rxc4 Kd6 37. Rc6+ Kxd5 38. Rf6 Ba7 39. Rxf7 Be3 40. Rf6 e4 {Regrettable rook retreat With bishops of opposite colors activity is usually of crucial importance:} 41. Rf1 $2 {This rook retreat is too passive as White can't exchange rooks.} ({The active} 41. Be2 $1 Rc1+ (41... Bxg5 42. Rxg6 $11) 42. Kb3 Re1 43. Bc4+ Kc5 44. Ba6 Bxg5 45. Rxg6 $11 {saves the day due to the reduced winning potential.}) 41... Rc1+ 42. Kb3 Bxg5 43. Be2 $6 {The exchange of rooks loses more or less by force, but it is not likely that Black can save herself anyway, e.g.} (43. Rf7 e3 44. Bf3+ Ke5 45. Ra7 Bd8 46. Ra8 Bc7 $17) 43... Rxf1 44. Bxf1 Kd4 $1 {The king must invade first to prevent White from building a blockade.} (44... e3 $2 45. Kc2 Ke4 46. Bd3+ Kf4 47. b4 (47. Bxg6 $2 e2 48. Kd2 Kf3+ 49. Ke1 Ke3 50. b4 Bh4#) 47... a4 (47... axb4 48. axb4 Kg3 49. Be2 Kf2 50. Kd3 $11) 48. b5 Bd8 49. Bxg6 $11) 45. Kc2 Ke3 $1 (45... e3 $2 46. b4 a4 47. Bb5 Ke4 48. Bc6+ Kf4 49. Kd3 $11) 46. Kd1 (46. Bg2 a4 47. Kd1 (47. Kc3 Bf6+ 48. Kb4 Bxb2 49. Kxa4 Kd3 50. Kb3 Bxa3 51. Kxa3 e3 $19) 47... Bf6 48. Kc2 g5 49. b3 axb3+ 50. Kxb3 Kd3 51. Bf1+ Kd2 52. Kc4 e3 53. Kd5 e2 54. Bxe2 Kxe2 55. Ke4 Kf2 56. Kf5 Kf3 57. Kxf6 g4 $19) (46. b4 Kf2 47. Bc4 a4 $19) 46... Kf2 47. Bb5 Bf6 48. a4 (48. b4 {is met by} g5 (48... axb4 49. axb4 Be7 50. Bc6 e3 51. Bb5 Bxb4 {wins as well.}) 49. Be2 (49. bxa5 g4 50. a6 Bd4 51. Bc6 e3 52. Bb5 g3 53. Bc6 e2+ $19) 49... a4 50. b5 Be7 51. b6 Bxa3 52. b7 Bd6 $19) (48. b3 g5 49. Be2 Be7 50. a4 {loses as in the game as White's pawn b3 does not really matter.}) 48... Bxb2 49. Be8 g5 50. Bh5 Bc3 51. Bg4 Bb4 52. Bh5 e3 53. Bg4 (53. Be2 Kg3 54. Bb5 g4 55. Ke2 Kh2 56. Bd7 g3 57. Bc6 g2 58. Bxg2 Kxg2 59. Kxe3 Kf1 $19) 53... Kg3 54. Bd7 (54. Bh5 g4 55. Ke2 Bc5 56. Be8 Kg2 57. Bc6+ Kg1 $19) 54... Kf3 $1 {This move to a light square overloads the defense.} (54... Kf3 $1 55. Bc6+ Kf2 56. Bb5 g4 $19) 0-1

[Event "FIDE Women's World Teams"] [Site "Astana KAZ"] [Date "2013.03.04"] [Round "2.3"] [White "Pogonina, Natalija"] [Black "Davletbayeva, Madina"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C83"] [WhiteElo "2475"] [BlackElo "2272"] [PlyCount "115"] [EventDate "2013.03.03"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Be7 10. c3 O-O 11. Bc2 f5 12. exf6 Nxf6 13. Nb3 Qd7 14. Nbd4 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 Bd6 16. Nxe6 Qxe6 17. Re1 Qf7 18. Be3 Rae8 19. Qf3 c6 20. Bd4 Rxe1+ 21. Rxe1 Re8 22. Rxe8+ Qxe8 23. g3 Qe7 24. Qf5 Qd7 25. b4 Qxf5 26. Bxf5 Kf7 27. f3 Bc7 28. Kf2 a5 29. a3 g6 30. Bc8 Ng8 31. Bd7 Ne7 32. Ke3 axb4 33. axb4 Bd6 34. Kd3 h5 35. f4 Bb8 36. Bc5 h4 37. Be3 hxg3 38. hxg3 Nf5 39. Bf2 Nd6 40. Bxc6 Ke6 41. Be1 Ba7 42. g4 Bb6 43. Bd2 Bd8 44. Be3 Bc7 45. Bd4 Bd8 46. Bc5 Ne4 47. Bxb5 Nxc5+ 48. bxc5 Be7 {Pogonina's Passed Pawns Opposite colored bishop endings have a large drawish tendency, but connected passed pawns are very strong, if they can't be blockaded:} 49. Be8 $1 Bxc5 ({After} 49... g5 50. c6 Kd6 51. fxg5 Bxg5 52. c4 dxc4+ 53. Kxc4 $18 {White's passed pawns are three files apart and this wins here as usual.}) (49... Kf6 50. g5+ Kg7 51. Kd4 $18 { is of course too passive.}) 50. Bxg6 Kf6 {The alternativs do not help as White can sacrifice the bishop in many lines due to her strong passed pawns, e.g.} ( 50... Ke7 51. Bh7 Kf7 (51... Ba3 52. Bg8 Kd6 53. Kd2 Bc5 (53... Kc6 54. g5 Bd6 55. Ke3 Bc5+ 56. Kd3 Bd6 57. g6 Bxf4 58. Bxd5+ Kxd5 59. g7 $18) 54. g5 d4 55. c4 Bb6 56. Kd3 $18) 52. Bf5 Bf8 53. Bc8 (53. g5 $18) 53... Ke7 54. g5 Bg7 ( 54... Kd6 55. Bh3 Be7 56. Kd4 Bd8 57. Bg2 Bb6+ 58. Kd3 Bd8 59. g6 Bf6 60. Bxd5 Kxd5 61. c4+ Kc5 62. Ke4 Kxc4 63. Kf5 $18) 55. Bb7 Ke6 {and now} 56. Bxd5+ { wins:} Kxd5 57. c4+ Kc5 58. Ke4 Kxc4 59. f5 Kc5 60. f6 Bxf6 61. gxf6 Kd6 62. Kf5 Kd7 63. Kg6 Ke8 64. Kg7 $18) (50... Bf2 {can even be met by} 51. Bh7 Bg3 52. Bg8+ Kd6 53. Bxd5 Kxd5 54. c4+ {and the passed pawns prevail after} Kc5 55. Ke4 Kxc4 56. g5 $18) 51. Be8 Bf2 52. Bd7 Bg3 53. Ke3 (53. Kd4 $5 Bxf4 (53... Ke7 54. Bc6 Kd6 55. Bxd5 $18) 54. Kxd5 {wins as well.}) 53... Bh2 (53... Ke7 { does not help due to} 54. Bc6 Ke6 55. g5 Kf5 56. Bd7+ Kg6 57. Ba4 Bh4 58. Be8+ Kf5 59. Bd7+ Kg6 60. Kd4 Be1 61. Be8+ Kg7 62. f5 $18) (53... Be1 {is met by} 54. Kd4 Bd2 55. Bc6 Bxf4 56. Kxd5 $18 {and White wins as the pawns are 3 files apart.}) 54. Kf3 Bg1 55. g5+ Ke7 56. Bc6 Kd6 ({After} 56... d4 $5 {White has to be careful due to the reduced winning potential:} 57. c4 $1 (57. cxd4 $2 Bxd4 58. f5 Kf7 59. Ke4 Bb2 60. Bd5+ Kg7 61. Bc4 Bc1 62. f6+ Kg6 63. f7 Kg7 64. g6 Ba3 $11) 57... d3 58. Be4 d2 59. Bc2 Kd6 60. Ke4 Ke6 61. f5+ Kf7 62. f6 Ke6 63. c5 Bxc5 64. Bb3+ Kd7 65. g6 $18) (56... Ke6 57. Kg4 d4 58. f5+ Kd6 59. cxd4 (59. Ba4 dxc3 60. Kh5 Ke5 61. g6 Kf6 62. Kh6 Bc5 63. g7 Kf7 64. Kh7 $18) 59... Kxc6 60. f6 Bxd4 61. f7 Bg7 62. Kf5 Kd7 63. Kg6 Bf8 64. Kh7 Ke6 65. Kg8 Ke7 66. g6 Bh6 67. g7 $18) 57. g6 Ke6 (57... Kxc6 58. g7 $18) 58. Bxd5+ (58. Bxd5+ Kf6 (58... Kxd5 59. g7 $18) 59. Be4 Bb6 60. Ke2 Bc7 61. f5 Be5 62. Kd3 Ke7 63. Kc4 Bf6 64. Kb4 Kd6 65. c4 Bd4 66. Kb5 Bf6 67. c5+ Kc7 68. Kc4 $18) 1-0