Play to Win

丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
China – Russia Match; 宁波市 (Níngbō), July 20, 2015
Caro-Kann Defence B19

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bd2 Ngf6 12. 0-0-0 Be7 13. Kb1 0-0 14. Ne4 c5 15. g4!? Dernier cri. 15. ... Nxg4 16. Rhg1 f5 17. Qc4 Qb6 18. dxc5!? Quite a novelty. If, instead, 18. d5 then 18. ... Qa6! and Black should hold, Baumegger – Kreisl, 55th Austrian Chess Championship, Zwettl 2012. 18. ... Qc6. Worth considering was 18. ... Nxc5 as after 19. Nxc5 Bxc5 20. Bc3 Rf7 21. Nd4 the position looks only slightly better for White. 19. Bc3 b5!? After 19. ... Rf7 20. Qe2 Qxe4 21. Qxe4 fxe4 22. Rxd7 Nf6 23. Bxf6 Bxf6 24. Rxf7 Kxf7 25. Nd2 White wins a Pawn. 20. Qe2 b4!? Now it’s too late for 20. ... Qxe4 21. Qxe4 fxe4 because of 22. Rxd7 Rf7 23. Rxg4 exf3 24. b4! and Black is completely tied up. 21. Bxb4 Rab8 22. Bc3 e5? The decisive mistake! Instead of this hasty move, necessary was 22. ... Rf7 though after 23. Nd4 Qxe4 24. Qxe4 fxe4 25. Rxg4 Nf6 26. Rg6 White stands better.

23. Rxd7! A destructive Exchange sacrifice! 23. ... Qxd7 24. Qc4+ Kh7 25. Nxe5 Qc8. Needless to say, after 25. ... Nxe5 26. Bxe5 White threatens both Rg1xg7+ and Be5xb8. 26. Ng6 Qc7 27. Qe6 Bxc5 28. Nxf8+ Rxf8 29. Qg6+ Kg8 30. Nxc5 Rf7 31. Ne6 1 : 0. For if 31. ... Ne5 then 32. Qxh6 finis. Thus 丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) won her first game!

丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) vs. Valentina Yevgenyevna Gunina
Photo: sinochess (@sinachess)