Fading Beauty

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – 丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn)
1st China Chess Queen; match game 2; 台州 (Tāizhōu), November 25, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Qb3 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Ba3 b6 8. e3 0-0 9. Nf3 Nc6 10. Be2 Na5 11. Qc2. Also after 11. Qb4 c5! 12. Qb2 Be6 13. Nd2 Qc7 we’d subjectively prefer Black, Mah – Hawkins, 4NCL 2012/2013, Staverton 2013. 11. ... c5 12. dxc5? 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) must win at any cost, and doesn’t hesitate to unbalance the position. Objectively, her move is very dubious. On the other hand, 12. 0-0 Qc7 was dead equal. 12. ... Bf5! 13. Qb2 bxc5 14. 0-0. By taking the Pawn, 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) would have subjected herself to a very powerful initiative: 14. Bxc5? Qc7 15. Bb4 Nc4! would leave White in a very unpleasant position. 14. ... Rb8 15. Qc1 Qc7 16. Nd2 Qe5 17. Bb2 Rfd8 18. Rd1

18. ... Bd3! Black gained a strong advantage. 19. Bf3 c4 20. h3 h5 21. Nf1 Nb7 22. Rd2. A bad move in a bad position. Now White will be soon overwhelmed by Black’s huge preponderance. 22. ... Nc5 23. Qd1 Qc7 24. Rc1 Qa5. Even simpler was 24. ... Bxf1 25. Kxf1 Rxd2 26. Qxd2 Nd3 and White could well resign. 25. Ba1 Na4 26. Qe1 Rd6 27. Ng3 Rdb6 28. Ne2 Rb1 29. Rdd1 Rxc1 30. Rxc1 e5 ½ : ½. White is substantially helpless, but 丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) needed just a half point to qualify for the next round.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) (R.) vs. 丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) (L.)
Photo: General Administration of Sport in China