Win, Lose or Draw

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – 袁烨 (Yuán Yè)
6th Chinese Women’s Masters Chess Tournament; 无锡 (Wúxī), May 28, 2017
Semi-Slav Defence D45

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Be2 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. a4 a5 9. b3 b6 10. Qc2 Bb7 11. e4!? A variation to the theme in respect to 11. Bb2 Qe7 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 f5 15. Qe3 c5 16. Rad1 Rae8 17. Rfe1 Nf6 18. Ne5 Ne4 19. Bf1 Rd8 20. Nd3 Qc7 21. f4 g5 22. dxc5 bxc5 23. Ne5 Qg7 24. Ba1 gxf4 25. Qxf4 Bc7 26. h4 (what a disaster!) 26. ... Rd4 27. Rxd4 cxd4 28. Bxd4 Rd8 29. Ba1 Ng3 30. c5 Rd1 31. Qc4 Rxe1 32. Qxe6+ Kf8 33. Nd7+ Qxd7 34. Qxe1 Nxf1 35. Qxf1 Qd5 36. Kh1 Qe4 37. Bf6 Kf7 0 : 1 Pr. Nikolić – Dreev, World Rapid Chess Championship, Berlin 2015. 11. ... dxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Qxe4 Nf6 14. Qh4 c5 15. Bb2 Ne4 16. Qh5 cxd4 17. Bxd4 f5 18. Rad1 Qc7 19. Bb2 Bc5 20. Bd3 Qe7 21. Bd4 Bxd4 22. Nxd4 Rad8 23. Bxe4 Bxe4 24. Qe2 e5 25. Nb5 Bc6 26. Rxd8 Rxd8 27. Rd1 Bxb5 28. Rxd8+ Qxd8 29. cxb5. The Queen ending appears to be absolutely drawish, but, since Queen endings are among the most difficult to win (as well as to lose!), we may think that, given her deeper experience, 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) will better know what to do. 29. ... h6 30. h4 Qd6 31. Qc2 f4 32. Kf1 Kf7 33. h5 Ke7 34. Ke2 Qd4 35. Qc7+ Kf6 36. Qc6+ Ke7 37. Qc2 Qd6 38. Qc4 Qd7 39. Ke1 Qd4 40. Qc2 Qa1+ 41. Ke2 Qd4 42. Qc7+ Kf6 43. Qc6+ Ke7 44. Kf3 Qd1+ 45. Ke4 Qe2+ 46. Kd5

46. ... Qd2+? A grave mistake that very precisely prepares for defeat. Correct was 46. ... Qd1+ 47. Kxe5 Qxh5+ 48. Kxf4 Qf7+ regaigning the Pawn with a draw very likely. 47. Kxe5 Qxf2 48. Kf5. Stockfish gives 48. Qe6+ Kf8 49. Kd6 which, indeed, might well be stronger. 48. ... Qe3 49. Qc7+ Ke8 50. Qe5+ Kf7 51. Qd5+ Ke7 52. Kg6 Qg3+ 53. Kh7 Qg4. 53. ... Kf6 might have been more stubborn (at least from a practical viewpoint) as after 54. Qd8+ Kf5 55. Qf8+ Ke4 56. Qxg7 Ke3 57. Qxh6 Qxg2 58. Qxb6 Ke2 59. Qc6 f3 60. b6 (Stockfish) it seems just a bit less easy for White to win. 54. Qb7+ Kf8 55. Qb8+ Kf7 56. Qc7+ Kf8 57. Qxb6 Qxh5 58. Qd8+ Kf7 59. Qd7+ Kf6 60. Qxg7+ Kf5 61. b6 Qe8 62. b7 h5 63. Kh6 Qe6+ 64. Kxh5 Qe8+ 65. Kh6 Qe6+ 66. Kh7 Qe8 67. g4+ fxg3 68. Qxg3 Qe7+ 69. Qg7 Qe8 70. Qc7 Qg6+ 71. Kh8 Qe8+ 72. Kg7 Qg6+ 73. Kf8 Qh6+ 74. Qg7 Qd6+ 75. Qe7 Qb6 76. Ke8 1 : 0.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

袁烨 (Yuán Yè)
Photo: qipai.org.cn