5月4日 (May 4)

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
Women’s World Chess Championship match game 2; 上海 (Shànghǎi), May 4, 2018
English Opening A21

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. d3 Bxc3+ 4. bxc3 d6 5. g3 f5 6. Bg2 Nf6 7. Rb1 c6. 7. ... Nc6 8. Nf3 0-0 may transpose into 9. 0-0 Qe8! 10. Qb3? b6! (Black is already better) 11. Nh4 Na5 12. Qa3 Rb8 13. Be3? f4! 14. gxf4 Qh5 15. Nf3 Bh3! with an overwhelming attack for Black, Svidler – Carlsen, 2nd Norway Chess, Stavanger 2014. 8. Nf3 Qc7 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Bg5 Nbd7 11. Nd2 h6 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. e4 Be6 14. Bh3 Qd7 15. exf5 Bxf5 16. Bxf5 Qxf5 17. Ne4. 17. Rxb7 Qxd3 leads nowhere for White. 17. ... Qd7 18. Qb3 Nxe4 19. dxe4 Rf7 20. Rfd1. White has no reason to be happy with her opening’s outcome, mostly due to her spoiled Queenside pawn structure. If now 20. Rbd1 then 20. ... Qe6 still with a slightly more comfortable game for Black.

20. ... Qg4! Black sacrifices a Pawn in order to break through to the enemy’s position. 21. Rxd6 Qe2! 22. Rf1? And here comes 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s first serious mistake. If 22. Rb2 then 22. ... Qe1+ 23. Kg2 Qxe4+ 24. Kg1 Rae8 and Black stands somewhat better. Likewise after 22. Qb2 Qxe4 23. c5 Raf8 White’s game would remain a little uncomfortable. 22. ... Raf8 23. c5 Kh7. Black wins back her Pawn with great advantage. 24. Qd1 Qxa2 25. Qb1 Qc4! 26. Rd2 a5! 27. Qb6 Qxc3 28. Rb2 h5 29. Ra2 a4! 30. Qb2. 30. Rxa4?? Rxf2! runs into a quick mate. 30. ... Qxc5 31. Rxa4 g6 32. Qd2 Kg7 33. Ra5 Qd4 34. Qxd4 exd4 35. f4 Rd8 36. Kf2 b6? 36. ... Rc7! followed by ... c6-c5 seems much simpler (37. Rc1 d3−+). 37. Ra6 c5 38. Rxb6 Ra7? The time shortage affected both players equally. Here 38. ... Rc7! 39. Rfb1 c4 40. Rb7 Rxb7 41. Rxb7+ Kf6 was not so clear as before, but certainly it offered better winning chances. 39. f5? White does not seize her lucky chance! 39. Rc6 would have equalised. 39. ... gxf5 40. exf5 d3 41. Rc6. Too late! However, 41. Rd1 Rc7! is no better. 41. ... Ra2+ 42. Kf3 d2 43. Rc7+ Kf6 44. Rc6+ Ke7 45. Rd1 Rc2 46. h3 c4 47. g4 hxg4+ 48. hxg4 Rc1 49. Ke2 c3 50. Rc7+ Kf6 51. Rc6+ Kg5 52. Kf3 Rg8 53. Ke2 Rh8 54. Rd6 Rxd1 55. Kxd1 Rh1+ 0 : 1.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) (left) vs. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) (right). Photo: cca.imsa.cn.

Standing from left: 叶江川 (Yè Jiāngchuān), Deputy Director of the Chess & Cards Sports Management Centre of the National Sports Bureau, and 单霞丽 (Dān Xiálì), President of 上海 (Shànghǎi) Chess Academy, blessing the start of the second game between 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) (seated left) and 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) (seated right). Photo: 张建东 (Zhāng Jiàndōng).