鋼琴別戀 (The Piano)

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 4; Khanty-Mansiysk, November 22, 2018

Sicilian Defence B31

Finally 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) found back to the woman she used to be, and it was enough to grab tomorrow’s tie-break. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. 0-0 Bg7 5. Re1 e5 6. a3 Nge7 7. Nc3 0-0 8. Bc4 d6 9. d3 h6 10. Nd5 Kh7 11. c3 f5 12. exf5. 12. b4 f4 is another double-edged sword, Fuchs – Szilágyi, 1st “Maróczy Memorial” International Tournament, Debrecen 1967. 12. ... gxf5!? Quite risky. The vintage “book” gave instead 12. ... Bxf5 13. b4 Be6 14. Nxe7 Qxe7 15. Bxe6 Qxe6 16. bxc5 dxc5 17. Re4 Rad8 with a comfortable game for Black, Boleslavsky – Taimanov, 4th Soviet Team Chess Championship, Voroshilovgrad 1955. 13. b4!? If nothing else, after 13. Ng5+ Kg6 (13. ... Kg8?? 14. Nxe7++ Kh8 15. Ng6 mate) 14. Nf3 Black should have resolved the dilemma about how to avoid a draw by repetition (maybe by 14. ... Nxd5 15. Bxd5 Kh7). 13. ... Ng6 14. b5 Na5 15. Ba2 Be6 16. Qa4 b6 17. Bd2 Rg8 18. Rad1 Qd7 19. Nh4? This is really a serious error. After 19. Kh1 Black has more than one good answer (for instance 19. ... Raf8), but yet no certainty of winning the game. 19. ... Bh8? 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) apparently misses the devilish 19. ... c4! 20. Nxg6 Bxd5 which would have won material for Black (21. Nh4 Bf6−+). 20. Nxg6 Rxg6 21. Qh4 Rag8 22. g3. If 22. Kh1 Black equally replies with 22. ... Qf7 with similar continuations as in the game. 22. ... Qf7 23. c4 Bf6. 23. ... f4!? 24. Bxa5 bxa5 is obviously better for Black, but not so much as to prevent counterplay by White. 24. Nxf6+ Rxf6 25. f4! Rg4! 26. Qh3 Rfg6 27. Rf1. 27. Qf1 is also answered by 27. ... Qg7 with an uncertain but easier game for Black. 27. ... Qg7. Alekhine’s gun. 28. Kh1? Lagno’s nerves eventually crack. Her best chance was 28. Qh5 Qf7 (29. ... Rxg3+ 30. hxg3 Rxg3+ 31. Kh2 Rg2+ 32. Kh1 Rg4 is probably insufficient to hope for a win) 29. Qh3 and here Black by 29. ... Qf6 should keep the initiative.

28. ... Bc8! Black could of course sacrifice her Rook at once, but the text is aesthetically pleasing too. 29. Qh5. Desperation, but 29. d4 exd4 30. Bb1 Bb7+ 31. Kg1 d3! is equally hopeless. 29. ... Bb7+ 30. Kg1 Rxg3+! 31. hxg3 Rxg3+ 32. Kf2 Rg2+ 0 : 1. “How do I estimate my chances tomorrow in rapid and blitz games? I don’t know. Clearly Lagno is good at rapid, but I am not bad there as well. But who can tell about tomorrow? No one can predict”, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) said afterwards.

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno vs. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn). Photo © Press service of the Women’s World Championship 2018.