遊戲治療 (Play therapy)

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 3; Khanty-Mansiysk, November 21, 2018

King’s Indian Defence E77

Today 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) took off her glasses and put a mineral water bottle at her feet, hoping to retune herself, but no awakening came. After getting from the opening more than expected, she dramatically missed several opportunities to deliver the knockout blow in a crucial game for her. In the end, a drawn opposite colour Bishop ending two Pawns up is the most she’s managed. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Bd3 0-0 6. Nge2 c5 7. d5 e6 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4. Inconsistent is 9. Bd2 Nbd7 10. b3 exd5 11. cxd5 a6 12. 0-0 b5 13. f4? c4! 14. bxc4 Nc5 15. Bc2 b4 16. e5 dxe5 17. fxe5 Ng4 18. Na4 Nxa4 19. Bxa4 Bxe5−+ T. V. Petrossiàn – R. J. Fischer, World Blitz Chess Championship, Herceg Novi 1970. 9. ... exd5 10. Nxd5!? White plays on the sidelines. 10. ... g5!? 11. Bg3 Nxd5 12. cxd5 Bxb2 13. h4 g4 14. Rb1 Bg7 15. 0-0 Re8 16. Nf4. White got a great compensation for the Pawn, and, for the first time in her pseudo-match with 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), Lagno seems to feel herself under threat. 16. ... c4!? 17. Bxc4 Rxe4 18. Bd3 Re5 19. f3 h5 20. Be2 Qd7? After this Black is on the verge of ruin owing to a neat tactics at White’s hand. Comparatively better was 20. ... Nd7, though after 21. fxg4 hxg4 22. Bxg4 Nf6 22. Bf3 White still stands much better.

21. Rb4!? As usual, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) plays safely, and, maybe, the text is not that wrong in itself, but how much simpler her goal would have become had she continued 21. fxg4 hxg4 22. Ne6! fxe6 (no better at all is 22. ... Rxe6 23. Bxg4 Re1 24. Rxe1 Qxg4 25. Qxg4 Bxg4 26. Re8+ Kh7 27. Rxb7+−) 23. Bxe5 dxe5 (or 23. ... Bxe5 24. Bc4!+−) 24. Bxg4 winning decisive material. 21. ... Na6 22. Re4 Rxe4 23. fxe4 Nc5 24. e5! dxe5 25. Nxh5 Ne4 26. Be1 (26. d6!?) 26. ... f5 27. Nxg7? Correct and much stronger was 27. Qc2! with something on the lines of what occurs in the game. 27. ... Qxg7 28. Bd3 Bd7? Black didn’t take advantage of her opportunity to stay in the game: 28. ... Nd6! and if 29. Bb4 then 29. ... e4! 30. Bxd6 Qd4+ followed by ... e4xd3. 29. Bxe4 fxe4 30. Bg3 Rf8 31. Re1 Bb5 32. Qb3 Bd3 33. d6+ Qf7 34. Qc3! Qe6

35. Qxe5?? This is an incredible mistake for a player who must win! After 35. Qc7! Rf7 36. Qd8+ Kh7 37. Rc1 Black could well resign. 35. ... Qxe5 36. Bxe5 Kf7 37. g3 Ke6 38. Bf4 b5 39. h5 a5 40. h6 b4. They both finally made their 40th move. White contented herself with a Rook and Bishop of opposite colour ending which does not appear easy to turn into something of a success story. 41. Rc1 a4 42. Rc7 b3 43. axb3 axb3 44. Re7+ Kd5 45. Rb7 e3? 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) is lucky enough that her opponent overlooks her best bet: 45. ... Kc4! 46. Kf2 e3+! 47. Kxe3 Re8+ 48. Kd2 b2 49. d7 Re2+ 50. Kd1 Re7! and if a win exists, it is hardly visible. 46. Rxb3 Ke4 47. Kg2! e2 48. Rb4+? Even if 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) did not want to assume any risk in playing cat and mouse with her opponent, then the endgame resulting from 48. Rb7! e1=N+!☐ 49. Kf2 Nf3 50. Re7+ Kf5 51. h7 Ra8 52. Bc1 Ng5 53. d7 Nxh7 54. Re8 Nf6 55. Rxa8 Nxd7 56. Ra5+ Ke6 57. Ke3 was the most optimal solution. 48. ... Kd5 49. Kf2 Re8 50. Bd2 Rf8+. 50. ... e1=Q+! 51. Bxe1 Re2+ would have forced the draw immediately. 51. Bf4 Re8 52. Bd2 Rf8+ 53. Rf4 Rxf4+ 54. Bxf4 Ke6 55. Ke1 Kd7 56. Be5 Ke6 57. Kd2 Kd7 58. Bc3 e1=Q+ 59. Kxe1 Kxd6 60. Kd2 Bh7 61. Ke3 Ke6 62. Kf4 Kf7 63. Kxg4 Bc2 64. Kf4 Bb1 65. g4 Bc2 66. g5 Bb1 67. Ke5 Bc2 68. Kd6 Bb1 ½ : ½. Thus 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) performed a psychodrama, with Lagno needing only a draw in tomorrow’s game to clinch the crown.

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

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno. Photo © Press service of the Women’s World Championship 2018.

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) sat long alone staring at the final position of her drawn game against Lagno. Photo © Press service of the Women’s World Championship 2018.