While Two Dispute, the Third Enjoys

Aleksandar Inđić – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
17th Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 31, 2019
Bishop’s Opening C24

Thanks to her last round victory against the much higher rated Serbian Grandmaster Aleksandar Inđić, 16th Women’s World Chess Champion 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) deservedly won the £15,000 women’s top prize at the 17th Gibraltar Chess Festival. 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 c6 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bb3 a5 6. a4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 dxe4 8. Ng5!? A novelty that doesn’t hit the previous theoretical model: 8. Nxe5 0-0 9. 0-0 Bd6 10. d4 Qc7 11. Bf4 Nbd7 12. Nxd7 Bxd7 13. Bxd6 Qxd6 14. h3 Rad8 15. Na3 Be6 16. c3 Rfe8 17. Re1 Qf4 18. Bxe6 Rxe6 ½ : ½ Jovanović – Leventić, 26th Croatian Team Chess Championship (1st Division), Mali Lošinj 2017. 8. ... 0-0 9. Bxb4 axb4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. dxe4 Qxd1+ 12. Kxd1 Nd7 13. Nd2 Nc5 14. Ke2 Rd8 15. Ke3 Be6 16. Bxe6 Nxe6 17. a5 Ra6 18. Nc4. Perhaps 18. Nb3 c5 19. Rhd1 was a little more promising as regards claiming a slight edge for White. 18. ... Nd4 19. Rac1 f6 20. g3 c5 21. c3 bxc3 22. Rxc3 Nb5 23. Rd3 Rxd3+ 24. Kxd3 Nd4 25. Rd1 Kf7 26. Kc3 Ke6. Black undoubtedly enjoys a comfortable equality, but that couldn’t be enough to ensure women’s first prize. 27. b3 g5! 28. g4!? Ra8 29. h4? This hasty advance risks losing a Pawn without any compensation. So, with the same idea in mind, White ought to have first played 29. Rh1 and then follow with h2-h4. 29. ... gxh4 30. Rh1 Nf3 31. Rh3? A consistent, but erroneous corollary to White’s 29th move. Best was 31. Kd3, though after 31. ... Rd8+ 32. Ke2 Nd4+ 33. Ke3 h6! 34. Rxh4 Nxb3 35. Rxh6 Rd4 36. Nb6 c4∓ Black may still keep playing for a win in an almost drawish endgame. 32. ... Ng5 32. Rxh4 Nxe4+ 33. Kc2 Ng5 34. Rh1 Rd8 35. b4? A desperate attempt to reverse the inevitable decline. After 35. Nd2 Rd4 36. f3 Kd5∓ Black would have remained with a sound Pawn to the good and a very favourable ending. 35. ... Rd4. Clearly not 35. ... cxb4?? because of 36. Rb1 — which was what White was hoping for. 36. Kb3 cxb4 37. Rc1. Or 37. Kxb4 Rxg4 with two Pawns ahead and an almost won ending. 37. ... Ne4 38. Nb6 Nxf2 39. g5 fxg5 40. Rc7 Nd3 41. Rxh7 e4 42. Kc2 e3 43. Rh3

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) finishes brilliantly: 43. ... b3+! 44. Kc3 (44. Kxb3 Re4−+) 44. ... Re4! 45. Kxd3 e2 0 : 1.

Aleksandar Inđić vs. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí). Photo © John Saunders.