The Vacant Chair

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
Women’s Grand Prix 2019–2020; 1st stage; Skolkovo, September 20, 2019
Russian Defence C42

Today 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) played her Russian Defence as if she was happy to cut the Gordian Knot well in advance, leaving both her lead and her starring role suddenly vacant. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bf5 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Re1 0-0 9. c4 Nc6 10. cxd5 Qxd5 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Rfe8 14. Bf4 Bd6 15. Ng5. On Round Five (five days ago) International Master Elisabeth Pähtz contented herself with 15. c4 Qh5 16. Bg3 b6 17. Re4 Bxg3 18. hxg3 Rxe4 19. Qxe4 Qg6 20. Qf4 Qd6 21. Qe4 Qg6 22. Qf4 Qd6 23. Qe4 Qg6 ½ : ½ Pähtz – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), Women’s Grand Prix 2019–2020. 1st stage, Skolkovo 2019. 15. ... g6 16. Ne4 Re6 17. Nxd6!? Lagno’s homemade cooked spécialité de la maison instead of 17. Qf3 Kg7 18. Nxd6 Qxf3 19. gxf3 cxd6 20. Rxe6 fxe6 21. Bxd6 Rd8 22. Bg3 Rc8 23. c4 Rd8 24. Rb1 Rd7 with a dynamic balance, Paravyan – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), 1st Prague International Chess Festival (Challengers Tournament), Prague 2019. 17. ... cxd6 18. Rxe6 fxe6 19. Rb1 b6 20. h4 Rf8 (20. ... e5!? 21. Bh6 Re8) 21. Bh6 Qf5 22. Qf1 Rc8 23. Re1 e5. That looks so natural, but there were some good arguments in favour of 23. ... Qd5(!), so as to reply to 24. Qa6 by 24. ... Rc7 with quite a rocky defence. 24. Qa6! Qd7! (24. ... Rc7? 25. Re3!+−) 25. Qd3 Re8 26. Qf3 (26. h5!?⩲↑) 26. ... Nd8 27. dxe5 Qf7? 27. ... Qe6 was probably better, but then after 28. Be3 dxe5 29. Rd1 Nf7 30. a4⩲ White enjoys a safe and lasting edge. 28. Qg4 dxe5 (28. ... Qxa2? 29. Qd7 Qf7 30. Qxd6+−) 29. Rd1 Ne6? Even under worse circumstances than before, 29. ... Qe6 was still Black’s best bet, though after 30. Qxe6+ Nxe6 31. Rd7 White would stand much better. 30. Qa4! Nc5 31. Qc6 Rb8 32. Rd5! Qe7

33. h5! By now White’s attack plays itself. 33. ... gxh5. Loses instantly, but if 33. ... g5 there would follow 34. Rd6! with the perfidious threat of Rd6-g6+. 34. f4! Qb7 35. Qf6 Qf7 36. Rd8+ 1 : 0. For mate in two follows.

Today 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) politely surrendered her seat to Humpy Koneru. Photo © David Llada.