The Second Time Around

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Maxime Lagarde
18th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay, January 30, 2020
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D24

For the second consecutive year, 16th Women’s World Chess Champion 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) won and took home the women’s top prize at the 18th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival. 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 b5 6. e5 Nd5 7. Nxb5 Nb6 8. Be2 Bb7 9. 0-0 Nc6 10. Be3 Qd7 11. Qc1!?TN (11. Nc3 Be7 12. Qc1 0-0 13. Rd1 Nb4 14. Nd2 Ba6 15. Nce4 Nd3 16. Qb1 Rab8 17. b3 Qc6 18. Nxc4 Nxc4 19. Bxd3 Na3 20. Qc1 Qb7 21. Bxa6 Qxa6 22. Bg5 Bxg5 23. Qxg5 h6 24. Qg4 Rfd8 25. Nc5 Qc6 26. Rac1 Rd5 27. Ne4 Qb6 28. Nf6+ Kh8 29. Nxd5 exd5 30. Qd7 Nb5 31. Qxd5 a5 32. a4 Na7 33. Qxf7 Nc6 34. Qd7 1 : 0 Palac – Piesik, 2nd Open Chess Tournament, Innsbruck 2018) 11. ... Na5 12. Nc3 Qc6 13. Bd2 Bb4 14. Nb1 Nd5 15. Bxb4 Nxb4 16. Nbd2 Nd3 17. Qc3 Nf4 18. Rfe1 Nxe2+ 19. Rxe2 Qb6 20. Ne4 Bd5 21. Nfg5 h6 (21. ... 0-0?? 22. Nf6+!+−) 21. ... h6 22. Nh3 Bxe4 23. Rxe4 0-0-0! 24. Nf4 Rd7 25. b4 Nc6 (25. ... cxb3 26. d5!→) 26. Qxc4 Rxd4 27. Rxd4 Qxd4 28. Qa6+ Kb8 29. Rc1 Nxb4 30. Qe2? Objectively speaking, White should have contented herself with 30. Qb5+ settling for a draw, but her closest rival for the prize, 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié), had just brilliantly won her game against Azerbaijani Grandmaster Vasif Durarbayli, so 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) pushes harder in an all out bid to win Caïssa’s favours.

30. ... Rd8! A powerful move which White might have overlooked. 30. ... Qxf4?? was refuted by 31. Rc4+− — but now Black actually threatens 31. ... Qxf4 32. Rc4 Qxc4! winning instantly. 31. g3 g5 32. Ng2 Rd5? (32. ... Kc8∓) 33. Ne3 Rxe5? Black will soon regret for not taking her own King off the b-file. Correct was 33. ... Rc5! 34. Rb1 Kc8∞ with complex play. 34. Rd1? There’s a lot happening, and it’s happening too fast. White apparently missed 34. a3! Qd3? (34. ... Nd5 35. Qb5+ gives White an irresistible attack) 35. Qb2+− winning at least a piece. 34. ... Qe4?? A final blunder that loses material. After 34. ... Qc3 35. Qf3 Qc6 36. Qxf7 a5 the game was still dynamically roughly balanced. 35. Qb2+− a5? 36. Rd4! 1 : 0.

Of course, it’s not always true what they say — the second time is easier. Photo © John Saunders.