Classical mechanics

林艺 (Lín Yì) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
51st Chinese Chess Championship; 兴化 (Xīnghuà), December 29, 2020
Slav Defence D10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. e3 Nf6 6. Nc3 a6 7. Be2 Bf5 8. Nf3 e6 9. Qb3 Nh5. Black sacrifices two Pawns in exchange for a perfect dynamic balance, which may suggest it being a home-made variation. Another continuation is 9. ... Bb4 10. Ne5 Qa5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. 0-0 Bxc3 13. bxc3 0-0 14. Qb4 Qd8 15. Rfc1 a5 16. Qa3 Qb6 17. Qb3 Qd8 18. Qa3 Qb6 19. Qb3 ½ : ½ 林艺 (Lín Yì) – Stefánsson, 6th International Chess Open, Graz 2019. 10. Qxb7. Alea iacta est. A previous game had continued 10. Bg5 Qc7 11. Ne5 h6 12. Bh4 Nxe5 13. dxe5 g5 14. Bxh5 gxh4 15. 0-0 Be7 16. Qa4+ Kf8 17. Qf4 Qc4 18. Qxc4 dxc4 19. Rfd1 Rd8 20. Rxd8+ Bxd8 21. Bf3 b5 22. Bb7 Bc7 23. f4 Ke7 24. Bxa6 Bb6 25. Kf2 Rd8 26. Re1 ½ : ½ Ryzhkov – Gnilka, ICCF Veterans World Cup 7 – Semifinal 02, by correspondence, 2016. 10. ... Na5 11. Qc7 Nxf4 12. Qxd8+ Rxd8 13. exf4 Rb8 14. 0-0-0 Bb4 15. Bd3. If 15. Nh4 Black can reply 15. ... Bxc3 16. bxc3 Be4 17. f3 Bb1 18. Rd2 Nc4 19. Bxc4 dxc4 20. Rb2 Rxb2 21. Kxb2 Bd3 followed by ... Ke8-d7 with a pretty dynamic balance. 15. ... Bg4 16. Bxa6 Bxf3 17. gxf3. It is no wonder that at least one of White’s extra Pawns, being one of triple Pawns, turns out to be meaningless. 17. ... Bxc3 18. bxc3 Rb6 19. Bd3 Ke7 20. Kc2 Rc8. White is two Pawns up, but can’t free himself in any way.

21. Rc1. The third Pawn would be indigestible: 21. Bxh7?? Nc4−+ with winning threats. 21. ... g6 22. Kd2 Rb2+ 23. Rc2 Rb6 24. Rcc1 Rb2+ 25. Rc2 Rb6 26. Rcc1 ½ : ½.