From the Easy Chair

余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
51st Chinese Chess Championship; 兴化 (Xīnghuà), December 23, 2020
English Opening A28

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. a3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Qc2 Be7 7. e3 a6 8. Nxd5 Qxd5 9. Bd3 Be6 10. Be4 Qd6 11. b4 Bd5 12. Bb2 Rd8 13. Rc1 Qe6!?TN (13. ... Bxe4 14. Qxe4 Qe6 15. h3 f6 16. d4 f5 17. Rxc6 bxc6 18. Qxe5 Qb3 19. Qxg7 Rf8 20. Qxh7 Qxb2 ½ : ½ Dahlström – Isigkeit, 60yearsBdF-WSSF02, by correspondence, 2009) 14. Bf5 Qd6 15. 0-0 g6. Black could win a Pawn with 15. ... Bxf3 16. gxf3 Qxd2, but after 17. Qb1!? Qd5 18. Be4 Qe6 19. Kg2 White should get enough compensation for it — or else win it back. 16. e4 Ba2 17. Bh3 0-0 18. Bc3 Bc4 19. Rfe1 b5 20. Qb2 f6 21. g3 a5! Black has fully equalised.

What follows is the predictable outcome of a game correctly played by both sides: 22. Bf1 Bxf1 23. Kxf1 axb4 24. Bxb4 Nxb4 25. axb4 Qxb4 26. Qa2+ Rf7 27. Rxc7 Qa3 28. Qxa3 Bxa3 29. Rc6 Rb8 30. Rb1 Bf8 31. d3 b4 32. Nd2 Kg7 33. Ke2 Ra7 34. Rb2 h5 35. h4 Rb5 36. Nb3 Kf7 37. Rbc2 Rbb7 38. f4

38. ... Ra3 39. Rb2 Rba7 40. Ke3 Ra2 41. Rxa2 Rxa2 42. Nd2 Bh6 43. Nc4 Rh2 44. Rc7+ Kg8 45. Rc8+ Kf7 46. Rc7+ Kg8 47. Rc8+ ½ : ½.

Today 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) scored another draw. She drew four of her first five games so far. Photo: Chinese Chess Association.