Out of Time

徐英伦 (Xú Yīnglún) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
51st Chinese Chess Championship; 兴化 (Xīnghuà), December 21, 2020
English Opening A29

After a solid start in the first two rounds, round three proved far more difficult for 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), who will undoubtedly have to show something more substantial to go some way toward emulating the gestures of the most iconic Queen of Chess 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) — incidentally, a fellow countrywoman of her. 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nb6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. d3 0-0 9. Be3 Re8 10. Rc1 Bf8 11. Ne4 Nd4 12. Bxd4 exd4 13. Qd2 c6 14. Nc5 g6!? A new continuation, instead of 14. ... Bxc5 15. Rxc5 Qd6 16. Rc2 Be6 17. Qa5 Bd5 which was also fine for Black in 王玥 (Wáng Yuè) – Vachier-Lagrave, 3rd SportAccord World Mind Games, Basque Tournament, 北京 (Běijīng) 2013. 15. b4 Bg7 16. Rfe1 Nd5 17. Nb3 Ne7 18. a4 Nf5 19. Rb1 Rb8 20. b5 cxb5 21. axb5 Be6 22. Qb4 Bd5. Black came out of the opening quite well, and shouldn’t have too many problems holding her own. Instead, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) soon goes astray:

23. Bh3 Bxf3. Perhaps not bad, but 23. ... Qf6!? may have its arguments. 24. exf3 Ne7? A mistake, which brings Black into a very embarassing situation. Consistent was 24. ... Rxe1+ 25. Rxe1 Nd6 in order to answer 26. Nc5 by 26. ... a5! 27. bxa6 bxa6 28. Qa3 Rb5! 29. Nd7 Qa5 forcing the exchange of Queens with a tenable game. 25. Qc4± Nc8 26. Rxe8+ Qxe8 27. Nc5 (27. Nxd4?? Nb6 28. Qc5 Qd8∓) 27. ... Nb6?! A little better seems 27. ... Nd6, though after 28. Qb4± White may be content with his advantage. 28. Qa2 Ra8?! (28. ... Bf8 29. Ne4 Qd8 30. f4±/+−) 29. Nxb7+− Qe7 (29. .. Bf8 30. f4+−) 30. Na5 a6 31. bxa6 Rxa6

32. Nc6! Qb7 (32. ... Qe1+ 33. Rxe1 Rxa2 34. Re8+ Bf8 35. f4+−) 33. Qc2 (Δ Bh3-c8) 33. ... Ra8 (33. .. Bf6 34. f4 Kg7 35. Ne5+−) 34. f4 Qa6 (34. .. Re8 35. Bg2+−) 35. Ne7+ Kh8 (35. ... Kf8 36. Qc5+−) 36. Qc6. The Black Knight is doomed. 36. ... Bf8 (36. ... Rb8 37. Qd6+−) 37. Qf6+ 1 : 0.