Idli sambar

Rameshbabu Vaishali – Bibisara Erkhanovna Assaubayeva

4th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event; Round of 16 match game 2; time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, June 13, 2022

Queen’s Pawn Game D01

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. Nb5 Na6 6. e3 0-0 7. h3 Ne4 8. Nd2 Nxd2 9. Qxd2 c5. More usual is 9. ... c6, e.g. 10. Nc3 Nb8 11. 0-0-0 Nd7 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Nf6 14. Nxf6+ Bxf6 15. Bc4 b5 16. Bb3 a5 17. a3 Be6 18. Bxe6 fxe6 19. Kb1 Qd5 with a volatile, dynamic, and complex balance, Shimanov – Dubov, April 5 Titled Tuesday Early, chess.com, April 5, 2022 (time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move). 10. Be2 Bd7 11. a4 Qb6 12. 0-0 c4?! Strategically speaking, a committal decision. 13. b3 cxb3 14. cxb3 Rfc8 15. a5 Qd8 16. b4 Qe8 17. Nc3 e6 18. b5 Nc7 19. Rab1 Qe7

20. b6. Perhaps a bit too hasty. White could quietly play 20. Rfc1 and if 20. ... Ne8 then 21. e4! with the much better game. 20. ... axb6 21. Rxb6. And not 21. axb6? by reason of 21. ... Ne8 heading for d6. 21. ... Bc6 (21. ... Rxa5 22. Rxb7 Bc6 23. Rb6 Ne8 24. Rfb1⩲) 22. Na2

22. ... Ra7? The right move was 22. ... Qa3! so as to reply to 23. Bxc7 with 23. ... Qxa5! somehow holding on (24. Qxa5 Rxa5 25. Rxc6 Rxa2=). 25. 23. Rc1. 23. Nb4! at once seems to be much stronger. 23. ... Rca8? Black was still in time for 23. ... Qa3, though now, after 24. Bxc7 Rxc7 25. a6 White retains the better chances. 24. Nb4! Finally! 24. ... Ne8 (24. ... Rxa5 25. Rbxc6!+−)

25. a6! Qd8 26. Rbxc6! bxc6 27. Nxc6 Qd7 28. Nxa7 Rxa7 29. Bb8 Ra8 30. a7 Bf8 31. Qa5 Bd6 32. Bb5 Qe7 33. Rc8! 1 : 0.