Byte-Sized

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal match game 1; Monte Carlo, October 25, 2022

Slav Defence D11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4 5. h3 Bh5 6. g4 Bg6 7. Ne5 Nbd7 8. Nxg6 hxg6 9. cxd5 (9. Bg2 g5 10. 0-0 e6 11. Nd2 Bd6 12. Re1 Nf8 13. cxd5 Nxd5 14. Nc4 Ng6 15. Qb3 Rb8 16. Nxd6+ Qxd6 17. Qa3 Qc7 18. Qxa7 Kd7 19. Bd2 Rh6 20. Rac1 Rbh8 21. Ba5 Qc8 22. b4 Qb8 23. Qxb8 Rxb8 24. b5 Rhh8 25. Rc2 Ra8 26. Bd2 cxb5 27. Bf1 b4 28. Rb2 Nh4 29. Be2 Nc3 30. Bxc3 bxc3 31. Rxb7+ Kd6 32. Reb1 c2 33. R1b6+ Kd5 34. Rb5+ Kd6 35. R5b6+ Kd5 36. Rb5+ Kd6 37. R5b6+ Kd5 38. Rb5+ ½ : ½ Javakhishvili – M. O. Muzychuk, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2015–16, 3rd stage, Batumi 2016)
9. ... cxd5 10. Nc3 e6 11. Bd2 g5 12. Bd3 Rc8 (12. ... Be7 13. Rc1 Rc8 14. f3 Kf8 15. Kf2 g6 16. Qa4 a6 17. Qb3 b5 18. a4 b4 19. Ne2 a5 20. Kg2 Kg7 21. Rxc8 Qxc8 22. Rc1 Qb7 23. Qd1 Nb6 24. b3 Rc8 25. Be1 Rxc1 26. Qxc1 Qc8 27. Qd2 Qc6 28. Bf2 Nc8 29. Qe1 Kg8 30. Qh1 Kg7 31. Kg1 Nd6 32. Bg3 Kg8 33. Qh2 Nc4 34. h4 Nd2 35. Kg2 Nxb3 36. hxg5 Nh7 37. Be5 Bxg5 38. f4 Bf6 39. f5 exf5 40. gxf5 g5 41. Qh6 Qb6 42. Ng3 Qd8 43. Nh5 Bxe5 44. f6 1 : 0 Gunina – Girya, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2015–16, 5th stage, Khanty-Mansiysk 2016)
13. Kf1 Bd6 14. Kg2 g6 15. Qe2 Kf8 16. e4 dxe4 17. Bxe4 Nxe4 18. Qxe4

18. ... Nb6. The sacrifice of the Pawn, though probably prepared, won’t give Black what she wants; however, further analysis are required to assess its merit.
19. Qxb7 Bf4?! Here, for example, 19. ... Kg7!? 20. Qf3 Nc4 21. Bc1 Bf4 might be an improvement.
20. Bxf4 gxf4 21. Qe4 Nc4 22. Rac1. 22. b3 Ne3+! 23. fxe3 Rxc3 almost equalises.
22. ... Nxb2

23. Ne2! Kg7 24. Nxf4 Qf6 25. d5! Rxc1 (25. ... e5 26. Ne2)
26. Rxc1 Rd8 27. Rc7 exd5 28. Nxd5 Qd6 29. Qd4+ Kh6

30. Qf4+. 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) plays it safe, relying upon her remarkable technique — which may explain, if not justify, the fact she overlooked 30. g5+! Kxg5 31. Qe3+ Kh5 32. Nf4+ with mate in a few moves.
30. ... Qxf4 31. Nxf4 f6 32. Rxa7 Rd2 33. h4 Nd1 34. Nh3 g5 35. hxg5+ fxg5 36. Ra6+ Kg7 37. Ra5 Kf6 38. Kg3 Nc3 39. Nxg5 Rxa2 40. Rf5+. 40. Rxa2 Nxa2 41. f4 is an easy win as well.
40. ... Kg6 41. Nh3 Ne4+ 42. Kh4 Ra1 43. f3 Nd2 44. Nf4+ Kh7 45. Ne6 Ra3 46. Kh5 Re3 (46. ... Nxf3? 47. Rxf3!+−)
47. Ng5+ Kg8 48. Kg6 Nc4 49. f4 Rb3 50. Nh7 Rb6+ 51. Nf6+ Kf8 52. Rc5 Nd2 53. Rc7 1 : 0.

It appeared that 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) was well prepared against Muzychuk’s Slav. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.