Sideways

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool B; Quarterfinal tie-break game 1; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Khiva, December 4, 2022

Queen’s Gambit Accepted D24

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nc6 6. a3 Bd7 7. Qxc4 Bd6 (7. ... Na5 8. Qa2 Bc6 9. e3⩲ Dreev – Kulaots, 8th Gausdal Classics, Gausdal 2007)
8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 0-0 10. e4 e5 11. d5 Na5 12. Qd3 Nb3 13. Rd1 a5 14. Be2 Qe7 15. 0-0 a4 16. h3 Ra5 17. Nd2 Nd4 18. Nc4 Rc5 19. f4 Nxe2+ 20. Qxe2 exf4

21. Bxf6 gxf6? The beginning and the end of all Lagno’s hopes. After the correct 21. ... Qxf6! 22. e5 Qf5! 23. exd6 Re8 Black regains her material with approximate equality.
22. Nxd6 Qxd6 23. Qh5 Qe5?! A little better is 23. ... Kh7 to which there would follow 24. Rd2 aiming at doubling her Rooks on the f-file.
24. Qh4 (24. Qxh6 Qg5)
24. ... Qg5 25. Qxf4 Kg7 26. Qf2 Rc4 27. Rd3 Qe5 28. Kh1

28. ... f5?! Faced with threats of breakthrough and invasion with d5-d6 eventually followed by Rd3-d5, Black decides to fish in murky waters by sacrificing material.
29. exf5 Qf6 30. d6 Bc6 31. dxc7 Kh7 32. Rfd1 Rg8? This loses a precious tempo. Necessary was 32. ... Rc8 33. Rg3 Rxc7 34. Kh2 Rc8 35. Nd5 Bxd5 36. Rxd5 Rg8 37. Rxg8 Kxg8 38. Qe2 Qh4 39. Qf3± leaving White with a Pawn ahead, but not yet a mathematical certainty of a win.
33. Rg3 Rc8 34. Qe2 Rh4?! Tantamount to capitulation, but also after 34. ... Rxc7 35. Kh2! Black’s position could not much longer be held.
35. Nd5 Bxd5 36. Rxd5 Rxc7

37. Qe8 h5 38. Rd8 Rc1+ 39. Kh2 1 : 0.

In the day of truth 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) displayed iron will, cool nerve, and an excellent time management. Photo: Timur Sattarov/FIDE.