Thursday, February 2, 2023

Faraway Things

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 2nd stage; Munich, February 2, 2023
English Opening A28

1. c4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 Bb4 5. Qc2 0-0 6. Nd5 Re8 7. Qf5 d6 8. Nxf6+ gxf6 9. Qc2. By comparison, 9. Qh5 is much more theorised.
9. ... e4 10. Nh4. As the saying goes: “A Knight on the rim is dim”, but 10. Ng1 d5 is also good for Black, Giri – Narayanan, 2nd Qatar Masters Open, Doha 2015.
10. ... d5!? Probably best is 10. ... f5 11. g3 d5! 12. cxd5 Ne5 13. Qb3 Be7 14. d4 exd3 15. Bxd3 Bxh4 16. gxh4 Nf3+ with a strong attack: 17. Kd1 Re5 18. Bd2 Qxd5 19. Qxd5 Rxd5 20. Ke2 Nxd2 21. Kxd2 Be6 22. Rac1 Rad8 23. Rc3 b5 24. b4 c5 25. bxc5 b4 26. Rb3 a5 27. c6 Rc5 28. Ke2 Bxb3 29. axb3 Rc8 30. Ra1 R8xc6 31. Kf3 Rh6 32. Kg3 Rd6 33. Bc4 Rg6+ 34. Kh3 f4 35. exf4 Kf8 36. Ra2 Rg1 0 : 1 Keene – Timman, International Tournament, Bad Lauterberg 1977.
11. a3 Bf8 12. cxd5 Qxd5 13. d4 exd3. Here 13. ... Na5 looks a little more promising.
14. Bxd3 Qh5 15. Nf3 Bg4 16. Be2 Rad8 17. Bd2 Ne5 18. 0-0-0 Nxf3 19. gxf3 Bxf3 20. Rhg1+ Kh8 21. Bc3 Be7 22. Bxf3 Qxf3 23. Qa4


Black has gained a Pawn, but White’s initiative compensates fully for it. On the other hand, now Black could safely continue her Pawn hunting with 23. ... Qxf2, for if 24. Qg4 there would follow 24. ... Qxe3+ 25. Bd2 Qc5+ 26. Bc3 Qe3+ with a draw.
23. ... c6? This gravely compromises Black’s situation.
24. Qb3 Rd5. It would have been better judgment to have exchanged Rooks.
25. Qxb7. Threatening 26. Rxd5 Qxd5 (26. ... cxd5 27. Qd7+−) 27. Qxe7! with mating attack.
25. ... Qxf2. Black was still in time for exchanging Rooks.
26. Qxc6 Red8? The fatal mistake; now, again, she should have exchanged Rooks.


27. Rdf1! Qxe3+ 28. Kb1 R5d6 29. Qg2 Qh6 30. Ka2 Re6 31. Rf5 Re3


32. Rh5! Qf8 (32. ... Qg6 33. Rg5!+−)
33. Bd2 Rxd2. Almost forced, for if 33. ... Re5 then 34. Rxh7+! Kxh7 35. Qh3+ followed by mate in two.
34. Qxd2 Re5 35. Rh3 Rg5 36. Qc2 Qg8 37. Re1 Bd6? This loses instantly, but she could not save the game anymore.
38. Re8! 1 : 0.

It was a sharp struggle, and it took much resourcefulness for 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) to turn her initiative into reality. Photo: David Llada/FIDE.

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