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雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

“两江新区杯” (“Liǎngjiāng New Area Cup”) FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Final; match game 2; 重庆 (Chóngqìng), March 30, 2023

Semi-Slav Defence D31

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 dxc4 4. e4 b5 5. a4 c6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd2 Qb6 8. Be2 Ne7 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. b3 cxb3 11. Qxb3 a5 12. axb5 cxb5 13. Bxb5+ Bc6 14. Bd3 Nd7 15. 0-0 0-0 16. Rab1 Rfb8 17. Bf4 Rd8 18. Na2 Nf6 19. Bg5 Rab8

20. d5 Be8 21. Qb2 Ng6 22. Rfc1 h6 23. Be3 Qb7 24. Nxb4 axb4 25. Ra1 Rbc8 26. Rxc8 Qxc8 27. Qxb4 exd5 28. e5 Ne4 29. Rc1 Qe6 30. Qa5 Rb8 31. Qc7 Ra8 32. h3 Qe7 33. Qxe7 Nxe7 34. Nd4 Ng6 35. e6 fxe6 36. Nxe6 Bf7 37. Nc7 Rd8 38. Bd4 Nf4 39. Ba6 Ng5 40. Be5. 40. ... Nfxh3+? 41. Kf1! loses material for Black.
40. ... Ng6 41. Bd4 Nf4 42. h4 Nge6 43. Nxe6 Nxe6 44. Be5 h5 45. Bd3

White is better by virtue of her two Bishops and Black’s isolated Pawn, but it is all but sure that such an advantage may translate itself into a win, depending upon how Black will defend.
45. ... Re8 46. f4 Rd8 47. Kf2 Nf8 48. Rc6. 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) continues to torment her opponent, making the best use possible of what she has (i.e., a small, but lasting, advantage).
48. ... Ra8 49. Bf5 Nh7 50. Ke3 Ra3+ 51. Bc3 Ra8 52. Rd6 Re8+ 53. Be5 Nf6 54. Ra6

54. ... Ne4. With the move in the text — in fact a Pawn sacrifice — Black hopes for Bishops of opposite colour.
55. Kd4 Ng3 56. Bd3 Ne4 57. Ra7 Rc8 58. Bc7 Re8 59. Be5 Rc8 60. Ra3 Kf8 61. Rb3 Ra8 62. Rb8+ Rxb8 63. Bxb8 g6 64. Ke5 Kg7 65. Ba7 Ng3 66. Bd4 Kf8 67. Kd6 Nf5+ 68. Bxf5 gxf5 69. Ke5 Be8 70. Kxf5 Bd7+ 71. Kg5

71. ... Bg4?? When the worst seemed to be over, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) slipped into a blunder. Instead after the only move 71. ... Be8! White would have to resign herself to a draw; a sample line is 72. g4 hxg4 73. Kxg4 Kg8 74. Kg5 Kh7 75. f5 Bf7 76. Kf6 Kg8 77. Ke7 Bg6!= (but 77. ... Bh5 draws as well).
72. Kg6! Simply threatening f4-f5-f6-f7 followed by Bd4-g7+.
72. ... Be2 73. f5 Bd3 74. g3. Or at once 74. Kxh5 Bxf5 75. g4 winning as in the game.
74. ... Kg8 75. Kxh5 Bxf5 76. g4. White’s passed Pawns are irresistible.
76. ... Bd3 77. Kh6 Kf7 78. h5 Ke6 79. Kg7 1 : 0.

What comes around goes around, and so today 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié), with just a little luck, levelled the score. Photo: Sina Sports.