Thursday, March 30, 2023

Thrills and Chills

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 3rd stage; New Delhi, March 30, 2023
Sicilian Defence B84

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Be2 Nf6 8. a3 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Kh1 Bd7 12. Qe1 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Bc6 14. Qg3 b5 15. e5 dxe5 16. Bxe5 Qb7 17. f5 exf5 18. Rxf5 Ne8 19. Bd3 (19. Bd4 g6 20. Rf2 Rd8 21. Be3 Ng7 22. Re1 f5 ½ : ½ Polugaevsky – Matulović, 17th Chess Olympiad, Havana 1966)
19. ... g6. All theory so far.
20. Rff1!? The Rook usually goes to f2, so as not to exclude to double on the f-file.
20. ... Rd8 21. Rae1 Bd6 (21. ... f6!?)
22. Be4 Bxe5 23. Qxe5 Bxe4 24. Nxe4 Qc6 25. Ng5 Rd2 26. Rf3 Rd5 27. Qf4 Nd6? Lagno is a little too anxious to defend f7, which was in no real danger (Black could play 27. ... Qc4, 27. ... Qd7, and even 27. ... f6), while overlooking other troubles.


28. Nxh7! Kxh7 29. Rh3+ Rh5 30. Rxh5+ gxh5 31. Re5


31. ... Ne8? Black’s only chance lay in 31. ... Ne4! 32. Rxe4 Qd5 33. h3± leaving White a Pawn ahead in a heavy pieces ending.
32. Rxh5+ Kg8 33. Qf5 Qg6 34. Rg5 Ng7 35. Rxg6 fxg6 36. Qd5+ Kh7 37. h3 Nh5 38. Kh2 Rf6 39. Qd4 Re6 40. Qd7+ Ng7 41. b3 1 : 0.

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) played powerfully, with sharp style and thrilling moves. Photo: Ismael Nieto/FIDE.

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