Queen Sacrifice

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié)

“两江新区杯” (“Liǎngjiāng New Area Cup”) FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Final; match game 5; 重庆 (Chóngqìng), April 3, 2023

Rubinstein Attack D05

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 c5 5. b3 Nc6 6. Bb2 cxd4 7. exd4 g6 8. 0-0 Bg7 9. Ba3 Ne4 10. Re1. Likewise, if 10. c3 then 10. ... f5 11. Bb5 Bd7 12. Qe2 Rc8 13. Bxc6 Rxc6 14. Qe3 Qb6 15. Re1 h5 16. Bb2 0-0 17. Na3 f4 18. Qd3 e5 19. Rac1 ½ : ½ T. V. Petrosian – Sunye Neto, Interzonal Tournament, Las Palmas 1982. Generally speaking, one might deduce that 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s opening choice is hardly to be recommended in a must-win situation.
10. ... f5. Not 10. ... Nxd4? 11. Nxd4 Nxf2 because of 12. Nf5!! winning in all lines.
11. c3. Here and on the next move 11. Bb5, analogously to the game mentioned above, was probably a better continuation for White.
11. ... Bd7 12. Qc2? Rc8 13. Qb2

13. ... g5! 14. Nfd2 g4 15. Nxe4 (15. f3? Nxc3! 16. Nxc3 Bxd4+ 17. Kh1 Ne5−+)
15. ... fxe4 16. Bf1. Eventually, White’s situation was serious enough to have to try 16. Bxe4!? dxe4 17. Nd2 Ne7! 18. Nxe4 0-0 19. Qe2 hoping for some play. Now Black’s attack develops easily and naturally.
16. ... Qf6 17. Qe2 h5 18. Nd2 Bf8 19. Bb2 Bd6 20. Rad1 (20. g3 h4)
20. ... 0-0 Very strong was also 20. ... g3 followed by ... h5-f4.
21. g3

21. ... Nd8! Heading to f3 via f7 and g5.
22. Bg2 Nf7 23. Nf1 Ng5 24. Ne3 Nf3+ 25. Bxf3 gxf3 26. Qf1 h4! 27. g4 h3! 28. Kh1 (28. Qxh3 Rf7−+)
28. ... Rf7 29. c4 Qh4 30. Bc1 Rg7 31. Qg1 Kh7 32. cxd5 cxd5 33. Nxd5 Rxg4 34. Rxe4 Rxg1+ 35. Rxg1

35. ... Qxf2! 36. Bf4 Qg2+! 37. Rxg2 hxg2+ 38. Kg1 Bxf4 0 : 1.

By winning today, 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) ended the match with a game to spare, earning the right to challenge 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) for the title of Women’s World Chess Champion. Photo: Sina Sports.