Sandstorm

Santosh Gujrathi Vidit – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)

6th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship; Sharjah, May 18, 2023

Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. 0-0 d6 6. c3 a6 7. a4 h6 8. Re1 0-0 9. h3 Ba7 10. Nbd2 Be6 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. b4 Nh5 13. Nf1 Qf6 14. Ra2 Nf4 15. Kh2 Rf7. The alternative is 15. ... Ne7 16. Be3 Qg6 17. Nh4 Qf6 18. Nf3 Qg6 19. Nh4 Qf6 20. Nf3 Qg6 21. Nh4 Qf6 22. Nf3 Qg6 23. Nh4 Qf6 24. Nf3 Qg6 25. Nh4 Qf6 26. Nf3 Qg6 27. Nh4 Qf6 28. Nf3 Qg6 29. Nh4 Qf6 30. Nf3 Qg6 31. Nh4 Qf6 ½ : ½ Karavade – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), 12th Women’s World Team Chess Championship, Astana 2019.
16. b5 Ne7 17. bxa6 bxa6 18. Be3 c5 19. Bxf4 Qxf4+ 20. Kh1 Qf6 21. Ne3 Ng6

22. Rb2? (⌓ 22. Nc4)
22. ... Raf8 23. Ng1? (⌓ 23. Nc4)
24. ... Qg5 24. Qg4. White gives up a Pawn in the hope of getting a bit of relief. If 24. f3 then 24. ... c4! 25. Nxc4 d5 with powerful initiative.
24. ... Qxg4 25. Nxg4 h5. 25. ... c4! 26. dxc4 h5 was even stronger, according to the mighty engines.
26. Ne3 Rxf2 27. Rb7 R2f7 28. Rxf7 Kxf7 29. Nc4 Ke7 30. Nf3 Nf4

31. g3? In this way, the fall of a second Pawn simply leaves White with a hopeless endgame. A much better version of the same idea was 31. Rb1! Rd8 32. Rf1! Nxd3? (32. ... Bb8!) 33. Ng5! with dynamic equality.
31. ... Nxd3 32. Re3 Nc1 33. Kg2 Bb8 34. Re1 Na2 35. Rb1 Bc7 36. Rb7 Kd7 37. Ng5

37. ... Rb8! 38. Ra7 Nxc3 39. a5 Rb4 40. Nb6+ Kc6 41. Nxe6 Bxb6 42. axb6 Kxb6 43. Rxg7 Nxe4 44. Kf3 d5 45. Rg6 Rb3+ 46. Kg2 Rb2+ 47. Kf3 Rf2+ 48. Ke3 Rf6 49. Nf8 Rxg6 50. Nxg6 Nxg3 51. Nxe5 a5 0 : 1.

Three-time Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) is making the show in Sharjah! After defeating Karthikeyan Murali yesterday, she won an impressive victory today against Vidit. Photo: Sharjah Masters (@shj_masters).