The ABC of Bee Culture

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)

Women’s World Chess Championship 2023; match game 1; 上海 (Shànghǎi), July 5, 2023

Spanish Game C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 0-0 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Re8 11. Nc3 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Bxd4 13. Bd3 Bxc3 14. Qxc3 Ne8 15. b3 d5 16. Bf4 Be6 17. Re1 Qd7 18. a4 Nd6 19. Re3 Ne4 20. Qxc7 Qxc7 21. Bxc7 Nc5 22. Bf1 Rc8 23. Be5 Nd7 24. Bd3 Nc5 25. Be2 Nd7 26. Bc3 a6 27. h4 Nf8 28. g4 f5 (⌓ 28. ... Bd7 29. Bd1 Ne6⩲)

Indeed, no one knows who will wear the crown in the future, but, as they say, a good beginning bodes well for a good reign. Thus, the premise tells us that 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) will not have an easy time in defending her title. Here, indeed, 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) missed the chance of making her opponent regret her hastiness when White could have played 29. Bb4! Kf7 (or 29. ... f4 30. Re5! Kf7 31. Bxf8 Rxf8 32. g5!±) 30. gxf5 Bxf5 31. Re7+ Kf6 32. Rxb7 Rxc2 33. Bxa6 Ne6 34. a5 Be4 35. f3! Bxf3 36. Bd3 Rg2+ 37. Kf1 Ra2 38. a6± with decidedly the better endgame. Instead, White’s move (29. gxf5) fails completely to put any pressure on 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), who, from the height of her experience, has no difficulty in achieving a draw.
29. gxf5 Bxf5 30. Bf3 Be4 31. Bxe4 dxe4 32. Bb4 Re8 33. Bxf8 Kxf8 34. Kf1 Kf7 35. Ke2 Kf6 36. Rg3 b5 37. axb5 axb5 38. Rg5 Rc8 39. Kd2 Rd8+ 40. Ke3 Rc8 41. Rxb5 Rxc2 42. b4 Rc3+ 43. Kxe4 Rc4+ 44. Kf3 Rxh4 45. Rb6+ Kg5 46. Rb7 g6 47. b5 Rb4 48. Rxh7 Rxb5 49. Kg3 Rb3+ 50. f3 Kf6 ½ : ½.

Speaking with the press afterwards, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), with the same fidelity of a queen bee to her king drone, exalted the figure of her fellow countryman 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén): “Brother 人 (Rén) [丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)] achieved an epic victory and made history. I am so excited. He is a tenacious fighter who never gives up. I have all to learn from him”. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.