Thrice Upon a Time

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada
2nd FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss Tournament; Douglas, November 5, 2023
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3 h5 9. Nd5 Bxd5 10. exd5 Nbd7 11. Qd2 g6 12. 0-0-0 Bg7 13. Kb1 0-0 14. h3 Qc7 15. g4 Nb6 16. Bg5 h4 17. Bxh4 Rfc8 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. h4 a5 20. g5 Bg7

21. h5 a4 (21. ... gxh5 22. g6!→)
22. Na1 a3 23. b3 gxh5? (23. ... Qc3! 24. Qxc3 Rxc3 25. Bh3 Rf2 26. gxf7+ Kxf7 27. Rhf1⩲)

24. Bh3? A mistake which could cost 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) dearly. She had to play 24. c4! followed the capture of the h5-Pawn.
24. ... Rf8? Now 24. ... Qc3! 25. Qxc3 (25. Qc1?? e4 forces mate in two) 25. ... Rxc3 would have been very embarrassing for White.
25. c4! Mammadzada is not given a second chance.
25. ... e4 26. fxe4 Qe7 27. Nc2

27. ... Qe5 (27. ... Qxe4 28. Rde1)
28. Qd4 Qg3 29. Rd3 Bxd4 30. Rxg3 Be5 31. Rf3 f6 32. Rg1 Kf7 33. g6+ Kg7 34. Ne3 1 : 0.

And finally 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) did it, snatching a ticket to represent herself and China at the next Women’s Candidates. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.