A Day in Catalonia

Max Warmerdam – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
86th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 16, 2024
Catalan Opening E05

1. c4 e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. d4 0-0 6. 0-0 dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. a4 Bd7 9. Qxc4 Bc6 10. Bg5 Bd5 11. Qc2 Be4 12. Qc1 Nc6 13. e3 Bb4 14. Nc3 Bxc3 15. bxc3 h6 16. Bxf6 Qxf6 17. Nd2 Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Na5

19. Qa3. Warmerdam finally innovates in a long theoretical line, but without any effect on the assessment of the position. Likewise after 19. Qb1 e5 20. Qe4 Rfe8 21. Qd5 b6 22. Qf3 Qxf3+ 23. Kxf3 Rad8= the game is equal, Nepomniachtchi – Firouzja, 9th Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2022, tie-break game 1 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move).
19. ... Qd8 20. Kg1 b6 21. Rab1 c5 22. Rb2 Rc8 23. Qa2 cxd4 24. cxd4 Rc6 25. Qb1 Qc7 26. Qd3 Ra8 27. Kg2 Rc3 28. Qe4 Rb8 29. Rfb1 Nc4 30. Nxc4 Rxc4 31. Rb4 ½ : ½.

After yesterday’s unlucky setback, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) took a day’s rest in Catalonia. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit.