Canovaccio

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Santosh Gujrathi Vidit
86th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 19, 2024
Queen’s Indian Defence E15

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Bg2 0-0 8. 0-0 c6 9. Bc3 d5 10. Nbd2 Nbd7 11. Qc2 c5 12. dxc5 bxc5 13. e3 Qb6 14. Rfd1 Bb7 15. Rac1 Rfd8 16. cxd5 exd5 17. Ne5 Nxe5 18. Bxe5 Rac8 19. Qf5 g6

20. Qf3. After yesterday’s success, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) followed a line of maximum prudence, with the explicit purpose of securing a draw as soon as possible. It gives one to think that the canovaccio comes out from the very same Dutch windmill: 20. Qf4 Nh5 21. Qg4 Nf6 22. Qf4 Nh5 23. Qf3 Qe6 24. Bb2 Rd7 25. Qe2 Bf6 26. Bxf6 Nxf6 27. Qb5 Rdc7 28. Qa4 Kg7 29. Qf4 h6 30. h4 Nh5 31. Qa4 Nf6 32. Qf4 Nh5 33. Qa4 ½ : ½ Wojtaszek – Karjakin, 79th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2017.
20. ... Nd7 21. Ba1 Qe6 22. Qf4 Bd6. Being not convinced of 22. ... f6 — which would weaken Black’s King’s position without posing any danger to White — Vidit resolves himself to allow a draw by repetition.
23. Qh6 Bf8 24. Qh4 Be7 25. Qh6 Bf8 26. Qh4 Be7 27. Qh6 ½ : ½.

Success hasn’t gone to 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)’s head at all. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit.