Twice Upon a Time

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa
86th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 16, 2024
Spanish Game C77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 6. 0-0 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 h6 9. Re1 0-0 10. Nbd2 Bb6 11. Nf1 Ne7 12. a4 Rb8 13. h3 Ng6 14. Ng3 c5 15. Be3

15. ... c4! 16. Bxb6 Rxb6 17. Ba2 Qc7 18. axb5 axb5 19. Bb1 cxd3 20. Bxd3 Nf4 21. Ne2 Nxd3 22. Qxd3 Be6 23. Ng3 b4 24. cxb4 Rxb4

25. Rad1?! 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) got the worst from his Ruy López and struggles to conveniently place his Rooks. Deserving consideration was 25. Ra6 Ne8 26. Qa3 Rb3 27. Qa1 Bxh3.
25. ... Rb6 26. Qa3 Rfb8 27. Rd2 Ne8 28. Nh2 Rb3 29. Qa1 Qb6! Threatening both ... Rb3xg3 and ... Rb3xb2.
30. Nhf1 Rxb2 31. Rxb2 Qxb2 32. Qxb2 Rxb2. Black has gained a Pawn, but will find it problematic to convert.
33. Ne3 g6 34. Ra1 Ba2 35. Nd1 Rb1 36. Rxa2 Rxd1+ 37. Kh2 h5 36. f3 Rb1+ 37. Rxb1 Bxb1 38. Ne2 Ba2 39. Kf2 Kf8 40. Nc3 Bb3 41. Ned5. Praggnanandhaa then said that, after this, he felt closer to victory, perhaps thinking about Botvinnik’s axiom that a Knight endgame is like a Pawn endgame.
41. ... Bxd5 42. Nxd5 f5

43. f4? A dramatic error that loses the game. 43. g3 Kf7 44. Ke3 was called for, defending to the bitter end.
43. ... Kf7! 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) must have hoped for 43. ... fxe4? 44. Ke3 with a draw in prospect.
44. exf5 gxf5 45. fxe5. 45. Ne3 Kf6 is also hopeless. What follows is a superb display of technique by Praggnanandhaa.
45. ... dxe5 46. g3 Ke6 47. Ne3 Nf6 48. Ke2 (48. Kf3 Ng4−+)
48. ... Ne4 49. Nf1 f4 50. gxf4 exf4 51. Kf3 Kf5 52. Kg2 Nd6 53. Nd2 Nf7 54. Nc4 Kg4 55. Kf2 Kxh4 56. Kf3 Kg5 57. Nb2 Kf5 58. Nd1 Ng5+ 59. Kg2 h4 60. Nf2 f3+ 61. Kg1 Kf4 62. Kf1 Ne4 0 : 1.

Just like last year: same round, same opponents, and... same result. Photo © Lennart Ootes.