Friday, June 14, 2024

A Journey Far Away

Alice Lee – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
4th Cairns Cup; Saint Louis, June 13, 2024
Queen’s Indian Defence A50

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb7 4. a3 e6 5. d5 Bd6 6. Nf3 0-0 7. e4 exd5 8. exd5 c6 9. Be2 cxd5 10. cxd5 Na6 11. 0-0 Nc7 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 g5 14. Bg3. This implies the sacrifice of a Pawn for a nebulous compensation, whereas instead 14. Nxg5!? hxg5 15. Bxg5 would leave White with two Pawns and the initiative for the sacrificed Knight. No wonder Lee, whose overly cautious opening repertoire makes it often difficult for her to play for a win even with White, opted for the least expensive price.
14. ... Bxg3 15. hxg3 Nfxd5 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. Nd4 Qf6 18. Bd3 Ne6 19. Nf5 Nc5 20. Bc2 Be6 21. Nd4. Interesting was 21. Nd6! Qxb2 22. Rb1 Qxa3?! 23. f4! Qxg3 24. Rf3 Qg4 25. f5 Ba2 26. Ra1 Bb3 27. Bxb3 Nxb3 28. Rxb3 Qxd1+ 29. Rxd1 a5∞ with four Pawns for the Knight and an asymmetrical balance.
21. ... Bc4 22. Re1 Rfe8 23. Qd2 Kf8 24. Nf5 d5


25. g4? So far White had achieved little or nothing for the Pawn, but now Lee has further bad judgment, conceding her opponent too much. Best was 25. Rab1 Rxe1+ 26. Rxe1 for if Black continued with 26. ... Qxb2 27. Nxh6 Ne4 (as in the game), the rejoinder would be 28. Rxe4! dxe4 29. Qd6+ Kg7 (29. ... Ke8?? 30. Nf5 Qa1+ 31. Bb1!+−) 30. Nf5+ Kg8 31. Qh6 Re8 32. Qxg5+ with a draw by perpetual check.
25. ... Qxb2 26. Nxh6 Ne4 27. Qd1 Nc3 28. Qf3 Ne2+ 29. Kh2 Nf4 30. g3 Be2! 31. Qb3 Qxb3 32. Bxb3 Nd3 33. Bxd5 Rad8 34. Bxf7 Nxe1 35. Rxe1 Re7 36. Nf5 Kxf7 37. Nxe7


37. ... Bf3! The pointe: White’s Knight is doomed, and its moves are numbered.
38. Nf5 Rh8+ 39. Nh4 gxh4. Now the ending is easily won by Black.
40. Kh3 Rg8! 41. Re3 Bxg4+ 42. Kxh4 Kf6 43. f3


43. ... b5! 44. Rc3 (44. fxg4 Rh8#)
44. ... a5 45. Rc6+ Be6 46. g4 Rh8+ 47. Kg3 Rb8 48. f4 Ke7 49. f5 Bd5 50. Rc2 b4 51. axb4 axb4 52. Kf4 b3 53. Rb2 Kd6 54. g5 Rb4+ 55. Ke3 Ke5 56. Kd3 Kxf5 57. Kc3 Rf4 58. Rd2 Bf7 59. Rg2 Kg6 0–1.

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