Witch to the Crown

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024–25; 2nd stage; Shimkent, November 1, 2024
2rr2k1/2q1np1p/1p2pbp1/pBPp4/PP1N1P2/2P1Q1PP/5P2/3RR1K1 w - - 0 23

Position after 22. ... b7-b6

The position in the diagram is the outcome of a London System in which something has gone terribly wrong for Black. It is easy for a tactician such as 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) to profit by it:
23. Nxe6! fxe6 24. Qxe6+ Kg7 25. cxb6 Qxc3 26. bxa5 Qxa5

White has not only three Pawns for the Knight, but an irresistible attack as well.
27. g4! h6. This proves insufficient, but 27. ... Ng8 28. g5 Bc3 29. Re3 does not leave room for hope either.
28. h4! Bxh4 29. g5! A perfidious interference. If now 29. ... hxg5 then 30. Qxe7+ Kh6 (or 30. ... Kg8 31. Re6+−) 31. Re5! with a mating attack.
29. ... Nf5 30. Qf6+ Kh7 31. Qf7+ Kh8 32. Qf6+ Kh7

White closes the issue with another brilliant sacrifice:
33. Re7+! Nxe7 34. Qxe7+ Kh8 35. Qf6+ Kh7 36. f5! Rg8. Not 37. ... gxf5+ because of 38. g6+ followed by mate in two.
37. fxg6+ Rxg6 38. Bd3 Rg8 39. Qf7+ Kh8 40. Bxg6 Bxf2+ 41. Kg2! 1–0.

If a caption were required, it should say “The challenger to the crown is not a paper tiger”. Photo: Konstantin Chalabov/FIDE.