In a Wing Chair

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)

Women’s World Chess Championship 2025; match game 2; 上海 (Shànghǎi), April 4, 2025

English Opening A29

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bc5 7. 0-0 0-0 8. d3 h6 9. Nxd5 Qxd5 10. Bd2 Qd6 11. Bc3 Qe7 12. Nd2 Nd4 13. e3 Nb5 14. a4 Nxc3 15. bxc3 c6 16. a5 Bd7 17. Qb3 Rab8 18. Ne4 Bd6 19. Nxd6 Qxd6 20. d4 b6 21. axb6 axb6 22. Ra7 Be6 23. Qa4 Rfc8 24. Rb1 Bd5 (24. ... b5 25. Qa6 h5 26. h4 Bc4=)
25. dxe5 Qxe5 26. Qd4 Qxd4 27. exd4 Bxg2 28. Kxg2 b5 29. Re1 Ra8 30. Ree7 Rxa7 31. Rxa7 c5 32. Kf3 cxd4 33. cxd4 Kf8 34. Rb7 Rc3+ 35. Ke4 Rc2 36. Ke3 Rc3+ 37. Kd2 Rf3 38. Ke2

38. ... Rf5!? Many commentators were surprised by 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)’s solution. It may work, after all, but 38. ... Rb3! was much easier and more thematic; for example: 39. d5 Ke8 40. d6 Ra3 41. Rxb5 g6 42. Re5+ Kd7 43. Re7+ Kxd6 44. Rxf7 Ke6 with a draw coming soon.
39. Ke3 h5 40. f4

40. ... Ke8? No wonder Judit Polgár did not miss the critical moment: “This is move 40 — how typical it is that you make a serious mistake on move 40!”. 40. ... b4!! 41. Kxb4 Ra5 was now the only way to go for a draw.
41. Ke4 Rf6 42. Rxb5 g6 43. d5 Ra6 44. Ke5 f6+ 45. Kd4 Ra2 46. Kc5 Rxh2 47. Rb8+ Kd7 48. Rb7+ Kc8 49. Rg7 g5 50. f5! Of course not 50. fxg5?? in view of 50. ... fxg5 51. Rxg5 h4 forcing a draw.
50. ... h4 51. gxh4 gxh4 52. Rh7 h3. With a salvific intention, for a salvific twisting: Δ ... Rh2-c2+ followed by ... h3-h2 saving the day with a draw.

53. Kd6! Kb8 54. Kd7 Kb7 55. d6 Kb6 56. Kd8 Rh1 57. d7 h2 58. Rh3 Kb7 59. Rb3+ Ka7 60. Rb2 Ka6 61. Re2 Kb7 62. Ke7 1–0.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) took such merciless advantage of her opponent’s hesitations and inaccuracies. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.