Stone and Steel

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

Women’s World Chess Championship 2025; match game 3; 上海 (Shànghǎi), April 6, 2025

Sicilian Defence B44

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 Nge7 7. Be2 d5 8. exd5 exd5 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. 0-0 0-0 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Bf3 Be6 13. Bg5 Bxc3 15. Qa4 h6 16. Bd2 a5 17. Rfe1 Rc4 18. Qa3 Nf5 19. Be2 Rc8 20. Rad1 Qd6 21. Qxa5 Ra8 22. Qb4 Rxa2 23. Bf4 Qc6 24. Bb5 Qb6 25. Re2 Rfa8 26. Bd3 Ra1 27. Ree1 Rxd1 28. Rxd1 Qd8 29. h3 Qf6 30. Re1 Rc8 31. Be5 Qg5 32. Ba6 Ra8 33. Bf4 Qf6 34. Bb7 Rd8 35. Bc7 Rf8 36. Rd1 Qg5 37. Bxd5 Ne3 38. h4 Qg4 39. Qxg4 Bxg4 40. Rd3 Nxd5 41. Rxd5 Ra8 42. Bb6 Be6 43. Rd6 Kf8 44. Bd4 Ke7 45. Rb6 g6 46. Kh2 h5 47. Kg3 Ra5 48. Kf4 Kd7 49. g3 Rf5+ 50. Ke3 Ra5 51. Rb4 Bd5 52. Bb6 Ra3 53. Kd4 Be6 54. Bc5 Ra2 55. Kd3 Bf5+ 56. Ke3 Be6 57. Bd4 Kc6 58. c4 Kc7 59. c5 Bd5 60. Kf4

Had Black continued with 60. ... Re2! 61. Kg5 Re4, White’s extra Pawn would be of little value, but after hours of strain and defence, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s nerves couldn’t take any longer.
60. ... Bc6? 61. Kg5! Now White’s King penetrates with decisive effect.
61. ... Ra4 62. Be5+ Kd7 63. Rb2 Ke6 64. Bf4 Rc4 65. Be3 Ke5 66. Rb8 Bd7 67. Rd8 Be6 68. Rd6 Rc2 69. Kh6 Kf6 70. Rd1 Rc4 71. Rd6 Rc2 72. Bd4+ Kf5 73. f3 Rc4 74. c6 Rc1 75. Kg7 g5 76. hxg5 Kxg5 77. Bb6. Here the check at e3 was immediately fatal.
77. ... Kf5 78. c7 Rc3 79. Ba5 Rc5 80. Ra6 Rc4 81. Kf8 Bd5 2. Ke7 h4 83. Rf6+ Ke5 84. gxh4 Be6 85. h5 Rc5 86. h6 Bc8 87. h7 1–0.

Once again, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) demonstrated her exceptional strength of character and steady energy. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.