Or Else

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)
44th Chinese Women’s Chess Championship; 兴化 (Xīnghuà), December 28, 2020
Caro-Kann Defence B14

1. c4 c6 2. e4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Qb3 e6 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. c5 Bg7 9. Bb5 0-0. The immediate 9. ... Ne4 can turn, by transposition, into the following game: 10. Bf4 0-0 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. 0-0 f6 13. Rfe1 g5 with good play for Black, Tsotsonava – Ferkova, 37th World Junior Chess Championship Girls U-20, New Delhi 2019. 10. 0-0 Ne4 11. Rd1 Bd7 12. Bf4 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Na5 14. Qa4 Bxb5 15. Qxb5 Re8 (15. ... b6!?) 16. Ne5 Re7 (16. ... b6!?) 17. Ng4 Rd7 18. h4 Nc6 19. Bg5 f6 20. Bf4 h5 (20. ... f5!? 21. Bg5 Qf8) 21. Ne3

21. ... Kf7. Black’s “self-defence by the King” is a harbinger of difficulty. Probably better is 21. ... Qe8 22. Bd6 Qf7 to be followed by ... Bg7-f8 or ... e6-e5. 22. Rab1 Bf8 23. Rb3 Rc8 24. Qe2 Na5 25. Rb5 b6 26. Re1? White ought to play here 26. g4! hxg4 27. Re1 Rc6 transposing to the game. The text gives Black an opportunity to escape her doom. 26. ... Rc6? (26. ... bxc5!∞)

27. g4! hxg4 28. Rxa5! bxa5 29. Nxg4 Rb7? (29. ... Bg7! 30. h5! gxh5 31. Ne3↑) 30. Qf3! Be7?! Only a little better is 30. ... Bg7 to which there would follow 31. Nc4+− with destructive threats such as h4-h5, Ne3-c4-d6+, and c3-c4. 31. h5! Qh8. Neither 31. ... g5 32. Qd3+− nor 31. ... gxh5 32. Nh6++− are of any use. 32. Bg3 Kg7 33. Ne5! Rc8 34. Nxg6 Qg8 35. Nf4 Kf7 36. Nxe6 Rd7 37. Qf5 1 : 0.

Thus it was 16th Women’s World Chess Champion 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) who “seized the day” in Monday’s clash at the top of the 44th Chinese Women’s Chess Championship. Photo: Chinese Chess Association.

上海话 (Shànghǎinese)

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova – 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; tie-break game 3 (10+10); Khanty-Mansiysk, November 5, 2018

Emglish Opening A11

It was a day of tie-breaks in Khanty-Mansiysk and there were no particular surprises in results. The only exception — especially to some commentators — appears to have been the hard-fought win of 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún) over Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova, with the Chinese giving a display of strategic understanding and refined endgame technique. 1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 d5 4. Qc2 g6 5. Be2 Bg7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. d4 b6 8. b3 Bb7 9. Bb2 Nbd7 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Nc3 Rc8 12. Rfc1 Ne4. The interpolation of 12. ... a6 13. a4 Ne4 might even make sense, Glavina – Cifuentes Parada, 9th Memorial Santiago Tejero Lamana, Zaragoza 2017. 13. Qd1 Nxc3 14. Bxc3 e6 15. a4 Qe7 16. a5 Rc7 17. a6 Ba8 18. Qd2 Rfc8 19. Ne1 Bf8 20. Rc2 Qd8 21. b4 Nf6 22. f3 Bc6 23. b5 Be8. The immediate 23. ... Bd7 could well lead to the same ending of the game after 24. Rac1 Qe7 25. Bb4 Qxb4 26. Qxb4 Rxc2 27. Qxf8+ Kxf8 28. Rxc2 Rxc2 29. Nxc2 Ne8 30. Na3 Nd6 which is easier for Black to play — but probably nothing more than that. 24. Bb2? Zhukova usually favoures semi-static strategies, which, however, may be particularly bad-suited for fast games. White had to play 24. Rac1 with an approximate equilibrium.

24. ... Bd7! 25. Rac1 Ne8! 26. Bd3 Nd6 27. Qe2 Rxc2 28. Rxc2 Rxc2? 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún) contents herself with a slightly more pleasant ending, but there were solid arguments for preferring 28. ... Qe8(!) in order to cash in the b5-Pawn. 29. Nxc2 Qc8 30. Na3 Bh6 31. Kf2 Qd8 32. g3 Qc8 33. Kg2 Bf8 34. e4 dxe4 35. fxe4 Bg7 36. e5 Ne8 37. Qe4 Bf8 38. Qb7 Qc7 39. Nb1 Bc8 40. Qxc7. 40. Qa8(!) Bb4(!)∞ is quite uncertain. 40. ... Nxc7 41. Ba3 Bxa3 42. Nxa3 Bd7. Black’s ending is certainly easier to play — due to White being tied to the defence of the a6- and b5-Pawns — but, if correctly followed, not necessarily mathematically winnable. 43. Kf2 Kg7 44. Ke2. The King’s journey to the Queenside seems serious bad judgment. 44. ... f5 45. Kd2 g5! 46. Kc3 h5! 47. Kb4? Maybe only now White makes the step of no return. 47. Bc4(!) was called for, in order to quickly bring back the King to the Kingside; for instance: 47. ... h4 48. Kd3 followed by Kd3-e3. 47. ... Nd5+ 48. Kb3 Nc7. It was time already for 48. ... g4! immediately forcing matters on the Kingside. 49. Bc4? Good or bad, White had to play 49. Kc2 (idem to say 49. Kc3), desperately running back towards the East, though after 49. ... g4 50. Kd2 h4! 51. Ke2 h3 52. Kf2 Nd5 it’s hard to imagine that she could have saved the game. 49. ... h4! 50. Kb4. On 50. gxh4 g4 wins outright. 50. ... hxg3. Another way to win was 50. ... g4! followed by ... f5-f4, but in substance it is almost the same: Black’s win is easy. 51. hxg3 f4 52. gxf4 gxf4 53. Kc3 Kg6 54. Kd3 Kg5 55. Ke4 Kg4 56. Be2+ Kg3 57. Bf1 f3 58. Ke3 f2 59. Be2 Kg2 60. Kf4 f1=Q+ 61. Bxf1+ Kxf1 62. Kg5 Nxb5 63. Nc2 Ke2 64. Kf6 Kd2 65. Nb4 Kc3 0 : 1.

倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún). Photo © Press service of the Women’s World Championship 2018.

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova. Photo © Press service of the Women’s World Championship 2018.

Taking Back Sunday

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 2; Tehran, February 21, 2017

Three Knights Game C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nxe5 0-0 5. Be2 Re8 6. Nd3 Bxc3 7. dxc3 Nxe4 8. 0-0 d6 9. Re1 Nd7 10. Bf3 Ndf6 11. c4 h6 12. b3 Bf5 13. Bb2 Rb8!? It doesn’t seem an improvement on 13. ... c6 14. Qc1 Nh7 15. Qf4 Qg5 16. Rad1 Nc5 17. Qd4 Nxd3 18. cxd3 Qg6 19. h4 Qf6 20. Ba1 Qxd4 21. Bxd4 Nf8 22. Rxe8 Rxe8 23. a4 a6 24. b4 Ng6 25. g3 Ne5 26. Bxe5 dxe5 27. Be4 Be6 28. a5 Rd8 29. Re1 f5 30. Bg2 Rxd3 31. Rxe5 Bxc4 32. Re7 Bd5 33. Rxb7 f4 34. gxf4 Bxg2 35. Kxg2 Rb3 36. f5 c5 37. b5 axb5 38. a6 Ra3 39. a7 Kh7 40. f6 1 : 0 Rozentalis – Chekhov, 1st League of 53rd Championship of USSR, Kharkov 1985. 14. h4 Qd7 15. Qc1 Bh7 16. Qf4 b6 17. Nb4. Stockfish gives 17. g4! (Δ g4-g5) 17. ... g5 18. hxg5 hxg5 19. Qc1 Bg6 20. Bxf6 Nxf6 21. Qxf6 with a decisive preponderance of White, but it is hard to blame Kosteniuk for not doing so. Or perhaps, was Alexandra Konstantinovna afraid to advance her g-Pawn? 17. ... a5 18. Nd5 Nxd5 19. cxd5 Qf5 20. Qxf5 Bxf5 21. Re2 Nc5 22. Rae1 Rxe2 23. Rxe2 Kf8 24. a3. White stands a little better (especially thanks to her Bishop pair), but it is not easy to get more of it. 24. ... Bd7 25. b4 axb4 26. axb4 Na6 27. c3 Re8 28. Rxe8+ Bxe8 29. Be2 Nb8 30. g4 g5 31. Kg2 f6 32. Kg3 Bg6 33. f4 Be4 34. hxg5 hxg5 35. fxg5 fxg5 36. Bc1 Bxd5 37. Bxg5 Nc6 38. Kf4 Kf7 39. Bh4

39. ... Bh1? It’s one of the worst possible moves that 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún) could make, but... she had not enough time to realize it. 40. b5! White now wins the c-Pawn and with it the game. 40. ... Na7. Not 40. ... Ne7?? (in order to prevent Bh4-d8) because of 41. Bxe7 Kxe7 42. Bf3 winning immediately – as a sad consequence of the unfortunate 39. ... Bh1. 41. Bc4+ d5 42. Bd3 c6 43. bxc6 Nxc6 44. Bf2. The Pawn is finally doomed. Kosteniuk will convert her advantage with renewed energy. 44. ... Na5 45. Bxb6 Nc4 46. Bd4 Nd6 47. Bh7 Bg2 48. Be5 Nc8 49. Bd3 Ne7 50. Bd4 Ng6+ 51. Kg5 Ne7 52. Bc5 Nc6 53. Kf4 Nd8 54. Be3 Nc6 55. g5 Ne7 56. Ke5 Ng6+ 57. Kd6 Ne7 58. Bc2 Nc8+ 59. Ke5 Ne7 60. Bc1 Nc6+ 61. Kd6 Ne7 62. Bb3 Nf5+ 63. Ke5 Ne7 64. Bd1 Ng6+ 65. Kd6 Be4 66. Bg4 Nf8 67. Bh5+ Ng6 68. Be3 Kg7 69. Bd4+ Kf7 70. Bf6 Bg2 71. Bg4 Kf8 72. Be5 Ne7 73. Ke6 Ng6 74. Kf6 Be4 75. Be6 Nh4 76. Bf7 Nf5 77. g6 1 : 0. Mate in two follows. A convincing victory of Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, who will play Anna Muzychuk in the semifinals.

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk
Photo © David Llada

The Veiled Crown

倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún) – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; match game 1; Tehran, February 20, 2017

Sicilian Defence B31

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. 0-0 Bg7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. Nc3 0-0 7. e5 Ne8 8. Bxc6 dxc6 9. d3 Nc7 10. Ne4 Ne6 11. Be3 b6 12. Qd2 Re8 13. Re2!? 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)’s New Deal. The development idea besides is an interesting one, even if it seems just a bit static. For 13. Bh6 Bh8 14. Neg5 f6 15. Nxe6 Bxe6 16. Qf4 see Marković – Velimirović, 53rd Yugoslav Chess Championship, Belgrade 1998. 13. ... Nd4 14. Nxd4 cxd4 15. Bf4 Qd5 16. Ng3 c5 17. b3 Bb7 18. f3 b5 19. Rae1 a5 20. Bh6 Bh8 21. Qf4 Qe6

22. h4. White starts her operations on the Kingside. 22. ... a4 23. h5 axb3 24. axb3 c4! Just in time for countering White’s raid on the opposite wing. 25. bxc4 bxc4 26. dxc4 Rac8. Not 26. ... Qxc4? 27. e6! and White breakthroughs. 27. hxg6 hxg6 28. Qxd4 Rxc4 29. Qf2 Rec8 30. Nf1. Intending something like Nf1-e3-g4, but Black is alert. 30. ... Ba6 31. Rd2 R4c5 32. f4 Bxf1! Best for saving the day. 33. Rxf1 Qf5 34. Rfd1 Rxc2 35. Rd8+ Rxd8 36. Rxd8+ Kh7 37. Qh4 Qh5. The only move, but a sufficient one. 38. Bg5 f6 39. exf6 Qxh4 40. Bxh4 Bxf6 41. Bxf6 ½ : ½. So everything is just where they left it. In the next game Kosteniuk will have White.

倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún). Photo © David Llada.

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk. Photo © David Llada.

Olive Oyl

倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún), born in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China on February 26, 1997 is indeed the only “outsider” who reached the quarterfinals in the Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament ongoing in Tehran, Iran. Now she will have to face former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, and it will not be an easy fight. But she’s not too worried about it, being already quite happy of how she progressed so far. She told sports.sina.com.cn that she came to Iran with more than some apprehension. “I was feeling insecure”, she said. But then, once in Tehran, she enjoyed a completely different experience, finding the country quiet and beautiful, and the people kind and friendly. So she relaxed very soon. On her climb to the top of the Queendom, she has to avoid just one obstacle. “I just cannot adapt to the Iranian diet”, she said. Like most Chinese people, her stomach tolerates only Chinese food. But she had not come unprepared. “I have my secret weapon”, she smilingly said. She brought with herself a sufficient supply of food, that she bought before she left to Tehran. Rice, noodles, and porridge. And then, like Popeye, she unexpectedly enjoyed how good the supermarkets in Tehran are at selling spinachs. And since she can cook in her hotel room her “every day” rice noodles with mushrooms and spinachs, no wonder no one won’t be able to stop 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)’s bid for Crown.

倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)’s spinachs
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn

倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)’s grocery shopping in Tehran’s supermarkets
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn

This for That

倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún) – Natalia Andreevna Pogonina

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 2; Tehran, February 18, 2017

Scotch Game C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb6 6. Nc3 Nge7 7. Qe2 0-0 8. Be3 Bxe3 9. Qxe3 d6 10. 0-0-0 a6 11. f4 Qe8 12. Bd3 b5 13. Rhe1 Bd7 14. Kb1 Kh8 15. Qf3 Qc8 16. h3 b4 17. Nd5 a5 18. Nxe7 Nxe7 19. e5 Ng6 20. Nc1 a4 21. Qe4 Rb8 22. exd6 cxd6 23. Qd4 Bf5 24. g4 Bxd3 25. Rxd3 f5 26. g5 Qc5 27. Re6 Rbc8 28. Rd2 Qc4 29. Rxd6 Nxf4 30. h4 Nh5 31. b3 axb3 32. axb3 Qc3 33. Ne2 Qf3 34. Rd8 Rcxd8 35. Qxd8 Kg8 36. Qe7 Qh1+ 37. Kb2 Qa8 38. Rd7 Qe8 39. Nd4 f4 40. Nf3 Qc8 41. Rc7 Qd8 42. Qe6+ Kh8 43. Qc4 Qd6 44. Rc8 g6 45. Rc7 Ng7 46. Rb7 Rb8 47. Ra7 Rf8 48. Qb5 Rb8 49. Qc4 Rf8 50. Rc7 Nf5 51. Rc5 Rb8 52. Rd5 Qb6 53. Rd7 Qe3

54. Qc7? So far 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún) dominated the game, but now she misses 54. Qf7! Qc3+ 55. Kb1 Qg7 56. Qd5 Qc3 57. Ne5 with an instant win. 54. ... Rf8 55. Rd3 Qe7 56. Qxe7 Nxe7 57. Rd4 h6? It was better to maintain the b4-Pawn and instead cede the f4-Pawn: 57. ... Rb8! 58. Rxf4 Nd5 59. Rd4 Rb5 with better chances to fight for a draw in a Rook and Knight ending a Pawn down. 58. Rxb4 hxg5 59. hxg5 Nd5 60. Rd4 Ne3 61. c4 Ng2 62. c5 Re8 63. Kc3 Kg8 64. b4. White is only one Pawn ahead, but her couple of passers on the Queenside is worth a treasure. 64. ... Ra8 65. c6 Kf7 66. b5 Ke6 67. Kb4 Ne3 68. Kc5 Ra1 69. Rxf4 Rc1+ 70. Kd4 Nf5+ 71. Kd3. Simpler (and more elegant) was 71. Rxf5! gxf5 (71. ... Kxf5 72. Kd5+-) 72. g6 Kf6 73. Ne5+- winning immediately. 71. ... Kd5 72. Rb4 Nd6 73. Nd2?? Suddenly coming on the verge of a drama breakdown. 73. Nd4 was clearly called for, in order to met 73. ... Kc5 by 74. b6! with a win in sight. 73. ... Rc5?? Luckily for 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún), Pogonina returns the favour. After 73. ... Kc5! 74. Rd4 Rd1! 75. Rf4 Kxb5 76. c7 Kb6 77. Rb7! Kb7 78. Rg7 Kc8 Black should be able to draw. 74. Ne4. Or 74. Rd4+ Ke6 75. Rxd6+ Kxd6 76. Ne4+ and wins. 74. ... Nxe4 75. Rd4+ Ke5 76. Rxe4+ Kf5 77. Rc4 1 : 0.

倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn

G+

倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún) – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 2; Tehran, February 15, 2017

Sicilian Defence B22

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. d4 Bg4 6. Be2 e6 7. h3 Bf5 8. Be3. The vintage alternative is 8. 0-0 cxd4 9. cxd4 Bxb1 10. Rxb1 Be7 11. Qa4 Bf6 12. Bc4 Qd7 13. b4 Nge7 14. Rd1 0-0 15. b5 Nxd4 16. Nxd4 Bxd4 17. Bb2 Nf5 18. Bd3 e5 19. Bxf5 Qxf5 20. Bxd4 exd4 21. Qxd4 Rfe8 22. Rb3 h6 23. Rg3 Qe5 24. a4 b6 25. Qxe5 Rxe5 26. Rd7 a6 27. bxa6 Rxa6 28. Rg4 ½ : ½ Paoli – Castaldi, 6th International Tournament, Venice 1953. 8. ... cxd4 9. Nxd4 0-0-0? Very, very risky – and probably wrong. There is no consolation in the fact that she could have done even worse by 9. ... Qxg2?? (10. Bf3+-). For 9. ... Nge7 10. 0-0 Nxd4 11. cxd4 Nc6 12. Nc3 Qd7 see Höllrigl – Peterwagner, Austrian Team Chess Championship 2001-2002, Graz 2002. 10. 0-0 Bd6 11. Nd2 Nge7 12. Qb3. 12. Bf3 Qe5 13. g3 (Δ Be3-f4) appears even stronger. 12. ... Bb8 13. Rfd1 Qa5? Gunina seems totally out of shape and unprepared to play today’s game. Stockfish’s rescue line 13. ... Nxd4 14. Bxd4 Qxb3 15. axb3 e5 16. Bc5 Ng6 appears to be playable. 14. Nb5! With the deadly threat of Nd2-c4, virtually trapping Black’s Queen. 14. ... Rd5 15. Nc4 Qd8 16. Bf3 b6 17. Qa3! Black is finished, but 上海 (Shànghǎi)’s Woman Grandmaster’s styled “enclosure” is worth waiting for. 17. ... Kd7 18. Ncd6! Black’s King is stalemated. 18. ... Bg6 19. c4 Ne5 20. Be2 Bc2 21. cxd5 Nxd5 22. Rd2 Bg6 23. Nc4 Qf6 24. Nc3 Nxc4 25. Bxc4 Qe5 26. Nxd5 Qh2+ 27. Kf1 exd5 28. Rxd5+ Ke6. Or 28. ... Kc6 29. Qa4+ Kb7 30. Ba6+ Kc7 31. Rd7 mate.

29. Re5++! Kxe5 30. Qe7+ 1 : 0. For if 30. ... Kf5 then 31. g4 mate.

倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)
Photo: David Llada (‏@davidllada)

Wildwood Flower

章晓雯 (Zhāng Xiǎowén) – 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)
Women’s Chinese Chess Championship; 兴化 (Xīnghuà), May 22, 2015
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Qd2 Ne5 9. 0-0-0 0-0 10. h4 c6 11. Kb1 Qa5 12. Nxe5! Less trustworthy appears 12. Bg5 Be6 as in the game Michelle Catherina – 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún), 32nd World Junior Chess Championship Girls, Pune 2014. 12. ... Qxe5. If 12. ... dxe5 then 13. Bc4 gives White a lasting initiative. The text move on the other hand is no better. 13. Bg5 Bxg5 14. hxg5 Bf5 15. f4. 章晓雯 (Zhāng Xiǎowén) rightly ignores the d6-Pawn and she focuses on developing her attack. 15. ... Qa5 16. Bd3. Intending g2-g4. 16. ... g6 17. Rh4! Bxd3 18. Qxd3 f5? Disastrous! In any case, after 18. ... Qf5 19. Qd4! Black cannot survive long.

“Position before White’s 19th move. What can one say? The open h-file and active White Queen spell mortal danger for the Black monarch... a good tactician needs no hint!”, Grandmaster Kevin Spraggett said. 19. Rxh7! Easily crushing! 19. ... Kxh7 20. Rh1+ Kg8 21. Qd4 Qd8 22. Rh8+ Kf7 23. Rh7+ Ke6 24. Qe3+ Kd5 25. Qd3+ Ke6. Or 25. ... Kc5 26. Qd4+ Kb5 27. Qb4+ Ka6 28. Qxb7+ Ka5 29. b4+ Ka4 30. Qa6+ and mate next move. 26. c4 d5. Helpmate, but other moves also lose very quickly. 27. Qe3+ Kd6 28. c5 mate.

章晓雯 (Zhāng Xiǎowén)
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn