Nine Days

Jan Krejčí – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)

1st Prague International Chess Festival; Challengers Tournament; Prague, March 14, 2019

Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 0-0 8. Rc1 dxc4 9. Bxc4 c5 10. 0-0 cxd4 11. Nxd4 Qe7. Very interesting is 11. ... Bd7 12. Ne4 Qe7 13. Qh5 Nc6 14. Nb3 Be8 15. a3 f5 16. Qe2 Bxa3 17. bxa3 fxe4 18. Nc5 Ne5 19. Ba2 Nf3+ 20. Kh1 Qh4∞ with a double-edged game, So – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 77th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2015. 12. Qb3. If 12. Be2 there might follow 12. ... Nd7 13. a3 Ba5 14. b4 Bb6 15. Na4 Rd8 16. Nxb6 Nxb6 17. Qc2 e5 18. Nb3 Be6 19. Nc5 Rac8 20. Qb2 Bd5 21. e4 Bc6 22. Bg4 Rb8 23. Rfd1 Na4= 马中涵 (Mǎ Zhōnghán) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), 13rd “映美杯” (“Yìng Měi Cup”) Chinese Chess League, 北京 (Beijīng) 2017. 12. ... Ba5 13. Rfd1 Rd8!? A novelty and probably also an improvement on 13. ... a6 14. Be2 b5 15. Bf3 Ra7 16. a3 Bb7 17. Bxb7 Rxb7 18. Ne4 Rd8 with approximate equality, Bobrowska-Soćko – Khotenashvili, 2nd SportAccord World Mind Games, Women’s Blindfold Tournament, 北京 (Beijīng) 2012 — as it is likely that White could have done better. 14. Be2 Nd7 15. Ne4 Ne5? An obvious mistake which costs Black both in material and in position, condemning her to a long afternoon of anguish. Of course, 15. ... Nf8 16. a3⩲ was what 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) should have done, leaving White only a slight edge. 16. Rc5. Now White wins a Pawn by force. 17. ... Bc7 17. Qc2 Nc6 18. Nxc6 bxc6 19. Rxc6 Bb6 20. Rxd8+ Qxd8 21. Bf3 Bb7 22. Rc3 Bxe4 23. Bxe4 Rb8 24. g3 Qf6 25. b4 g6 26. a4 Kg7 27. Kg2 h5 28. h4 Bd8 29. Rc4 Qe5 30. Rd4 Bb6 31. Rc4 Bd8 32. Bf3 a6 33. Bc6 Be7 34. b5 axb5 35. axb5 Bd8 36. Re4 Qd6 37. Rd4 Qe5 38. Rd7 Bb6 39. Qd2 Kg8 40. Qd3 Qf6 41. Qe4 Kg7 42. Qb4 Qe5 43. Qa3 Bc5 44. Qd3 Bb6 45. Be4 Qf6 46. Qc2 Ba5 47. Bc6? Luckily for 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), White puts his Bishop in the best place to allow her to exchange Rooks! 47. Bd3± was obviously better.

47. ... Rd8! 48. Rxd8. White cannot avoid the exchange of Rooks, for otherwise ... Rd8-d2 would follow. 48. ... Qxd8 49. Qe4 Bb6 50. Qe5+ Qf6 51. Qb8 Qd8 52. Qxd8. In fact, White agrees to split the point, the opposite-coloured Bishops ending being objectively drawn. 52. ... Bxd8 53. Kf3 Kf6 54. Ke4 Bb6 55. f3 Ke7 56. Kd3 f5 57. Ke2 Bc7 58. Kf2 Bb6 59. Bb7 Bc5 60. Bc8 Bb6 61. Ke2 Bc7 62. f4 Bb6 63. Kd3 Bc5 64. Bb7 Bb6 65. Bf3 Bc5 66. Bd1 Bb6 67. Bb3 Bc5 68. Ke2 ½ : ½.

Jan Krejčí vs. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn). Photo: Vladimír Jagr.

Back Up

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Jiří Štoček

1st Prague International Chess Festival; Challengers Tournament; Prague, March 13, 2019

Sicilian Defence B52

After two or so days of headaches, today 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) finally breathed a sigh of relief and came back to win. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Nxd7 5. 0-0 Ngf6 6. Qe2 e6 7. c3 Rc8 8. d4 cxd4 9. cxd4 d5 10. e5 Ne4 11. Be3 Be7. Another modus vivendi is 11. ... Nb6 12. Ne1 f5 13. f3 Ng5 14. b3 Nf7 15. Nd3 Nd7 16. Nd2 Be7 17. Rac1 0-0 18. Rxc8 Qxc8 19. Rc1 Qb8 20. Nf4 Re8 21. g4 fxg4 22. fxg4 Bg5 23. Nd3 Bxe3+ 24. Qxe3 Nd8 25. Nf4 Nc6 26. Nf3 Qd8 27. Rf1 Qe7 28. h4 Nf8 29. Rf2 Rc8 30. Kg2 ½ : ½ Mamedov – Ivanchuk, 23rd Türkiye İş Bankası Chess League, Kocaeli 2017. 12. Ne1 f5 13. f3 Ng5 14. Nd3 0-0 15. Nc3. In his book “The Sicilian for the Tournament Player”, Batsford, London, 1989, p. 223, Grandmaster Eduard Yefimovich Gufeld mentioned 15. Nf4 Rc6! (Ghinda – Chandler, 1st World Team Chess Championship, Lucerne 1985) as quite satisfactory for Black. 15. ... Qb6 16. Rfc1 Nf7 17. Rc2 Rc6 18. Na4 Qa6 19. Rxc6 Qxc6 20. b3 Ba3 21. Bc1 Be7 22. Bd2

22. ... b5? Štoček becomes too ambitious and, not surprisingly, soon gets into trouble. Black had to be content with 22. ... Ba3(!) 23. Bb4 (23. Bc1 Be7 just repeats moves) 23. ... Bxb4 14. Nxb4 Qc7 holding White’s edge within more reasonable bounds. 23. Rc1! Qa6. 23. ... Qb7 24. Nac5 is also discouraging for Black. 24. Nf4 Nb8 25. Nc5 Bxc5 26. Rxc5 Nd8 27. Rxb5. The b5-Pawn has fallen, and Black’s whole position will soon fall as well. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) meets no obstacles on her way to the win: 27. ... Nbc6 28. Be3 g5 29. Nh5 f4 30. Bf2 Rf7 31. Nf6+ Kh8 32. a4 Ne7 33. Qc2 Ndc6 34. h4 gxh4 35. Bxh4 Nf5 36. Bf2 Rf8 37. Qd2 Qc8 38. Qxf4 Qc7 39. Qd2 1 : 0.

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) vs. Jiří Štoček. Photo: Vladimír Jagr.

Hours of Prague

Alexei Dmitrievich Shirov – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)

1st Prague International Chess Festival; Challengers Tournament; Prague, March 12, 2019

Catalan Opening E00

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bd6 6. Nc3 c6 7. Qc2 0-0 8. e4 dxe4. Worth of further study is 8. ... e5!? 9. dxe5 Bg4 10. Be2 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. exd6 Re8 13. 0-0 Qxd6 14. Bf4 Qf6 15. Rfe1 Nd7 16. Ng5 Bf5∞ Vidit – Praggnanandhaa, 1st Tata Steel Chess India Blitz, Kolkata 2018. 9. Nxe4 Nxe4 10. Qxe4 Nd7 11. Bd3 Nf6. Black’s last two moves are only good for avoiding immediate mate, but very ineffective in all other ways. On the other hand, 11. ... g6!? 12. 0-0-0!↑ doesn’t seem too pleasant either, Erdos – Abramović, 32nd European Chess Club Cup, Novi Sad 2016. 12. Qh4. Black is doomed already! 12. ... Re8. There are at least two earlier games which tellingly show the irresistibility of White’s attack: a) 12. ... b5 13. Bg5 h5 14. c5 Bxc5 15. 0-0-0 Be7 16. g4 Bb7 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. g5 c5 19. gxf6 Bxf3 20. Rhg1 g6 21. Qg5 1 : 0 Ragger – Braun, 30th SchachBundesliga, Baden-Baden 2010; b) 12. ... Be7 13. 0-0-0 b5 14. c5 Bb7 15. g4 g6 16. Qg3 Nd5 17. g5 Qc7 18. Ne5 f6 19. gxf6 Bxf6 20. h4 Kh8 21. h5 g5 22. Bxg5 Bxg5+ 23. Qxg5 Qe7 24. Qh6 1 : 0 Ponfilenok – Puraev, 24th Chigorin Memorial, Saint Petersburg 2016. 13. 0-0-0 b5 14. c5 Bxc5 15. g4 Bxd4!? A tricky “last-ditch” novelty. If 15. ... Qd5 (Sorokin – Sousa, 27th European Youth Championship BU18, Mamaia 2017) then 16. Bg5! and White’s attack continues vehemently to hit. 16. g5! Shirov brings his attack to a very brilliant conclusion. 16. ... Bxb2+ 17. Kc2 Qd5. No better is 17. ... g6 18. gxf6 Qxf6 19. Ng5 h5 20. Qe4 threatening Rh1-g1 followed by Ng5xf7. 18. gxf6 Bxf6 19. Qxh7+ Kf8 20. Bb4+ c5 21. Qh8+ Ke7 22. Qxe8+! Kxe8 23. Bxb5+ Kd8

24. Bc6! 1 : 0.

Czechoslovakia’s legendary Grandmaster Vlastimil Hort making the first move in the game between Alexei Dmitrievich Shirov and 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn). Photo: Vladimír Jagr.

Mosaics in an Afternoon

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Mateusz Bartel

1st Prague International Chess Festival; Challengers Tournament; Prague, March 11, 2019

Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bb7 7. d3 Be7 8. a4 0-0 9. Nc3 Na5 10. axb5 Nxb3. Probably best is 10 ... axb5 11. Nxb5 Nxb3 12. Rxa8 Qxa8 13. cxb3 Rb8 14. Na3 d5 15. Nxe5 dxe4 16. dxe4 Bxe4 17. f3 Bd5 18. Nac4 Qb7 19. Bg5 ½ : ½ Ljubojević – Planinc, 3rd Milan Vidmar Memorial, Ljubljana/Portorož 1975. 11. cxb3 axb5. Apparently Bartel is not interested in repeating 11. ... d6 12. bxa6 Rxa6 13. Bg5 which didn’t leave Black with enough for the Pawn, Naiditsch – Bartel, Before Trzcianka GM Blitz 2014, Poznań 2014. 12. Rxa8 Bxa8 13. Nxb5 c5 14. Nc3 d6 15. Bg5 Nh5 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Nd2 Nf4 18. Nc4 d5!? This and the next move are as much ambitious as unsound, weakening the light squares in the centre. 19. Nb6 d4 20. Ne2 Ne6 21. Nc4 Qc7 22. Qd2 Rb8 23. f4!? White’s splendid Knight pair as well as her “half Pawn” up could have well justified the entering into an endgame by 23. Qa5. 23. ... exf4 24. Nxf4 Bc6? This indifferent move — no doubt a grave mistake — should have lost the game. Black had to play 24. ... Nxf4 25. Qxf4 Qxf4 26. Rxf4 Rxb3 (on 26. ... g6 27. Rf6! can be annoying) 27. Rf5 Bb7 28. Rxc5 g6 with good drawing chances.

25. Nxe6? 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) performs her task too scholastically, without even suspecting that she was very near to a win: indeed, 25. Nd5! Qd8 (25. ... Bxd5 26. exd5 Nf8 27. Qf2!+−) 26. Qf2! Rb7 27. b4! would have given White an overwhelming advantage. 25. ... fxe6 26. Qg5 Be8! 27. Ra1 h6 28. Qg3. 28. Qg4 Bf7 29. Ra3 keeps alive the illusions of advantage, but nothing decisive is likely to happen. 28. ... Qxg3 29. hxg3 Kf8 30. Ra3 Bb5 31. Ne5 Ke7 32. Ra7+ Kd6 33. Nf7+ Kc6 34. Ne5+ Kd6 35. Nf7+ ½ : ½.

“Some GMs find 居 (Jū) vs. Bartel game very interesting 😊”. Caption and photo: Prague Chess Festival (@PragueChess).

Little Things Matter

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)

1st Prague International Chess Festival; Challengers Tournament; Prague, March 10, 2019

Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) insists on the Russian Defence. 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nd7 9. 0-0-0 c6. The alternative is 9. ... Nf6 10. Bd3 c5 11. Rhe1 Be6 12. Kb1 Qa5 13. c4 Qxd2 14. Bxd2 h6 15. h3 d5 16. Ne5 Rfd8 17. cxd5 Bxd5 18. g4 Kf8 19. g5 hxg5 20. Bxg5 Rd6 21. Re2 Be6 22. Rde1 Nd5 23. h4 Bxg5 24. hxg5 Nf4 25. Re4 Nxd3 26. Nxd3 Rad8 27. Kc1 b6 28. Rh4 g6 29. Reh1 Ke7 30. Re1 Kf8 31. Reh1 Ke7 32. Re1 Kf8 ½ : ½ Praggnanandhaa – Vocaturo, 44th Sunway Open, Sitges 2018. 10. Kb1. Sharper may be 10. h4 Re8 11. c4!? a6!? 12. h5 h6 13. Bd3 Nf6 14. Bd4 b5 15. Rde1 Be6 16. Nh4? (16. g4! bxc4 17. g5! cxd3 18. gxh6!∞) 16. ... bxc4 17. Bf5 Nd5! 18. Bxe6 Bg5−+ Tokhirjonova – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament, Khanty-Mansiysk 2018, match game 2. 10. ... Re8 11. Bd3 d5 12. h4 Bc5 13. Bf4!? A novelty of the young Indian Grandmaster. If 13. Bd4 Black replies with 13. ... Bxd4 14. cxd4 Nf6 15. Rde1 Ne4 16. Qf4 Qf6 defending well enough, Karjakin – Giri, 4th Grand Chess Tour, Rapid YourNextMove, Leuven 2018. Likewise 13. Rde1 proved not enough to bring any advantage: 13. ... Bxe3 14. Rxe3 Rxe3 15. Qxe3 Nf6 16. Re1 Qd6 17. Qe8+ Qf8 18. Qxf8+ Kxf8 19. Kc1 Bd7 20. c4 dxc4 21. Bxc4 Re8 22. Rxe8+ Bxe8 23. Kd2 Ke7 24. Ne5 Nd7 25. Nf3 Nf6 26. Ne5 Nd7 27. Nf3 Nf6 28. Ne5 ½ : ½ Aronian – Caruana, 43rd Chess Olympiad, Batumi 2018. 13. ... Nf6 14. Rde1 Ne4!? A Pawn sacrifice which basically has only defensive function, and so not easy to understand. 14. ... Rxe1+ 15. Rxe1 Bd7 was much consistent with Black’s “philosophy” of opening and near enough to equality.

15. Bxe4 dxe4 16. Rxe4! Be6 17. Qxd8 Raxd8 18. Be3 Bf8. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)’s only hope is that White’s doubled Pawns on the c-file and Black’s Bishop pair can prove a sufficient compensation for the Pawn. 19. b3 c5 20. Bf4 f6 21. Rhe1 Kf7 22. c4 Bd7 23. Rxe8 Bxe8 24. Kc1 Bc6 25. Re3 h5 26. Ne1 Kg6 27. Bc7 Rc8 28. Bg3 Kf5 29. f3 g6. Maybe 29. ... g5 at once, in order to force 30. hxg5 fxg5 31. Re5+ Kf6 32. Re2 Re8 offered better defensive chances. 30. Kd1 b6. This is very questionable, because it gives meaning and scope to Bg3-b8 after an exchange of Rooks. 31. Nd3 Rd8 32. Ke2 g5 33. Kf2 Be8 34. hxg5 fxg5 35. Re5+ Kf6 36. Rd5 Be7 37. f4 Ke6? This loses a second Pawn, with consequences easy to guess. 37. ... Rxd5 38. cxd5 Kf5 was her comparatively best worst; for instance: 39. fxg5 Bxg5 40. Bb8 a6 41. Bc7 Ke4 42. Bxb6 Be3+ 43. Ke2 c4 44. Bd8 cxd3+ 45. cxd3+ Kxd5 46. Kxe3 with Black seeking an unlikely salvation in an opposite-coloured Bishops ending two Pawns down. 38. Re5+ Kd7 39. fxg5 Bg6 40. Rd5+ Kc8 41. Rxd8+ Bxd8 42. Bf4 h4 43. Kf3 Bf5 44. g3 hxg3 45. Kxg3 Kd7 46. Kh4 Ke8 47. Kh5 Kf8 48. Kh6 Kg8 49. Bd6 Kf7 50. Nf4 Bxc2 51. g6+ Kg8 52. Nd5 Be4 53. Bf4 Bxd5. Desperation, but 53. ... b5 54. Nc3 loses as well. 54. cxd5 Bf6 55. d6 Kf8 56. d7 Ke7 57. Bg5 1 : 0.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa vs. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn). Photo: Vladimir Jagr.

国际妇女节 (International Women’s Day)

David Arturovich Paravyan – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)

1st Prague International Chess Festival; Challengers Tournament; Prague, March 8, 2019

Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bf5 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Re1 Nc6 9. c4 0-0 10. Nc3 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 Re8 13. cxd5 Qxd5 14. Bf4 Bd6 15. Ng5 g6 16. Ne4. Another way is 16. Bd2 Be7 17. h4 b5 18. Nf3 Bd6 19. a4 a6 20. axb5 axb5 21. Rxa8 Rxa8 22. Bg5 h5 23. Bf6 Bf8 24. Ng5 Bg7 25. Bxg7 Kxg7 26. Qg3 Rc8 27. Qf4 Qd7 28. Qe4 Rd8 29. Re3 Qd5 30. Qf4 Rd6 31. Rf3 Nd8 32. Qe3 b4? (32. ... Rd7 33. Qe8 c6 offered a robust defence) 33. cxb4 Qxd4 34. Rxf7+! 1 : 0 Anand – Charbonneau, 36th Chess Olympiad, Calvià 2004. 16. ... Re6!? This is a new move, or at least a new move order, in comparison to 16. ... Kg7 17. Qf3 Bxf4 (17. ... Re6 transposes into the game) 18. Qxf4 Qf5 19. Qxf5 gxf5 20. Nc5 Na5 21. g3 c6 22. Kg2 b6 23. Nd3 Re4 24. f3 Rxe1 25. Rxe1 Kf6 26. h4 Rd8 27. Nf4 Nc4 28. g4 fxg4 29. fxg4 c5 30. d5 b5 31. Kg3 h6 32. Nh5+ Kg6 33. Re7 Nb6 34. Rc7 Na4 35. Rc6+ Kh7 36. g5 hxg5 37. hxg5 Nxc3 38. Rh6+ Kg8 39. Nf6+ Kg7 40. d6 Ne2+ 41. Kg4 c4 42. Rh2 Nd4 43. Rh7+ Kg6 44. Rh6+ Kg7 45. Kh5 Rh8 46. d7 Nc6 47. Ne8+ Kg8 48. Nf6+ Kg7 ½ : ½ Iljiushenok – Iljin, 25th Russian Team Chess Championship, Sochi 2018. 17. Qf3 Kg7 18. Nxd6 Qxf3 19. gxf3 cxd6 20. Rxe6 fxe6 21. Bxd6 Rd8 22. Bg3 Rc8 23. c4 Rd8 24. Rb1 Rd7. White’s extra Pawn is meaningless, to say the least, because of Black’s much better Pawns and King. On the other hand, by giving it back with 25. Bf4 or 25. d5, White would increase his own drawing chances substantially. Instead, Paravyan does his very best to lose the game: 25. Be5+? Nxe5 26. dxe5 g5!∓ 27. Kf1!? Kg6

28. Ke2. 28. c5 Kf5 29. Rb5 was also worth considering. 28. ... Kf5 29. Rb5!? The effects of such a move may even be reversible, but conceptually it carries in itself the seeds of its own nemesis. 29. ... b6 30. a4? This seems to be the fatal faux pax. Correct was 30. Ke3! to be followed by a2-a4-a5 or c4-c5 (or both), making it very hard for Black to progress. 30. ... Rc7! 31. a5 Rc5 32. Rb1. Or 32. axb6 Rxb5 33. cxb5 axb6 with a won Pawn and King ending. 32. ... Rxe5+ 33. Kf1 Rxa5 34. Rd1 Ra4 35. Rd7 a5 36. Rc7 Ke5 37. c5 b5 38. Rxh7 Rc4 39. f4+ Kxf4 40. h4 a4 41. c6 Rxc6 42. h5 Kg4 43. Kg2 Ra6 44. f3+ Kh4 0 : 1.

Today 17th Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) received flowers from organisers in celebration of the International Women’s Day (IWD). Photo: Vladimir Jagr.

布拉格天文钟 (Prague astronomical clock)

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Peter Michalík

1st Prague International Chess Festival; Challengers Tournament; Prague, March 7, 2019

Sicilian Defence B31

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. h3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Nd7 8. Be3 e5 9. Qd2 h6!? 10. 0-0! Qe7 11. Nh2 Nf8 12. f4 exf4 13. Bxf4 g5. It’s still theory, but it probably is a wrong theory. 14. Bg3 Ng6 15. e5! Be6. Of course, 15. ... Nxe5 16. Rae1 plays into White’s hands. If, instead, 15. ... 0-0 then 16. Rae1 Be6 17. Nf3 with a powerful bind: 17. ... Bd5 18. Nxd5 cxd5 19. c3 Rae8 20. d4 cxd4 21. Qxd4 Qe6 22. Qxa7 Ra8 23. Qf2 Rxa2 24. Kh1 f6 25. Nd4 Qb6 26. Qf3 Ne7 27. Nf5 Nxf5 28. Qxd5+ Kh8 29. Rxf5 Rxb2 30. exf6 Bxf6 31. Rxf6 1 : 0 M. Adams – Michiels, 29th SchachBundesliga, Baden-Baden 2009. 16. Rae1 0-0-0 17. Nf3! This move — very strong indeed — costed 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) more than 40 minutes. 17. ... Kb8. 17. ... g4!? 18. hxg4 h5!? (18. ... Bxg4 19. Ne4 is even worse) 19. Qg5! is clearly advantageous for White. 18. Ne4 Ka8. 18. ... c4 19. d4 would not be appealing either. 19. Qc3!? Rd5 20. a3!? g4! White’s last two moves convinced Black that drastic countermeasures were imperative. 21. hxg4 Bxg4 22. Nf6 Bxf6 23. exf6 Qd7? This grave mistake loses the game almost immediately. Both 23. ... Qd8 24. Nd2 and 23. ... Qf8 23. Ne5 would have probably left White with somewhat the better chances, but nothing comparable to what is about to follow. 24. Nh4! Nxh4 25. Re7 Qc8 26. Bxh4 Be6 27. Re1 Rf5

28. R1xe6! fxe6 29. f7. Threatening Qc3xh8. 29. ... e5 30. Qxc5 b6 31. Qd6 1 : 0.

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn). Photo: Vladimir Jagr.