[Event "FIDE Grand Swiss (Women)"] [White "Vaishali,Ramesh Babu"] [Black "Tan,Zhongyi"] [Site "Douglas"] [Round "10"] [Annotator "Vaishali,Rameshbabu"] [Result "1-0"] [Date "2023.11.04"] [WhiteElo "2448"] [BlackElo "2517"] [PlyCount "85"] {[%evp 0,85,26,34,86,70,112,89,89,53,75,31,92,54,61,35,41,7,31,-7,53,26,57,46,37,-6,27,-23,32,34,60,72,48,52,68,23,60,43,55,30,48,29,44,25,6,6,12,-52,0,-7,115,53,101,161,203,203,225,107,107,107,111,107,107,208,204,152,391,345,526,978,635,918,918,918,918,918,918,785,918,559,572,815,688,753,855,993,1357,1364]} 1. e4 { This was the penultimate game of the event. I am playing on the top board against former Women's World Champion, Tan Zhongyi. I had lost to her exactly a month prior to this event in the Asian games team event in a very crucial match, So I was very excited and eager to play her again in this very important game!} c5 2. Nf3 d6 (2... e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 {Our previous game went in this direction.} )3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 Bd7 {The early... Bd7 came as surprise to me.} 7. Nxc6 {7.Qd2 is the main move. 7.Nxc6 is a very interesting option being played recently, so I just wanted to try it out!} (7. Bxf6 gxf6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 $132 )Bxc6 (7... bxc6 8. Bc4 {with Qe2 and 0-0-0 next.} )8. Bxf6 {It's important to start with Nxc6 and Bxf6, since 7.Bxf6 gxf6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 is good for Black.} gxf6 9. Bb5 Rg8 10. O-O Qd7 11. Bxc6 (11. Qd3 f5 $5 )bxc6 12. f4 Rb8 13. Qf3 (13. b3 {is also possible} Qh3 (13... f5 14. Qd3 )14. Qd2 Rb4 15. Rf2 {[%cal Gg1h1] with Kh1 and a3 next, and there is no attack on the kingside, White should be clearly better.} (15. Kh1 $2 Rd4 $1 $19 ))Qg4 (13... Rxb2 $6 14. Rab1 $1 Rb6 (14... Rxb1 15. Rxb1 Qc7 16. Qd3 $16 {[%cal Gd3a6,Gb1b7]} )(14... Qb7 15. Rxb2 Qxb2 16. Qd3 {[%csl Gc2][%cal Gf1b1]} (16. Rb1 Qxc2 17. Rb8+ (17. g3 $5 )Kd7 $11 )Qb6+ 17. Kh1 e6 18. Rb1 Qf2 19. g3 Be7 20. e5 $16 )15. a4 $36 {[%cal Ya4a5]} )14. b3 $6 {Allowing the exchange of queens, a dubious decision. With the Black king in the centre, there is potential for an attack with White, so it makes sense to avoid exchange of queens by playing Qf2.} (14. Qf2 {Keeping the queens on the board.} e6 (14... Rxb2 $2 15. Rab1 Rxb1 (15... Rb6 16. Na4 )16. Rxb1 $18 )15. Rae1 $1 (15. b3 d5 )(15. Rad1 d5 $1 (15... Rxb2 16. Rb1 ))Rxb2 (15... d5 16. g3 Rxb2 (16... Be7 17. exd5 cxd5 18. Nxd5 $1 )17. exd5 $16 )16. Re3 Qh5 17. f5 Be7 18. Kh1 $16 )Rb4 (14... Qxf3 15. Rxf3 e6 {[%csl Rc3,Gc6] In general in Rauzer structures, it's said, the exchange of queens favours Black. With the, knight on c3 restricted, Black can slowly improve the position and try to break the centre in right moment, whereas I don't see a clear plan for White.} )(14... f5 $5 15. Rae1 Bg7 )15. Rad1 (15. Qf2 {Again the best move avoiding the exchange of queens.} )e6 (15... Qxf3 16. Rxf3 e6 {The last chance to exchange the queens.} )16. Qf2 { Finally!} f5 $6 (16... d5 17. g3 {[%csl Ra7]} )17. a3 (17. Rd3 {The computer prefers the direct Rd3-Rg3 since the a7 pawn is hanging in some lines. I started with a3 which allowed black to go Rb7 and support the a7-pawn.} )Rb7 18. Rd3 {[%cal Gd3g3]} Be7 19. Kh1 {[%cal Gd3g3] with the idea of Rg3} (19. Rg3 $2 Bh4 $19 )Bh4 20. Qd2 (20. h3 $5 Bxf2 21. hxg4 Bb6 22. gxf5 exf5 23. Rxd6 $16 )d5 21. h3 (21. exf5 Qxf5 22. Ne2 {is also possible, I decided to include the move h3 first.} )Qg6 22. exf5 Qxf5 23. Ne2 e5 24. Re3 (24. g4 Qe4+ 25. Kh2 {was possible, but Re3 seemed more logical.} )(24. Qc3 {This was my initial plan, attacking both c6 and e5.} Qg6 25. Qxe5+ $2 (25. Rg1 $1 Bf2 26. fxe5 Bxg1 27. Rg3 $1 d4 28. Rxg6 Rxg6 29. Qd3 $18 )Kf8 {[%cal Gb7e7,Gg6g2] I saw this line, Black threatens both Re7 and Qxg2++, so decided not to go for Qc3.} )Re7 $2 (24... e4 25. c4 {[%csl Rc6,Re8][%cal Ge2d4] Breaking the pawn chain with the Black king in the centre, White should be better.} )25. Qb4 $1 {The drawback of Re7, allowing the queen's penetration.} Qg6 26. g4 $1 (26. Qb8+ $2 {spoils the win:} Kd7 27. Qxa7+ Kc8 28. Qa8+ Kc7 29. Qa5+ Kb7 30. g4 d4 {The Black king is safe and its more or less equal according to the computer.} )h5 (26... e4 27. Qb8+ Kd7 28. Qxa7+ $18 )(26... d4 27. Nxd4 exd4 28. Rxe7+ Bxe7 29. Re1 Qf6 30. g5 $18 )27. fxe5 hxg4 28. Qb8+ ({It was possible to start with} 28. Nf4 $18 {similar to the game.} )Kd7 29. Qxa7+ Kc8 30. Qa8+ Kc7 31. Qa7+ {Gaining some time on the clock.} Kc8 32. Qa6+ Kc7 (32... Kb8 33. Nd4 $1 c5 (33... Rc8 34. e6 $18 )34. Qxg6 Rxg6 35. Nf5 $18 )33. Nf4 Qh7 (33... Qxc2 34. Qa7+ Kc8 35. Qa8+ Kc7 36. Qxg8 $18 )34. Qa7+ (34. Nxd5+ {forces mate in 12! But what I played was also good enough to win.} cxd5 35. Qa7+ Kd8 36. Qa8+ Kd7 37. Qxd5+ Ke8 38. Qa8+ Kd7 39. Qb7+ Kd8 40. Rd1+ )Kc8 35. Qa8+ Kd7 36. Qb7+ Kd8 37. Qb8+ Kd7 38. Qb7+ Kd8 39. Qxc6 Rc7 40. Qxd5+ Ke8 41. Qa8+ Bd8 42. Rd1 Qh4 43. Red3 {With this win I qualified for the Women Candidates' with one round to spare!} 1-0