[Event "FIDE Candidates Chess Tournaments 2024"] [Site "Toronto"] [Date "2024.04.21"] [Round "14"] [White "Muzychuk, Anna"] [Black "Tan, Zhongyi"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2520"] [BlackElo "2521"] [Annotator "WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B32"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind, Geller Line"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/1tCLzmR6/ooXYnbeA"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 { A curious choice of opening only needing a draw with Black. However in this game it worked wonders, as Muzychuk quickly went wrong. } 3. c4 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e5 6. Nf5 d5 7. cxd5 Bxf5 8. exf5 Nd4 9. Nc3 Nf6 10. Bd3 (10. g4!? { was a good direction for White too, but it's understandable why she chose a more solid path. }) 10... Be7 11. O-O O-O 12. Bg5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Bxg5 14. Be4 g6 15. f4 Bf6 { So far Muzychuk has more or less followed one of the best lines, but here she makes a critical error that allows Tan to secure the tournament } 16. Qd3? { it is hard to understand the point of this move, besides the fact that perhaps she missed something in the calculation of her potential piece sacrifice. } (16. fxg6 hxg6 17. f5 { looks dangerous for Black, but Tan probably had looked at it. } (17. Nxf6+ Qxf6 18. fxe5 Qxe5 19. Bxb7 Ra7 20. Bf3 Re7 { and Black's active pieces make up for the material deficit. }) 17... gxf5 18. Qh5 (18. Rc1 Bh4! 19. Bxf5 Qg5) 18... Bg7 19. Rxf5 Nxf5 20. Qxf5 (20. Bxf5 Re8) 20... Qh4) 16... gxf5! 17. Nxf6+ (17. fxe5 Bxe5) (17. Bxf5 { may have been what she wanted, but it doesn't work. } 17... Qxd5 18. Bxh7+ Kg7 19. Be4 Qd7! 20. Qg3+ Kh8 { The threat of the fork on e2 causes White to lose time. } 21. Rae1 Rg8 22. Qf2 Rg7 $19) 17... Qxf6 18. Bxb7 e4 19. Qc4 Rad8 20. Rad1 e3 21. Rfe1 e2 22. Rd3 Qb6 23. Kh1 Qxb7 24. Rxd4 Qxb2 25. Rd3 Rxd3 (25... Rfe8! $19 { would be clinical, but Tan only needed a draw anyways. }) 26. Qxd3 Re8 27. Qxf5 Qc3 28. Qg5+ Kh8 29. Qh4 Re4 30. h3 Qd2 31. Qf6+ Kg8 32. Qg5+ Kf8 33. Qc5+ Kg7 34. Qg5+ Kf8 35. Qc5+ Kg7 36. Qg5+ Kf8 { A slightly risky opening choice worked its magic against Muzychuk, and Tan secured her victory without too much trouble. } 1/2-1/2