[Event "Tata Steel Chess Challengers"] [Site "https://lichess.org/broadcast/tata-steel-chess-2026--challengers/round-9/562gwSwv/nMeNx3Xt"] [Date "2026.01.17"] [Round "9.7"] [White "Woodward, Andy"] [Black "Yuffa, Daniil"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2608"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [WhiteFideId "30953499"] [BlackElo "2604"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [BlackFideId "24131423"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E17"] [Opening "Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Kramnik Variation"] [StudyName "Tata Steel 2026"] [ChapterName "Woodward, Andy - Yuffa, Daniil"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/9wSwLYbF/6FfPfVbC"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 { [%clk 1:59:57] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:59:50] } 2. c4 { [%clk 1:59:51] } 2... e6 { [%clk 1:59:44] } 3. Nf3 { [%clk 1:59:45] } 3... b6 { [%clk 1:59:33] } 4. g3 { [%clk 1:59:39] } 4... Bb7 { [%clk 1:59:26] } (4... Ba6 { is the old way to play, provoking } 5. b3 { or } (5. Qc2 { before retreating to the b7-square before or after ... c7-c5. })) 5. Bg2 { [%clk 1:59:33] } 5... Be7 { [%clk 1:59:09] } 6. O-O { [%clk 1:59:24] } 6... O-O { [%clk 1:58:58] } 7. Re1 { There are some lines where White plays e2-e4, but there are also lines with Nf3-g5 that work out because ... Bb7xg2 no longer comes with tempo on the rook, so this is a subtle deviation from 7. Nc3. } { [%clk 1:59:15] } 7... h6 { [%clk 1:58:36] } (7... d5 { is logical as White has not committed to Nb1-c3 yet, and } 8. cxd5 exd5 { leaves White without much better than } 9. Nc3 { with a solid position after } 9... Nbd7 { or } (9... c5)) 8. a3!? { Stopping ... Be7-b4. } { [%clk 1:56:47] } (8. Nc3 Bb4 { is the main continuation for Black here, aiming to damage White's queenside structure. But } 9. Bd2 { scores well enough, although } 9... d6!? { is a daring try to play on the dark squares after trading off the dark-squared bishop. }) 8... d5 { [%clk 1:58:18] } 9. cxd5 { [%clk 1:56:28] } 9... exd5 { [%clk 1:58:04] } 10. Nc3 { [%clk 1:56:20] } 10... Nbd7 { The first new move in the position. } { [%clk 1:56:23] } (10... c5!? { has been tried, when } 11. Bf4 Nc6 { gets Black's knight to a better square, but } 12. e3 Re8 13. Rc1 { and it's a typical position. Black can try the curious } 13... g5!? 14. Be5 { but probably does not want to capture the bad bishop, anyways. Instead, } 14... Ne4 { [%cal Gf7f6] } 15. Nxe4 dxe4 16. Nd2 Nxe5 17. dxe5 Qc7 18. e6! $13 { is the likely continuation. }) 11. Bf4 { [%clk 1:55:37] } 11... Ne4 { [%clk 1:54:07] } 12. Rc1 { White's play is consistent along the half-open c-file. } { [%clk 1:52:20] } 12... Nxc3 { [%clk 1:46:53] } 13. Rxc3 { [%clk 1:52:10] } 13... c5 { [%clk 1:44:42] } 14. Rc1!? { [%clk 1:39:47] } (14. dxc5 bxc5 { would be an interesting attempt to play against the "hanging pawns" structure. Before Black can stabilize, White has } 15. b4!? Re8 (15... cxb4?! 16. Rc7! Rb8 17. Nd4 { is the engine's concrete idea, preparing Qd1-a4 with lasting pressure. } 17... Bg5! { is necessary to kep the balance, and } 18. Bd6 Nf6 19. Nf5 $13 { is a lot of fun for the analysis room, but a bit scary for either color during a real game. }) 16. bxc5 Nxc5 17. Nd4 $14 { clarifies to an IQP structure with the slightest of edges to White despite the weak a-pawn. }) 14... c4 { [%clk 1:36:02] } 15. e4 { Clarifying the center straightaway. } { [%clk 1:35:13] } 15... dxe4 { [%clk 1:19:33] } 16. Nd2 { [%clk 1:35:01] } 16... b5?! { [%clk 1:16:47] } (16... g5 { was the most promising alternative. } 17. Be3 (17. Be5!? f6 18. Bd6! Bxd6 19. Nxe4 Bc7 20. Nd6! Bxg2 21. Qh5 $10 { is good enough for a draw, surprisingly. }) 17... f5 18. Nxc4 Rc8 19. Bd2 $13 { is double-edged, as it's now White with the weak center pawn, but Black's king is drafty. }) 17. Nxe4 { [%clk 1:33:10] } 17... Bd5 { [%clk 1:12:40] } 18. Qh5 { Why is this such a good IQP position for White? Because he still has both bishops, a centralized knight, two rooks on open or half-open files, and overall a much more mobile army. Plus, Black's queenside has weaknesses, too. } { [%clk 1:27:10] } 18... Nb6 { [%clk 1:07:42] } 19. Rcd1 { [%clk 1:18:56] } 19... a6 { [%clk 0:59:49] } 20. Bh3 { Another piece enters the foray. } { [%clk 1:14:16] } 20... Bxe4 { Forced to quell White's immediate threat of Bh3-f5. } { [%clk 0:52:50] } (20... Na4 21. Bf5 $16 { is already getting dangerous for Black! }) 21. Rxe4 { [%clk 1:13:57] } 21... Bg5 { [%clk 0:52:36] } 22. Be5 { [%clk 1:12:31] } 22... Nd5 { [%clk 0:48:59] } 23. Ree1 { [%clk 1:06:59] } 23... Qb6 { [%clk 0:43:12] } 24. Qf3 { [%clk 0:59:26] } 24... Rad8 { Black has defended well to keep the d-pawn blockaded and prevent White from making any forward progress. Still, White has netted the bishop pair and kept control of the e-file } { [%clk 0:41:15] } 25. Bf5 { [%clk 0:59:17] } 25... Bf6 { [%clk 0:32:59] } 26. h4 { [%clk 0:53:40] } 26... Bxe5?! { This turned out to be unnecessary, and it just gives White a safer structure. } { [%clk 0:25:25] } (26... Nc7! { is a move that is easy to overlook, as the knight is often "set it and forget it" on the d5-square against the isolani, but now the point is } 27. Be4 Bxe5! 28. dxe5 Rd4 $10 { grips the d-file, prepares ... g7-g6, and prepares ... Nc7-e6 as a sort of blockade against any attacking chances. Then, the e-pawn will start to come under fire and Black can dream of creating counterplay with the three-versus-two majority on the queenside. }) 27. dxe5 { [%clk 0:53:37] } 27... Nc7 { [%clk 0:24:06] } 28. Bd7! { Move order matters. This is why Black had to start with 26. ... Nc7 before opening up the d-file. } { [%clk 0:49:23] } 28... Ne6?! { [%clk 0:22:40] } (28... Qc5 { , e.g., gives White play after } 29. Rd6 { but } 29... b4 $16 { , mobilizing the queenside pawns, gives Black some play. }) 29. Rd6 { [%clk 0:48:46] } 29... Qc7 { [%clk 0:17:47] } 30. Red1 $16 { White's control of the d-file is absolute, reminiscent of Karpov's famous Ba7 move. } { [%clk 0:39:58] } 30... Nc5 { [%clk 0:16:58] } 31. Bf5 { White keeps the powerful bishop and prepares a rook lift to the d5-square next. } { [%clk 0:39:56] } 31... Rde8 { [%clk 0:14:46] } 32. Qe3 { [%clk 0:37:27] } 32... Nd3 { Capitulation, but there's nothing better. } { [%clk 0:12:30] } (32... Ne6 33. R1d5 { would see Black have to navigate a very cramped position. After, e.g., } 33... Rb8 34. Bc2 { [%cal Ge3e4] } 34... Rfd8 35. Qe4 Nf8 (35... g6 36. h5 $16) 36. Rxa6 $16 { White can safely grab pawns. }) 33. Bxd3 { [%clk 0:37:18] } 33... cxd3 { [%clk 0:12:21] } 34. R1xd3 { White has won a clean pawn and enjoys the better rooks. } { [%clk 0:36:34] } 34... Qc2 { [%clk 0:11:58] } 35. b4 { [%clk 0:35:32] } 35... Qb2 { [%clk 0:10:07] } 36. Rc3 { Gripping another file, blocking Black's queen, and further preventing counterplay before going after the a-pawn. } { [%clk 0:33:07] } 36... Qb1+ { [%clk 0:09:11] } 37. Kg2 { [%clk 0:32:57] } 37... Qf5?! { [%clk 0:09:06] } 38. Rc5! { The advanced e-pawn is keeping Black's rooks passive, so guarding it is preferable to material greed. } { [%clk 0:32:52] } 38... Re6 { [%clk 0:07:41] } 39. Qf3 { [%clk 0:32:22] } 39... Qg6 { [%clk 0:07:17] } 40. Rcc6 { [%clk 1:02:19] } 40... Qb1 { [%clk 0:36:26] } 41. Qd5 { [%clk 0:54:44] } 41... Qb2?! { [%clk 0:36:38] } (41... Qe1 { was apparently best, but } 42. Rxe6 fxe6 43. Qd4! $18 { is still winning. The "trick" was } { [%csl Re6,Ra6] } (43. Qxe6+?? Kh8 $10 { leaves White without a good way to guard the f2-square that doesn't allow a perpetual check. })) 42. Rd8 { Precision again from Andy. } { [%clk 0:54:16] } 42... Ree8 { [%clk 0:31:22] } 43. Rxe8 { [%clk 0:53:13] } 43... Rxe8 { [%clk 0:31:50] } 44. e6! { The rest is a matter of technique. } { [%clk 0:53:31] } 44... fxe6 { [%clk 0:32:07] } 45. Rxe6 { [%clk 0:53:48] } 45... Rxe6 { [%clk 0:32:23] } 46. Qxe6+ { [%clk 0:54:13] } 46... Kh7 { [%clk 0:30:59] } 47. Qxa6 $18 { [%clk 0:54:36] } 47... Qe2 { [%clk 0:30:25] } 48. Qc6 { [%clk 0:54:32] } 48... Qd3 { [%clk 0:30:29] } 49. a4 { [%clk 0:54:33] } 49... bxa4 { [%clk 0:30:17] } 50. Qxa4 { [%clk 0:55:01] } 50... Qe4+ { [%clk 0:30:21] } 51. Kh2 { [%clk 0:55:22] } 1-0