[Event "FIDE Women's Candidates 2024"] [Site "Toronto, Canada"] [Date "2024.04.06"] [Round "3.4"] [White "Vaishali, Rameshbabu"] [Black "Salimova, Nurgyul"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2475"] [BlackElo "2432"] [Annotator "WGM Tatev Abrahamyan"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C42"] [Opening "Russian Game: Nimzowitsch Attack"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/7pJOd10U"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by WGM Tatev Abrahamyan } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nd7 9. O-O-O Nf6 10. Bd4!? { I only found one game in the database with this move. Besides the big surprise element, the idea is to prevent ... c7-c5. } (10. Bd3 c5 11. Rhe1 { has been played many times by both Caruana and Carlsen. }) 10... Bd7 { After a 25-minute think, Salimova settles on this move. } (10... c5 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Qxd6 { or } (12. h4!? { with the same ideas as in the game }) 12... Qxd6 13. Rxd6 Bg4 { , when the engine finds this position playable, but it's hard to believe anyone would go for this over the board when many of Black's moves are perfectly fine. }) (10... Rb8!? { with the idea of a quick ... b7-b5. }) 11. h4 Re8 12. Ng5 { After making some normal-looking moves, Salimova finds herself in great danger. Her decisions were completely understandable, as it didn't look like White was doing anything special, thus she didn't feel the urgency of the position. This was a great opening idea by Vaishali, with plenty of venom. } 12... h6 13. Bd3 (13. Bc4 { leads to a very direct line: } 13... d5 14. Bxf6 dxc4 (14... Bxf6 15. Qxd5 $18) 15. Qd5! hxg5 16. hxg5 { with the threat of Qd5-e4. } 16... Bxf6 17. gxf6 Qxf6 18. Qh5 Qf4+ 19. Kb1 Qh6 20. Qxh6 gxh6 21. Rxd7 $14) 13... Ng4 { Under huge pressure, Salimova finds the best defense but leaves herself with only 20 minutes in a very scary-looking position. } (13... hxg5 { These types of pieces are untouchable! } 14. hxg5 { There is no way to deal with the threats along the h-file. } 14... Nd5 15. Rh7 Bf8 16. Rdh1 $18) 14. Nxf7 { One doesn't need to calculate until the end to play this kind of sacrifice. The pressure is on Black to find the best moves to survive. } 14... Kxf7 15. Bc4+ Kf8 (15... Be6 16. Bxe6+ Kxe6 17. Qe2+ Kf7 18. Qxg4 $18) 16. Qd3 Bg5+ { Salimova ultimately cracks under pressure. It is too difficult to defend these types of positions and find the best move every move. } (16... Bf6 17. Qh7 Be6 18. Bxe6 Rxe6 19. Qf5 Nxf2 { was a key move that Black needed to spot if she were to play this. } 20. Qxf2 (20. Qxe6 Nxh1 21. Rf1 Qe7 22. Qh3 Nf2! { The knight sacrifices itself again. } 23. Bxf2 Qe2 24. Qd3 Re8) 20... Kg8 { , and the game continues. }) 17. Kb1? (17. hxg5 Qxg5+ 18. Kb1 { White wins the piece back and keeps the attack going. The two bishops pointing at the king will eventually cause some serious damage. } 18... c5 19. Be3 Nxe3 20. fxe3 $18 { followed by either Qd3xd6 or a rook coming to the f-file. }) 17... Ne5? { The position is no longer salvageable after this. } (17... Bf6 { Black had the chance to go for this again. But since she didn't play it the move before, it was unlikely she would change her mind. } 18. Qh7 Be6 19. Bxe6 Rxe6 20. Qf5 Nxf2 21. Qxf2 Kg8 22. Qf5 { This is a better version for White as her king is safer, but nonetheless the game goes on. } 22... Qe7 23. Bxf6 Qxf6 24. Qb5) 18. Bxe5 Bf6 (18... Rxe5 19. hxg5 Bf5 20. Qd4 Qxg5 21. f4 $18) 19. Bxd6+ { The simplest solution. } 19... cxd6 20. Qxd6+ Qe7 (20... Be7 21. Qg6 { with mate on f7. }) 21. Qxd7 Qxd7 22. Rxd7 { Black survived the attack, but at the cost of three pawns. } 22... Re4 23. Bd5 Re2 24. Rf7+ Ke8 25. Rxb7 Rd8 26. Bc4 Red2 27. Re1+ Kf8 28. Kc1 R2d7 29. Rxd7 Rxd7 30. g3 Be7 31. h5 Bc5 32. Re5 Bb6 33. a4 { Black resigned. } 1-0