[Event "FIDE Candidates Chess Tournaments 2024"] [Site "Toronto"] [Date "2024.04.11"] [Round "7"] [White "Lei, Tingjie"] [Black "Vaishali, Rameshbabu"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2550"] [BlackElo "2475"] [Annotator "IM Robert Shlyakhtenko"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C50"] [Opening "Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/Mez4h4WA/wTpcjbgI"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by IM Robert Shlyakhtenko } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. O-O d6 6. c3 a5 7. Nbd2 O-O 8. Re1 Be6 9. h3 h6 10. Bb5 { A standard position in the Italian. Black has a wide choice of plans. } 10... Ne7!? (10... Qb8 { was the main move for a long time, resulting in unclear positions after } 11. Nf1 Qa7 12. d4 exd4 13. Bxc6 dxc3!?) (10... Ba7!? { Usually Black players feel that they must retreat the bishop first prior to transferring the knight g6. Vaishali's claim is that they do not! } 11. Nf1 Ne7 12. Ng3 c6 13. Ba4 b5 14. Bc2 a4 15. d4 { was a win for White in Firouzja – Howell, Riga, 2021. }) (10... Bb6!? { is also possible, with the idea } 11. Nc4 Bc5! 12. d4 Na7!) (10... Nd7 11. Nf1 d5 { has also been tried. } (11... f5!?)) 11. d4 Bb6 12. Bd3 { Lei Tingjie doesn't wish to test her opponent's preparation. } (12. dxe5 dxe5 13. Nxe5 { is critical. } 13... Ng6 14. Nxg6 { I think this is the most practical choice, giving the pawn back but gaining a superior structure. } (14. Nef3 Qe7! 15. Bf1 (15. Qc2? Bxh3! 16. gxh3 Qc5 17. Nd4 Qg5+ 18. Kh2 Bxd4 19. cxd4 Qxb5 $17) 15... Rad8 16. Qc2 Rfe8 { with some pressure for the pawn. }) 14... fxg6 15. Bc4 Qd6 (15... Bxc4 16. Nxc4 Qxd1 17. Rxd1 Ba7 18. e5 Ne4 19. Be3 Bxe3 20. Nxe3 Nxf2 21. Rd7 Rae8 22. Nc4 $14) 16. Bxe6+ Qxe6 17. Nf3 Nxe4 18. Be3 c5!? (18... Bxe3 19. Rxe3 Qf5 20. Qe2 Nd6 21. Nd4 $14) 19. Qa4 Rae8 20. Rad1 $14 { and in practice, I think White's position is much easier to play. }) 12... Re8 13. Nf1 exd4! { The correct moment to strike in the center. } 14. Nxd4 (14. cxd4 d5 15. e5 Ne4 { gives Black enough counterplay. }) 14... Ng6 15. Ng3 Bd7 16. Bd2 Ne5 17. Bf1 d5 18. exd5 Nxd5 { Black has emerged from the opening with no problems. However, over the next few moves, she begins to drift. } 19. Qb3 c6 20. Ne4 (20. a4!?) 20... Qc7 (20... a4! { feels more to the point. }) 21. a4 Rad8 22. Rad1 Ng6 23. Bc1 Ba7 (23... Bxd4! 24. Rxd4 (24. cxd4 Nb4) 24... Bf5 { was better. }) 24. c4! { White has stabilized her position and begins to play energetically. Vaishali now faces some difficult decisions, which she had to make with less than 12 minutes left on her clock. } 24... Nb4?! (24... Bb8! 25. g3 Nb4 26. c5 (26. Bxh6 Rxe4 27. Rxe4 gxh6 { gives White nothing. }) 26... Qc8! { maintains the balance. }) 25. c5! Nd5 26. Bc4 Bc8?! (26... Re7! { was a strong defensive move. For now, White cannot capture on d5. }) 27. Bxd5! cxd5 28. Nb5 { All of a sudden, White has obtained a definite advantage. } 28... Qb8? (28... Qe5! 29. Nxa7 dxe4 30. Rxd8 Rxd8 31. Nxc8 Rxc8 32. Be3 (32. Qxb7 Rxc5 33. Bd2 f5 $14) 32... Rc7 33. Qb6 Kh7 34. Qxa5 f5 $14) 29. Nxa7? { Missing the chance to make the game a brilliancy. } (29. Qxd5!! { is a stunning shot. After } 29... Rxd5 (29... Be6 30. Qh5 $18) 30. Nf6+ gxf6 31. Rxe8+ Kg7 32. Rxd5 { Black's pieces are completely disorganized. In view of the impending threat of Rd5-d8, Black must play } 32... Ne7 33. Rxe7 Be6 { but now } 34. Rd6! Bxc5 35. Rdxe6 Bxe7 36. Rxe7 Qd8 37. Re1 { is decisive. }) 29... Qxa7 30. Rxd5 Be6 31. Rxd8 Rxd8? { A colossal misjudgement. } (31... Bxb3! 32. Rxe8+ Kh7 { though Black's position looks a bit shaky, she is fine. For instance: } 33. Rd8 (33. h4!? Nxh4 34. Bxh6 gxh6 35. Re3 { cannot give White more than a draw, e.g., } 35... Bxa4 36. Rg3 Ng6! 37. Nf6+ Kg7 38. Nh5+) 33... b6! (33... Bxa4?! { allows } 34. h4! Nxh4 35. Rd4 Bc6 36. Nf6+ $16) 34. cxb6 Qxb6 35. Rd6 Qb4 36. Bd2 Qxa4) 32. Qc3 { Now White is just a clear pawn up in an opposite-colored-bishop middlegame. In time pressure, Vaishali was unable to put up serious resistance. } 32... b6 33. b3 Bf5? { Missing a nice shot. } (33... Kh7 34. Bb2 Rg8 { would prolong the game for a bit more. }) 34. Nf6+! Kh8 35. Bxh6! bxc5 36. Nh5 { Black had no choice but to resign. } (36. Bxg7+ Kxg7 37. Ne8+ Kh6 38. Qg7+ Kg5 39. h4+ { forces mate, but let's not split hairs. }) 1-0