[Event "FIDE Women's Grand Swiss 2025"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2025.09.09"] [Round "2.2"] [White "Roebers, Eline"] [Black "Vaishali, Rameshbabu"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2377"] [BlackElo "2452"] [Variant "Standard"] [Annotator "Foisor,Sabina"] [ECO "C70"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Classical Defense Deferred"] [StudyName "2025 FIDE Grand Swiss"] [ChapterName "Roebers, Eline - Vaishali, Rameshbabu"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/V6oU1CPk/B4d38KQv"] [Orientation "white"] { GM Vaishali Rameshbabu is having a great tournament so far, being one of the co-leaders together with GM Kateryna Lagno. In her second game, she took advantage of her opponent's supposed novelty to take the initiative and convert relatively quickly. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Bc5 5. c3 Nge7 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4!? { This was, most likely, a bit of preparation by Eline, trying to reach a different pawn structure in the center. } (7. cxd4 { is the typical approach in this line, trying to maintain the space advantage in the center. } 7... Bb4+ 8. Bd2 Bxd2+ 9. Qxd2 d5 10. exd5 { This tabiya has many games in the database, albeit from different move orders in the Italian as well. }) 7... O-O 8. Bg5 { This move makes sense, but it does seem to be help Black gain the initiative more than it helps White with keeping the e7-knight pinned. } (8. Be3 { is also reasonable. After } 8... Nxd4 { , both } 9. cxd4 { and 9. Bxd4 have been essayed on a number of occasions with good results for White. The 9. cxd4 variation seems to have been more thoroughly defanged, however, as shown in the following game: } (9. Bxd4 Bxd4 10. Qxd4 Ng6 11. Nd2 d6 12. O-O-O Be6 13. Bc2 b5 { is certainly a more lively position, albeit more double-edged. After } 14. Nf1?! Bxa2 15. b3? c5 16. Qxd6 Qa5! $19 { , Black won a nice game earlier this year in Sieber – Batsiashvili, Rhodes, 2025. }) 9... Bb4+ 10. Nc3 d5 11. f3 c5 12. dxc5 Qa5 13. O-O Bxc5 14. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 15. Kh1 Be6 16. Bb3 Rad8 17. Qc1 d4 18. Nd5 Qd6 19. Rd1 $10 { with the players agreeing to a draw after 50 more moves in Niemann – Petrov, Samarkand, 2023. }) 8... h6 9. Bh4 (9. Be3 { is also interesting: } 9... Nxd4 10. cxd4 Bb6 11. Nc3 d5 12. f3 dxe4 13. fxe4 Qd6 $13) 9... Ne5 (9... d5!? { looks a bit more dynamic, attacking the center as White's king is still in the center. } 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Nd2 Rb8 12. b4 Bb6 13. O-O dxe4 14. Nc4 Qxd1 15. Rfxd1 Nf5 $15) 10. f4? { It is here that Eline made an unprincipled choice. She pushes the f-pawn before castling and now White's positions starts to collapse. } (10. O-O { Regardless of preparation, if the opponent deviates from what we may have looked at, it is important to remind ourselves of general principles, including bringing the king to safety. It is certainly unpleasant to not be able to claim even a small advantage out of the opening when playing with the White pieces in a line you prepared, but that isn't an excuse to neglect the principles. } 10... N5g6 11. Bg3 d5 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Bc2 Ndf4) 10... N5g6! 11. Bg3 f5! { I love how Vaishali didn't miss the opportunity to break open the center! } 12. Nxf5? { This only makes things worse for White. One of the below alternatives had to be played, despite the passive position that would result. } (12. Bb3+ Kh8 13. Nd2 fxe4 14. Nxe4 Bxd4 15. cxd4 Nf5 $17 { Black's knight reaches a great outpost, in contrast to White's bad bishop on g3. }) (12. e5 { may be something to consider too, but after } 12... d6 13. exd6 Qxd6 14. Bb3+ Kh8 15. O-O Nc6 $17 { Black keeps the pressure in the center and on f4. }) 12... d5! { After this, it is difficult to imagine White's king castling, so Black is slowly gaining momentum! } 13. Bb3 (13. Nxe7+ Qxe7 14. Qxd5+ Kh8 15. Nd2 Bg4 $19 { Momentarily White is up two pawns, but as soon as Black plays ... Ra8-d8, White's position collapses, as castling is impossible. So, White's king will soon be in trouble. }) 13... Nxf5 14. exf5 Bxf5 15. Bxd5+ Kh8 16. Bf2 Qe7+ { From here on it was just a matter of time until White resigned. } 17. Kf1 Bxf2 18. Kxf2 Nxf4 19. Bf3 Rad8 20. Nd2 Qc5+ 21. Kg3 Nd3 22. Qf1 Qd6+ { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1