[Event "FIDE Grand Swiss 2025"] [Site "Samarkand, Uzbekistan"] [Date "2025.09.14"] [Round "10"] [White "Vaishali, Rameshbabu"] [Black "Muzychuk, Mariya"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2452"] [BlackElo "2484"] [Variant "Standard"] [Annotator "Foisor Sabina"] [ECO "B33"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation"] [StudyName "2025 FIDE Grand Swiss"] [ChapterName "Vaishali, Rameshbabu - Muzychuk, Mariya"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/V6oU1CPk/Qfh5Gt6a"] [Orientation "white"] { This was a crucial win for Vaishali, allowing her to catch up with the tournament leader (GM Kateryna Lagno) and keeping her hopes alive to win the event and qualify for the Candidates. It was a dramatic, back-and-forth battle — definitely a game worth following closely. Huge congratulations to Vaishali for holding her nerve and bouncing back so strongly after a tough loss in Round 8. She showed remarkable composure and resilience under pressure, and is now a back-to-back Grand Swiss champion! } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 { Playing against a former Women's World Champion cannot possibly be easy, but Vaishali seemed confident to play this topical line of the Sveshnikov. } 7. Nd5 (7. Bg5 { is an alternative here. }) 7... Nxd5 8. exd5 Nb8 9. Rg1 { This seems to be a novelty in this position, though this Rh1-g1 followed by g2-g4 idea is not new to Sicillian players. Here, however, in my opinion is it difficult to build an attack as Black hasn't pushed any pawns on the kingside to weaken its position. (Editor's note: GM Matthew Sadler mentioned that the "Crazy Leela" engine had tried something similar, linking to his video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho_qnc8pFFM) } (9. c4 { is the most logical followed by } 9... Be7 10. Bd3 O-O 11. O-O a6 12. Nc3 f5 13. f3 { with a double-edged position. }) 9... Be7 10. g4!? Nd7 11. Be3 a6 12. Nc3 Bg5 { Black's pawn structure supports the idea of trading off her dark-squared bishop. } 13. Bxg5 Qxg5 14. Qd2 { This certainly does not go hand in hand with Rh1-g1 and g2-g4, which were signs of keeping queens on to attack. } (14. Ne4! { was more in the spirit of the idea. } 14... Qe7 15. Qf3 { The only problem is that Black can offer a knight trade which cannot be stopped, and the position remains relatively equal afterwards. } 15... Nf6 16. Nxf6+ Qxf6 17. Qxf6 gxf6 18. Be2 Ke7) 14... Qxd2+ 15. Kxd2 b5 (15... Ke7 { seems slightly more natural. }) 16. a4 { The next few moves portend a game that would lead to a draw, but both players sought their chances to take home the win. } 16... b4 17. Ne4 Ke7 18. a5 Nc5 19. f3 Bd7 20. Nxc5 dxc5 21. Bc4 Kd6 22. Rae1?! (22. h4 { was an important first move, stopping ... g7-g5. }) 22... g5 23. h4 gxh4 24. f4 f6?! { This allows White to maintain equality after f4xe5! } (24... exf4 { would have created some chances for Black. } 25. Re4 f3 26. Rf4 Rhg8 27. g5 Rg6 $15) 25. g5?? { The margin for error was razor-thin . This was a mistake that could have cost Vaishali the game! } (25. fxe5+! fxe5 26. Ke3 Rhg8 27. Ref1 e4 28. Rf6+ Ke5 29. Rf4 Kd6 30. Rf6+) 25... exf4 26. gxf6 Rhf8? (26... Raf8! { It's always much easier in hindsight to identify which rook belongs on which square. } 27. Re7 (27. Bxa6 { capturing this pawn doesn't help White as after } 27... Rxf6 { , ... Rh8-a8 follows and Black recaptures the a-pawn , while the f- and h-pawns will be difficult menaces to deal with. } 28. Ke2 Ra8 29. Bc4 Rxa5 $19) 27... Rxf6 28. Rgg7 Bc8 { Although both of White's rooks are active, as they should be, on the seventh rank, Black is able to keep the king safe. Now the h-pawn will start marching to promotion. }) 27. Re7 Rxf6 28. Rxh7 { Now we see why it was important to keep the h-rook on the h8-square! } 28... h3 29. Ke2 Bf5 30. Rh4 Bxc2 31. Rxh3 Be4? { Mariya loses the remainder of her advantage with this move. } (31... Ba4 { would have been the way to go, trying to trade the bishops on b5 before activating her other rook! }) 32. Kf2 Ke5 33. b3 Rd8 34. Re1 f3 35. Rh5+ Rf5 36. Rh6 Kd4?? { The blunder that turns the tables for Black. Although this move seeems natural, Black has to be careful about tactical ideas! } (36... Rf4 37. Rxa6 Rg4 38. Rc6 Rg2+ 39. Ke3 f2 40. Rf1 Rg3+ 41. Kxf2 Rf3+ 42. Ke2 Rxf1 43. Kxf1 Kd4) 37. d6?? { Vaishali misses the win! } (37. Rh4! Re8 { would allow the d-pawn to roam free, but } (37... Re5 { would allow White to set the mating net with Re1-e3-d3! } 38. Re3 $18) 38. d6) 37... Rg5?? { After this move, all of Black's hopes are gone. } (37... Bc2! { was the last chance, to save the bishop. } 38. Re3 Rf4 39. Bxa6 (39. Rh5 { would be a nice attempt to mate, but of course it fails to } 39... Rxd6 $19) 39... Rg4 40. Kxf3 Rdg8 { and Black builds momentum towards her perpetual check idea. }) 38. Rh4! { Vaishali doesn't miss the chance the second time around! } 38... Re5 39. Re3! Ree8 { Black avoids White's Re3-d3 mate idea, but now White is ahead and after... } 40. d7! Re7 { Again, it seems Black is holding, but Vaishali executes a clean win. } (40... Rxd7 { allows the same idea. Even if it isn't mate, the material gain is sufficient. } 41. Rd3+ Ke5 42. Rxd7 $18) 41. Rd3+! Ke5 42. Rxe4+ { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0