[Event "Tata Steel India Blitz w"] [Site "Kolkata IND"] [Date "2026.01.10"] [Round "2.5"] [White "Yip, Carissa"] [Black "Vaishali, Rameshbabu"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2466"] [BlackElo "2470"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B12"] [Opening "Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Botvinnik-Carls Defense"] [StudyName "2026 Tata Steel India R&B"] [ChapterName "Yip, Carissa - Vaishali, Rameshbabu"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/aH6sCBh7/L5iQDbFu"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 { This is considered less critical than 3. ... Bf5, but is still a very solid reply. } 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. dxc5 e6 6. Be3 Ne7 { The engine's choice, but not a popular one. } (6... Nc6 { is what we usually see. Of note: } 7. c3 Nxe5?? 8. Qa4+ Qd7 9. Bb5 Nc6 10. Qxg4 $18 { is a well-known trap in this line. }) 7. c3 Nd7 8. Bb5 Nc6 9. b4 Ndxe5 { The first new move. Clearly this is prep from Vaishali. } 10. Nbd2 Nxf3+!? (10... Be7 { , keeping the tension, is the engine's preference. }) 11. Nxf3 Be7 12. h3?! (12. Qa4 { is worth trying, when things get interesting after } 12... O-O 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Qxc6!? Bxf3 15. gxf3 a5 16. b5 { with a similar position to the game. } 16... Rc8 17. Qb6 $14) 12... Bh5?! (12... Bxf3 13. Qxf3 Bf6 { is a bit of a nuisance: } 14. Rc1 a5 15. a4 axb4 16. cxb4 O-O { forces } 17. Bxc6 bxc6 { and } 18. a5 { when } 18... e5 $15 { gives Black excellent counterplay in the center. }) 13. Qa4 Bxf3? { This gives White a jump on mobilizing the queenside pawn mass. } (13... O-O! { would lead to a similar position to the one mentioned above. }) 14. Bxc6+ bxc6 15. Qxc6+ Kf8 16. gxf3 a5 17. b5? (17. a4! { The point is } 17... axb4 18. cxb4 Bf6 19. Rc1 $16 { leaves everything protected. Black's biggest problem is the h8-rook is so far from entering the game. }) (17. Ke2 { is interesting: } 17... Bf6 18. a4 Bxc3 19. b5! $16 { when the pawns make up for the Exchange. }) 17... Rc8! { Disrupting White just in time. } 18. Qb6 Qxb6 19. cxb6! Bd6?! (19... Bf6! { was better, going after the weakness. }) 20. Kd2?! (20. Rg1 { was best, with the tactical defense of the c3-pawn via the Be3-d4 resource. }) 20... Ke7?! (20... Rc4 { would be a nice way to start going after White's weak pawns. }) 21. Rhg1 g6?! (21... Be5 { Active defense is usually the way to go! }) 22. Rg4! { Black's a5-pawn comes under fire! } 22... Bc5? (22... f5 23. Ra4 f4 24. Bxf4 Bxf4+ 25. Rxf4 Kd6 26. Rc1 $18 { is no good for Black, but } { [%cal Gf4f7,Ga2a4] }) (22... e5!? 23. Ra4 Rc4 24. Rxa5 d4 { is an interesting idea. White must find: } 25. Ra7+ Ke6 26. cxd4 exd4 27. Bh6 { when } 27... Rb8 28. a4 Rxb6 29. Rb1 $16 { should keep the extra pawn firm, but might be Black's best bet. }) 23. Ra4! Bxe3+ 24. fxe3 Ra8 25. c4! { The other rook enters the game quickly. } 25... Rhb8 { Alternatives are equally lost. } (25... Kd6 26. cxd5 Kc5 27. b7 Rab8 28. Rxa5 Rxb7 29. a4 $18) (25... dxc4 26. Rxc4 Rhb8 27. Rc6 $18 { [%cal Ga1c1,Ga2a4] }) 26. c5! $18 { Now White rolls on through. } 26... Kd7 27. c6+ Kd6 28. b7 Ra7 29. Rc1 Kc7 30. b6+ Kxb6 31. c7 Raxb7 32. cxb8=Q { Black has seen enough. } 1-0