[Event "FIDE WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH 20"] [Site "chongqing, China"] [Date "2025.04.13"] [Round "8.1"] [White "Tan, Zhongyi"] [Black "Ju, Wenjun"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2555"] [BlackElo "2561"] [Variant "Standard"] [Annotator "WGM Sabina Foisor"] [ECO "C24"] [Opening "Bishop's Opening: Vienna Hybrid"] [StudyName "Women's World Championship Preview + annotations by WGM Foisor"] [ChapterName "Game 8: Tan, Zhongyi - Ju, Wenjun"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/cr4pBhqP/2w7LKfom"] [Orientation "black"] { A necessary switch in the opening choice, retiring the English she used in the first half of the match. Considering the current score of the match, Tan needs openings that can offer more direct winning chances. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 { Playing on this move order, Tan avoids the Petrov, which Ju's main opening choice against 1. e4, and a notoriously tough nut to crack. } 2... Nf6 3. Bc4 (3. f4 { When I see 2. Nc3, I typically expect the Vienna, as it has become quite popular these days, but Black has many ways to equalize after } 3... d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4) 3... Nc6 4. d3 { Although, the first move showed potential, perhaps promising an aggressive game, this is far from it, so it is hard to understand the mindset behind the opening choice. White doesn't get much from playing the more solid d2-d3. Maybe she expected 4. ... Bc5, when she then would continue with f2-f4! } 4... Bb4 (4... Bc5 5. f4 O-O 6. Nf3 Ng4 7. Ng5 { with a double-edged position. }) 5. Nf3 (5. Ne2 { allows } 5... d5 6. exd5 Nxd5 7. O-O Be6 8. Bxd5 Bxd5 9. f4 O-O 10. Nxd5 Qxd5 { leading to a comfortable position for Black. }) 5... d6 6. O-O Bxc3 { A necessary decision to give up the pair of bishops, avoid some Nc3-d5 later on, now that the knight isn't pinned anymore. } 7. bxc3 O-O 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 Na5 (9... Be6 { was an alternative choice, as it was played in the following game: } 10. Bb3 Nb8 11. Nd2 g5 12. Bg3 Nbd7 13. Re1 a5 14. a4 Qe7 15. Nf1 Nc5 16. Ne3 Nxb3 17. cxb3 Nh7 18. d4 f6 19. f3 Qf7 20. Rb1 Kh8 21. Bf2 h5 22. Rf1 Rg8 23. c4 b6 24. Nd5 h4 25. h3 Nf8 26. Rc1 Ng6 27. Be3 Nf4 28. Rf2 Rg6 29. Rfc2 Rag8 30. Kh2 f5 31. dxe5 dxe5 32. Qd2 fxe4 33. fxe4 g4 34. Bxf4 gxh3 35. Bxe5+ Kh7 36. Qf4 Rxg2+ 37. Kh1 Bxd5 38. cxd5 Qh5 39. Rxc7+ { 1-0 (39) Sychev,K (2572)-Indjic,A (2607) Lichess.org INT 2021 }) 10. Bb3 Nxb3 { Capturing back the pair of bishops and remaining with opposite-colored bishops on the board was certainly the right approach for Ju in the context of the match. } 11. axb3 Qe7 { Now that the position is out of theory, it is important to come up with a good plan for White to apply some pressure. } 12. Re1 (12. c4 { would have been quite interesting, but the resulting position after a few more moves does give a vibe of the famous Winter – Capablanca game, where Winter's dark-squared bishop never made it back into the game after Black's ... g7-g5. } 12... Bg4 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Qxf3 g5 15. Bg3 Ne8 16. Qe3 c5 17. b4 Ng7 18. c3 b6 19. bxc5 bxc5 20. Ra6 Ne6 21. Rfa1 Rfb8 22. h4 Rb3 23. hxg5 hxg5 24. Qc1 Kg7 25. Qc2 Rb7 26. Qa2 Rh8 27. Rxa7 Rxa7 28. Qxa7 Qf6 29. Re1 g4 30. Kf1 Nf4 31. Bxf4 exf4 32. Ke2 f3+ 33. gxf3 Qxf3+ 34. Kd2 Rh2 35. Re2 g3 36. Qe7 Qf4+ { 0-1 (36) Anton Guijarro,D (2655)-Abdusattorov,N (2713) chess24.com INT 2022 }) 12... Qe6 { Tan opted for her own break in the center, which I liked maybe better than the game referenced above. } 13. d4 Nd7 14. Qd3 a6 15. Rad1 Re8 16. Bg3 b5?! { I was a bit surprised by Ju's decision, as she does weaken the a6-pawn. } (16... a5 { followed by ... b7-b6 and ... Bc8-b7 would have kept her pawn structure more solid. }) 17. Nd2 (17. Ra1 Bb7 18. d5 Qe7 19. c4 bxc4 20. Qxc4 { Maybe here White has some chances to further improve as she could meet ... c7-c6 with c2-c4 (of course after the queen is move back) and then White can focus on the kingside with Nf3-h4 -f5, trying to build an attack. It's a long way to an advantage, but it is Black that would have to find the defensive resources. }) (17. d5) 17... Nf6 18. b4 Nh5 19. Nb3 { Considering the score in the match, I found Tan's decision to approach the position in a strategic fashion (by focusing on Black's weaknesses on the queenside) to be a bit slow. This allowed Black to break through with ... f7-f5, an idea which may have been missed by Tan. } 19... Qg6 20. dxe5 (20. c4 f5! 21. exf5 Bxf5 22. Qc3 Bxc2 23. Rc1 Bd3 24. dxe5 bxc4 25. Na5 d5 $15) 20... Nxg3 21. hxg3 Rxe5 22. Na5 Bd7 23. Re3?! (23. f4 { was necessary to maintain equality. } 23... Re7 24. Re3 Rae8 25. Rde1 Qg4 26. Nb3) 23... Rae8 (23... f5! { could have been played on the spot to win a pawn, as White can never capture in f5 given that c2 is hanging. }) 24. Rde1 f5 25. Qd4? { Tan tries desperately to find some activity and chose to give up the e-pawn, but alas it is not working in her favor. } (25. exf5 { would have been the only way to maintain equality. I know this wasn't the plan, but maintaining objectivity is important for her own well-being. } 25... Bxf5 26. Qd2 Rxe3 27. Rxe3 Rxe3 28. Qxe3 Bxc2 29. Qa7 { though after } 29... Qe8 30. Qxc7 Qe1+ 31. Kh2 Qxf2 32. Qxd6 Qe2 { Black has sufficient pressure on White's king to get a draw. }) 25... Rxe4 26. Rxe4 Rxe4 27. Rxe4 fxe4 { Now Tan chose the desperate idea to bring back the knight into the game } 28. c4? { The move that started Black's march to victory. } (28. Qa7 { I assumed this was Tan's plan, but maybe she felt that after the prophylactic move } 28... Kh7 { followed by ... e4-e3, it would be difficult to meet Black's activity and the game would end in some perpetual check. }) 28... e3! { A beautiful find by Ju to activate her queen ! } 29. Qxe3 Qxc2 { From here on it is possible that Tan changed her mindset and decided to fight for a draw, but it was too little too late. } 30. Qa7? (30. cxb5 axb5 31. Qa7 Kh7 { This would be the type of position where we can say Black is up a pawn and has the compensation. }) 30... bxc4 31. Qxc7 Bb5 32. Nb7 (32. Qxd6 { allows } 32... Qd3 { and the checks don't lead to much, while Black simply needs to support her c-pawn on its inevitable path to promotion. } 33. Qe6+ Kh8 34. Qc8+ Kh7 $19) 32... c3 33. Nxd6 Qd3 34. Qf7+ Kh7 35. Nf5 { A final attempt to create counterplay. } 35... Qd7 36. Qxd7? { The final objective mistake. After the trade of the queens, White cannot expect to survive this endgame, as the bishop with pawns on both sides of the board is much stronger. In addition, Black has a monster on c3! } (36. Ne7 { could have been the final try. However, after } 36... Qe8 37. Qf5+ g6 38. Qc5 c2 { White loses the knight. } 39. Nd5? Qe1+) 36... Bxd7 37. Nd4 Ba4 38. Ne2 c2 39. f3 Kg6 40. Kf2 Bb5 41. Nc1 h5 42. Ke3 Kg5 43. Kd2 Bf1 44. Nb3 (44. Kxc2 { White could have tried to build somewhat of a fortress as follows, but it would only delay the result. } 44... Bxg2 45. Kd2 Bxf3 46. Ke3 Bd5 47. Ne2 Kf5 48. Nf4 Bf7 49. Nd3 Bc4 50. Nf2 Ke5 { followed by the creation of a passed pawn. White's only hope would be to get rid of the knight and trade the g-pawn for Black's g- and h-pawns and hope to draw as the a-pawn promotes on the wrong color for Black's remaining bishop. }) 44... Bxg2 45. Nd4 Bxf3 46. Nxf3+ Kg4 47. Nd4 Kxg3 48. Nf5+ Kg4 49. Ne3+ Kf3 50. Nxc2 h4 51. Ne1+ Kg3 52. Ke3 h3 53. Nf3 h2 { The pressure of being two points behind in the the match has certainly made Tan 's team suggest a more aggressive opening alternative to the English, but in this game Ju was able to neutralize most of White's attacking ideas. Very likely Ju would have been ok to draw this game, but when one of the players tries too much to force things, it can backfire. To lose four games back-to-back(-to-back-to-back) is difficult and, in any normal circumstance, my coaches would have suggested playing solid to try to get a draw. This was in my opinion, a masterfully played game my Ju, keeping her calm and being objective throughout. Also, of course on the other hand, another painful loss for Tan. Tomorrow being a rest day, this may take Ju out of form and give Tan a final chance to try and score one more point in the match. Of course, Ju responded to the last break (with two days off) by reeling off two more victories. Will Tan be able to make it happen, or will we see the match ending early? } 0-1