[Event "FIDE Women's Grand Swiss 2023"] [Site "Douglas"] [Date "2023.11.02"] [Round "8.3"] [White "Tan, Zhongyi"] [Black "Goryachkina, Aleksandra"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2517"] [BlackElo "2558"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C67"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Rio Gambit Accepted"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/uDXLUcuQ/FKuQSzcy"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. a4 Be7 7. Nc3 a6 8. Bf1 e4 9. Nxe4 Nxe4 10. Rxe4 d5 11. Re1 Bg4 12. h3 Bh5 13. c3 d4 14. b4 O-O 15. g4 Bg6 16. Bb2 dxc3 17. dxc3 Qxd1 18. Raxd1 Bd6 19. b5 axb5 20. axb5 Na5 21. c4 Rfe8 22. Ne5 f6?! { Black had many normaly, non-weakening moves, so this choice is odd. Perhaps Black's logic is it blunts the b2-bishop, but that is not the only relevant consideration. } (22... Nb3 { is a nice way to re-route the piece to a more active defense of the weak b7-pawn. } 23. Nxg6 Rxe1 24. Rxe1 hxg6 25. Bg2 Nc5) 23. Nxg6 Rxe1 24. Rxe1 hxg6 25. Bg2 Rd8 26. Bc3 b6 27. Bd5+ { Now it's White's unopposed light-squared bishop that dominates the board! } 27... Kf8 (27... Kh7! { was more stubborn, and is the kind of "stubborn" move Goryachkina is becoming notorious for finding. } 28. g5 fxg5 { Ok, Black has triplets, but how does White push? } 29. Bd2 Bf4 $14) 28. g5! Re8 (28... fxg5 29. Re6! { and Black's king wishes it could guard the g6-pawn, as Re6xg6 leads to the falling of g7-comrade next. That's why ...Kg8-h7 was prudent on move 27. }) 29. Rxe8+ Kxe8 30. gxf6 gxf6 31. Bxf6 { The extra pawn should be enough to win with such a dominant pair of bishops. Tan will now illustrate: } 31... Nb3 32. Kg2 Nc5 33. Kf3 Nd7 34. Bh4 Kf8 35. Be6 Nc5 36. Bg4 Kf7 37. Ke3 Be5 38. f3 Nb7 39. Ke4 Bh2 40. Kd5 Bf4 41. Be6+ Ke8 42. Bf6 Be3?! (42... Nc5 43. h4! { and White can trade into a same-colored bishop ending with a killer king and clear win, so Black must keep pieces on. } 43... Bd6 44. Bg5 Nd3 45. Kd4 Nc5 46. Bg4 Kf7 47. Bh3 Be7 48. Bf4 Bxh4 49. Bxc7 $18 { Black has too many weaknesses, and now everything falls. }) 43. Be5 Nd6 44. Kc6 (44. Bxd6?? cxd6 45. Kxd6 Bc5+ { is exactly the kind of opposite-colored bishop fortress Goryachkina would need to salvage the game. }) 44... Ke7 45. Bd5 Ne8 46. f4 g5 47. fxg5 Bxg5 48. Bg3 Kd8 49. Bf7 Nd6 50. Bxd6 { Cold! Tan knows her endgames and is not impressed by Black's defense resources anymore. } 50... cxd6 51. Kxb6 { Passed b- and h-pawns with an active king should be enough to "split" Black's defenders. } 51... Kd7 52. Bd5 Bh4 53. Kb7 Bg3 54. b6 Bf2 55. h4 { note that Black would have more chances to save the game if there were no d6-pawn, but as it is, the bishop cannot get back from h4 to b8 in time. Astute! } 1-0