Women’s World Championship: Ju levels the score

by Klaus Besenthal
7/17/2023 – In the eighth game of the FIDE Women’s World Championship on Sunday, Ju Wenjun finally managed to score a win against challenger Lei Tingjie. A day earlier, the defending champion had failed to make the most of a big advantage in game 7. With four more games to go, the score is now tied. | Photo: Stev Bonhage / FIDE
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All square

The two Chinese grandmasters again played a high-class, full-of-content game this Sunday, one that was really enjoyable and instructive.

Ju Wenjun25641–0Lei Tingjie2554
WWCCM 2023
Chongqing16.07.2023[Besenthal,Klaus-Günther]
1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 c5 3.b3 Nc6 4.Bb2 a6 5.g3 Qc7 6.d4
As early as on move 6, the reigning World Champion plays a novelty in an already rather uncommon variation. 6.c4 objectively is probably the better move. 6...cxd4 7.exd4 Bg4 8.Bg2 e6 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Nbd2 Bd6 11.c4 0-0 12.a3 a5 13.h3 Bh5 14.Qe2 Rfd8 15.Rac1 dxc4 16.bxc4 Be7 17.Qe3 Rac8 18.Rfe1 Bg6 19.Qb3 Qb8 20.c5
With her last move Ju Wenjun has converted her hanging pawns into a rather static structure, which was certainly not bad. She can now occupy the c4-square with the knight. 20...Nd5 21.Nc4 a4 This attack on the queenside with a pawn sacrifice is the recommendation of the computers. Black is also more or less forced to do it, because after calmer moves like Nfe5 would give White a noticeable advantage. 22.Qxa4 b5 23.cxb6 Nxb6 24.Nxb6 Qxb6 25.Ba1 Qa5 26.Qxa5 Nxa5 27.Rxc8 Rxc8
After the simplifications it turns out that the a3-pawn will probably also be lost, while the a1-bishop is badly placed. The uncovered e7-bishop, however, now allows Ju an elegant solution to the problem. 28.d5 This strong move was, of course, impossible to miss. Nb3 The e6-pawn could not be covered. 29.dxe6 fxe6
30.Be5 30.Rxe6 Bxa3 would probably have been difficult to win for White. 30...Bxa3? Close, but not quite there! 30...Nc5± was better here. However, it must be said that White still has and advantage. In the search for the actual cause, one must probably go far back. If you replace Lei's 18. ...Bg6 by 18...Qb6! you might find what you're looking for. 31.Re3 Bc2 32.Nd4?! Stronger was in fact 32.Ne1! but the variation was difficult to calculate or understand. Bd1 33.Rd3 Rc1 34.Rd8+ Kf7 35.Nd3 Rb1 36.Rd7+ Ke8 37.Ra7 Bf3+ 38.Kh2 Bxg2 39.Kxg2 Rd1 40.Rxa3 Rxd3 41.Bxg7 Nc5 42.Rxd3 Nxd3 43.Bc3+- This endgame is extremely pleasant for White. 32...Nxd4 33.Rxa3 Nc6 34.Bxc6 Rxc6 35.Ra8+ Kf7 36.Ra7+ Ke8 37.Rxg7
The same structure as in the previous variation has been reached, but Black has much better chances here. 37...Kf8?! 37...h5! was obvious: now g3-g4 leads to a desirable exchange of pawns from Black's point of view. 38.g4 Rc5 39.Bf6 Be4 39...h5! 40.g5 h4 40.Kh2 Rb5 40...h5! 41.Re7 Rb6 42.h4 Rb3? This move looks almost like a blackout. 42...Rb2! 43.Rxe6 Bf3 44.g5 Bg4 45.Re7 Bf5 46.Kg2 Bh3+ 47.Kg1 Bf5 48.h5 Rh3 49.h6 Rd3 50.Kh2 Rh3+ 51.Kg2 Rd3 52.f3 Rd7 53.Re5 Bc2 54.f4 Rd5 55.Re7 Bf5 56.Kf2? Necessary was 56.Ra7! to keep the bishop mobile. Rd2+ 57.Kg1 Rd1+ 58.Kf2 Rd2+ 59.Ke1 Rd5 60.Bc3! Black will not manage to keep control of f5 in the long run - see the further course of the game. 56...Rd2+ 57.Ke3 Rd6? 57...Rd3+ 58.Ke2 Rd4‼ saves the draw! 58.Rc7! Problem solved! Rd3+ 59.Ke2 Rd5 60.Bc3 Ke8 61.Kf2 Kf8 62.Bb4+ Ke8 63.Re7+ Kd8 64.Rf7 Ke8 65.Rf8+ Kd7 66.Bc3 Bg6 67.Rg8 Rd6 68.Be5 Rd2+ 69.Kf3 Rd3+ 70.Kg4 Rd1 71.Rxg6 hxg6 72.h7 1–0

Ju Wenjun, Lei Tingjie

Game over | Photo: Stev Bonhage

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Klaus Besenthal is computer scientist, has followed and still follows the chess scene avidly since 1972 and since then has also regularly played in tournaments.
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