GM Tan Zhongyi defeated GM Aleksandra Goryachkina on Saturday within the fourth recreation of their Women’s Candidates semifinal in Khiva, Uzbekistan. In doing so, Tan certified for an all-Chinese remaining vs. GM Lei Tingjie, which is scheduled for the primary quarter of 2023.

A month in the past, Pool B’s semifinal of the Women’s Candidates Tournament noticed an similar situation because the one in Pool A, the place the primary three video games had been drawn after which the participant with the white items determined issues, simply earlier than a tiebreak would kick in. And once more, it was the Chinese participant who prevailed.

It got here considerably sudden, as each gamers had been exhibiting extraordinarily stable chess as much as that time. The day earlier than, they’d drawn a really quiet recreation that began as Bogo-Indian (3.Nf3 Bb4+). Goryachkina, seemingly caught off-guard, selected a wholesome however not overly bold setup for her items which allowed Tan to fully equalize by transfer 20. In the second half of the sport, not a lot occurred.

Afterward, Goryachkina stated: “I don’t have a lot to say. Indeed, she performed in a short time, but when I’m unable to trigger any issues, there may be not a lot to consider.”

Saturday’s recreation began with the Cambridge-Springs Variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined, and likewise right here, Black appeared completely high-quality out of the opening. A fourth draw, resulting in a tiebreak on Sunday, appeared imminent.

But then the important thing second for the entire match. Goryachkina spent a bit below 4 minutes for her fully pure 17…Rac8 transfer, which occurred to be a novelty as nicely. Just 5 minutes later, Tan demonstrated that there was an issue with it: she performed the wonderful 18.c5! and instantly all of the techniques labored in her favor.

Goryachkina needed to give a chunk for 2 pawns, and he or she might briefly shut down Tan’s bishop on the kingside, however the Chinese GM determined the sport in her favor surprisingly shortly.

After a Chinese B workforce gained the World Team Championship lately, it is one more massive success for China. With two Chinese gamers within the remaining, and a Chinese reigning champion, the girls’s world title has been secured for not less than one other three years.

Annotations by GM Rafael Leitao might be added quickly.

The 2022-23 Women’s Candidates Tournament is an elite occasion that includes eight high feminine gamers, who compete in a knockout format for a share of the €250,000 prize fund and the best to play within the Women’s World Championship match towards Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun.

Pool A was gained by GM Lei Tingjie; Pool B occurred November 29-December 10, 2022 in Khiva, Uzbekistan. The prize fund was 70,000 euros, whereas one other 110,000 might be at stake in subsequent 12 months’s remaining. The time management was 90 minutes for the primary 40 strikes, adopted by half-hour for the remainder of the sport with an increment of 30 seconds per transfer ranging from transfer one. A draw provide earlier than transfer 40 was not allowed.