they rank when they are exact match( including the extension) or just partial match is enough?
Partial match is enough.
To verify what I said, feel free to search on google.com: escorts club.
In second page you'll find a site talk about Dubai (we're working to go in first page ALSO for that keywords, but we need 3/6 months. At the moment project is from 1st to 3rd page in a competitive niche).
Well, as you can see that site don't talk about
CLUBS, but google index it by extension (club).
Nowdays is really crazy pay $ XX.XXX and buy escortsclub . com when with $ 1 you can buy a domain in newG and rank in the same way of .com.
Please note, that project, to stay in first pages, there is a super seo work, good backlinks, a fast server, a perfect on page optimization. All the "other factors" tiawood talk in his previous message.
Don't think a .com has a special boost in ranking (because it's only a .com) a .com domain if you don't spend a lot of money in optimization don't rank.
Like all other extensions.
In 2017 domains DON'T rank by their name.
What I want to say is: in my opinion is really crazy spend a lot of money to buy a premium .com, I prefer to spend money (half of .com value) in seo and oprtimization and I'll rank at the same way of a .com.
Time is changing now, a domain name, only the domain name, does not help you to rank better, you've ALWAYS to spend a lot of money if you want to stay in the first pages of google (especially in ultra a competitive niches).
End users know this and they prefer to hand reg a domain and spend the money in optimization (seo/fast server/cdn/on page/and so so on).
They don't want to spend a lot of money for something (premium .com) don't help them to rank better.