Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova
2nd FiNet Chess960 Women’s Rapid World Championship; Mainz, July 29, 2008
2nd FiNet Chess960 Women’s Rapid World Championship; Mainz, July 29, 2008
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Position #413
1. Nf3 c5 2. h4 Nf6 3. c4 h6 4. Nb3 Bh7 5. Bc2 Bxc2 6. Qxc2 b6 7. d4 cxd4
8. Nbxd4 Qb7 9. Bh2 Bc7 10. Bxc7 Qxc7 11. e4 Ng4 12. h5 Ne5 13. Rc1 Nxf3
14. Nxf3 Nd6 15. e5 Nb7
16. Rh4! Nc5 17. Rd1. White didn’t need to castle to find the best synthesis between King safety and development. 17. ... 0-0 18. Rg4 f5?! 19. Rgd4 Rad8 20. Nh4 Rf7 21. Ng6 Ne6 22. Rd5 Nf8 23. Nf4 Rc8 24. b3 e6
25. R5d4? It does seem quite a doubtful offer. White could simply continue 25. Rd6 b5 26. R1d4 maintaining her powerful bind. 25. ... Qxe5 26. Ng6 Qh2 27. Rh4 Qc7 28. Qc3 Nxg6. 28. ... d5 doesn’t make all that difference, as after 29. Qe1 Black would take on g6 anyway. 29. hxg6 Rf6 30. Rxh6 b5?? A self-mating blunder due to time shortage. 30. ... Qf4! seems fine for Black.
31. Rh8+! Kxh8 32.
Qh3+ Kg8 33. Qh7+ Kf8 34. Qh8+ Ke7 35. Qxg7+ Ke8 36. Qxf6 Qh2 37. Qf7+ 1–0.
To castle or not to castle, that is the question... Photo: Pufichek.