斷了氣 (Breathless)

Antoaneta Stefanova – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk
Women’s Grand Prix 2013–2014; 4th stage; Khanty-Mansiysk, April 9, 2014
Queen’s Pawn Game D00

1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. Nc3. Just to take Kosteniuk “out of the book”. 3. ... c6 4. e3 Nbd7. The alternative is 4. ... Bf5 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bd3 Nbd7 7. 0-0 Be7 8. h3 0-0 9. Qe2 Re8 10. e4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Bxe4 Bxe4 13. Qxe4 Nf6 14. Qe2 Bd6 15. Bxd6 Qxd6 ½ : ½ St. Nikolić – Martinović, 7th “Goša” International Tournament, Smederevska Palanka 1981. 5. h4!? g6 6. g4!? As usual, Stefanova’s playing style is very original! 6. ... h6 7. Bd3 Bg7 8. Qf3 Qa5 9. Nge2 Ne4 10. Bxe4 dxe4 11. Qg2 Nf6 12. g5 hxg5 13. hxg5 Rxh1+ 14. Qxh1 Nh5 15. 0-0-0 Bg4 16. Qxe4. Forcing what looks like a favorable ending. 16. ... Bxe2 17. Nxe2 Qxa2 18. Nc3 Qa1+ 19. Kd2 Qa5 20. b4 Qf5 21. Qxf5 gxf5 22. Bh2. If 22. Bc7 then 22. ... Kd7 23. Rh1 Kxc7 24. Rxh5 Rh8 with reasonable drawing chances. 22. ... 0-0-0 23. Ra1. “Had the Bulgarian chose to place her Rook on the other square available: 23. Rh1 (preventing the ... e7-e5 idea, which doesn’t work anymore due to 24. Bxe5! and the Knight on h5 feels lonely...), would have kept the pressure; line which she also mentioned during the press conference, Antoaneta expressing her regret for not chosing the h1 square”, Alina l’Ami said. 23. ... e5! “Having played the strong 23. ... e5! many thought Kosteniuk was close to equalize and bring home half a point, but in subsequent time trouble things fell Stefanova’s way”, Alina l’Ami said. 24. Rxa7 exd4 25. Ra8+ Kd7 26. Rxd8+ Kxd8 27. Ne2 dxe3+ 28. Kxe3 Bf8 29. c3 Be7 30. f4 Kd7 31. Bg1 Bd6 32. Kf3 Bc7 33. Be3 Ng7 34. Ng3 Ke6 35. Bd4 Ne8 36. c4 Bd6 37. Bc3 b5 38. c5 Be7? Losing a valuable – probably crucial – tempo! Correct seems the immediate 38. ... Bf8! for if 39. Ne2 – as in the game – 39. ... Kd5 40.Ng3 (on 40. Nd4?? Bg7 wins) then 40. ... Bg7 holds fair chances. 39. Ne2. Black is lost! 39. ... Kd5 40. Nd4 Bf8 41. Nxf5 Kc4 42. Be1 Kd3 43. Kg4 Nc7 44. Nd6 Ke2 45. Bc3 Nd5 46. Bh8 Nxb4 47. Nxf7 Bxc5 48. Nd8 Nd5 49. Nxc6 Ke3 50. f5 Ke4 51. f6 Nf4 52. f7 Ng6 53. Bc3 Kd5 54. Nd8 b4 55. Bb2 b3 56. Kf5 Ne7+ 57. Kf6 Ke4 58. f8=Q? A bad mistake! Simply 58. Ne6 wins. 58. ... Nd5+ 59. Kf7 Bxf8 60. Kxf8 Kf5 61. Nf7. Not 61. Ne6!? Kxe6 62. g6 on account of 62. ... Ne7 63. g7 Kd7 64. Bf6 Ng6+ 65. Kf7 Ne7 66. Bxe7 b2 67. g8=Q b1=Q with a theoretical draw. 61. ... Nf4? Now it’s Kosteniuk’s turn to let Stefanova out! 61. ... Kg6 leads to a draw. 62. Kg7 Nd3 63. Bf6 b2

64. Nh6+? Another bad check is 64. Nd6+? Kf4 65. Bxb2 Kxg5 with a draw. However, simply 64. Bxb2 Nxb2 (after 64. ... Nf4 I like very much the “refutation” 65. Nh6+!! Kxg5 66. Bc1!! and Black is in zugzwang) 65. g6 wins. 64. ... Kf4 65. Bxb2 Kxg5. Now it’s a theroretical draw! 66. Bf6+ Kf4 67. Kf7 Ne5+ 68. Ke6 Ng4 69. Nxg4 Kxg4 ½ : ½.

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk. Photo: Kirill Merkuriev.