Rakija

Nafisa Muminova – Antoaneta Stefanova
Women’s Grand Prix 2013–2014; 4th stage; Khanty-Mansiysk, April 2014, 21
Spanish Game C79

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. 0-0 Nf6 6. d3 g6. A rational and playable reply, although it’s more usual 6. ... Be7 7. c3 0-0, e.g. 8. Nbd2 b5 9. Bc2 Bb7 10. Re1 Re8 11. Nf1 Bf8 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 Nb8!? 14. Ne3 Nbd7 15. a4 g6 16. b4 Bg7 17. Bb3 c6 18. g4 Qc8 19. g5 Nh7 20. gxh6 Bxh6 21. Kh1 Ndf6 22. Rg1 Kf8∞ Carlsen – Bruzon, 39th Grandmaster Chess Tournament, Biel/Bienne 2006. 7. c4. Unlike the classic line 7. c3, the text, the Duras Attack, strives not only to prevent ... b7-b5, but also to blockade Black’s d5. Its drawback is the weakening of her own d4. 7. ... Bg7 8. Nc3. Another way is 8. d4 exd4 9. Nxd4 Bd7 10. Nxc6 Bxc6 11. Bxc6+ bxc6 12. Qa4 Qd7 13. c5 0-0 14. cxd6 cxd6 15. Nc3 Rfe8 16. Rd1 Qe6 17. Qxc6 ½ : ½ Cicak – Ernst, 67th Swedish Chess Championship, Gothenburg 2006. 8. ... 0-0 9. Nd5 h6 10. Be3. Possibly more to the point is the “thematic” 10. h3 Nd7 11. Be3 Nd4 with even prospects. 10. ... Ng4 11. Qc1. It was worth considering 11. Bd2 and if 11. ... f5 then 12. Qb3. 11. ... f5 12. c5 fxe4 13. dxe4

13. ... Rxf3! A disruptive Exchange sacrifice! 14. Bg5? Alina l’Ami suggests 14. gxf3 in order to meet 14. ... Qh4 by 15. h3! (on 15. fxg4?? Qxg4+ 16. Kh1 Qf3+ 17. Kg1 Bh3 wins) 15. ... Qxh3 16. fxg4 Qxg4+ 17. Kh2 Qh3+ and Black has not more than a draw by perpetual check. However, after 15. ... Nxe3! 16. fxe3 (on 16. Nxe3 Nd4 Black’s advantage is obvious) 16. ... Bxh3 Black maintains a powerful initiative. 14. ... hxg5 15. gxf3 Nd4. A genuine outpost! Black is winning. 16. Bd1 Nh6 17. cxd6 cxd6 18. Kh1 Be6 19. Nc3 Qf6. Also 19. ... g4! would be very strong. 20. Qe3 Rf8 21. Rg1 Nxf3 22. Rg3 Nh4 23. f3 Qf4 24. Qd3 Nf7 25. Be2 b5 26. b3 Rc8 27. Rag1 Rc5 28. b4 Rc4 29. Bd1 Rd4 30. Qf1 Qd2 31. Nd5 Bxd5 32. exd5 Nf5 33. R3g2 Qxb4 34. Qf2 e4 35. fxe4 Rxe4 36. Qa7 Bd4 37. Qb8+ Kg7 38. a3 Qc3 39. Rc2 Qh3 0 : 1. Even more concise would be 39. ... Re1! 40. Rg2 Bxg1 etc. In any case, after 39. ... Qh3 the deadly threat is 40. ... Ng3+ 41. Rxg3 Re1+ and mate next move. “It is nice to win the last round, at least I am going with a good feeling and next time I will do better”, said Antoaneta.

Nafisa Muminova. Photo: Nikolay Bochkarev.

Muminova vs. Stefanova. Photo: Nikolay Bochkarev.