Ave Mariya!

Dronavalli Harika – Mariya Muzychuk
Women’s World Chess Championship; Krasnaya Polyana, March 30, 2015
Dutch Defence A81

“It’s harder to say who has the psychological upper hand in the other match, if anyone. Harika was the one pressing and could enjoy an extra Pawn in a Rook and four vs. Rook and three ending, but Muzychuk was never in trouble. The game was a long one, but not an especially difficult one for the defender”, Dennis Monokroussos writes.

1. Nf3 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. d4 Bg7 5. b3 c5 6. e3 Ne4 7. 0-0 0-0. For 7. ... Nc6 8. Bb2 Qa5 9. a3 d6 10. Qc1 e5 see Cvitan – Nikac, 10th European Individual Championship, Budva 2009. 8. Bb2 Nc6 9. c4 e6 10. Qe2 b6 11. Rd1 Bb7 12. Nc3 Nxc3. Departing from 12. ... cxd4 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. exd4 Qf6 15. Nxe4 fxe4 16. Rf1 Qf5 17. a4 d5 18. f3 Qh5 19. g4 Qg5 20. fxe4 dxe4 21. Bc3 Bh6 22. Kh1 Rxf1+ 23. Rxf1 Rf8 24. Rxf8+ Bxf8 25. Bxe4 Qc1+ 26. Kg2 Bxe4+ 27. Qxe4 Qxc3 28. Qxe6+ Kg7 29. Qe5+ Kf7 30. Qd5+ Ke7 31. Qe4+ Kf7 32. Qd5+ Kg7 33. Qe5+ Kf7 ½ : ½ 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì) – 刘庆南 (Liú Qìngnán), 43rd Chinese Chess Championship, 兴化 (Xīnghuà) 2012. 13. Bxc3 d6 14. Rd3 Qe7 15. Rad1 Nb4 16. R3d2 a5 17. a3 Nc6 18. Bb2 Rad8 19. h4 Rd7 20. Rd3 h6 21. Ne1 Bf6

22. d5!? Harika strives for the initiative. 22. ... exd5 23. Bxd5+ Kg7 24. Bxf6+ Rxf6 25. R3d2 Ne5 26. Bxb7 Rxb7 27. Nd3 Nxd3 28. Qxd3 Rd7 29. Qd5. Now the game assumes a drawish character, thanks to White’s poor decision to allow a Queen trade. Better was 29. Qc3 Kh7 30. Rd5 (Rublevsky’s analysis). 29. ... Qe4! 30. b4 Qxd5 31. Rxd5 cxb4 32. axb4 Rc7 33. bxa5 bxa5 34. Rxa5 Rxc4 35. Ra7+ Rf7 36. Ra6 Rd7 37. Rdxd6 Rxd6 38. Rxd6 h5 39. Kg2 Ra4 40. Kf3 Kf7 41. Rd2 Kf6 42. Rc2 Kf7 43. Ke2 Kf6 44. Kd3 Ra3+ 45. Kd4 Ra4+ 46. Kd5 Ra5+ 47. Kc4 Ra4+ 48. Kb3 Ra1 49. Kc3 Ra3+ 50. Kd2 Ra4 51. Rc6+ Kf7 52. Ke2 Ra2+ 53. Kf3 Ra4 54. Rc7+ Kf6 55. Rd7 Ra2 56. Rd6+ Kf7 57. Rd4 Kf6 58. Rf4 Kg7 59. Kg2 Ra1 60. Rd4 Ra2 61. Kf3 Kf6 62. Rd6+ Kf7 63. Kg2 Kg7 64. Kf1 Kf7 65. Ke1 Ra1+ 66. Ke2 Ra2+ 67. Rd2 Ra4 68. f3 Ra3 69. Kf2 Ra4 70. Re2 Kf6 71. Rc2 Kf7 72. Ke2 Ra3 73. Kf2 Ra4 74. Kg2 Kf6 75. Rf2 Ra3 76. Re2 Ra4 77. Kh3 Kf7 78. Rd2 Ra3 ½ : ½.

Dronavalli Harika vs. Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili