Guns N’ Roses

Valentina Gunina – Olga Girya
Women’s World Chess Championship; Krasnaya Polyana, March 20, 2015
Catalan Opening E05

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bg5 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Rc8 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. Nb3 c5 14. dxc5 Be4. For 14. dxc5 Bd5 15. Ne1 Bxg2 16. Nxg2 Nd7 see B. Larsen – A. Shneider, Aars 1995. 15. Qc3 Bd5 16. Rac1 Bxb3 17. Qxb3 Bxc5 18. e3 Qb6 19. Rc2 Rc7 20. Ne5 Rfc8 21. Rd1 g6 22. Rcd2 Be7 23. g4!? Gunina’s chess style! White has achieved nothing special, so she plays for the checkmate with the “crazy” 23. g4. 23. ... Rc5 24. Nd3 Rg5 25. h3 h5 26. gxh5 Rxh5 27. Nf4 Rhc5

28. Nxg6! A heavy blow against enemy the fortress. Olga was probably expecting 28. Nd3 Rg5 with an edge to Black. 28. ... fxg6 29. Rd6! Bxd6? Black collapses. After 29. ... Qc7 30. Qxe6+ Kf8 31. Rxa6 Re5 White has to demonstrate compensation for the sacrificed Knight. 30. Qxe6+ Kh7 31. Rxd6 Rc1+? The last mistake! Black should have played 31. ... Qc7 here, although after 32. Qxf6 Qg7 33. Qe6! Rc1+ 34. Kh2 R1c7 35. Rxa6 White’s advantage is obvious. 32. Kh2 Qc7 33. Qxf6 Rc2 34. Qxg6+ Kh8 35. Qh5+ Kg8 36. Bd5+ Kg7 37. Qh6 mate.

Valentina Gunina vs. Olga Girya
Photo: Boris Dolmatovsky