Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Kneeling on the Throne

Dronavalli Harika – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk
Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; tie-break game 1 (25+10); Krasnaya Polyana, March 31, 2015
Dutch Defence A04

1. Nf3 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. b3 g6 4. Bb2 Bg7 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 d6 7. d4 c6 8. c4 Na6 9. Nbd2 Rb8 10. Qc2 b5 11. a3 Bd7 12. e3 Nc7 13. b4 e6 14. Rac1 Qe7 15. cxb5 Rxb5 16. Nb3 Ncd5 17. Nfd2 Rc8 18. Nc4 g5 19. Rfe1 Be8 20. f3 g4 21. fxg4 Nxg4 22. e4 Bh6 23. exf5 Nde3 24. Nxe3 Bxe3+ 25. Rxe3 Nxe3 26. Qe2 Nxg2


27. d5 Rxd5 28. Qg4+ Kf8 29. Nd4 Bf7 30. Nxc6 Rxc6 31. Rxc6 e5? Correct was 31. ... Qb7 32. Qg7+ Ke8 33. fxe6 Rd1+ 34. Kf2 Rd2+ with a draw by perpetual check. 32. Rc8+ Be8 33. Qf3? Here’s where Harika starts to go astray. Against 33. Bc1! (Δ Bc1-h6+) Black has probably nothing better than 33. ... Nf4 and after 34. gxf4 exf4 35. Bxf4 Qe1+ 36. Kg2 Qe4+ 37. Kh3 Qxf5 38. Bxd6+! Kf7 39. Rc7+ Ke6 40. Bc5 White stands better, but he has no forced win. 33. ... Qb7 34. Rc2?? Dronavalli blunders a Rook! After 34. f6 Qxc8 35. Qxd5 Qc6 36. Qxg2 Qxg2+ 37. Kxg2 Kf7 White can rely upon the drawing powers of opposite-colour Bishops. 34. ... Ne1 35. Qg4 Nxc2 36. Bc1 Bf7 37. f6 Qb6+ 38. Kh1 Ne3 0 : 1.

Harika vs. Muzychuk. Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich.

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