Robot war

Dronavalli Harika – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk

Women’s World Chess Championship; playoff game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, March 25, 2015

Richter–Veresov Attack D01

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 a6 5. dxc5 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Be2. For 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 e6 9. 0-0-0 Qa5 10. Bd6 see Vaisser – Raznikov, PokerStars IoM Masters, Douglas 2014. 7. ... e6 8. Na4 Nd7 9. 0-0 Nxc5 10. Nxc5 Bxc5 11. h3 Bh5 12. Ne5 Bxe2 13. Qxe2 Nxe5 14. Bxe5 Qh4 15. Rad1 0-0 16. Bd4 Rac8 17. c3 Rfe8 18. Bxc5 Rxc5 19. Rd4 Qf6 20. Rfd1 b5 21. e4 Qe5 22. f4 Qb8 23. exd5 Rxd5 24. Rxd5 exd5 25. Qf3 b4 26. f5 bxc3 27. bxc3 Qb6+ 28. Kh1 Rd8 29. a4 h6 30. Rd4 Qb1+ 31. Kh2 Qb8+ 32. Qg3 Qxg3+ 33. Kxg3 Rc8 34. Rxd5 Rxc3+ 35. Kf2

35. ... Ra3? An incredible error, which blunders a Pawn. After 35. ... Rc6 the endgame is nothing special for White. 36. Ra5 h5 37. Rxa6 h4 38. Ra7 f6 39. a5 Kh7 40. a6 Kh6 41. Ke2 Ra2+ 42. Kf3 Ra4 43. Ke3 Ra2 44. Kd4 Rxg2 45. Rc7 Ra2 46. a7 Kg5 47. Rxg7+ Kxf5 48. Kc5 Kf4 49. Rg4+ Ke3 50. Kb6 f5 51. Rxh4 Kf3 52. Rh8 Kg3 53. a8=Q Rxa8 54. Rxa8 Kxh3 55. Rf8 1 : 0.

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili