The Royal Andhra Pradesh Tiger

Mariya Muzychuk – Dronavalli Harika

Women’s World Chess Championship; playoff game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, March 31, 2015

Modern Defence B06

“In game two Harika had to play risky chess, so it wasn't surprising that she was in trouble, even lost, early in the middlegame. Muzychuk got a little sloppy with 23. Qd6 followed by 24. Bf4, most likely missing 24. ... Qe8(!). From there on Harika played very well, outplayed her opponent and came away with a well-deserved win. On to the ten-minute games!”, Dennis Monokroussos writes.

1. e4 g6 2. d4 d6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Be3 a6 5. a4 b6 6. Qd2 Bb7 7. Bd3 Nd7 8. f4. For 8. Nf3 e6 9. 0-0 h6 10. h3 see Moroz – Najer, Pardubice 2005. 8. ... e6 9. Nf3 Ne7 10. 0-0 c5 11. dxc5 Nxc5 12. b4 Nxd3 13. cxd3 0-0 14. Bd4 e5 15. Be3 Rc8 16. Rac1 exf4 17. Bxf4 d5 18. e5 Qd7 19. Qf2 Qf5 20. Bg5 Rc7 21. Qxb6 Rfc8 22. Ne2 Qd7 23. Qd6 Nc6 24. Bf4 Qe8 25. b5 axb5 26. axb5 Bf8 27. Qxd5 Nb4 28. Qb3 Bd5 29. Qd1 Rxc1 30. Nxc1 Qxb5 31. d4 Rc4 32. Ne2 Rc2 33. Bd2 Qc4 34. Bxb4 Bxb4 35. Nf4 Be4 36. Ng5 Rd2 37. Qa1 Bc3 38. Qc1

38. ... Rc2 39. Qd1 Rd2 40. Qc1 Bxd4+ 41. Kh1 Rc2 42. Qd1 Bf5 43. e6 fxe6 44. Ngxe6 Rd2 45. Qc1 Qxc1 46. Rxc1 Be3 47. Re1 h6 48. h3 Bf2 49. Re2 Rd1+ 50. Kh2 Bg1+ 51. Kg3 g5! 52. Re5 gxf4+ 53. Nxf4 Bh7 54. Re7 Bc5 55. Rb7 Bd6 56. Kg4 Rd4 57. g3 Bg6 58. Rd7 Be8 59. Ra7 Bb5 60. Kf5 Bxf4 61. gxf4 Bd3+ 62. Kg4 Rd5 63. Rc7 Be2+ 64. Kg3 Bb5 65. Ra7 Bd7 66. Ra6 Kg7 67. h4 Rd3+ 68. Kf2 Bf5 69. Ra5 Bg4 70. Ra7+ Kg6 71. Ra6+ Kh5 72. Rf6 Rf3+ 73. Kg2 Re3 74. Kf2 Re6 75. Rf8 Kxh4 76. f5 Re2+ 77. Kf1 Kg3 78. f6 Rd2 79. Re8 Rf2+ 80. Kg1 Rxf6 0 : 1.

Mariya Muzychuk vs. Dronavalli Harika
Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich