Женщина в красном

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Irina Berezina-Feldman
Women’s World Chess Championship; Krasnaya Polyana, March 17, 2015
Pirc Defence B07

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 0-0 6. Nf3 c6 7. Bh6 Qc7. We would have preferred 7. ... Qa5 8. 0-0-0 Bg4 as in the game Emma – Spraggett, Paris 1990. 8. h4! Striving for the initiative. 8. ... Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Ng4 10. Qd2 e5? Black can hardly afford the time for such amenities. The opposing 10. ... h5! was called for. 11. h5! b5 12. hxg6 fxg6. Clearly not 12. ... hxg6 on account of 13. Nh2! with a mating attack. 13. a4 d5?? A very bad mistake, almost inexplicable. After 13. ... b4 14. Bc4+ Kg7 15. Ne2 White stands much better, but the game is not over yet. 14. axb5 Qg7 15. dxe5 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Qxe5 17. 0-0-0 a6 18. bxc6 dxe4 19. Bc4+ Kh8. The alternative 19. ... Be6 is elegantly refuted by 20. Qh6 Ra7 21. Rd7! with a deadly interference.

20. Nxe4! We like very much Alexandra Konstantinovna’s move, even though all chess engines would certainly “recommend” 20. Rxh7+ Kxh7 21. Rh1+ Kg7 22. Qh6+ Kf6 23. Qxf8+ Kg5 24. Qh6+ Kf5 25. g4+! winning on the spot. 20. ... Ra7. If 20. ... Qxe4 then 21. Qc3+ and mate in two moves. 21. f4 Qxf4. Or 21. ... Qg7 22. Qd6! threatening both Qxd6xb8 and Rh1xh7+. 22. Qxf4 Rxf4 23. Rd8+ Kg7 1 : 0. And Black resigned without waiting for 24. Rg8 mate.

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk vs. Irina Berezina-Feldman
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili