A Hard Day’s Night

Kateřina Němcová – Mariya Muzychuk
5th Women’s World Chess Team Championship; 成都市 (Chéngdū), April 22, 2015
Sicilian Defence B33

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c4 b4 12. Nc2 a5 13. g3 0-0 14. Bg2 Bg5 15. 0-0 Be6 16. Qd3. For 16. f4 Bh6 see Abdumalik – M. Muzychuk, 5th Women’s World Chess Team Championship; 成都市 (Chéngdū), April 20, 2015. 16. ... g6. For 16. ... Bh6 17. Rad1 Ra7 see Nakhapetiane – Zhigalko, 16th European Youth Chess Championship, Herceg Novi 2006. 17. Rad1 Rb8 18. b3 Bh6 19. Kh1 Bg7 20. Nde3 Qb6 21. f4 exf4 22. gxf4 Rbd8

23. f5. White opens the hostilities. 23. ... Bc8 24. Nd5 Qa7 25. f6 Bh6 26. Nd4 Nxd4 27. Ne7+ Kh8 28. Nxc8 Rxc8. Quite understandably, Mariya thought for a very long, long time about her answer, since the ensuing endgame is difficult for Black. 29. Qxd4 Qxd4 30. Rxd4 Rfd8 31. Rd5 Be3!? As usual, Mariya aims for unbalanced and double-edged positions, in the style of Emanuel Lasker. 32. Rxa5 Bc5 33. Rb5 Rc7 34. Rd1 Re8 35. Bf3. Aimless. The most consistent continuation was 35. e5! dxe5 36. Rd5 Bd4 37. Rxb4 with excellent winning chances. 35. ... h5 36. Rd5 Ra7 37. Rd2. Back and forth! Here 37. e5! Rxa2! 38. Rb7 Rxe5 39. Rxe5 dxe5 40. Rxf7 Rf2 41. Bd5 h4 42. h3 Rf1+ would lead to a draw by perpetual check. 37. ... Re6 38. Kg2 Kh7 39. h4 Kh6 40. Re2 Rxf6 41. e5 Re6 42. exd6 Rxe2+ 43. Bxe2 Bxd6 44. c5 Rxa2 45. Kf3 Be7 46. c6 Ra7 47. Bc4 Kg7 48. Ke4 Bxh4 49. Rxb4. Both sides have useful and enterprising Pawn majorities! 49. ... Rc7 50. Bd5 Bg3 51. Ra4 h4 52. b4 f5+ 53. Kd3 Kf6 54. b5 Ke5 55. Bh1. Also after 55. b6 Kxd5 56. bxc7 Bxc7 57. Rxh4 Kxc6 the game is a draw. 55. ... Bf2 56. Ra2 Bc5. Clearly not 56. ... Ba7? on account of 57. Rxa7! Rxa7 58. b6 with a Rollerball. 57. Kc4 Bb6. Here 57. ... Bg1 seems definitely the most accurate: 58. Ra6 Kd6 59. b6 Rxc6+ 60. Bxc6 Kxc6 61. b7+ Kxb7 62. Rxg6 Bh2 drawing. 58. Ra6 Be3 59. Kd3. The immediate 59. b6 Bxb6 60. Rxb6 g5 is quite similar to the game. 59. ... Bc5 60. b6 Bxb6 61. Rxb6 g5 62. Ke3 Re7 63. Kf2 g4 64. Rb5+ Kf4 65. Rb4+ Ke5 66. Rb5+ Kf4 67. Rb7 Re8 68. Rb4+ Ke5 69. Rb5+ Ke6 70. Rc5 g3+ 71. Kf3 Kd6 72. Rc1 Kc7 73. Kf4 Re2 74. Kxf5 g2 75. Bxg2 Rxg2 76. Rh1 Kxc6 77. Rxh4 ½ : ½. A lucky draw for both players!

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Liu Yunpeng