Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus

Irina Krush – Tatev Abrahamyan
55th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 10, 2015
Nimzo-Indian Defence E32

“Though eventually earning the full point, Krush did not get much out of the opening against Abrahamyan. After several minor pieces were exchanged, Krush was left with a Knight and a bit more space against Black’s Bishop, with all of the major pieces still left on the board. Abrahamyan then placed a lot of pressure against White’s c-Pawn, leading to a Rook exchange and a simplified position”, FIDE Master Kostya Kavutskiy wrote.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 0-0 5. Nf3 c5 6. dxc5 Na6 7. g3 Nxc5 8. Bg2 b6 9. 0-0 Bb7 10. Nb5 Be4 11. Qd1 a6 12. Nd6 Bc6 13. Bg5 Nce4. Undoubtedly an improvement on 13. ... h6? 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. a3 and the b4-Bishop is embarassed, Fridman – Ly, 41st Chess Olympiad, Tromsø 2014. 14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Ne5 Bxg2 16. Kxg2 Ra7 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. Nd3. White has a very slight edge, but nothing special. 18. ... Be7 19. e4 Rc7 20. Qb3 Qb8 21. a4 Rfc8 22. Rac1 Rc6. Intending ... Qb8-c7. 23. Rfd1 Qc7 24. Nf4 Rxc4 25. Rxd7 Qxd7 26. Rxc4 Rxc4 27. Qxc4 b5. Both players have handled the skirmishes well and a little unbalanced but roughly equal position has occurred. 28. axb5 axb5 29. Qd3 Qc6 30. f3 b4 31. Kh3 Qc1 32. Qd7 Bf8 33. Qd8 Qxb2 34. Nh5

34. ... b3?? A tragic blunder. Correct was 34. ... Qc1! in order to meet 35. Nxf6+ Kg7 36. Nd7 with 36. ... Qh6+ 37. Kg2 Qd2+ drawing by perpetual check. 35. Nxf6+ Kg7 36. Nd7 Qa3. Also after 36. ... Bd6 37. Qg5+ Kh8 38. Nf6 White wins. 37. Qg5+ Kh8 38. Qe5+! The pointe. 38. ... Kg8 39. Nf6+ Kh8 40. Qh5 1 : 0. For if 40. ... h6 then 41. Qxf7 and mate next move. “A very well played game by both players until the blunder with 34. ... b3. Playing with an open King requires extreme caution until the end, and one slip was enough to cost Tatev her half point”, Grandmaster Josh Friedel wrote.

Irina Krush vs. Tatev Abrahamyan
Photo: Lennart Ootes