Sliding Doors

Irina Borisivna Krush – 王安妮 (Annie Wáng)
55th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 8, 2015
English Opening A18

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. e5 d4 6. exf6 dxc3 7. Bb5+ c6 8. Qe2+ Be6 9. Bc4 Qxf6 10. dxc3 Bc5 11. Bxe6 fxe6?? A huge blunder. Black ought to play 11. ... Qxe6 12. Qxe6+ fxe6 as in the game Bích Ngọc Đặng – Rudolf, 38th Women’s Chess Olympiad, Dresden 2008.

White to play and win. 12. Nf3?? Obviously, after 12. Qh5+ Qg6 13. Qxc5 Qxg2 14. Bg5 Qe4+ 15. Kf1 Qd3+ 16. Ne2 Qd7 17. Re1 (or 17. Rg1) Black is busted. 12. ... 0-0 13. 0-0 Na6. Else 13. ... Nd7 14. Be3 Bxe3 15. Qxe3 Nb6 16. Rfe1 Rae8 17. Rad1 Nd5 18. Qe5 as in Reshko – Sokolsky, Semifinal of Championship of 24th USSR, Kiev 1957. 14. Be3 Bxe3 15. Qxe3 Nc7 16. c4 h6 17. Ne5 Rfd8 18. h3 Qf5 19. Rae1 Kh7 20. Re2 Qf6 21. b3 Qf8 22. Qg3 Rac8 23. Re4 Qf5 24. Rfe1 Rf8 25. Rd4 Ne8 26. Rd7 Rc7 27. Red1 Qh5 28. f4 Kg8. Black is virtually in zugzwang. 29. Kh2 Rc8 30. Ng6 Rf7 31. Rxf7 Qxd1 32. Rf8+ 1 : 0.

Krush vs. 王安妮 (Annie Wáng). Photo: Lennart Ootes.