Angel Face

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Valentin Dragnev
13th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 30, 2015
Sicilian Defence B22

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. d4 Nf6 6. Na3 Nc6 7. Be3 cxd4 8. Nb5 Qd8 9. Nbxd4 Nd5. If 9. ... Nxd4 might follow 10. Bxd4 Be7 11. Bd3 0-0 12. Qc2 h6 13. 0-0-0 Nd5 14. Kb1 Bf6 15. Ne5 Bxe5 16. Bxe5 Qa5 17. Qe2 Bd7 18. Qe4 f5 19. Qd4 Rf7 20. Be2 Bc6 21. b4 Qa4 22. Bc4 a5 23. Bb3 Qa3 24. Rhe1 Ba4 25. Bxd5 exd5 26. Rd2 Bb5 27. Re3 Bc4 28. b5 Qa4 29. Rg3 Qxb5+ 30. Kc1 Re8 31. f4 Qd7 32. Qb6 Re6 33. Qxa5 Ra6 34. Qc5 Bxa2 35. Kd1 Bc4 36. Ke1 Ra1+ 37. Kf2 Rf1+ 38. Ke3 Re1+ 39. Kf2 Rf1+ 40. Ke3 Re1+ 41. Kf2 ½ : ½ Ehlvest – M. O. Muzychuk, 11th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2013. 10. Bb5 Bd7 11. 0-0 Qc7. Another modus vivendi is 11. ... Be7 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. Ne5 Qc7 14. Nxd7 Qxd7 15. Qg4 0-0 16. Bh6 Bf6 17. Rad1 Bxd4 18. Rxd4 f5 19. Qg3 c5 20. Rd2 c4 21. Bf4 Rad8 22. Rfd1 Qa4 23. Be5 Rd7 24. h4 Qxa2 25. h5 Qa6 26. h6 g6 27. Bg7 Rc8 28. Bd4 Qd6 29. Be5 Qe7 30. f4 Rcd8 31. Qf2 Kf7 32. Qe2 Qc5+ 33. Rd4 Nb6 34. Ra1 Qe7 35. g3 Rd5 36. Ra6 Qb7 37. Ra1 R8d7 38. Re1 Qc6 39. Kh2 a5 40. Qf2 Qc5 41. Qe2 Qc6 42. Qf2 Na4 43. g4 Rb5 44. Re2 Rxd4 45. Qxd4 Qd5 46. Qf2 Qc5 47. Bd4 Qe7 48. g5 Nc5 49. Bxc5 Qxc5 50. Qe1 Qd6 51. Re5 Rxb2+ 0 : 1 Osmak – M. O. Muzychuk, 73rd Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship, Kiev 2013. 12. Qb3 Nxe3 13. fxe3 Be7 14. Rad1 Rd8 15. Qa4 0-0 16. Nxc6 bxc6 17. Bd3 g6 18. Qf4 Qb6. Dragnev prefers to keep Queens on the board since after 18. ... Qxf4 19. exf4 White would stand a bit better. 19. Bc4 Bc5 20. Rd3 Bc8 21. b4 Rxd3? This is a serious error — very likely already the decisive mistake. Correct was 21. ... Be7 22. Rfd1 c5 with equality. 22. bxc5 Qd8 23. Bxd3 Qxd3

24. Ne5! We guess Black must have overlooked this (easy) move. 24. ... Qxc3. Tantamount to capitulation, but also after 24. ... Qf5 25. Qd4 Black has no good moves. 25. Nxf7 Kg7 26. Qh6+ Kg8 27. Qf4 Kg7 28. h4! Muzychuk conducts the attack vigorously to the end. 28. ... Ba6 29. Rf3 Be2 30. Qc7! Qe1+. The Rook is taboo: 30. ... Bxf3 31. Ng5+ Kf6 32. Nxh7+ Kf5 33. Qf4 mate. 31. Kh2 Qxh4+ 32. Rh3. Forcing the exchange of Queens with an easily won ending. 32. ... Rxf7 33. Qxf7+ Kxf7 34. Rxh4 h5 35. Rd4 Kf6 36. a4 a6 37. Rd6 Ke5 38. Rxc6 Bc4 1 : 0.

Elisabeth Pähtz & Muzychuk on the Rock. Photo: John Saunders.