East Side Story

Reyk Schaefer – Mariya Muzychuk
13rd Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 27, 2015
Modern Benoni A64

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 0-0 9. 0-0 Re8 10. Nd2 a6 11. a4 Nbd7 12. h3 Rb8 13. Nc4 Ne5 14. Na3 Nh5 15. e4 Bd7 16. a5 b5 17. axb6 Bb5 18. Naxb5 axb5 19. Nxb5 Qxb6 20. Na3 Qb3 21. g4. No better is 21. Qxb3 Rxb3 22. Rd1 Nd3 23. Nc4 Bd4 24. Kf1 Reb8 25. Ke2 Ne5 26. Nxe5 Bxe5 27. Ra6 Nf6 28. Rd2 Ne8 29. Ra2 Nc7 30. Rd3 R3b4 31. Rd2 Nb5 32. Ra6 Nd4+ 33. Kd1 Nb3 34. f4 Bd4 35. Rc2 Nxc1 36. Kxc1 Bxb2+ 37. Kd1 Rb3 38. Rxd6 Rxg3 39. Bf1 Bd4 40. Bc4 Rb1+ 41. Kd2 Be3+ 42. Ke2 Bxf4 43. Rd8+ Kg7 44. Kf2 Rh1 45. Re2 Rc3 46. d6 Bg3+ 0 : 1 Percivaldi – Mikhalevski, 44th Rilton Cup, Stockholm 2015. 21. ... Nf6 22. f4. Theoretical novelty. If 22. Rb1 then 22. ... Qxd1 23. Rxd1 Rb3 24. Kf1 (Sasikiran – Battaglini, Bastia 2011), and now Grandmaster Marian Petrov suggests 24. ... Reb8 when Black has compensation for the Pawn. 22. ... Nd3 23. Qxb3 Rxb3 24. Nc4 Nxe4. “White is under pressure, but he can hold with accurate play”, Grandmaster John Shaw said.

25. Ra3? “Allowing a nasty Knight trick. Stronger was 25. Bxe4 which might lead to equality after a line such as 25. ... Nxc1 26. Nxd6 Rd8 27. Nc4 Ne2+ 28. Kg2 Bxb2 29. Rae1 Nc3=”, Shaw said. 25. ... Rxa3 26. bxa3 Ng3! “Unfortunately for White, in addition to the attack on the Rook there is also a threat of a Knight check on e2 then taking on c1”, Shaw said. 27. Bd2 Bd4+ 28. Kh2 Nxf1+ 29. Bxf1 Nb2 30. Nxb2 Bxb2 31. a4 Re4 32. a5 c4 33. a6 c3 0 : 1. “A smooth win for IM Mariya Muzychuk – theory until move 21 and winning on move 25. White just made one real mistake and the game was over – in sharp lines this can happen”, Shaw said.

Mariya Muzychuk