Punch-Counterpunch

Nur Shazwani Zulkafli – Mariya Muzychuk
26th Summer Universiade; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), August 15, 2011
Sicilian Defence B85

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. a3 Qc7 7. Be2 Be7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Kh1 d6 10. f4 Bd7 11. Be3 a6 12. Qe1 Rac8 13. Qg3 Rfe8. A pleasing reference is 13. ... Na5 14. Rad1 Nc4 15. Bc1 Kh8 16. Nf3 b5 17. e5 Ng8 18. Bxc4 bxc4 19. f5 dxe5 20. Nxe5 Be8? 21. fxe6 fxe6 22. Rxf8 Bxf8 23. Rd7! winning easily for White, Emma – Ja. Bolbochán, Argentine Chess Championship, Buenos Aires 1965. 14. Rad1 Bf8 15. f5 Kh8. Quite superfluous. 15. ... Nxd4 16. Bxd4 e5 seems much more pertinent. 16. Bg5 Be7 17. Nxc6 Bxc6 18. Bd3 b5 19. Rf3 e5 20. Qh4 Ng8 21. Qg3 Nf6 22. Qh4 Ng8 23. Rh3 h6 24. Bxe7 Rxe7? Black should have played 24. ... Qxe7 here, as after 25. Qxe7 Rxe7 26. g4 White’s attack is not so dangerous anymore, e.g. 26. ... g5! 27. fxg6 fxg6 28. Rf1 Kg7 29. Rhf3 g5 30. Kg2 Rcc7! with approximately equal chances. 25. Rf1 Nf6 26. Rff3 Qd8 27. g4 d5? Mariya desperately seeks counterplay, but after the text move – which is the decisive mistake – Black’s position disintegrates. More tenacious resistance might have been offered by 27. ... Ng8, although after 28. g5 f6 29. gxh6 Nxh6 30. Rfg3 White maintains strong pressure against the enemy King. 28. g5 Ng8. Too late. However, after 28. ... Nh7 29. f6! Re6 (29. ... gxf6 30. Qxh6+-) 30. fxg7+ Kg8 31. g6! Rxg6 32. Qxd8+ Rxd8 33. exd5 White gains a decisive material advantage. 29. gxh6 gxh6. Also 29. ... Nxh6 loses to 30. f6. 30. f6! dxe4. Desperation, but if 30. ... Re6 there follows equally 31. Qxh6+! Nxh6 32. Rxh6+ Kg8 33. Rg3+ and mate next move.

31. Qxh6+! Nxh6 32. Rxh6+ Kg8 33. Rg3+ 1 : 0.

Nur Shazwani Zulkafli
Photo courtesy of Khairunnisa Wahiduddin