Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves

Mariya Muzychuk – Anna Muzychuk
74th Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Lviv, November 13, 2014
Queen’s Gambit Declined D12

1. c4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Qb3 Qc7 8. Nxg6 hxg6 9. g3 Nbd7 10. Bg2 Be7 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Bd2. The text is Mariya’s “artistic licence” to White’s “standard” 12. cxd5 exd5 13. f3 as in the game Giri – Motylev, 47th International Chess Festival, Biel/Bienne 2014. 12. ... Nb6 13. cxd5 cxd5 14. Rfc1 Nc4 15. Be1 Qd7. Safer probably to have played 15. ... Na5 as 16. Qd1 Nc6 17. a3 would give White only a very slight edge.

16. e4! Na5 17. Qb5 Qxb5 18. Nxb5 Nc6 19. exd5 Nxd5 20. Nc3 Rfd8 21. Nxd5 exd5 22. Bc3 Bf6 23. Rd1 g5 24. Bf3 Rac8 25. Kg2 g6 ½ : ½. “White does hold a small advantage thanks to his double Bishop advantage but the pressure on d4 is irritating to say the least and whatever be the result, the point stays in the family!”, International Master Sagar Shah said.

Mariya Muzychuk vs. Anna Muzychuk
Photo: ukrchess.com