Strobilus

Mariya Muzychuk – Boris Franzevich Gulko
6th Snowdrops vs Oldhands; Poděbrady, November 30, 2013
Sicilian Defence B22

1. e4 c5 2. c3 e6 3. d4 d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. 0-0 Nge7 9. Nbd2 0-0 10. Nb3 Bb6 11. Re1 Nf5 12. Bd3 Qd6 13. Bxf5 Bxf5 14. Be3 Bg4. For 14. ... Bxe3 15. Rxe3 Rfd8 16. h3 a5 17. a4 Qc7 18. Nbd4 see Deviatkin – Mickiewicz, 5th AMPLICO AIG Life Chess Tournament, Warsaw 2005. 15. Bxb6 axb6 16. Qd3 Bxf3 17. Qxf3 Rfe8 18. a3 Ne5 19. Qe2 Qd7 20. Nd4 Nc4 21. Qc2 g6 22. h3 Rxe1+ 23. Rxe1 Re8 24. Rd1 Re5

25. b3. A temporary Pawn sacrifice, that Mariya performs in the (vain) hope of cashing in her slight advantage. 25. ... Nxa3 26. Qd3 Re8 27. Ne2 Nb5 28. Qxd5 Qxd5 29. Rxd5 Rxe2 30. Rxb5 Re6 31. Rd5 Kf8 32. Rd8+ Re8 33. Rd7 Re7 34. Rd6 Re6 35. Rd7 Re7 36. Rd6 Re6 37. Rxe6 fxe6. Usually there are less chances for a draw in a King and Pawn ending than in a Rook ending, but this is not the case. 38. Kf1 Ke7 39. Ke2 Kd6 40. Kd3 b5 41. Ke4 e5 42. h4 Ke6 43. f3 Kd6 44. f4 exf4 45. Kxf4 h6 46. Ke4 Ke6 47. g4 Kd6 48. Kd4 h5 49. g5 b6 50. b4 Ke6 51. c4 Kd6 52. cxb5 Ke6 53. Ke4 ½ : ½.

Mariya Muzychuk vs. Boris Franzevich Gulko
Photo: Anežka Kružíková