The Turning Point

Chanda Sandipan – Mariya Muzychuk
12th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay, February 5, 2014
Blumenfeld Counter-Gambit E10

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. d5 e6 4. c4 b5 5. Bf4 exd5 6. cxd5 Qa5+ 7. Bd2 Qb6 8. e4 Be7 9. Nc3 b4 10. Na4 Qc7 11. Bd3. For 11. Qc2 0-0 12. Bd3 Ba6 see Disconzi da Silva – Peralta, Mar del Plata 1993. 11. ... d6 12. Rc1 Ba6 13. Bf4 Qb7 14. 0-0 0-0 15. e5. White decidedly claims the initiative. 15. ... dxe5 16. Bxe5 Bxd3 17. Qxd3 Qxd5 18. Qxd5 Nxd5 19. Rfd1 Nb6? We would have preferred 19. ... Rd8! 20. Nxc5 Nd7! and if 21. Nb7 then 21. ... Rdc8! with almost equality. 20. Nxc5 Bxc5? Another questionable decision, after which the Black b-Pawn becomes a definite target. The lesser evil is 20. ... Rc8 21. Nd3 Nd7 and Black’s game seems tenable. 21. Rxc5 N8d7 22. Rb5 Nxe5 23. Nxe5 Rfd8 24. Rxd8+ Rxd8 25. Kf1 Rd1+ 26. Ke2 Ra1 27. Ra5 f6. After 27. ... b4 28. a3 Rc1 29. Nd3 Rc2+ 30. Kd1 g6 31. Rb5 the b-Pawn is doomed anyway. 28. Nc6 Nc4 29. Rxa7 Nxb2 30. Nxb4 Nc4 31. Nc6 Nd6 32. Nd4 Ne4 33. Kf3 Re1. Mariya desperately seeks a compensation for the Pawn. 34. g3 h5 35. a4 g5 36. a5 g4+ 37. Kg2? After 37. Kf4 Nd6 38. f3 White retains both his extra Pawn and a clear edge without allowing any counterplay to his opponent. 37. ... Ng5 38. a6?? White is totally oblivious of danger and falls into a mating net! Correct was 38. Ra8+ Kf7 39. Ra7+ Kg6 40. a6 Nh3 41. Nf3 Ra1 with a draw in sight.

38. ... Nh3! With the deadly threat of ... Re1-g1 mate. 39. Nf3 Re2! The pointe. 40. Kf1 gxf3 0 : 1.

Catalan Bay, Gibraltar, February 6, 2014. Award ceremony of the 12th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival. From left: 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), Raymond Dennis Keene, Mariya Muzychuk, and Lela Javakhishvili. Photo: John Saunders.