The Phantom Menace

Mariya Muzychuk – Emil Davidovich Sutovsky
12th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay, February 4, 2014
Sicilian Defence B50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. Be2 g6 5. 0-0 Bg7 6. Bb5+ Nc6 7. d4 0-0 8. d5 Ne5 9. Nxe5 dxe5 10. Qe2. This move looks more natural than 10. Qc2 e6 11. dxe6 Bxe6 12. Nd2 Qb6 13. Bc4 Rfd8 14. Bxe6 Qxe6 15. Nf3 b6 ½ : ½ R. Bellin – Lalić, Staffordshire Centenary Team Tournament, Walsall 1997. 10. ... a6 11. Bd3 b5 12. a4 e6 13. dxe6 Bxe6 14. b4 cxb4 15. axb5 a5 16. cxb4 axb4 17. Ra6 Rc8 18. Be3 Ng4

19. Ba7. Mariya becomes just a little over-confident, on the assumption that her passed b-Pawn will promote, but in practice matters are not so easy. 19. ... Qd7 20. b6 Rfd8 21. Ra5 b3! It seems a very risky strategic decision, but no! In any event, consideration deserves 21. ... Qxd3 22. Qxd3 Rxd3 23. b7 Rf8 24. Rb5 Nf6 25. b8=Q Rxb8 26. Bxb8 Bf8 27. Bxe5 Nxe4 28. f3 Bc5+ 29. Kh1 Nf2+ 30. Kg1 Nh3++ which allows Black to give perpetual check. 22. Rb5 Nxf2? A serious error of judgment. Correct was 22. ... Qb7! (threatening 23. ... Rxd3 24. Qxd3 Bc4) when Black stands decidedly better. It is not easy for White to get out. Here’s a sample variation: 23. Rxb3 Bxb3 24. Ba6 Qd7 25. b7 Rc2 26. Qd3 Qxd3 27. Bxd3 Ra2 28. b8=Q Rxb8 29. Bxb8 Bf8 30. Nc3 Rxf2! 31. h3 Bc5 32. hxg4 Rc2+ 33. Kh2 Rxc3 when Black comes out a Pawn ahead with a clear advantage. 23. Kxf2. Perhaps Sutovsky was hoping for 23. Rxf2 Rc2! 24. Bxc2 bxc2 25. Rf1 Qd4+ 26. Qf2 Qxf2+ 27. Kxf2 Rd1 28. Rxd1 cxd1=Q 29. b7 Qc2+ with perpetual check. 23. ... Bg4 24. Rd5 Bxe2 25. Rxd7 Rxd7. No better is 25. ... Bxd3 26. Rxd8+ Rxd8 27. Rd1 followed by b6-b7. 26. Kxe2. Black has fallen into a desperate endgame scenario. 26. ... b2 27. Bb5 Rc2+ 28. Kf3 Rb7 29. Ba6 Rc1 30. Kf2 Rc2+ 31. Kg1 Rd7. A little better is 31. ... Rxb6 32. Bxb6 Rc6, but after 33. Ba5 Rxa6 34. Bc3 White should win in the short-mid-long run. 32. b7 Rxb7 33. Bxb7 Rc7 34. Bd5 Rxa7 35. Rf2. As they say, the rest is just a matter of technique. 35. ... Bh6 36. Rxb2 Be3+ 37. Kf1 Bd4 38. Rb7 Rxb7 39. Bxb7 Kg7 40. Bc8 Kf6 41. Ke2 Bg1 42. h3 Kg5 43. Kf3 f5 44. Nd2 f4 45. Ke2 Kf6 46. Nf3 Bb6 47. Kd3 Bc5 48. Kc4 Ba3 49. Kd5 Bb2 50. Ne1 Bd4 51. Nd3 Bc3 52. Nc5 Kg5 53. Bg4 h5 54. Bf3 Kh4 55. Nd7 Ba5 56. Ke6 Bc3 57. Kf7 g5 58. Nf6 1 : 0.

Mariya Muzychuk enjoys playing Wizard’s Chess
Photo: Sophie Triay