Chantal Chaudé de Silans – Clarice Benini
8th Women’s World Chess Championship; Moscow, December 26, 1949
Slav Defence D18
Notes by Gary Koshnitsky, The Sunday Herald, March 5, 1950, p. 14.
8th Women’s World Chess Championship; Moscow, December 26, 1949
Slav Defence D18
Notes by Gary Koshnitsky, The Sunday Herald, March 5, 1950, p. 14.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3. The game is developing on very orthodox lines. Here White has two strong alternatives in 6. Ne5 or 6. Nh4.
6. ... e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4. Black’s main objective is to prevent his [sic] opponent’s e3-e4 as long as possible.
8. 0-0 0-0 9. Ne2. A new move in this position. Perhaps White wants to get away from the book lines to which the approved 9. Qe2 would lead.
9. ... h6. Safeguarding the Bishop from exchange, but a challenge in the centre by 9. ... c5 seems stronger. If then 10. Ng3 Bg4 with a good game.
10. Ng3 Bh7 11. Qe2. White has an excellent position.
11. ... Nbd7 12. e4 Qe7 13. Ne5. Clearing the way for the f-Pawn.
13. ... Rad8. If 13. ... Nxe5 14. fxe5 Nd7 15. f4 with a dangerous attack.
14. Nxd7? Rxd7 15. e5. White has to do something about the centre Pawns.
15. ... Nd5 16. Nh5. This attack looks a little premature in view of the undeveloped state of her Queen’s side. The immediate 16. f4 with the threat to advance the Pawn further was indicated.
16. ... Kh8 17. f4 Nb6 18. Be3. She has to part with one of her Bishops.
18. ... Nxc4 19. Qxc4 Rd5. Better seems 19. ... Rfd8 threatening ... Bb4-d2 followed by ... Rd7xd4. If 20. Rad1 c5 with initiative.
20. Qc1. White is not happy because of the abovementioned threats. She attempts to confuse the issue by threats along the diagonal, c1-h6, in conjunction with the sacrifice of the f-Pawn.
20. ... Rfd8 21. Rf3 Qh4. If 21. ... c5 22. f5 with a very strong attack.
22. Rh3 Qg4 23. f5! A fine sacrifice which clears the lines for White’s pieces.
23. ... Bxf5 24. Nf4. The sacrifices on g7 and h6 which look very interesting are not quite adequate.
6. ... e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4. Black’s main objective is to prevent his [sic] opponent’s e3-e4 as long as possible.
8. 0-0 0-0 9. Ne2. A new move in this position. Perhaps White wants to get away from the book lines to which the approved 9. Qe2 would lead.
9. ... h6. Safeguarding the Bishop from exchange, but a challenge in the centre by 9. ... c5 seems stronger. If then 10. Ng3 Bg4 with a good game.
10. Ng3 Bh7 11. Qe2. White has an excellent position.
11. ... Nbd7 12. e4 Qe7 13. Ne5. Clearing the way for the f-Pawn.
13. ... Rad8. If 13. ... Nxe5 14. fxe5 Nd7 15. f4 with a dangerous attack.
14. Nxd7? Rxd7 15. e5. White has to do something about the centre Pawns.
15. ... Nd5 16. Nh5. This attack looks a little premature in view of the undeveloped state of her Queen’s side. The immediate 16. f4 with the threat to advance the Pawn further was indicated.
16. ... Kh8 17. f4 Nb6 18. Be3. She has to part with one of her Bishops.
18. ... Nxc4 19. Qxc4 Rd5. Better seems 19. ... Rfd8 threatening ... Bb4-d2 followed by ... Rd7xd4. If 20. Rad1 c5 with initiative.
20. Qc1. White is not happy because of the abovementioned threats. She attempts to confuse the issue by threats along the diagonal, c1-h6, in conjunction with the sacrifice of the f-Pawn.
20. ... Rfd8 21. Rf3 Qh4. If 21. ... c5 22. f5 with a very strong attack.
22. Rh3 Qg4 23. f5! A fine sacrifice which clears the lines for White’s pieces.
23. ... Bxf5 24. Nf4. The sacrifices on g7 and h6 which look very interesting are not quite adequate.
24. ... Rxd4! Black is ready for her counter-attack. The ladies are pulling no punches.
25. Bxd4 Rxd4 26. Rf3 Bd2 27. Qc5 Bxf4. Winning the second minor piece for the Rook.
28. h3. Of course not 28. Qxd4 Bxh2+ winning the Queen.
25. Bxd4 Rxd4 26. Rf3 Bd2 27. Qc5 Bxf4. Winning the second minor piece for the Rook.
28. h3. Of course not 28. Qxd4 Bxh2+ winning the Queen.
28. ... Qxf3? Obviously a miscalculation. No doubt Black missed the check on the next move, or rather the full effect it has on the combination. 28. ... Qh4 seems to leave White in a hopeless position.
29. Qf8+. This makes all the difference. If 29. gxf3 Be3+ and no matter where the King moves, a check with the Rook regains the Queen.
29. ... Kh7 30. gxf3 Rd2! Making the best of the situation. Actually Black’s pieces are so beautifully posted that she can force the draw almost at will.
31. Qb4 g5 32. Qxb7 Kg6 33. Re1 Bxh3 34. Qb8. The adventure with the Queen is unnecessary and dangerous. 34. Qxa7 followed by Qa7-c5 and the advance of the a-Pawn would soon force Black to accept a draw.
29. Qf8+. This makes all the difference. If 29. gxf3 Be3+ and no matter where the King moves, a check with the Rook regains the Queen.
29. ... Kh7 30. gxf3 Rd2! Making the best of the situation. Actually Black’s pieces are so beautifully posted that she can force the draw almost at will.
31. Qb4 g5 32. Qxb7 Kg6 33. Re1 Bxh3 34. Qb8. The adventure with the Queen is unnecessary and dangerous. 34. Qxa7 followed by Qa7-c5 and the advance of the a-Pawn would soon force Black to accept a draw.
34. ... Kh5 35. Qg8? White is chasing a mirage. Her last chance to draw was to retrace her steps and to capture the a-Pawn.
[Editor’s Note: Nothing could be more wrong: 35. Qxa7 Kh4!−+].
35. ... Kh4. It looks as though the King is running away and, as in chess the roles of the sexes are reversed, the Queem is hot in pursuit.
36. Qxf7 Kg3 37. Qh5. 37. Qxa7 would no longer suffice because of 37. ... Bxe5! with the deadly threat of ... Be5-d4+.
37. ... Be3+ 0 : 1. White resigned as she is checkmated in at, most, three moves [Editor’s Note: White is actually checkmated in two moves].
A thrilling finish.
[Editor’s Note: Nothing could be more wrong: 35. Qxa7 Kh4!−+].
35. ... Kh4. It looks as though the King is running away and, as in chess the roles of the sexes are reversed, the Queem is hot in pursuit.
36. Qxf7 Kg3 37. Qh5. 37. Qxa7 would no longer suffice because of 37. ... Bxe5! with the deadly threat of ... Be5-d4+.
37. ... Be3+ 0 : 1. White resigned as she is checkmated in at, most, three moves [Editor’s Note: White is actually checkmated in two moves].
A thrilling finish.
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