Genogram

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Anna Muzychuk
Women’s Grand Prix Series 2015-2016; Monte Carlo, October 10, 2015
Sicilian Defence B76

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. 0-0-0 d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bd4 Bxd4 13. Qxd4 Qb6 14. Na4 Qc7 15. Bc4 Rd8. For 15. ... Nb6 16. Bb3 Nxa4 17. Qxa4 c5 see Caruana – Nakamura, FIDE Grand Prix, Khanty-Mansiysk 2015. 16. Rhe1!? This is – as far as we know – a novelty in a well-known position. For 16. Bb3 Be6 17. Nc5 Nf4 see 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Čmilytė, 3th SportAccord World Mind Games, Women’s Rapid Event, 北京 (Beijīng) 2013. 16. ... Qxh2 17. Bb3 Rd6 18. Rxe7 Be6 19. Nc3 Rad8 20. Bxd5 Bxd5 21. Rde1 Be6 22. Qe3 Qxg2 23. Ne4 Bf5 24. Qf4 Re6 25. Rxe6 fxe6 26. Qc7 Rf8 27. Qxc6 h5 28. Nd6 Qg5+ 29. Kb1 h4 30. Nxf5 exf5 31. Qc4+ Kg7 32. Qd4+ Qf6 33. Qxa7+ Rf7 34. Qb8 Re7 35. Rh1 g5 36. Qb4 Rd7 37. a4 Qd4 38. Qb5 Rd5 39. Qb7+ Rd7 40. Qc6 Re7 41. a5 Qf2 42. Qc3+ Kf7 43. b4. A very double-edged position, in which White’s chances seem somewhat better. 43. ... Qe2 44. Qb3+ Kf6

45. f4? The right idea at the wrong time! Alexandra Konstantinovna should have prepared for it with 45. Kb2. 45. ... g4! 46. Qc3+ Kf7 47. Kb2. White finds, to her disappointment, that 47. Rxh4 Qe1+ 48. Qxe1 Rxe1+ 49. Ka2 g3 50. Rh7+ Kf6 (but not 50. ... Kg6?? 51. Rh3 and wins) 51. Rh6+ Kf7 52. Rh7+ would lead only to a draw. 47. ... h3 48. Ra1. This may be very risky for White. 48. Qh8 Kg6 49. Qh4 Qe4 keeps both parties on roughly equal terms. 48. ... h2. Anna should have played 48. ... Qe3! here, when she could put many more obstacles in White’s path. 49. Qh8. 49. a6 is also answered by 49. ... Qe4 with equality on a razor’s edge. 49. ... Qe4 50. Qh7+ Kf8 51. Qh8+ Kf7 52. Qh7+ Kf8 53. Qh8+ ½ : ½. A very hard endgame struggle.

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk (R.) vs. Anna Muzychuk (L.)
Photo: FIDE Grand Prix 2015