Gosh-e Fil

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Sarasadat Khademalsharieh
Women’s Grand Prix 2015–2016; 1st stage; Monte Carlo, October 5, 2015
Catalan Opening E00

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bd6 6. Nf3 c6 7. 0-0 Nbd7 8. Qc2 0-0 9. Rd1 Qe7 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Ne5 Rfd8 14. c5 Bc7 15. f4 Be8. Khademalsharieh shows propriety and skill for defending. 16. a4 Nd7 17. Ra3. A cryptic “Rook lift” — at least for us. But also 17. Nd3 a5 is nothing special for White. 17. ... Nxe5 18. fxe5 f6! Very well played.

19. exf6 Qxf6 20. Nf3 Bg6 21. Qb3 Rab8 22. Qe3 Be4 23. Rf1 Qe7. Black convincingly equalised and — at least theoretically — can even strive for more than a draw. 24. Nh4 Bh7 25. Bh3 e5 26. Bf5 e4. Perhaps too soon. Better was to keep the tension with the immediate 26. ... Rf8. 27. Raa1 Rf8 28. Rf2 Rf6 29. Raf1 Rbf8 30. b4 Bxf5 31. Rxf5. Instinctively Muzychuk feels — we guess with a little bit of apprehension — it’s safe for her to swap off all four Rooks. 31. ... Rxf5 32. Rxf5 Rxf5 33. Nxf5 Qe6 34. Qf2 a6 35. Kg2 Qf6 36. h3 Qe6 37. Ne3 g6 38. Ng4 Kg7 39. Qe3 h5 40. Qh6+ Kg8 41. Ne3 Qf6 42. b5 Ba5 43. bxa6 bxa6 44. g4. A Rook! A Rook! My kingdom for a Rook! 44. ... Qg7 45. Qxg7+ Kxg7 46. gxh5 gxh5 47. Nf5+ ½ : ½. A fighting draw!

Sarasadat Khademalsharieh. Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich.