The Girl Behind The Name

Marie Rachel Sebag – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
4th Trophée Anatoly Karpov; Cap d’Agde, October 27, 2015
Sicilian Defence B33

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c4 b4 12. Nc2 0-0 13. g3 Bg5 14. Bg2 Qa5 15. 0-0 Qc5 16. b3 a5 17. Qd3. For 17. Kh1 a4 18. Qe2 Be6 19. Nc7 axb3 20. axb3 Rxa1 21. Rxa1 Na5 22. Na6 Qb6 23. Naxb4 Nxb3 see Caruana – Mamedov, Chess World Cup, Baku 2015, match game 2. 17. ... Be6 18. Rad1 Bxd5 19. Qxd5 Rfd8 20. h4 Bh6. This looks more natural than 20. ... Be7 21. Bh3 a4 22. Qd3 axb3 23. axb3 Ra2 24. Rd2 g6 25. Rfd1 Bf8 ½ : ½ P. Popović – Medvegy, Schachbundesliga 2010-2011, Baden-Baden 2010. 21. Kh2 Ne7 22. Qd3

22. ... a4 23. a3 Nc6 24. axb4 Nxb4 25. Nxb4 Qxb4 26. bxa4 Rxa4 27. f4? This seems wrong, as White’s position quickly falls apart, shifting the material balance in favour of Black. After 27. Rb1 Ra3 (or 27. ... Qxc4 28. Rxd6!) 28. Qd5 Qd2 chances are roughly equal. 27. ... exf4 28. gxf4 Qxc4 29. Qg3 g6 30. Kh1? White doesn’t have enough compensation for the Pawn, but surely the text makes things worse. 30. ... Qe6 31. e5 Qe7 32. Bc6 Rb4 33. Bd5 dxe5. Another Pawn falls with devastating effect on the Black King. 34. fxe5 Rxh4+ 35. Kg2 Rxd5 36. Rxd5 Rh5. “The rest is silence”. 37. Qf3 Rg5+ 38. Kh3 Rf5 39. Qd3 Rxf1 40. Rd8+ Kg7 0 : 1.

Anna Muzychuk
Photo © Europe Échecs/CapÉches