Голоси Місяця (The Voice of the Moon)

Mariya Muzychuk – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk
Women’s Grand Prix Series 2015-2016; Monte Carlo, October 9, 2015
Italian Game C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2. Probably because of Rossolimo – Reissmann, San Juan 1967. 7. ... Nxe4 8. Bxb4 Nxb4 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qb3+ Kf8 11. Qxb4+ Qe7 12. Qxe7+ Kxe7 13. 0-0 Kd8 14. Re1 Nf6 15. Nc3. For 15. Ng5 Rf8 16. Nc3 h6 17. Nge4 Ne8 see Kosteniuk – Kramnik, Tal Memorial Blitz, Sochi 2014. 15. ... a5 16. Rac1 Ra6 17. d5 Rf8 18. Ng5 Rb6 19. b3 h6 20. Nge4 Nxe4 21. Rxe4 Rb4 22. d6!? c6. On 22. ... cxd6 23. Rxb4 axb4 24. Nd5 White will recover her Pawn with interest. 23. Rxb4? White has achieved nothing concrete out of the opening, but the text represents a major strategic blunder. 23. ... axb4 24. Na4 Rf5 25. Nc5? The obstinacy with which Mariya still seeks “complications” is even more pernicious. She would have done better to try something a little more modest, e.g. 25. Nb6 Rb5 26. Nc4 Rd5 27. f4 since after 27. ... b6 28. Nxb6 Rxd6 29. Nxc8 Kxc8 30. Rc4 Rd1+ 31. Kf2 Rd2+ 32. Kf1 Rxa2 33. Rxb4 the ending decidedly tends towards a draw. 25. ... Rd5 26. Ne4 b6! The Queen’s Bishop comes strongly into play. White is in trouble. 27. f3 Ba6. Intending ... Ba6-d3xe4 followed by ... Rd5xd6. 28. a4!? A desperate attempt to get some counter-play for the Pawn. 28. ... bxa3 29. Ra1 Ra5 30. b4 Ra4 31. Nc3 Rxb4 32. Rxa3 Bb7. Black is not only a Pawn ahead, but has two connected passed Pawns on the Queenside. This looks like a bad Friday afternoon for Miss Tactics. 33. Ra4 Rb3 34. Rf4 Ke8 35. Re4+ Kf8 36. Re7 Bc8. After 36. ... Rxc3 37. Rxd7 Ba6 38. Ra7 White wins back both the Pawn and the piece, but the ending arising from 38. ... Ke8! 39. Rxa6 b5 still remains quite unpleasant for her. 37. Ne4 Rd3 38. Kf2 c5 39. g4 c4 40. Ke2 Rd5

41. h4 c3? With Black having reached the time control, it seems a very strange decision to give the powerful c-Pawn for the stuck d-Pawn. After 41. ... b5 42. g5 b4 it would have been extremely difficult for Miss Muzychuk to save the game. 42. Nxc3 Rxd6 43. Re5 Ba6+ 44. Kf2 Rd2+ 45. Kg3 Bc4 46. g5 hxg5 47. Rf5+ Kg8 48. Rxg5 Rd3 49. Ne4 b5 50. h5 Kf8 51. Rf5+ Ke7 52. Rg5 Kf7 53. Rf5+ Ke6 54. Rg5 Rd1 55. Kf4 Kf7 56. Rf5+ Kg8 57. Rg5 Kh7 58. Rg6 Rh1 59. Rd6 Be6 60. Ng5+ Kh8 61. Nxe6 dxe6 62. Kg4 Rg1+ 63. Kh4 Re1 64. Rb6 Rb1 65. Rxe6 b4 66. Rb6 b3 67. Kg5 b2 68. Kf5 Kg8 69. Rb7 Kf8 70. f4 Ke8 71. Rb3 Kd7 72. Rd3+ Kc6 73. Rd2 Kc5 74. Rg2 Kc4 75. Kg6 Kc3 76. Kxg7 Rf1 ½ : ½. Never surrender, not even when the whole world seemed to be against you!

His Excellency Mr. Henri Fissore, Ambassador Adviser to the Minister of State of Monaco making the first move in the game between Mariya Muzychuk and Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk. Photo: FIDE Grand Prix 2015.