Fallout

Marie Rachel Sebag – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk
11th Women’s European Team Chess Championship; Reykjavík, November 21, 2015
Spanish Game C83

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Nbd2 0-0 11. Bc2 f5 12. Nb3 Qd7 13. Nbd4 Nxd4 14. Nxd4 c5 15. Nxe6 Qxe6 16. f3 Ng5 17. a4 Rad8 18. Bxg5 Bxg5 19. f4 Be7 20. axb5 axb5 21. Kh1 d4 22. cxd4 c4 23. b3 Bc5 24. bxc4 Rxd4 25. Qb1 bxc4 26. Ra5 Qc6. A “long and winding road” to Muzychuk’s theoretical novelty instead of 26. ... Qb6 27. Rb5 Qc6 28. Bd1 g6 29. Bf3 Qc8 30. Rb7 as in Sebag – A. O. Muzychuk, 4th SportAccord World Mind Games, Women’s Rapid Event; 北京 (Beijīng) 2014. 27. Bd1 Qc7 28. Qb5 Bb6 29. Ra6 Rb8 30. Bf3 c3 31. Rc1 Kh8

32. Ra8?? An awful mistake, after which White’s position dramatically falls apart. Correct was 32. g3 keeping cool. 32. ... Rxa8 33. Bxa8 Rd8! A finesse maybe overlooked by Sebag, who was possibly expecting 33. ... Qd8 34. Bf3 Rd2 35. Qb1 with hopes to keep the balance. 34. Bf3 Be3 35. Rc2 Bxf4 36. e6 Rb8 37. Qd5. Equally after 37. Qf1 Bxh2 Black wins. 37. ... Rb1+ 38. Bd1 h6 39. Qd3 Qd6 0 : 1.

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo: Hrafn Jökulsson.