One More Day

Mariya Muzychuk – 彭肇勤 (Péng Zhàoqín)
11th Women’s European Team Chess Championship; Reykjavík, November 22, 2015
Sicilian Defence B38

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 d6 8. Be2 0-0 9. 0-0 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Bd7 11. Qd2 Bc6 12. f3 a5 13. b3 Nd7 14. Be3 Nc5 15. Rab1 e6 16. Rfd1 Be5 17. Bd4 Qe7 18. Bf1 Rfd8 19. Qe3 b6. For 19. ... Bxd4 20. Rxd4 e5 21. Rd2 see Topalov – Reinderman, 61st Hoogovens Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 1999. 20. Rd2 Rab8 21. Rbd1 Qh4 22. g3 Qe7 23. Bg2 Rd7 24. Ne2 Rc7 25. f4 Bxd4 26. Nxd4 e5 27. Nxc6 Rxc6 28. f5. After the text White succeeds in seizing the initiative. 28. ... b5 29. cxb5 Rxb5 30. Bf1 Rb4 31. Bc4 gxf5 32. Rf2 Nxe4 33. Rxf5 Rbxc4. This is a forced move, since after 33. ... Nf6 34. Qh6 could resign. 34. bxc4 Rxc4 35. Rh5 Qb7 36. Rh4 f5 37. Rf1!? Both players are in big time pressure with three moves to make before time control.

37. ... f4? A serious mistake, suddenly opening the way for White’s attack. Instead, after 37. ... Rc3! 38. Qe2 Ng5 Black seems to have the upper hand. 38. Rg4+ Kh8. If 38. ... Kf7 then 39. Rgxf4+! bamboozling her opponent. 39. gxf4 Nf6 40. Rg2 e4 41. f5! Rc8 42. Qd4 Qe7 43. Kh1 Re8 44. Rc1 e3 45. Rc7 Qe5. Clearly not 45. ... Qxc7?? 46. Qxf6+ and mate next move. 46. Qxe5 dxe5 47. Re2. The endgame should be won for White, even though it may still take a lot more playing. 47. ... Rg8 48. Rcc2 Ng4 49. h3 Nf2+ 50. Kh2 Nd1 51. Rc5 a4 52. Rxe5 Rd8 53. Kg2 Kg7 54. Kf3 Kf6 55. Re4 a3 56. Ra4 Nc3 57. Ra6+ Kxf5 58. Rxe3 Nxa2 59. Rexa3 Nb4 60. Rh6 Rd7 61. Ra5+ Nd5 62. Rh5+ Ke6 63. Ra6+ 1 : 0.