Strike the Blood

Anna Muzychuk – Irina Bulmaga
11th Women’s European Team Chess Championship; Reykjavík, November 17, 2015
English Opening A18

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. e5 d4 5. exf6 dxc3 6. bxc3 Qxf6 7. d4 e5 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. Bg5 Qg6 10. d5 Nb8 11. h4 h6 12. Be3 Nd7 13. Qa4 c6. Another try is 13. ... Kd8 14. d6 Bxd6 15. 0-0-0 b6 16. Bd3 f5 17. g4 Qxg4 18. Qc6 Rb8 19. Rhg1 Bb7 20. Qxd7+ Kxd7 21. Nxe5+ Bxe5 22. Bxf5+ Ke7 23. Rd7+ Ke8 24. Bxg4 Rd8 25. f4 Rxd7 26. Bxd7+ Kxd7 27. fxe5 Rh7 28. c5 Ke6 29. Rg4 Kxe5 30. Ra4 a6 31. cxb6 cxb6 32. Bxb6 ½ : ½ Vachier-Lagrave – Wojtaszek, 77th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2015. 14. h5 Qd6 15. Rd1 Qc7 16. dxc6 bxc6 17. Bd3 Be7 18. Be4 Bb7 19. Rb1 0-0 20. 0-0 Nf6

21. Rxb7! Again a pretty Exchange pseudo-sacrifice by Anna through which White wins a clear Pawn. 21. ... Qxb7 22. Bxc6 Qc7 23. Bxa8 Rxa8 24. Rd1 e4 25. Nd2 Bd6 26. Nf1 Nxh5? Irina is too hasty about recovering her Pawn. Comparatively better was 26. ... Bf8 in order to answer 27. Bd4 by 27. ... Nxh5 28. Ne3 Nf4. 27. c5! Bxc5. 27. ... Bf8 28. Rd7 is no better. 28. Qc4 Rc8 29. Bxc5 Nf6 30. Ne3 Kh8 31. Rd4 Qf4. This is just as bad as any other move. 32. Qxf7 1 : 0.

Anna Muzychuk
Photo: dt.ua