Nick of Time

Nataliya Buksa – Kateryna Dolzhykova
75th Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Lviv, December 13, 2015
Sicilian Defence B77

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Bc4 0-0 9. Qd2 Bd7 10. g4 Rb8. More convincing is 10. ... Rc8 11. Be2 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 Qa5 as occurred in the game 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì), 4th Hǎinán Dānzhōu Chess Tournament, 儋州 (Dānzhōu) 2013. 11. Be2 b5!? Dolzhykova’s novelty implies the sacrifice of a Pawn as well as an Exchange. For 11. ... Ne5 12. 0-0-0 b5 13. Bh6 see Zherebukh – Lee, PanAm Intercollegiate, Lubbock 2013. 12. Nxc6 Bxc6 13. Bxa7 b4 14. Nd1. White declines the “Best Offer”, and right she is! 14. ... Rb7 15. Bf2 Qa5 16. 0-0 d5 17. e5 Nd7 18. f4 Nc5 19. Bd4 Ne4? We would have far preferred 19. ... Ne6 which seems to offer Black satisfactory play. 20. Qe3! Rc8 21. Nf2 Nxf2 22. Rxf2 Ba4. Or 22. ... e6 23. f5! with a very powerful attack. 23. Bd3! Now Black gets into serious trouble. 23. ... Bb5 24. Bxb5 Qxb5 25. f5! Rbc7 26. c3 bxc3 27. bxc3 Qa4 28. h4! Qa3 29. Rc1 Rc4 30. Rcc2 Qa4 31. Qd3 e6

32. h5! Rb8 33. hxg6 Rb1+ 34. Kh2 fxg6 35. f6!? Not bad, but simpler was 35. fxg6 and if 35. ... Qe8 then 36. Rf7 hxg6 37. Rcf2 winning easily. 35. ... Bf8 36. f7+ Kh8 37. Qf3. Threat: 38. Qf6+ Bg7 39. f8=R mate. 37. ... h6 38. Qf6+? Buksa misses one-move win: 38. Qd3! as after 38. ... Kg7 39. Rf6 Black could resign. 38. ... Kh7 39. Qxe6? Buksa is too hasty... 39. ... Rxd4! The only chance! 40. cxd4 Qxd4 41. Rce2 Qd1? (41. ... Rc1) 42. Rg2? (42. Qf6) 42. ... Qh1+ 43. Kg3 Rc1 44. Qxd5? Time trouble for both players. 44. Re3 was mandatory. 44. ... Rc3+ 45. Kf4 Qb1! Threatening ... g6-g5+. 46. Qe4 Qc1+ 47. Re3 Rc4 48. Kf3 Rxe4 49. Rxe4 Qf1+ 50. Rf2 Qd3+? 50. ... Qh1+! wins on the spot. 51. Re3 Qd5+ 52. Kg3 Qe6 53. Ree2 Kg7 54. Rf3 h5? The last mistake, again through time pressure. After 54. ... Bc5! Black still retained good winning chances. 55. gxh5 gxh5 56. Kh2 Kh7 57. Rf4 Qh6 58. Rf3 Qa6 59. Rff2 Qc4 60. e6 Bd6+ 61. Kg2 Qh4 62. Kg1 Qg3+ 63. Kh1 Qh3+ 64. Kg1 Qg3+ ½ : ½.

Nataliya Buksa (R.) vs. Kateryna Dolzhykova (L.)
Photo: Ukrainian Chess (Facebook)