Just thinking out silently

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Paulo Pinho
14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 26, 2016
Sicilian Defence B41

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Nc2 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. 0-0 Qc7 11. Be3 0-0. If 11. ... Nd7 then 12. Qd2 (12. Qg4 g5!?) 12. ... 0-0 13. Rf3 Rd8 14. Rh3 g6 15. Rf1 Cc5 16. Bxc5 dxc5 17. e5 with a certain initiative for White, Paoli – Giustolisi, 20th Italian Chess Championship, Rimini 1959. 12. Rc1 Nd7 13. b4 b6 14. a3 Bb7 15. Ne1 Rac8 16. Nf3 Qb8 17. g4 Rfe8 18. g5 Bf8 19. Qd2 a5 20. b5 Nd8 21. Rce1 d5. Very boldly played. Maybe 21. ... g6 22. Na4 Qc7 23. Qf2 d5!? was a more promising version of the same concept. 22. exd5 exd5 23. Bf5 Qd6? Much better seems 23. ... d4! 24. Nxd4 Qd6 when, at the cost of a Pawn, Black obtains some vague chances for counter-play. 24. cxd5 Rc7 25. a4 Nc5 26. Bc2 Rce7 27. Ne5 g6 28. Nc4 Qd7. Also 28. ... Qc7 29. d6 Qc8 (threatening ... Qc8-g4+) 30. f5 leaves Black no resource. 29. Nxb6? White now miscalculated something. Again, 29. f5! appears the most straightforward way to win. 29. ... Qg4+ 30. Kh1 Bg7? Black misses his saving chance: 30. ... Qh3! 31. Nc4 (that’s the difference: now 31. Bd1!? is answered by 31. ... Rxe3!) 31. ... Bg7 is unclear. 31. Bd1! Qh3 32. Rf3. Luckily enough, it was like nothing happened. White easily wins. 32. ... Qh4 33. Ref1 Nd7 34. Bb3 Nxb6 35. Bxb6 Bxc3 36. Qxc3 Re2 37. Bg1 Qg4 38. Rg3 Qf5 39. Qd3 R2e4 40. Rgf3 Qd7 41. Bd4 Rxd4 42. Qxd4 Ne6 43. Qb6 Bxd5 44. Bxd5 Qxd5 45. Qc6 Qd8 46. Re3 1 : 0.

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo: Sophie Tray.