Annmarie

Anna Muzychuk – A. R. Saleh Salem
14th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, February 4, 2016
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3 Bg7 10. h3 Ne5 11. Nf5 Bxf5 12. exf5 Nbd7 13. Be2 Rc8 14. Nd5. For 14. 0-0 0-0 15. h4 Nf6 16. hxg5 hxg5 17. Qd2 see Goloshchapov – Jobava, 4th International Open, Dubai 2002. 14. ... Nc4. Hardly better than 14. ... Nb6 as occurred in the game D. G. Petrossiàn – Andriasian, 5th Karen Asrian Memorial, Jermuk 2012. 15. Bxc4 Rxc4 16. 0-0 Ne5. It was, perhaps, at this point that Black compromised his position. 16. ... Rd4 17. Qf3 Nf6 deserved consideration. 17. c3 Rc5 18. f4! White has already achieved tangible benefits. 18. ... gxf4 19. Bxf4 h5 20. Be3 Rc6 21. Bg5. It is clear that Black has completely been outplayed. 21. ... Bf6 22. Bxf6 exf6 23. Qb3 b5 24. a4 Rc5 25. Qd1 Kf8 26. b4 Rc4 27. axb5 axb5 28. Ra5. Now the Black b-Pawn falls, and that looks like The End. 28. ... h4 29. Rxb5 Rg8 30. Qh5 Kg7 31. Ra5 Rh8 32. Qe2 Qb8

33. Nxf6! Rxc3. Or 33. ... Kxf6 34. Rxe5 and wins. 34. Nd5 Rcc8 35. f6+ Kf8 36. Rfa1 Re8 37. Qa6 Rh5 38. Rb5 Qd8 39. Qb7 Rg5 40. Rba5 Qd7 41. Qxd7 Nxd7 42. Nc7 Rxa5 43. bxa5 Rc8 44. a6. The simplest solution, forcing the gain of the Exchange. Miss Muzychuk conducts the ending faultlessly. 44. ... Rxc7 45. a7 Rxa7 46. Rxa7 Nxf6 47. Ra4 Ke7 48. Rxh4 Ke6 49. Kf2 Ke5 50. Kf3 d5 51. Rh8 d4 52. Rd8 Nh5 53. Re8+ Kd5 54. Re7 f5 55. g4 Kd6 56. Re1 fxg4+ 57. hxg4 Ng7 58. Ke4 Ne6 59. Rd1 1 : 0. Ave Annmarie!

Anna Muzychuk
Photo: John Saunders