As a Lady Would Say

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova – Pia Cramling
Women’s Grand Prix Series 2015-2016; Tehran, February 19, 2016
English Opening A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. g3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 h6 7. Nd5 Bd6. For 8. ... Re8 9. Nd2 Bf8 see Vachier-Lagrave – Miroshnichenko, 1st Al Ain Chess Classic, Al-Ain 2012. 8. d3 Nxd5 9. cxd5 Nd4 10. Nd2 c6 11. Nc4 Bb8 12. b3 cxd5 13. Bxd5 d6 14. Bb2 Nc6 15. d4 Bh3 16. Re1 Qd7 17. Qd2 Bc7 18. Rac1 Rac8 19. Bxc6 Qxc6 20. e4 Qb5 21. Qe2 d5 22. exd5 Qxd5 23. Ne3 Qd7 24. dxe5 Bb6 25. Rcd1 Qc6 26. Nd5 Rfe8 27. Nf4 Bf5 28. Rd6 Qc2 29. Rd2 Qc6

30. Rd6. Zhukova repeats moves in order to gain time on the clock. 30. ... Qc2 31. Rd2 Qc6 32. b4 Qa4 33. a3 Qb3 34. Nd5 Rc2 35. Rxc2 Bxc2 36. Nxb6 axb6 37. Bd4 Bf5 38. Qb5 Re6 39. Kg2 Rc6 40. Re3 Qd1 41. Bc3 Qc2 42. Be1 Qb1 43. Qd5 Rc1 44. Qd2 Be4+ 45. Kg1 Bc6 46. Qe2 Bd5 47. Qd2 Rd1 48. Qc3 b5 49. Re2 Qf5 50. e6 fxe6 51. Qe3?? A terrible blunder. 51. Re3 was called for. 51. ... Bc4. 51. ... Rd3! 52. Qf4 Qh3 53. Re4 Rd4!! was a much faster and more elegant solution. 52. Rb2 Qh3. And here 52. ... Qf3! was a pretty finish. 53. Re2 Bxe2 54. Qxe2 Rb1 55. f3 Qf5 56. Kg2 Rb3 57. Bf2 Rxa3 58. f4 Qd5+ 59. Kh3 Ra2 60. Qe3 Rb2 61. Qe1 Kf7 62. g4 Qf3+ 63. Bg3 h5 0 : 1.

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova vs. Pia Cramling
Photo: Alina l’Ami