Luau

Olga Alexandrovna Girya – 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě)
Women’s Grand Prix; third stage; Batumi, April 21, 2016
Nimzo-Indian Defence E32

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d6 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Nbd7 7. f3 e5 8. e4 c5!? 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Ne2 a5 11. Be3 Qe7 12. g4 Nb8 13. Ng3 0-0 14. 0-0-0 Nc6 15. g5 Ne8 16. Rd5 b6 17. f4 Nc7 18. Bg2 exf4 19. Bxf4 Nd4

20. Rxd4! White finally succeeds in sacrificing the Exchange. 20. ... cxd4 21. Qxd4 Ne6 22. Nf5 Qc5 23. Qxc5 bxc5 24. Bd6 Rd8? After 24. ... Re8 White seems to have nothing better than 25. Ne7+ Kh8 26. e5 Ra7 27. Nc6 Ra6 28. Ne7 offering a draw by repetition. 25. Ne7+ Kh8 26. e5. The difference is clear: now Black must give back the Exchange 26. ... Ba6 27. Bxa8 Rxa8 28. h4 Bxc4 29. Kd2. In spite of material equality, White’s ending is certainly more pleasant. 29. ... Bb5 30. Ke3 Ra7 31. Rc1 Rb7. 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) falls into a tactical mirage, apparently oblivious of the weakness of her own back rank. 32. Bxc5 Ba6 33. b4 h6. Not 33. ... Nxc5? 34. Nd5 and wins. 34. gxh6 Nxc5 35. hxg7+ Kxg7 36. Nf5+ Kg6 37. Nd6 Nb3 38. Rc6. Even stronger would seem 38. Rg1+ followed by Nd6xb7. 38. ... Re7 39. Rxa6 Rxe5+ 40. Kf4 Re6 41. bxa5 Nxa5 42. h5+ Kh7 43. Rxa5 Rxd6 44. Ke4 Kh6 45. a4 Rd1 46. Rf5 Kg7 47. a5 Rd2 48. Rd5 Rf2 49. a6 Re2+. This loses a valuable tempo, but the immediate 49. ... Ra2 50. Rd6 is hardly better; for instance: 50. ... Ra4+ 51. Ke5 Ra5+ 52. Kd4 Rxh5? (52. ... f6 53. Kc4 leaves scarce hope anyway) 53. Rd5! winning easily. 50. Kd4 Ra2 51. Rd6 Ra5 52. h6+ Kh7 53. Rf6 Kg8 54. Kc4 Kf8 55. Kb4 Ra1 56. h7 Kg7 57. Rxf7+ Kh8 58. Rf6 Kxh7 59. Kb5 Kg7 60. Rf4 Kg6 61. Ra4 Rb1+ 62. Rb4 Ra1 63. Kb6 Rf1 64. a7 1 : 0.

Olga Alexandrovna Girya vs. 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě)
Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich