Waiting on the Sidelines

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina – Anna Muzychuk
Women’s Grand Prix; third stage; Batumi, April 27, 2016
Grünfeld Defence D70

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 Nc6 4. d5 Ne5 5. e4 d6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. f4 Ned7 8. Nf3 0-0 9. Bd3 c6 10. 0-0 cxd5 11. cxd5 b5!? Interesting novelty. Most probably Anna shared her sister’s “opening laboratory” when they were preparing for the Women’s World Chess Championship match. 12. h3. Of course, neither 12. Nxb5? Qb6+ 13. Kh1 Nxe4! nor 12. Bxb5? Nxe4! would be appealing at all. 12. ... Nc5 13. a3 a5 14. Be3 Nxd3 15. Qxd3 Bd7 16. e5. Gunina played very energetically, and rhythmically gained space in the centre. 16. ... Ne8 17. Nxb5 Bxb5 18. Qxb5 dxe5 19. Nxe5 Nc7 20. Qc5 Nxd5!?? Aiming for another Game of the Century Black sacrifices her Queen for Bishop, Knight and half-Rook-to-be, but she appears to greatly overestimate Black’s attacking chances. Or perhaps she grossly overestimated White’s attacking possibilities after 20. ... Bxe5 21. fxe5 Nxd5 22. Bh6 Re8 23. e6! fxe6 24. Rae1 – when both 24. ... Ra6 and 24. ... Qb6 would appear to keep the most impending dangers under control. 21. Nc6 Nxe3 22. Nxd8 Rfxd8 23. Qxe7 Bxb2 24. f5! A very powerful blow, which makes clear who has the upper hand. 24. ... Re8 25. Qc7 Rac8 26. Qxa5. A right investment decision. In fact, the passed a-Pawn will turn out to be a decisive atout. 26. ... Bd4. Also 26. ... Bxa1 27. Rxa1 Rc2 28. Kh1 Nxf5 29. Re1 doesn’t seem to offer any hope of anything at all. 27. Kh1 Nxf5 28. Rxf5 Bxa1 29. Rf1 Bc3 30. Qd5 Rc7 31. a4 Kg7 32. a5. Maybe a bit too hasty. 32. Rc1 looks much stronger. 32. ... Re5. It seemingly seems that 32. ... Re6 (intending ... Re6-a6) would have offered much greater resistance. 33. Qd6 Rce7 34. a6 Re1 35. Kg1 R7e6 36. Qd3 R1e3 37. Qc4 Re7 38. Rf3 Rxf3 39. gxf3 Bf6 40. Qa4 Re1+ 41. Kf2 Ra1. “Position after Black’s 41st move (41. ... Ra1). Of course, White has a clear advantage but Black is angling for a theoretical ending of Rook plus 3 Pawns vs. Queen and 2 Pawns should she get the chance to sacrifice her Bishop for the a-Pawn...”, Grandmaster Kevin Spraggett said.

42. Qxa1! 1 : 0. For after 42. ... Bxa1 43. Ke3 the a-Pawn is unstoppable.

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina vs. Anna Muzychuk
Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich