The Matrix Reloaded

Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk – Nataliya Igorivna Buksa
17th European Women’s Individual Chess Championship; Mamaia, May 27, 2016
Spanish Game C83

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Be3 0-0 11. Nbd2 Qd7 12. Bc2 Nxd2 13. Qxd2 Bg4. Curiously enough, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv Law Faculty student Nataliya Igorivna Buksa is on the footsteps of her countrywoman Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk. 14. Qd3. It “promise[s] nothing”, Grandmaster Adrian Bohdanovych Mikhalchishin said. In the 2nd game of the Women’s World Chess Championship match in Lviv between 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk, Chinese Grandmaster preferred 14. Bf4 Bxf3 15. gxf3 Rad8 16. Rfd1 Qe6 17. Qe3 when, rather than 17. ... Rd7, Black should have played 17. ... Na5!? 18. b3 c5 as 19. a4?! c4! would give Black a satisfactory play. 14. ... g6 15. Bh6 Rfe8 16. Rad1. Also after 16. Rfe1 Bf5 17. Qd2 Bxc2 18. Qxc2 Nd8 19. Rad1 Ne6 20. h4 c5! Black gets excellent chances, Kokarev – Short, 2nd International Chess Open, Kolkata 2015. 16. ... Bf5 17. Qd2 Bxc2 18. Qxc2 Nd8 19. Nd4 f6 20. exf6 Bxf6 21. Nb3 Nb7 22. f4. Less committal seems 22. Be3 a5 with approximate equality.

22. ... Qg4. With the threat of ... Re8-e2. 23. Qd3 Rad8 24. f5? After 24. Rde1! the game was still quite even. 24. ... g5. Cutting off the White Bishop. Bodnaruk will pay very dearly for its liberation. 25. Nd4 Nc5 26. Qh3 Qxh3 27. gxh3 Kf7 28. Nf3 Ne4 29. Kg2 c5 30. h4. Finally! But it’s too late. 30. ... gxh4 31. Kh3 d4. Black’s preponderance is overwhelming. 32. cxd4 cxd4 33. Ne1 Rd5 34. Nd3 Nd6 35. Bf4 Nc4 36. Bc1 Ne3 37. Bxe3 dxe3 38. Nf4 Rxf5 39. Kg4 h5+! A pretty conclusion. 40. Nxh5. Not 40. Kxf5 Re5 mate. 40. ... Rxh5 41. Kxh5 e2 42. Rxf6+ Kxf6 43. Re1 Kf5 44. Kxh4 Kf4 45. Kh3 Ke3 0 : 1.

Nataliya Igorivna Buksa. Photo: Chess-News.ru.