One Day on Mars

Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 13, 2016
Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Bc5 6. c3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 Bb7 9. d4 Bb6 10. Re1 0-0 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4 exd4 13. cxd4 Re8 14. d5. The most common way is 14. axb5 axb5 15. Rxa8 Bxa8 16. d5 Na5 17. Bc2 c6 18. dxc6 Bxc6 19. Nc3 g5 20. Bg3 b4 21. Nd5 b3 22. Bxb3 Rxe4 ½ : ½ Minić – Planinc, 27th Yugoslav Chess Championship, Umag 1972. 14. ... Na5 15. Bc2 c6 16. Nc3 g5 17. Bg3 cxd5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. exd5 Rxe1+ 20. Nxe1 Qf6 21. axb5 axb5 22. Qe2 b4 23. Qe4 b3 24. Bd3 Bd4. Black finally decides to cash in the b2-Pawn. On the other hand, White is quite glad to sacrifice it as her initiative fully compensates for it. 25. Nf3 Bxb2 26. Re1 Kf8? As usual 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) doesn’t hesitate to play on the edge of the foxhole. Correct was 26. ... Qg6 27. Qe2 Qf6 effectively offering a draw by repetition.

27. h4! A terrific blow, threatening 28. hxg5 hxg5 29. Nxg5! Qxg5 30. Bxd6+ and mate in a very few moves. 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)’s answer appears forced. 27. ... g4. In fact, on 27. ... Ba3 28. Nh2! is too strong. 28. Qxg4 Bc3 29. Re3. Not bad, but I like very much the interferential Rook sacrifice 29. Re6!! (29. ... fxe6 30. Bxd6+) with a triumphal crescendo. 29. ... Re8. And once again, a bad move will bring 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) good luck! True indeed, also, is the fact that Stockfish’s best offer 29. ... Bc8 30. Qa4 Bb7 31. Bh7! (Δ Qa4-g4) 31. ... Kg7 32. Bb1! Kf8 33. Qg4 Bc8 34. Qe4 would have lose as well since there are too many threats for Black to face. 30. Rxe8+ Kxe8 31. Qg8+? Anastasia Mikhailovna misses her golden point! It was not too hard to find 31. h5! that would have threatened everything (among others things, Bg3-h4 and/or Qg4-g8+). 31. ... Kd7 32. Qb8 Bxd5 33. Bf5+. White wisely contents herself with perpetual check. 33. ... Qxf5 34. Qxd6+ Ke8 35. Qb8+ Kd7 36. Qc7+ Ke8 37. Qb8+ Kd7 38. Qc7+ Ke8 39. Qb8+ ½ : ½.

Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk vs. 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili