Theory of footnotes

Olga Girya – Marina Brunello
17th European Women’s Individual Chess Championship; Mamaia, June 6, 2016
Semi-Slav Defence D44

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5 Nbd7 11. exf6 Qb6 12. g3 Bb7 13. Bg2 c5 14. d5 0-0-0 15. 0-0 b4 16. Rb1 Qa6 17. dxe6 Bxg2 18. e7 Bxf1. Clearly not 18. ... Qc6? on account of 19. Nb5! Qxb5 20. exd8=Q+ Kxd8 21. Kxg2 Qc6+ 22. f3+- Girya – Novikova, Russian Women’s Rapid Chess Championship, Olginka 2011. 19. Kxf1 Qc6 20. exd8=Q+ Kxd8 21. Nd5 Rxh2 22. Kg1 Rh8 23. Rc1 Bd6 24. Bh4 Be5 25. Ne7 Qe4? Incidentally Marina’s first new move is also very controversial. The accepted continuation was 25. ... Qd6 26. Qxd6 Bxd6 27. Rxc4 Ne5 28. Re4 Nf3+ 29. Kg2 Nxh4+ 30. gxh4 Kd7 31. Nf5 ½ : ½ Gozzoli – Solodovnichenko, 16th International Chess Open, Creon 2011.

26. Rxc4! A pretty petite combinaison. 26. ... Qxc4 27. Nc6+ Kc7 28. Qxd7+ Kxd7 29. Nxe5+ Ke6 30. Nxc4. White emerged with Bishop, Knight and Pawn against a Rook – a clear advantage but far from easy to convert. Black will very likely try to exchange as many Queenside pawns as possible. 30. ... Rd8 31. Kg2 a5 32. Bg5. If 32. Nxa5 then 32. ... Rd2 33. Nc4 Rc2 and Black would regain her Pawn with some vague hope of survival. 32. ... a4 33. Be3 Rd3 34. Kf1. We suspect this to be a slip that could have costed dearly to Olga. Among others, consideration deserved 34. a3! bxa3 35. Nxa3 Rb3 36. Bc1 Kxf6 37. Bd2! Ke5 38. Bc3+ Ke4 39. g4! c4! 40. g5! (not 40. Nxc4? Kd3=) 40. ... Kf4 41. Nxc4 Kxg5 42. Kf3 retaining excellent winning chances. 34. ... a3! 35. bxa3 bxa3. 35. ... Rc3! 36. Nd2 bxa3 forcibly transposes into next variation. 36. Nd2 Kd5? Marina misses her big chance. Correct was 36. ... Rc3! 37. Ke2 Rc2 followed by ... Rc2xa2 with excellent drawing chances. 37. Ke2 c4. Now 37. ... Rc3 is simply met by 38. Kd1. 38. g4 Rc3 39. Kd1 Kc6 40. g5 Kd7 41. Ne4 Rd3+ 42. Kc2 Ke8 43. Nd2 1 : 0.

Olga Girya vs. Marina Brunello
Photo: Federația Română de Șah