A Very Short Story

Olga Alexandrovna Girya – Mariya Muzychuk
Women’s Grand Prix; 4th stage; 成都 (Chéngdū), July 9, 2016
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Qa4+ Nd7 8. Nf3 0-0 9. Be2 c5 10. 0-0 Nb6 11. Qa3 cxd4 12. cxd4 Bg4 13. Rd1 Qd6. The critical alternative is 13. ... Bxf3 14. gxf3 Bxd4 15. Bg5 Bxa1 16. Rxd8 Rfxd8 17. Qxe7 Rd7 18. Qa3 Bd4? (for 18. ... Rc8! see Peralta – M. Andersen, 17th Sants International Open, Barcelona 2015) 19. Bb5 Rc7 20. Qd6 Rc5 21. h4+- Riazantsev – Navara, French Team Chess Championship Top 12, Montpellier 2015. 14. h3 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 Rfd8 16. e5 Qxa3 17. Bxa3 Rd7 18. Rab1 Rad8 19. Rdc1 Rxd4 20. Bxe7 Re8 21. Bc5 Rd2 22. Bxb7 Bxe5 23. a4

23. ... Bb2! More forcible (and aesthetically elegant) than 23. ... Nxa4 24. Bc6 Nxc5 25. Bxe8 Bd4 which looks unclearly balanced anyway. 24. Re1 Rxe1+ 25. Rxe1 Nxa4. Thus Black ensured the gain of the Pawn allowing her opponent, as a compensation, to deliver perpetual check. 26. Re8+ Kg7 27. Bf8+ Kf6 28. Be7+ Kg7 29. Bf8+ Kf6 30. Be7+ Kg7 31. Bf8+ Kf6 ½ : ½.

Olga Alexandrovna Girya vs. Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: qipai.org.cn