Crazy Girl

赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) – Antoaneta Stefanova
Women’s Grand Prix; 4th stage; 成都 (Chéngdū), July 4, 2016
Slav Defence D15

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. a4 e6 6. g3 Bb4 7. Bg2 Nbd7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Qc2 a5 10. Bf4 dxc4 11. e4 b6 12. Rfd1. The turning point. For 12. Rad1 Bb7 13. h4 Re8 14. Ng5 h6 15. Nf3 b5 see Javakhishvili – Stefanova, 12th European Women’s Individual Chess Championship, Tbilisi 2011. 12. ... Re8 13. h3 Bf8 14. g4 Ba6 15. g5 Nh5 16. Bh2 Qe7 17. h4 f6 18. Bh3 g6 19. gxf6 Ndxf6 20. Ne5 Qb7 21. b3 c5

22. d5!! A fantastic Pawn sacrifice by 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě), which surely deserved better luck. 22. ... exd5 23. exd5 cxb3 24. Qxb3 Bd6 25. Be6+ Kg7 26. Rab1 Rab8 27. Qb2! Qc7 28. Re1! c4!? 29. Kf1?? A move so incoherent that it’s hard to understand. No doubt it is tactically faulty. Her best was probably 29. Rbc1! with the terrible threat of Nc3-e4. 29. ... Nxd5! 30. Nxd5? From bad to worse. The lesser evil was 30. Bxd5 Rxe5! when Black will remain with exuberant compensation for the Exchange (two extra Pawns and the Bishop pair). 30... c3+ 31. Kg2? No peace for the White King! However, after 31. Kg1 cxb2 32. Nxc7 Bxc7 33. Bd7 Re7 34. Rxb2 Rd8 (or 34. ... Rf8) Black must win anyway. 31. ... Bb7! Of course Stefanova doesn't miss her chance! 32. Qb3 Rxe6 33. Kg1 0 : 1. 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) resigns without waiting for her opponent’s answer. After 33. ... Bxd5 34. Qxd5 Rbe8 Black remains with two Pawns more and a crushing advantage.

赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) vs. Antoaneta Stefanova
Photo: qipai.org.cn