Flipism

Antoaneta Stefanova – Mariya Muzychuk
Women’s Grand Prix; 4th stage; 成都 (Chéngdū), July 2, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D12

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 Bg4 4. h3 Bh5 5. g4 Bg6 6. Ne5 Nfd7 7. Nxg6 hxg6 8. c4 c6 9. Qb3 Qc7 10. Nc3 e6 11. e4. For 11. Bd2 Nb6 12. c5 N6d7 13. Bg2 f5 14. e4 see Werle – E. l’Ami, 10th Essent Open, Hoogeveen 2006. 11. ... e5. This can be, however very natural, a novelty. 12. exd5 exd4 13. Ne2 Na6 14. Bf4 Qa5+ 15. Kd1 Nac5 16. Qf3 cxd5 17. Nxd4 0-0-0 18. Kc2 Nb6 19. Bd2 Qa4+. Stefanova suggested afterwards 19. ... Qa6! and only after 20. cxd5 to give check on a4 by 20. ... Qa4+. 20. b3 Qd7 21. cxd5 Qxd5 22. Qxd5 Nxd5 23. Bg2 Be7 24. Rad1 a6 25. Ba5 Nc7 26. b4. Nd4-e2-c3 was then recommended as a safer choice. 26. ... Nd7 27. Rhe1 Bf6 28. b5 Nc5 29. Bxc7. Resigning herself to play with a Pawn less. 29. bxa6 – Stefanova’s first intention – looks a better try. 29. ... Kxc7 30. Nb3 Nxb3 31. Kxb3 axb5 32. f4 Bh4 33. Rxd8 Rxd8 34. Re5 Rd2 35. Bf1 Rf2 36. Bxb5 Rf3+ 37. Kb4 Rxf4+ 38. Bc4 Rf3 39. Bd5 Rf4+ 40. Re4 Rf2. The time control reached, they ended up with a very unclear endgame with opposite colour Bishops and Rooks with an extra Pawn for Black. 41. Kb5 Bg5 42. a4 b6 43. Rd4 Be7 44. Rd3 Rc2 45. Bc4 f5 46. Re3 Bf6 47. Re6 Rb2+ 48. Ka6 f4 49. Bd5 Rd2 50. Bb7 Rd3 51. Rc6+ Kd7 52. Rxb6 f3 53. Bc6+ Kc7 54. Bb5 Rd1 55. g5 Bxg5 56. Rb7+ Kc8 57. Rxg7 Rd6+ 58. Ka7 Be3+ 59. Ka8 Rf6 60. Re7 Bb6 61. Ba6+ Kd8 62. Re1?? A tremendous mistake which could have costed the game. White should have played 62. Rh7 f2 63. Bf1. 62. ... Ba5?? Hard to believe, Muzychuk misses 62. ... Bf2! which makes a big difference for if 63. Rd1+ Kc7 64. Bf1 (64. Rc1+ Bc5! is no better at all) then 64. ... Rf8+ and mate next move. 63. Rd1+ Kc7 64. Bf1 Bb4 65. Rc1+ Kb6 66. Rc8 Rf7 67. Rb8+ Ka5 68. Rb7 Rf8+ 69. Rb8 Rf6 70. Kb7 Kxa4 71. Rc8 Kb3 72. Rc6

72. ... Rxc6. In his commentary for Europe Échecs, Grandmaster Bachar Kouatly severely criticizes the exchange of Rooks on the Black’s part, but also not changing them, for instance by 72. ... Rf5 73. Rxg6 f2, does not seem to offer Black any realistic winning chances. 73. Kxc6 Kc3 74. Kd5 Kd2 75. Ke4 Ke1 76. Kxf3 Kxf1 77. h4 Bd2 78. Kg4 Bh6 79. Kf3 Ke1 80. Ke4 Bf8 81. Kf4 Be7 82. Kg4 Ke2 83. h5 gxh5+ 84. Kxh5 ½ : ½.

叶江川 (Yè Jiāngchuān), Secretary-General of Chinese Chess Association (CCA), making Black’s first move in the game Antoaneta Stefanova (R.) vs. Mariya Muzychuk (L.). Photo: qipai.org.cn.