In the Cool of the Day

Humpy Koneru – Pia Cramling
Women’s Grand Prix; 4th stage; 成都 (Chéngdū), July 10, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D25

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 b5 5. a4 b4 6. Bxc4 e6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Qe2 Bb7 9. a5. For 9. Rd1 0-0 10. Nbd2 c5 see Girya – P. Cramling, Women’s Grand Prix, 4th stage, 成都 (Chéngdū) 2016. 9. ... a6 10. Nbd2 0-0. For 10. ... c5 11. dxc5 Qc7 12. b3 0-0 13. Bb2 Nbd7 14. e4 Nxc5 15. e5 Nd5 16. Rfc1 Rfc8 see Socko – P. Cramling, 2nd SportAccord World Mind Games, Women’s Blindfold Event, 北京 (Beijīng) 2013. 11. e4. If 11. Rd1 there might follow 11. ... Nbd7 12. e4 c5 13. e5 Nd5 14. Ne4 Qc7 15. Ng3 Rfc8 16. h4 h6 17. h5 Kh8 18. Nf1 cxd4 19. Rxd4 Bc5 20. Rg4 f5 21. Rh4 Be7 22. Rd4 Bc5 23. Rh4 Be7 24. Rd4 Bc5 ½ : ½ Bacrot – van Kampen, Schachbundensliga 2013/2014, Hockenheim 2014. 11. ... c5 12. e5 Nd5. The alternative 12. ... Nfd7 13. Nb3 Nc6 14. Rd1 Qc7 is worth considering, Kekelidze – Azarov, 3rd Washington International, Rockville 2014. 13. Nb3. It does not promise anything more 13. dxc5 Nd7 14. Nb3 Nxc5 15. Nxc5 Bxc5 16. Bd2 Qe7 17. Rfc1 h6 18. Bd3 Nc7 19. Rc2 Rac8 20. Rac1 Ba7 21. Be4 ½ : ½ Varga – Holm, Kecskemét 2014. 13. ... Nd7 14. Bd3 cxd4 15. h4 Qc7 16. Re1 Rfc8 17. Bd2 Qd8 18. Ng5 Nf8 19. Qh5 Bxg5 20. Bxg5 Qe8 21. Qg4 Kh8 22. Qxd4 h6 23. Bd2 Rd8 24. Qg4 Ne7

“In the position of the diagram White stands clearly better. The e5-Pawn keeps a tight grip on the Black position, the Bishop pair aims at Black’s castle, the White Queen is aggressively posted, and, finally, a Rook is readly to quickly reach the third rank”, says Grandmaster Bachar Kouatly in his commentary for Europe Échecs. 25. Re3. Stockfish strongly advocates 25. Nc5, but I guess that after 25. ... Nf5! (all the same!) 26. Qxb4 Rab8 27. Qa3 Qe7! Black may be fine. 25. ... Nf5!! The best and, indeed, the only reliable defence at cost of a couple of Pawns. 26. Bxf5 exf5 27. Qxf5 Bd5 28. Be1!? “If there is a flaw in Humpy’s play, it lies in her difficulty in playing under time pressure”, argues Kouatly. But indeed also after 28. Bxb4 Rab8 29. Bxf8 Qxf8 Black will soon win back one of her Pawns reducing to a minimum the risk of losing the game. 28... Ne6 29. Qg4 Qb5 30. Nc1 Rab8 31. Ne2 Ba8 32. f4 Rbc8 33. f5 Rc4 34. Qh5 Nf4 35. Nxf4 Rxf4 36. Qe2 Qxe2 37. Rxe2 Rxf5 38. Bxb4 Rd4 39. Bd6 Bc6 40. Rc2 Bb5. Time control reached, the game is dynamically even by now. 41. Rc5 Be2 42. b4 Rdf4 43. Ra2 Re4 44. Rc1 Bb5 45. h5 Rxh5 46. Rf2 Reh4 47. Rfc2 ½ : ½. Wonderful defence by Cramling.

Pia Cramling
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn