Lyutika

Antoaneta Stefanova – Lela Javakhishvili
Women’s Grand Prix; 4th stage; 成都 (Chéngdū), July 8, 2016
Réti Opening A04

1. Nf3 c5 2. b3 d6 3. e3 e5 4. d4 cxd4 5. exd4 e4 6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. Bxd7+ Nxd7 8. Qe2 d5 9. Ne5. For 9. c4 Ngf6 10. cxd5 Bb4+ 11. Bd2 0-0 12. Ne5 Bd6 13. Nc4 Nb6 14. Nc3 Nbxd5 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. 0-0 Re8 17. Rad1 Bc7 see Venkatesh – Vallejo Pons, 14th Bangkok Chess Club Open, Bangkok 2014. 9. ... Bd6 10. f4 Ne7 11. Qb5 Qc7 12. c4 a6 13. Qxd7+ Qxd7 14. Nxd7 Kxd7 15. Ke2 f5 16. Nc3 Ke6 17. Be3 Rac8 18. c5 Bc7 19. g3 h6 20. b4 Rcg8 21. Kf2 g5 22. Ne2 Nc6 23. a3 Kd7 24. h4 g4 25. Rhb1 Ra8 26. a4 Rhb8 27. Bd2. It’s not always easy to understand Stefanova’s opening play. When she can, she avoids “book” lines; she likes “bad” Bishops (especially the White dark-squared Bishop); she doesn’t disdain to change her light-squared Bishop for a Knight; very often she chooses to castle artificially. Her positions are often as statical as dynamic and always on the edge of unclarity. Yet if she survives the confusion of her disharmonic theory, you may well understand why she is who she is. 27. ... b5 28. Nc3 Nxd4 29. Nxd5 Kc6 30. Ne3 bxa4 31. Rxa4 a5 32. Bc3 Nb5 33. Be1 axb4 34. Raxb4 Ra2+ 35. Kf1 Ba5 36. R4b3 Bxe1 37. Kxe1

37. ... Rh2? With three moves to play before time control, Javakhishvili does not feel the courage to go through the Exchange sacrifice 37. ... Nc3! 38. Rxb8 Re2+ 39. Kf1 Rxe3 that gives Black at least a draw. Now Stefanova will gradually improve her own position until she gained the hill. 38. Nxf5 Kxc5 39. Rc1+ Kd5 40. Ne3+ Kd6 41. Rd1+ Kc6 42. Rd5 Rh1+ 43. Kf2 Rh2+ 44. Kg1 Re2 45. Rd1 Ra8 46. Nxg4. The first Black Pawn has fallen. 46. ... Raa2 47. Rc1+ Rec2 48. Rxc2+ Rxc2 49. Nxh6. And so White has gained a second Pawn. 49. ... Nd4 50. Re3 Nf3+ 51. Kf1 Kd5 52. Re2 Nh2+ 53. Kf2 Rc6 54. Nf5 Ng4+ 55. Kg2 Rc3 56. Kh3 Nf6 57. Re3 Rc1 58. Ra3 Rh1+ 59. Kg2 Rb1 60. Ne3+ Kd4 61. g4 Nd5 62. Nxd5 Kxd5 63. h5 Kd4 64. h6 Rb2+ 65. Kg3 Rb1 66. g5 e3 67. Ra2 Rg1+ 68. Kf3 Rf1+ 69. Kg2 Rxf4 70. Ra4+ 1 : 0.

Antoaneta Stefanova
Photo: qipai.org.cn

Lela Javakhishvili
Photo: qipai.org.cn