Suddenly Then

Olga Alexandrovna Girya – Bela Khotenashvili
Women’s Grand Prix; 4th stage; 成都 (Chéngdū), July 7, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D35

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bf4 Nf6 5. e3 0-0 6. Rc1 b6 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Nxd5 Qxd5 9. a3 Qa5+ 10. Qd2 Qxd2+ 11. Kxd2 c5 12. Nf3 Bb7 13. dxc5 Rd8+ 14. Bd3 Bxc5 15. Ke2 Nc6 16. b4 Be7 17. Rc2 f6 18. Bb5 e5 19. Bxc6 Bxc6 20. Rxc6 exf4 21. Nd4 fxe3 22. fxe3 Rd7 23. Rhc1 Bd6 24. Rc8+ Rxc8 25. Rxc8+ Kf7 26. h3 a5 27. bxa5 bxa5 28. Nb5 Be7 29. Ra8 Rd5 30. a4 Bb4 31. Ra7+ Kg6 32. Nd4 f5 33. Kf3 Kf6 34. Rb7 h6 35. Rb6+ Rd6 36. Rb5 g6 37. g4 Bc3 38. Ne2 fxg4+ 39. hxg4 Bd2 40. Ng3 Kf7 41. Ne4 Rd7 42. Nxd2 Rxd2 43. Rxa5 Kf6 44. Ra8 Kg5 45. a5 Rd1 46. a6 Rf1+ 47. Ke4. White has a Pawn more, but Black should be able to draw quite easily, unless...

47. ... Rf7?? ... Unless she doesn’t position her Rook behind the passed Pawn: 47. ... Ra1! 48. Kd5 (or 48. a7 Kxg4 49. Kd5 h5 50. e4 h4 51. e5 h3 52. e6 Ra5+ 53. Kd6 Ra6+ 54. Ke5 Ra5+ 55. Kf6 Ra6=) 48. ... Kxg4 49. e4 h5 50. e5 Rd1+ 51. Kc6 Rc1+ drawing. The difference is not trivial: 48. Kd5 Kxg4 49. e4 h5 50. e5 h4 51. e6 Rh7 52. Kd6 h3 53. e7 h2 54. e8=Q h1=Q 55. Qxg6+ Kf3 56. Qd3+ 1 : 0. The Black King is caught in a mating net.

Olga Alexandrovna Girya
Photo: qipai.org.cn