Untying the Knot

Anna Muzychuk – Humpy Koneru
Women’s Grand Prix; 4th stage; 成都 (Chéngdū), July 12, 2016
French Defence C11

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8. Qd2 b5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Bd3 Qb6 11. Bf2 Bb7 12. 0-0 Bxf2+ 13. Qxf2 Qxf2+ 14. Kxf2 Ke7 15. a3. For 15. Rae1 Nc5 16. Ke3 Rac8 17. Rf2 Rhd8 18. Nd4 Nxd4 19. Kxd4 b4 20. Ne2 a5 see 阮露斐 (Ruǎn Lùfěi) – Danielian, Women’s Grand Prix Series 2011/2012, Rostov 2011. 15. ... Rac8 16. Rfe1 Nc5 17. Ne2 Ne4+ 18. Bxe4 dxe4 19. Nfd4 f6 20. Nxc6+ Rxc6 21. Nd4 Rc5 22. exf6+ gxf6 23. c3 f5 24. Ke3 Kf6 25. g3 Rc4 26. Re2 h5 27. Rg1 Rc7 28. Reg2 Bd5 29. Ra1 Rb8 30. Rag1 a5 31. h3 Rh7 32. Rc1 a4 33. Rcg1 Bc4 34. Nc6 Rg8 35. Ne5 Bd5 36. g4 hxg4 37. hxg4 Rh3+ 38. Rg3 Rgh8 39. Kd4 Rxg3 40. Rxg3 Rh2 41. gxf5 Kxf5 42. Ke3 Rh1. Not 42. ... Rxb2?? because of 43. Rg7 with the threat of Rg7-f7 mate. 43. Rg5+ Kf6 44. Ng4+ Kf7 45. Kd4 Rd1+ 46. Ke5 Bc6

47. f5 exf5 48. Nh6+ Ke8 49. Nxf5 Bd7 50. Nd6+ Kd8 51. Nxe4 Bc6 52. Nd6 Rd5+ 53. Ke6 Rxg5? A clear error, after which White succeeds in turning the game into an endgame of Knight versus Bishop up a Pawn, that Muzychuk will somehow manage to win. Correct was 53. ... Rd2! coming closer and closer to a draw. 54. Nf7+ Kc7 55. Nxg5 Bg2 56. Ke5 Kc6 57. Kd4 Bd5 58. Nh3 Bb3 59. Nf4 Bf7 60. Nd3 Kd6 61. Ne5 Be6 62. Nf3 Bd5 63. Nd2 Ba2 64. Ne4+ Kc6 65. Nc5 Bg8 66. c4 Bf7? 66. ... Bxc4 67. Nxa4 leaves White a Pawn up, but winning appears to be quite impossible. 67. Nd3! Be6 68. c5 Bb3 69. Ne5+ Kb7 70. Kc3 Bd5 71. Kb4 Bc6 72. Nf7 Ka6 73. Nd8 Bd5 74. Kc3 Ka5 75. Kd4 Bg2 76. Ke5 b4 77. c6 bxa3 78. bxa3 Kb6 79. Kd6 Bf3 80. c7 Bg4 81. Nc6 Kb5 82. Nd4+ Kb6 83. Nc6 Kb5 84. Nd4+ Kb6 85. Ne2 Bh3 86. Nc3 Ka5 87. Kc6 Bc8 88. Ne4 1 : 0.

Anna Muzychuk (R.) vs. Humpy Koneru (L.)
Photo: 樊璐璐 (Fán Lùlù)/sports.sina.com.cn