Between the Acts

Phạm Lê Thảo Nguyên – Anna Muzychuk

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 1; Tehran, February 17, 2017

Sicilian Defence B22

1. e4 c5 2. c3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. cxd4 d5 5. e5 Bg7 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. h3 f6 8. exf6 exf6 9. Nf3 Nge7 10. Be2 0-0 11. 0-0 g5 12. Ne1. Finally departing from 12. Re1 Bf5 13. Be3 Bg6 14. Rc1 Qd7 15. h4 h6 16. hxg5 fxg5 17. Nh2 Kh8 18. Bf3 Rad8 19. Nf1 Nf5 20. Bg4 Qf7 21. Bxf5 Bxf5 22. Ng3 Bg6 23. Qd2 Qf6 24. Nce2 Rd7 25. f4 g4 26. Rf1 Bf5 27. Nxf5 Qxf5 28. Ng3 Qe6 29. Rce1 Qd6 30. Qd1 Re7 31. Kh1 h5 32. Bg1 Rxe1 33. Qxe1 Nxd4 34. Bxd4 Bxd4 35. Nxh5 Qh6 36. Qh4 Rg8 37. Rd1 Bf2 38. Qxf2 Qxh5+ 39. Kg1 g3 40. Qd4+ Kh7 41. Qxd5 Qxd5 42. Rxd5 Rc8 43. Rh5+ Kg6 44. Rg5+ Kf6 45. Rxg3 Kf5 46. Rg7 b6 47. Rxa7 Kxf4 48. Ra4+ Kg3 49. Ra3+ 1 : 0 M. Adams – Dzindzichashvili, PCA Open, New York 1994. 12. ... h6 13. Be3 Be6 14. Nc2 Qd6 15. Qd2 Rae8 16. Nb5 Qd7 17. Nb4? A bad move which will lead to the loss of at least a Pawn. After 17. f4 Nf5 18. Bf2 Nce7! Black certainly doesn’t stand worse, but White’s position seems still sound enough. 17. ... Nxb4 18. Qxb4 a6 19. Nc3 f5 20. f4 Nc6 21. Qb6

21. ... Bf7! Making room for the Rook on e6 – and elegantly preparing for doubling Rooks on the e-file with gain of time. 22. Bf2 Re6 23. Bd1. Or 23. Qc5 b6! with consequences similar to those of the game. 23. ... Nxd4. The Pawn is cashed, and Muzychuk will manage to convert her advantage very confidently. 24. Qc5 b6 25. Qa3 b5 26. Kh1 Qe7 27. Qxe7 Rxe7 28. Bxd4 Bxd4 29. Bb3 Bxc3 30. bxc3 g4 31. hxg4 fxg4 32. Rad1 Re3 33. f5. If 33. Bxd5 then 33. ... g3! and the c3-Pawn will almost immediately fall down. 33. ... Rxc3 34. Kh2. 34. Bxd5 Bxd5 35. Rxd5 g3! may be somewhat more resilient, but likely not enough to hope for a better result. 34. ... Rd8 35. Rd4 h5 36. Rfd1 Kg7 37. Bxd5 Rxd5 38. Rxd5 Bxd5 39. Rxd5 Ra3 40. Rd6 b4 41. Rg6+ Kf7 42. Rh6 a5 43. Rb6. Or 43. Rxh5 Kf6 winning on the spot. 43. ... h4 44. Rg6 Rxa2 45. Rxg4 Kf6 46. Rxh4 b3 47. Rh6+ Kxf5 48. Rb6 a4 49. Kh3 b2 50. g4+ Ke5 51. g5 Ra3+ 0 : 1.