Winds of Fury

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Antoaneta Stefanova

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; match game 1; Tehran, February 20, 2017

Spanish Game C95

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Bg5 h6 15. Bh4 Qc8 16. dxe5 dxe5 17. N3d2 Nh7!? 18. Ne3 Nc5 19. Nd5 a5 20. a4 bxa4 21. Bxa4 Nxa4 22. Qxa4 Re6 23. Nc4 Bc6 24. Qd1 a4 25. Bg3 f6 26. b4! axb3 27. Rxa8 Bxa8 28. Qxb3 Ng5 29. Ra1. With the threat of Nd5xc7. 29. ... Bxd5 30. exd5 Re8 31. Ra7. Muzychuk keeps the initiative with temperament and character. Now the threat is d5-d6. 31. ... Bc5 32. Rb7

32. ... Nxh3+!!? After very long thought, the passionate Stefanova came up with a wild Knight sacrifice, aiming for a win–win outcome. It is very interesting, but also very imprudent, given that now she is left with two minutes for reaching the time control. The cool 32. ... Kh8(!) would have prevented White’s most immediate threats and maintained quite an unclear position. 33. Kf1. Of course not 33. gxh3?? Qxh3 and Black’s attack would triumph. 33. ... Nf4?? With no more time for dreaming, Stefanova’s lost lucidity. Stockfish’s first line 33. ... Nxf2 34. Bxf2 Qf5 35. Qa2! Kh7! (with the threat of ... Re8-a8) seems very appealing (even if not winning). 34. d6! And finally Muzychuk hits her opponent a blow she cannot survive. 34. ... Qe6? One mistake leads to another. However, even after 34. ... Kh8 35. dxc7 Qd7 36. Rb8 Black is doomed. 35. dxc7 Nd5 36. Qb5 Bf8 37. Nb6 Nxb6 38. Rxb6 Qg4 39. f3 1 : 0.

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo © David Llada.

Antoaneta Stefanova. Photo © David Llada.