Blonde Hair

Kateřina Němcová – Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze
57th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 30, 2017
Sicilian Defence B50

“Nazí slowly built her advantage after a successful opening and never let go. Her Bishop pair was swiftly revived when she blasted the center open with her powerful 21. ... f5!. It was all downhill for White after that, and Nazí claimed her first win of her U.S. Women’s Championship return”, reads the U.S. Chess Champs web site report. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. Be2 g6 5. 0-0 Bg7 6. Re1 0-0 7. d3 Nc6 8. h3 a6 9. Be3 e5 10. Qd2 b5 11. Na3 Rb8 12. Bf1 Qc7 13. Nc2 Ne7 14. Bg5 Bb7 15. Rad1 Rbd8 16. Qe2 Nh5 17. g4. It will turn out to be particularly inspiring for Paikidze’s next steps! 17. ... Nf4 18. Bxf4 exf4 19. d4 Rde8. With the powerful positional threat of ... f7-f5. 20. Bg2 Nc8 21. Nh2

21. ... f5! 22. gxf5 gxf5 23. f3 Qf7 24. b3 b4 25. cxb4 d5 26. e5 cxd4 27. e6 Qc7 28. Nxd4 Ne7 29. Kh1 Nc6 30. Nxc6 Qxc6 31. Rc1 Qd6 32. b5 Re7 33. Bf1 axb5 34. Qxb5 Bd4 35. Rcd1 Bf2 36. Re2 Ba6. Paikidze will show that even without Queens Black’s initiative against the White King can be devastating due to the presence of opposite-colour Bishops. 37. Rxd5 Bxb5 38. Rxd6 Bxe2 39. Bxe2 Rg7. Threatening mate in one. 40. Rd1 Kh8 41. e7 Rfg8 42. e8=Q Rxe8 43. Bc4 h5 44. a4 Ree7 45. a5 h4 46. a6 Rg5 47. b4 Rd7! The ordeal continues, and White must suffer (too) heavy losses. 48. Rf1 Be3 49. b5 Rdg7 50. Ng4 fxg4 51. hxg4 Rc7 52. Bd3 Rd5 0 : 1.

Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze. Photo © Lennart Ootes.