Half and half

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Anna Muzychuk

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 4; Tehran, March 2, 2017

Semi-Slav Defence D43

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qb3 e6 5. g3. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) trustly follows the guidelines outlined by Grandmaster 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) and adopts a very steady strategy. However, it is hard to think of worrying a gifted player such as Anna Muzychuk without taking some risks. 5. ... Nbd7 6. Bg2 b6 7. Nc3 Ba6 8. cxd5 cxd5 9. Nb5 Bxb5 10. Qxb5 a6!? A tiny novelty by Muzychuk. For 10. ... Bd6 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Bd2 Ne4 13. Rfc1 Nxd2 14. Nxd2 Rc8 15. Nb3 Nf6 16. Qa6 Qd7 17. e3 h5 18. h4 g6 19. Bf1 e5 see Krasenkow – V. Georgiev, 16th Monarch Assurance Isle of Man International Tournament, Port Erin 2007. 11. Qb3 Bd6 12. 0-0 0-0. The position offers very few ideas, and a draw is more than likely. 13. Bg5 Qb8 14. Rfc1 Ne4 15. Rc2. White will end up mastering – even if only temporarily – the open c-file, but without any propitious entry. Black’s position is rock-solid. 15. ... Nxg5 16. Nxg5 h6 17. Nf3 Rc8 18. Rac1 Rxc2 19. Rxc2 Ra7

20. Qd3 a5 21. Nd2. The last dream before afternoon tea. 22. ... Nf6 22. e4 dxe4 23. Nxe4 Nxe4 24. Qxe4 ½ : ½. Both players appeared more than satisfied with a draw here. After the Carlsen – Karjakin World Chess Championship match, also the Women’s Knockout World Crown will be assigned through the lottery superrapid tie-break system, but... it’s not players’s fault.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) vs. Anna Muzychuk
Photo © David Llada