Her Mother’s Daughter

Apurva Virkud – Sabina-Francesca Foişor
57th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 9, 2017
Nimzo-Indian Defence E39

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 0-0 5. Nf3 c5 6. dxc5 Na6 7. c6 bxc6 8. g3 d5 9. Bd2? A disastrous novelty. Theory gives 9. Bg2 or 9. a3; for instance: 9. a3 Bxc3+ 10. Qxc3 Nc5 11. Bg2 Ba6 12. Qc2 dxc4 13. 0-0 Nb3 14. Rb1 Qa5 15. Bg5 Rad8 16. Rfe1 Rd5 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. Qe4 Nd2 19. Qg4+ Kh8 20. Rbc1 Rfd8 21. Qf4 Kg7 22. Qg4+ Kh8 23. Qf4 Kg7 24. Qg4+ ½ : ½ Ivanišević – Pelletier, 40th Chess Olympiad, Istanbul 2012. 9. ... d4 10. Ne4 Rb8 11. Nxf6+ Qxf6 12. Bg2 e5 13. 0-0 Bf5. Black stands much better already. 14. Qc1 Bxd2 15. Qxd2 h6 16. Qa5 c5 17. b3 e4 18. Nd2 Rfe8 19. Rad1 Rb6 20. Nb1 Qe7 21. e3 Bg4 22. Rd2? This allows Black a superb crescendo.

22. ... Nb4! Cutting Her Majesty off from the world. 23. exd4. If, instead, 23. h3 then 23. ... Ra6! 24. Qb5 Bd7 25. Qb7 Qd8! with the threat of ... Bd7-c6 trapping the White Queen. 23. ... e3! 24. fxe3 Qxe3+ 25. Kh1. Also 25. Rdf2 is met by 25. ... Rf6. 25. ... Rf6 26. Rg1 Qxg1+! 27. Kxg1 Re1+ 28. Bf1 Rfxf1+ 29. Kg2 Rg1+ 30. Kf2 Ref1+ 31. Ke3 Rf3+ 0 : 1. For after 31. Ke2 (or 32. Ke4 Re1+) 32. ... Rf5+ 33. Ke3 Re1+ mate follows.

Standing is Nazí Paikidze literally “struck to the board” of Sabina-Francesca Foişor’s game. Photo: Christopher Yapp‏ (@yappattack).