May Day Eve

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Melanie Ohme

FrauenBundesliga 2016/2017; OSG Baden-Baden – Rodewischer SM; Berlin, April 30, 2017

Sicilian Defence B67

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. 0-0-0 Bd7 9. f4 b5 10. Qe1 Nxd4 11. Rxd4 Qb6 12. Qd2 Bc6 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Be2 h5 15. Bf3 0-0-0 16. Kb1 Be7!? Black takes a new step. The old try was 16. ... h4 17. Rd1 Qc5 18. Rd3 Kb8 19. Ne2 Bb7 20. Nd4 Rc8 21. Nb3 Qb6 22. Na5 Ba8 23. Rb3 Be7 24. a4 Rc5 25. axb5 axb5 26. Rc3 Rhc8 27. Rxc5 dxc5 28. Qd7 Rc7 29. Qe8+ Ka7 30. Nb3 h3 31. gxh3 f5 32. Nd2 fxe4 33. Bxe4 Bxe4 34. Nxe4 f6 35. Nc3 Ka6 36. Rd7 Rxd7 37. Qxd7 b4 38. Ne4 Bd8 39. Nd6 Bc7 40. Nc4 Qb5 41. Qc8+ Qb7 42. Qxe6+ Kb5 43. b3 Bxf4 44. Qxf6 Qh1+ 45. Ka2 Qa8+ 46. Kb2 Bc1+ 47. Kb1 Qb7 48. Nd6+ 1 : 0 Holaszek – Sigurjónsson, 14th World Student Team Chess Championship, Harrachov 1967. 17. h4 Bb7 18. Rd1 Kb8 19. Ne2 f5 20. exf5 Bxf3 21. gxf3 Bxh4 22. a4 Bf2 23. Rb4 Bc5? I’d say it is a serious error of judgment. Much better was 23. ... Qe3! 24. Qxe3 Bxe3 25. axb5 Bc5! 26. Rb3 a5! and Black, despite her Pawn minus, could even claim better chances due to her powerful passer on the h-file, while White is a bit afflicted by her tripled Pawns on the f-file. 24. Rb3 b4 25. fxe6 fxe6 26. Nd4 Rde8

27. a5! Qc7? Probably tougher is 27. ... Qb7, although after 28. c3 (28. Rd3 followed by Nd4-b3 could be, however, a slower but possibly stronger way to proceed) 28. ... Qd5 29. Qc2 Qc4 30. Qe4! d5 31. Qc2 h4 (maybe not the best!) 32. Nc6+ Kb7 33. Ne5! Qxf4 34. cxb4 Qxe5 35. bxc5+ Kc7 36. Ka2! White would penetrate anyway with decisive effect (by Rb3-b6 eventually followed by Qc2-a4). 28. c3! h4 29. cxb4 Bxd4 30. Qxd4 d5. Stockfish turns on the red light, but also other moves may not make miracles happen. 31. Rc1 Qh7+ 32. Ka2 h3 33. b5! Going for mate. 33. ... axb5 34. Rxb5+ Ka8 35. Qb6 Rb8 36. Qa6+ Qa7 37. Qc6+ Rb7 38. a6 1 : 0.

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo: schachbundesliga.de.