The third half

Baadur Jobava – Dronavalli Harika
23rd TePe Sigeman & Co. Chess Tournament; Malmö, May 13, 2017
Semi-Slav Defence D31

Today Harika skillfully succeeded in restraining Jobava’s notorious tactical liveliness, putting her pink carriage on a ground quite suitable to her taste. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. e3 Bd6 7. Bxd6 Qxd6 8. Bd3 g6!? A new move that appears to be perfectly sound. 9. Nge2 Nbd7 10. Qd2 Nb6 11. f3 Be6 12. e4 Qe7 13. 0-0 0-0 14. Qg5 Rae8 15. e5 Nh5 16. Qxe7 Rxe7 17. a4 a6 18. b4 Ng7

19. b5. Jobava, who obtained very little from the opening, clings himself to a (last) strategic classic motif: a minority attack on the Queenside. Harika, however, proves to have sufficient resources to defend herself. 19. ... Bf5 20. Bxf5 Nxf5 21. f4 axb5 22. axb5 h5 23. bxc6 bxc6 24. Ra6 Rb7 25. Rb1 Rfb8 26. Kf2 Ne7 27. g3 Nbc8 28. Rxb7 Rxb7 29. h3 Ra7. The exchange of the last pair of Rooks means that Black won’t lose the game. 30. Rxa7 Nxa7 31. g4 hxg4 32. hxg4 Kg7 33. Na4 Nb5 34. Nc5 Kf8 35. Ke3 Ke8 36. Ng3 Ng8 37. Nd3 Na3 38. Ne2 Nc4+ 39. Kf3 Nd2+ 40. Ke3 ½ : ½.