To Be Continued

Dronavalli Harika – Nigel David Short
23rd TePe Sigeman & Co. Chess Tournament; Malmö, May 14, 2017
Two Knights Defence C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. Re1 d6 7. a4 Be6 8. Nbd2 a5 9. c3 Qc8!? Another try is 9. ... Nd7 10. Nf1 Bf6 11. Ng3 Bxc4 12. dxc4 Nc5 13. Be3 b6 14. Qc2 g6 15. Reb1 Bg7 16. b4 Ne6 17. Qb3 axb4 18. cxb4 Ncd4 19. Nxd4 exd4 20. Bd2 Qh4 21. Rf1 Be5 ½ : ½ Korneev – Romanishin, 3rd International Open, Forni di Sopra 2012. 10. Qb3 Kh8!? 11. Nf1 Bxc4 12. Qxc4 Qe6 13. Ne3. If 13. Qb5 there might follow 13. ... Ra6, indirectly defending the b7-Pawn (for after 14. Qxb7?? Rb6 15. Qxc7 Bd8 Black wins at least a piece). 13. ... Qxc4 14. Nxc4 Nd7 15. d4 exd4 16. Nxd4 Nce5 17. Nxe5 dxe5 18. Nb3 Nc5 19. Nxc5 Bxc5 20. Rd1 Rfd8. Black has a slight development advantage, which, however, Harika promptly nullifies through her clever covered deployment manoeuvre, equalising easily.

21. Bd2 Kg8 22. Kf1 f6 23. Ke2 Kf7 24. Be1 Ke6 25. Rxd8 Rxd8 26. Rd1 Rb8 27. f3 c6 28. Bd2 h5 29. Ra1 g6 30. h3 Rf8 31. Be3 Bxe3 32. Kxe3 f5 33. b4 axb4 34. cxb4 Rd8 35. a5 f4+ 36. Ke2 g5 37. b5 cxb5 38. Rb1 Rc8 39. Rxb5 Rc2+ 40. Kf1 Rc1+ 41. Kf2 Rc2+ 42. Kg1 Rc7 43. Rb6+ Kf7 44. Kf2 Rc2+ ½ : ½. “A Giuoco Comatoso against Harika to finish a disappointing tournament”, finally tweeted Short.

Dronavalli Harika (@HarikaDronavali)