How to Be Happy in an Unhappy World

Stavroula Tsolakidou – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
12th European Women’s Team Chess Championship; Hersonissos, October 28, 2017
3k4/1pr3pp/3N1q2/8/3P2Q1/3b4/6PP/2R3K1 w - - 5 37

Position after 36. ... Re7-c7

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina’s crisis continues. In a recent interview to Yuri Volokhov for Sovetsky Sport (Александра Костенюк: Запретила бы женщинам играть с мужчинами | Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk: I am for a strict separation of women’s and men’s chess, Sovetsky Sport, October 26, 2017), Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk denied that Gunina may feel frustrated because of her (frustrated) desire to play (at least a little more often) in the men’s circuit, which is much more remunerative than the women’s one: “I think Valya can earn as much in women’s chess as well. All players who play for the Russian national team don’t have to complain about their earnings. Even though, of course, everything is relative”, Kosteniuk said. Whatever it is, today’s game was another disaster by Gunina, for the joy of all Stavroula Tsolakidou’s Greek fans. 37. Nxb7+! Ke8 (37. ... Rxb7 38. Qc8+ Ke7 39. Qxb7+ Ke6 40. Rc6+−) 38. Re1+ Kf8 (38. ... Re7 39. Qc8+ Kf7 40. Nd8+ Kg6 41. Qg4+ Kh6 42. Re6! Rxe6 43. Qh3+ Kg6 44. Qxd3+ Qf5 45. Nxe6!+−) 39. Nc5 Bf5 40. Qf4 Rc8 41. g4. The Bishop is doomed. 41. ... Kg8 42. gxf5 h6 43. Qe5 Qg5+ 44. Kh1 Qg4 45. Qe6+ Kh7 46. Qxc8 Qf3+ 47. Kg1 Qg4+ 48. Kf2 Qxd4+ 49. Kf3 Qc3+ 50. Re3 1 : 0.