Keep Climbing

Daria Stanislavovna Pustovoitova – Nino Batsiashvili
22nd European Women’s Chess Club Cup; Göynük, October 13, 2017
English Opening A13

In the meantime, women too were playing on the Titanic, and no one has been able so far to eclipse the star of Nino Batsiashvili. 1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. b3 c5 5. Bb2 Nc6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Be2 Bd6 8. 0-0 0-0 9. d4 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Qe7 11. Nxc6? This must be wrong. More commendable is 11. Nc3 Rd8 12. Ncb5 Bb8 13. Rc1 and White stands somewhat better, U. Andersson – F. Ólafsson, 1st “La Méditerranée” International Tournament, Geneva 1977. 11. ... bxc6 12. Nd2 Re8 13. Qc2 Bd7 14. Rfd1 a5 15. a4 Rab8 16. Bc3 Bc7 17. Bd4 Ng4 18. g3? Having to choose between three possibilities (h2-h3, Nd2-f3, and g2-g3), White – quite inexplicably – opts for the worst one. 18. ... Nxh2! 19. Kg2. 19. Kxh2 Qh4+ 20. Kg2 Qh3+ 21. Kg1 Bxg3 seems horrible for White, but after 22. Nf1! Bd6 23. f4 h6!? (Stockfish) Black should content herself only with her inititative. 19. ... Qe6 20. Rh1? The line abovementioned was now mandatory. 20. ... Qh3+ 21. Kg1 Bxg3! The difference is that now the Black Knight is on the board! 22. Nf1 Bf5!

23. Qd1? After this (mistake) Black’s attack easily triumphs. More stubborn was 23. Qxf5(!) Qxf5 24. Nxg3, although after either 24. ... Qg6 25. Kxh2 Rxb3 (Stockfish) or 24. ... Nf3+ 25. Kg2 Nxd4 26. Nxf5 Nxf5 Black should win anyway. 23. ... Be4 24. f3 Re6! (Δ ... Re6-g6) 25. Nxh2 Rh6 26. fxe4 Bxh2+ 27. Kf2 Qg3+ 28. Kf1 dxe4 29. Qc2 Re8 30. Bg4!? c5! 31. Bxg7!? Desperation. 32. ... Kxg7 32. Qf2 Rf6 33. Bf5 Qxf2+ 34. Kxf2 Rxf5+ 35. Ke2 Be5 36. Rag1+ Kh8 0 : 1.