Toblerone

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Marina Brunello
12th European Women’s Team Chess Championship; Hersonissos, November 4, 2017
Sicilian Defence B94

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. Bc4 Qb6. Brunello’s hard fashion, playing à la the Poisoned Pawn. 8. Bb3 e6 9. a4 Qa5 10. Qd2 Be7 11. f3 Nc5. The alternative subject-matter-of-study is 11. ... h6 12. Be3 Nc5 13. Ba2 Qb4 14. 0-0 Bd7 15. a5 Bd8 16. Nde2 Bc7 17. Rfd1 Rd8 18. Qe1 e5 19. Qg3 Kf8 20. Nd5 Nxd5 21. Bxd5 Be6 22. b3 Rb8 23. Qf2 b6 24. Bd2 Qb5 25. Nc3 Qe8 26. b4 Nd7 27. Be3 Qc8 28. Rd3 bxa5 29. bxa5 Kg8 30. Bxe6 fxe6 31. Na4 Bxa5 32. Rxd6 Bb4 33. Rd3 Kh7 34. Rad1 Rb7 35. c3 Be7 36. Qd2 Nf6 37. Qf2 Nd7 38. Qd2 Nf6 39. Qf2 ½ : ½ Potkin – Sorokin, 70th Russian Chess Championship, Sochi 2017. 12. Ba2 0-0 13. 0-0 Qc7 14. a5 b5 15. axb6 Qxb6 16. Be3 Qc7 17. Rfd1 Rb8 18. Rab1 Bb7 19. Qf2 Rfc8 20. Qg3 Nh5 21. Qh3 Nf6 22. Nce2 a5 23. Nb5 Qb6 24. Nbc3 Qc7 25. Nf4. Kosteniuk avoids repetition of moves, although objectively she does not have any substantial advantage. 25. ... Ba8 26. Kh1 Re8 27. Rd2 Bf8 28. Qh4 Ncd7 29. Qf2 Ne5 30. Qf1 Qc6 31. Bb3 Rb4! 32. Rd4 Nfd7 33. Ba4 Qb7 34. Nb5 Rc8 35. c3 Rxd4 36. cxd4 Nc4 37. Bc1 Ncb6. Brunello played very well so far (and maybe she’s even got the upper hand), but she also ran short of time. 38. Bb3 a4 39. Ba2 Qa6 40. Bd2

40. ... e5? After thinking for about 3 of her 3 minutes and 30 seconds, Brunello pushes the wrong Pawn, frittering away a game well played. Instead, the thematic 40. ... d5! would have earned Black a perfectly satisfactory game, to say the least. 41. Bxf7+! Kosteniuk’s first move after time control is a lucky one, and it must have been completely overlooked by her opponent. 41. ... Kxf7. Black is forced to give up the Queen as 41. ... Kh8?? 42. Ng6+! hxg6 43. g4 would lead to mate in a very few moves. 42. Nxd6+ Bxd6 43. Qxa6 exf4 44. Ba5. Black’s scattered and uncoordinated survivors cannot do anything against the mighty powers of Her Majesty. 44. ... Rb8 45. Rc1 g6 46. h4 h5 47. Qb5 Ke6 48. Qg5 Nf8 49. Bxb6 Rxb6 50. Qd8 Rb8 51. d5+ 1 : 0.

Seated on the frontstage are Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk (left) and Marina Brunello (right). Photo: European Chess Union (@ECUonline).