Across the Hall

Marina Brunello – Alessia Santeramo
44th Italian Women’s Chess Championship; Cosenza, December 3, 2017
Spanish Game C64

Since nothing particular happened on this day in the 77th Italian “unisex” Chess Championship, let’s take a look at what’s going on in the 44th Italian Women’s Chess Championship which started today in Cosenza. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. 0-0 0-0 7. h3 a6 8. Ba4. The most “authorial” other way is 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. Re1 Re8 10. Nbd2 d5 11. exd5 Qxd5 12. Nb3 Bf8 13. c4 Qd6 14. Be3 Nd7 15. d4 e4 16. Nfd2 a5 17. a4 f5 (17. ... Qg6) 18. c5 Dg6 (18. ... Qe6 would have prevented, at least for a while, White’s next move) 19 Nc4 with a powerful edge, Carlsen – Grischuk, Candidates Tournament, London 2013. 8. ... h6 9. Re1 Ba7 10. Nbd2 Ne7 11. d4 Ng6 12. Nf1 c6? A passive move that only loses time. For 12. ... b5 13. Bc2 c5 14. Ng3 Re8 15. Be3 Bb7 16. d5 c4 see Ortega Valle – Korneev, 2nd International Open, Sevilla 2006. Nevertheless, it’s also interesting 12. ... d5!? 13. exd5 exd4 14. Nxd4 Nxd5 15. Ng3 Ndf4 15. Ng3 Ndf4 16. Bxf4 Nxf4 17. Qf3 Ne6 18. Ndf5 Ng5 19. Qf4 Bxf5 20. Nxf5 Ne6 21. Qe4 Qd2 22. Re2 Qf4 (Jaracz – D. Isonzo, 3rd International Festival, Lido degli Estensi 2002) as 23. Ne7+ Kh8 24. Qxe6 is answered by 24. ... Qxa4 with roughly equal chances. 13. Ng3 Qc7 14. Bc2 Be6. Now and on the next few moves, Black would have done better to make self-criticism and play ... c6-c5. 15. Be3 b5. It was still time to play ... c6-c5 followed eventually by ... c5xd4 and ... Rf8-c8. 16. Qd2 Rfd8?! This suggests that Black is thinking about pushing the wrong Pawn. 17. a4! d5? And this opens up the game for the joy of White’s light-squared Bishop. 18. axb5 axb5 19. exd5 Bxd5 20. Bxg6. 20. Nxe5! Nxe5 21. Bxh6! might have been even stronger. 20. ... Bxf3? Stockfish’s 20. ... exd4 21. Bf4 dxc3 22. Qxd5 Nxd5 23. Bxc7 Nxc7 24. Be4 cxb2 25. Rb1 Nd5 26. Rxb2 leaves Black with insufficient compensation for the Knight, but the text allows Brunello to mount a devastating attack. 21. Bc2! exd4 22. cxd4 Bd5

23. Bxh6! gxh6 24. Qxh6 Bxd4 25. Rxa8 Rxa8 26. Nf5 Ne4 27. Nxd4 Qe5 28. Bxe4 Qxd4. Or 28. ... Bxe4 29. Nxc6 and the curtain falls. 29. Bh7+ Kh8 30. Bf5+ Kg8 31. Re3 Bf3 32. Rxf3 1 : 0.