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Marina Brunello – Tania Sachdev
43rd Women’s Chess Olympiad; Batumi, October 3, 2018
Giuoco Piano C50

Good news came yesterday from Marina Brunello, who scored the equaliser for Italy in the drawn match against India. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d3 0-0 6. a4 a5 7. Bg5 Be7!? Or else 7. ... h6 8. Bh4 Be7 9. c3 d6 with similar play to the actual game, Petrov – Sachdev, 43rd Sunway Open, Sitges 2017. 8. h3 h6 9. Bh4 d6 10. Bg3 Be6. From a theoretical standpoint, that’s quite a critical position. For instance, in a recent game it made good sense for Black to sacrifice a Pawn by 10. ... Kh8!? 11. c3 Nh7 12. Qb3 f5 13. exf5 Bf6 14. Be6 Ne7 15. Nh4 Qe8 16. Bxc8 Rxc8 17. Ng6+ Nxg6 18. fxg6 Qxg6 19. Qxb7 Ng5 20. h4 Ne6 21. Qe4 Qh5 22. Nd2 Nf4 with fantastic compensation, Karjakin – Aronian, 5th Norway Chess, Stavanger 2017. And perhaps, even 9. ... g5!? may well be worth considering. The text simply leaves White with a smooth and lasting edge. 11. Na3 Nd7 12. c3 Nb6 13. Bxe6 fxe6 14. Qb3 Qd7 15. Nb5 Rae8 16. Rac1 Bd8 17. Rfd1 Kh7 18. c4 Nc8. White stands much better already, so perhaps Black had to try her luck with the Exchange sacrifice 18. ... Rxf3!? 19. gxf3 Rf8 with some chance for complications.

19. c5! Now White opens up the position to great effect, and Brunello does not meet particular difficulties in turning her huge advantage into a win. 19. ... Bf6 20. cxd6 cxd6 21. d4! exd4 22. Nfxd4 Nxd4 23. Nxd4 Qf7 24. Nb5 Be5 25. Rc7 Re7 26. Rdc1 Rxc7 27. Rxc7 Qg6 28. Bxe5 dxe5 29. Qe3 Rd8 30. Rxb7 Qh5 31. Qg3 Rg8 32. Kh2 Qe2 33. Qxe5 Qxf2 34. Nd4 Qf8 35. Nxe6 Qd6 36. Qxd6 Nxd6 37. Ra7 Nxe4 38. Rxa5 Re8 39. Re5 Nd6 40. b4 Kg8 41. Re2 Kf7 42. Nf4 Rxe2 43. Nxe2 Ke6 44. Nc3 Ke5 45. a5 Kd4 46. a6 Nc8 47. Nb5+ Kd5 48. a7 Nb6 49. Nc7+ 1 : 0.