Magic Minutes

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 2; Khanty-Mansiysk, November 13, 2018

Spanish Game C88

In their second quarter-final game, Muzychuk paid Kosteniuk back in her own coin: a quiet “book” draw, thus postponing any decision to tomorrow’s high noon tie-break. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. a4 b4 9. d4 d6 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Nxe5 dxe5 12. Qe2 Bc5 13. Be3 Bd4 14. Bxd4 Qxd4 15. Rd1 Bg4 16. Rxd4 Bxe2 17. Rd2 Rfd8 18. f3 Rxd2 19. Nxd2 Rd8

20. Nf1!? Wandering under a big umbrella: 20. Nc4 Bxc4 21. Bxc4 a5 22. Rc1 Kf8 23. c3 b3 24. Rb1 Rb8 25. Ra1 Rd8 26. Ra3 Rd1+ 27. Bf1 Nd7 28. Rxb3 Nb6 29. Kf2 Nxa4 30. Rb8+ Ke7 31. Rb5 Kd6 32. Be2 Rd2 33. Rxa5 Nxb2 34. Ke3 Rc2 35. Rd5+ Ke6 36. Rc5 Kd6 37. Rd5+ Ke6 38. Rc5 ½ : ½ Caruana – Matlakov, 80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2018. 20. ... Bxf1 21. Kxf1 a5 22. Ke2 Kf8 23. Rc1 Nd7 24. Bc4 c6 25. c3 b3 26. Rd1 ½ : ½.

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk vs. Anna Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo © Press service of the Women’s World Championship 2018.