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Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Zhansaya Abdumalik

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 1; Khanty-Mansiysk, November 12, 2018

Sicilian Defence B41

Kazakhstani Woman Grandmaster Zhansaya Abdumalik, 18, won the first game of her quarter-final against Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk in elegant style, thus booking in advance half a chair for the “coming soon” Women’s Candidates Tournament. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Qd3 0-0 8. e5 Ne8 9. Bf4. There are no secrets in the family wardrobe: 9. Be2 Qc7 10. Nf3 Nc6 11. Ng5 f5 12. exf6 Nxf6 13. 0-0 d6 14. a3 Bxc3 15. Qxc3 e5 16. Be3 h6 17. Nf3 Be6 18. Rac1 Ng4 19. Bd2 d5 20. cxd5 e4 21. Ne5 Ngxe5 22. dxe6 Qd6 23. Qe3 Rae8 24. Rfd1 Qd4 25. Qg3 Qxb2 26. Rb1 Qa2 27. Rxb7 g6 28. Qc3 Qxe6 29. Bxh6 Rf7 30. Rxf7 Kxf7 31. Bxa6 g5 32. Bxg5 Qg4 33. Qb3+ Kg7 34. Be3 Rb8 35. Qc2 Nf3+ 36. Kh1 Rh8 37. gxf3 Qxf3+ 38. Kg1 Qg4+ 39. Kf1 Rxh2 40. Ke1 Rh1+ 41. Kd2 Qd7+ 42. Kc1 1 : 0 A. Muzychuk – Dzagnidze, 34th European Women’s Chess Club Cup, Porto Carras 2018. 8. ... Qc7!?TN 9. a3 Bxc3+ 11. Qxc3 f6 12. Nf3 Nc6 13. Bg3 fxe5 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 d6 16. Bg3 Qc6 17. f3 e5 18. c5! White temporarily gives up a Pawn in order to open lines and diagonals. 18. ... dxc5 19. Bc4+. Of course, also good was 19. Bxe5 b5 20. Bd3 followed by long castling. 19. ... Be6 20. 0-0-0 b5 21. Bxe6+ Qxe6 22. Rhe1 b4!? 23. Rxe5 Qa2 24. axb4 cxb4 25. Qxb4. In the end it is White who has a Pawn more as well as a powerful position, counterbalanced only (but probably not enough) by her King’s exposed position. 25. ... Rc8+ 26. Rc5 a5 27. Qb5? This mistake leads to a curious reversal. White ought to have played 27. Qd4! maintaining her edge and eventually preparing to consolidate with Rd1-d3-a3.

27. ... Rf5! The c5-Rook is pinned both verically and horizontally. 28. Bf2 Qe6 29. Rd3? This second error will prove to be fatal. Comparatively best was 29. Rd2 Rfxc5+ 30. Bxc5 Nc7! 31. Qxa5 Qe1+ 32. Kc2 Nd5 with Black having more than enough compensation for the two minus Pawns. 29. ... Rfxc5+! This simply wins a piece and liquidates into an easily won ending. 30. Bxc5 Qe1+ 31. Kc2 Qf2+ 32. Kb3 Qxc5 33. Qxc5 Rxc5 34. h4 Rb5+ 35. Ka3 Kf7 36. Rd7+ Ke6 37. Ra7 h5 38. g4 hxg4 39. fxg4 Rb4 40. Rxa5 Rxg4 41. Rh5 g6 42. Rh8 Ng7 43. b4 Nf5 44. b5 Rxh4 45. Rg8 Rg4 46. b6 Nd6 47. Rc8 Rg5 48. Rb8 Kd7 49. Kb4 Kc6 50. Kc3 Nb7 51. Kd4 Kxb6 52. Re8 Kc6 53. Re5 Rg4+ 54. Ke3 Nc5 55. Kf3 Rg1 56. Re8 Kd6 57. Rc8 Ne6 0 : 1.

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk vs. Zhansaya Abdumalik. Photo © Press service of the Women’s World Championship 2018.