No More Ink

Zhansaya Daniyarovna Abdumalik – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk
1st Cairns Cup; Saint Louis, February 8, 2019
Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 d6 8. d4 Bb6 9. Be3. The strategic alternative is 9. h3 h6 10. Be3 0-0 11. Nbd2 Re8 12. Re1 (12. a4 Rb8 13. Re1 b4 looks like nothing special for White, Abdumalik – J. Zawadka, 8th Krystyna Hołuj-Radzikowska Memorial Rapid, Wrocław 2018) 12. ... Bd7 13. Qb1 Na5 14. Bc2 c5 15. d5 c4 16. b4 cxb3 17. axb3 Bxe3 18. Rxe3 Nb7 19. b4 Nh5 20. Bd3 Nf4 21. Bf1 Rf8 22. c4 bxc4 23. Bxc4 a5 24. bxa5 Nxa5 25. Qb4 Nxc4 26. Rxa8 Qxa8 27. Nxc4 Qa1+ 28. Re1 Qa2 29. Nfd2 Rc8 30. Re3 Qc2 31. Kh2 Nd3? (31. ... Qb1 32. Qb3 Qa1 should hold for Black) 32. Qb7+− 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Caruana, 28th Reykjavík Open, Reykjavík 2012. 9. ... 0-0 10. Nbd2 h6 11. Re1 Ng4 12. Nf1 exd4!? No doubt Kosteniuk knows very well what she’s doing and where she doesn’t want to go: 12. ... Nxe3 13. Nxe3 Rb8 14. Bd5 Bg4?? (blindfolded horror) 15. Nxg4 1 : 0 J. Polgár – Topalov, Blindfold World Chess Cup, Bilbao 2007, match game 2. 13. cxd4 Na5 14. Bc2 c5! 15. h3 Nxe3 16. Nxe3 cxd4 17. Nd5 Nc4. White really got nothing from the opening, and should now think of playing solidly for a draw. But she doesn’t seem too aware of it. 18. Nxb6 Qxb6 19. b3?! It’s not the best way to give up a Pawn. On the contrary, after 19. Qxd4 Qxd4 20. Nxd4 Nxb2 21. Reb1 Nc4 22. a4 White should not have too many problems getting a draw. 19. ... Ne5 20. Rc1!? It could be possible — but unlikely — that only now Abdumalik realised that after 20. Nxd4 Bxh3!∓ Black would have gained a Pawn “for free“, for if 21. gxh3? (21. f4?? Bg4 22. Qd2 Nc6−+) then 21. ... Qxd4! winning even more valuable material. Once the damage is done, White rightly does her best to turn the loss into a gambit. 20. ... b4 21. Bb1 a5 22. Nxd4!? Alea iacta est. 22. ... Bxh3! 23. Nc6!? White probably relied upon this “spectacular” move to regain a psychological initiative, but objectively 23. gxh3 Qxd4! 24. Qxd4 Nxf3+ 25. Kg2 Nxd4∓ could have been the wiser choice, as Black’s extra Pawn doesn’t still guarantee victory. 23. ... Nxc6 24. Qxd6 Ra6? 24. ... Rac8(!) 25. gxh3 Rfd8 seems much stronger (and more winning). 25. gxh3 Rd8 26. Qg3 Nd4 27. e5! Qb5

28. Rc4?? After this huge and awesome mistake, that gives Black the command of the a8-h1 diagonal, White is doomed to a tragic end. With 28. Bd3 Nf3+ 29. Qxf3 Qxd3 30. Qxd3 Rxd3 31. Rc8+ Kh7 32. Rc7 Kg6 White could get into an endgame a little more comfortable for Black, but with definite drawing chances. Furthermore, 28. Qe3 (threatening Qe3xd4) 28. ... Rc6 29. Rcd1 also seems to offer a tough defence. 28. ... Qd5! There’s no defence to the threatened Knight check on f3, for both 29. Re3 and 29. Be4 would be met by the alternative check 29. ... Ne2+! winning handily. 29. Qg2 Nf3+ 30. Kh1 Qxe5! Kosteniuk presents a very elegant Queen sacrifice which, if accepted, after 31. Rxe5 Rd1+ 32. Qf1 Qxf1+ 33. Kg2 Rxb1 34. Kxf3 Rb2 would lead to quite an easy endgame for her to win. 31. Rec1 Qe2 32. Rc8 Rd6 33. Rxd8+. Alternatively, 33. Qg4 Qxf2 34. Qf4 Rd2 35. Rxd8+ Rxd8 36. Be4 Qd2 37. Qxd2 Nxd2 is a more prosaic win. 33. ... Rxd8 34. Qf1 Qe5 35. Qg2 Qf4 36. Rf1 Rd2 37. Rg1. Setting a last desperate trap: 37. ... Nxg1?? 38. Qa8+ and mate in two. 37. ... g5 38. Rf1 Kg7 0 : 1. Instead White ended up in zugzwang. Now if 39. Rc1 then 39. ... Rxf2 and finis.

Zhansaya Daniyarovna Abdumalik vs. Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk. Photo © Austin Fuller/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.