Hitchhiking through Eurasia

Marina Brunello – Iulija Vladislavivna Osmak
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 18, 2019
French Defence C02

Marina Brunello scored another heavy win, and probably now she can start believing that everything must still happen. 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. Bxh6!? This seems to have come as a destabilising surprise to Osmak. In her round-two game with Elisabeth Pähtz, just a few days ago, Brunello continued 8. Bd3 Bd7 9. Bc2 g5 10. h3 Nf5 11. Bxf5 exf5 12. 0-0 h6 13. Nc3 Be6 14. Na4 Qb5 15. h4 g4 16. Ne1 Be7 17. g3 Rc8 18. Be3 b6 19. Ng2 Na5 20. Nf4 Nc4 21. Nc3 Qa5 22. Qb3 Kd7 23. Rfc1 Rc6 24. Rc2 Nxe3 25. fxe3 Rhc8 26. Rac1 Rc4 27. a3 R8c6 28. Kf2 a6 29. Nb1 Rxc2+ 30. Rxc2 Rxc2+ 31. Qxc2 Qb5 32. Nc3 Qc4 33. Qa4+ Qxa4 34. Nxa4 Kc6 35. Nc3 a5 36. Ke2 Bf8 37. Kd2 Be7 38. Kc2 Bf8 39. Kb3 b5 40. Na2 Be7 41. Kc2 Bf8 42. Nc1 Be7 43. Nb3 Bd8 44. Nc5 Bc8 45. Kd2 Be7 46. Kc3 Bf8 47. Nh5 Be7 48. Nf6 Be6 49. Nh5 Bc8 50. Nf4 Bd8 51. Kd3 Be7 52. Kc2 Bd8 53. Kd1 Be7 54. Nfd3 Bd8 55. Ke2 Be7 56. Kd2 ½ : ½ M. Brunello – E. Pähtz, 20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship, Antalya 2019. 8. ... gxh6. The critical line is 8. ... Qxb2 9. Nc3! Qxc3+ (9. ... gxh6 10. Nb5!↑ may well be uncomfortable for Black) 10. Bd2 Qa3 11. 0-0 with some compensation for White for the Pawn, Mantovani – Yemelin, 24th European Chess Club Cup, Kallithea 2008. 9. Qd2 Bg7 10. Nc3 0-0 11. 0-0 f6 12. exf6 Rxf6 13. Rad1!? Here Brunello prefers a solid approach, thus nullifying the surprise effect of her opening choices. More straightforward seems 13. Rac1 Rg6 14. Na4 Qd8 15. Rfd1 Rg4 16. h3 Rxd4 17. Nxd4 Nxd4 18. Nc3 Bd7 19. Bd3 Qf6 20. Ne2 Nxe2+ 21. Qxe2 e5 22. Bc4 dxc4 23. Rxd7 b5 24. Rcd1 a5 25. Rb7 1 : 0 Teclaf – Sieciechowicz, 8th Ferdynanda Dziedzica Memorial, Trzcianka 2018. 13. ... Bd7 14. Ne1 Raf8 15. f4 R6f7 16. Nc2 Qxb2 17. Nb5 a6 18. Rb1 Qxa2 19. Ra1 Qb2 20. Rfb1. White sees no sense in repeating moves with 20. Rab1, so it’s worthwhile trying. 20. ... Qxa1. Only engines can afford an objective assessment of 20. ... Qxc2 21. Qxc2 axb5 22. g3 Nxd4 which indeed seems fine for Black. 21. Rxa1 axb5 22. Rf1 b4 23. Nxb4 Nxb4? It was much tougher to break through after 23. ... Nxd4! (24. Bh5 Re7). Instead, now White’s Queen step by step manages to infiltrate Black’s defence and ultimately succeeds in forcing material gain. 24. Qxb4 Rxf4

25. Rd1. Changing a pair of Rooks should make White’s task a little easier, for after 25. Rxf4 Rxf4 26. g3! Black cannot take on d4: 26. ... Bxd4+?? (26. ... Rxd4?? 27. Qe7+−) 27. Kh1 Re4 28. Bh5! winning by force. 25. ... Bc6 26. Qb6 Kh8 27. Bf3 Ra8 28. h3 Ra4 29. Kh1 Rf8 30. Qc5 Rc4? Black’s Rook loses itself on an adventure of no return. With 30. ... Raa8! Black could still hope for a stubborn defence. 31. Qd6 Ra8 32. Qxe6 Rxd4 33. Rxd4 Bxd4 34. Bxd5 Re8 35. Qf7 Re1+ 36. Kh2 Be5+ 37. g3 Re2+ 38. Kh1 Bxd5+ 39. Qxd5 Re1+ 1 : 0.