On the Way Home

Marina Brunello – Jovana Vojinović-Rapport
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 22, 2019
Caro-Kann Defence B13

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. c3 Bf5 6. Nd2 e6 7. Ngf3 Bd6 8. Bxd6 Qxd6 9. Nh4 Bg6 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. Nf3 Nf6. A recent game continued with: 11. ... Nge7 12. Bd3 Nf5 13. g3 0-0-0 14. Qe2 Qc7 15. Kf1 Rhe8 16. Kg2 e5 17. Bxf5+ gxf5 18. dxe5 Nxe5 19. Rhe1 f6 20. Nd4⩲ Tristan – Valerga, 22nd Copa Mercosur, Buenos Aires 2018. 12. h3 Ne4 13. Bd3 Qf4 14. Qe2 Nd6 15. g3 Qf6 16. h4 Rh5 17. 0-0-0 0-0-0 18. Rhe1 Qe7 19. Kb1 Kb8 20. Qd2 Qc7 21. Qf4 Rc8 22. Ne5. Threatening Ne5xf7 followed by Bd3xg6. 22. ... Rhh8 23. Rc1 Na5 24. Re3 Rhe8 25. Rce1 Ka8

26. Nxf7! Brunello bravely goes for a promising Knight sacrifice for three Pawns and — even more importantly — a powerful Kingside Pawn majority. 26. ... Nxf7 27. Qxc7 Rxc7 28. Rxe6 Rxe6 29. Rxe6 Nc6 30. Rxg6 Nfd8 31. Rd6 Rf7 32. f4 Re7 33. Kc2 Re3 34. Rg6 Re7 35. Kd2 Ne6 36. Bf5 Nc7 37. Rd6 Re8 38. Bg4 Rd8 39. Rg6 Ne8 40. h5 Kb8. Time control reached, White finally mobilises her majority: 41. Be6! Rd6 42. f5! Kc7 43. g4 Kd8 44. g5 Ne7 45. h6! Nxg6 46. fxg6 gxh6 (46. ... Rxe6?? 47. h7+−) 47. gxh6 Rxe6 48. h7 Rxg6 49. h8=Q Rd6. Brunello has squeezed the most from her Pawns, but of course the game is far from over, as her opponent can — not unrealistically — cultivate the hope for a fortress on the Queenside. 50. Qe5 b5 51. Qg5+ Nf6 52. Qg7 a6 53. Qb7 Ne8 54. a4 Nc7 55. b3 Kd7 56. Qb8 bxa4 57. bxa4 Rc6 58. Kc2 Rc4 59. Kb3 Rc6 60. Qf8 Rb6+ 61. Kc2 Rc6 62. Qf5+ Kd6 63. Qh3 Rc4 Rc4 64. Kb3 Kc6 65. Qg3 Kd7 66. Qg6 Kc8 67. Qf7 Kb8 68. Qd7 Kb7 69. Kc2 Kb6 70. Kd2 Rc6 71. Qh7 Rc4 72. Qb1+ Kc6 73. Qb3 Kd7 74. Ke3 Rc6 75. Kf4 Rf6+ 76. Ke5 Re6+ 77. Kf5 Rc6 78. Qa3 Kc8 79. Qb2 Kd7 80. Qd2 Kc8 81. Qd3 Kb7 82. Qh3 Kb6 1 : 0. There’s no win in the final position, indeed — but somehow, after quite a long broadcasting blackout, the magic result appeared on the screen, which meant for Marina Brunello to finish at 16th place with 7/11.

A group picture taken backstage after or before the awarding ceremony. The first from right is Marina Brunello, the third from left is Olga Anatolyevna Zimina (40th with 6½), and, finally, next to her is Maria Palma (116th with 3½). Photo: Turkish Chess Federation.