Ready Player Two

Bela Khotenashvili – Marina Brunello
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 19, 2019
Réti Opening A07

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. 0-0 Bf5 5. d3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. Qe1 Be7 9. f4 Bg6. 9. ... Nfd7 10. Nf3 f5 11. e4 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 0-0 13. Nc3 fxe4 14. dxe4 d4 15. Nd1 e5 16. Nf2 c5 17. Qe2 Nc6 18. Bg4!↑ is just one of the countless exemplary games by Vladimir Borishovich Kramnik in which he built a splendid victory by elegant and simple means, Kramnik – Adhiban, 42nd Chess Olympiad, Baku 2016. So perhaps Black should prefer something like 9. ... h6 10. Kh1 Nbd7 11. e4 dxe4 12. dxe4 g5!? 13. fxg5 hxg5 14. Bxg5 Qc7 15. Nd2 0-0-0 16. Nc4 (Stefanova – Kosteniuk, Women’s Grand Prix 2015–2016, 1st stage, Monte Carlo 2015) and now Grandmaster Kevin Spraggett recommends 16. ... Ne5 17. Nxe5 (17. Bf4 Nfd7∞) 17. ... Qxe5 18. Bf4 Qxb2∞ with unclear play. 10. Nd2 Nfd7!? This doesn’t seem to add anything to 10. ... Qb6+ 11. Kh1 Nfd7 12. Ndf3 f6 13. Nxg6 hxg6 14. e4!± which likewise resulted in a clear advantage for White (even though in the end Black won!), Stefanova – Kosteniuk, ACP European Women’s Rapid Chess Championship, Kutaisi 2015. But superstition is not an exact science. 11. Ndf3 Nc5 12. b4 Na4. 12. ... Ne4!? seems a little more consistent, so as to reply to 13. Bb2 with 13. ... Bf6 — now, instead, there’s no easy way back for the Black Knight on a4. 13. Bd2

13. ... Qb6+? 13. ... 0-0! was probably a must (or a lesser evil, according to the viewpoints). 14. Kh1 d4? After this macabre corollary Black’s position rapidly falls apart. 15. Qf2! Bf6 16. g4! Bxh4 17. Nxh4 Na6 18. f5 exf5 19. Nxf5 0-0-0. 19. ... Bxf5 20. gxf5 (but 20. Qxf5 0-0 21. Rae1 seems also good for White) 20. ... 0-0-0 21. e4+− is hardly better. 20. Nxg7 Kb8 21. Nf5 Nc7. By now demoralised, Brunello tries to invent some moves more just to make her defeat less bitter. 22. Bg5 Ne6 23. Bxd8 Qxd8 24. Qg3+ Ka8 25. Qd6 Qg5 26. Nxd4 h5 27. Nxe6 1 : 0. For mate or loss of the Queen follows.

Marina Brunello tried very hard to take Bela Khotenashvili off guard, but luck was not on her side. But after all, tomorrow is another day, and tomorrow she will play against Olga Alexandrovna Girya. Photo: Turkish Chess Federation.