In The Middle of Things

谢军 (Xiè Jūn) – Alisa Mikhailovna Galliamova
Women’s World Chess Championship match game 6; Kazan, August 4, 1999
Sicilian Defence B33

“This nice positional game reiterates that while ‘opposite-coloured Bishops’ often lead to draws in the endgame, in the prosecution of middlegame attacks they can be utterly ferocious. After 谢 (Xiè) created a deadpoint with 22. exd5 she was mercilessly crushed”, Grandmaster Jon Speelman wrote in his The Independent chess column of Friday, August 13, 1999. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 Bg5 12. Nc2 0-0 13. g3 Ne7 14. Ncb4 Be6 15. Bg2 a5 16. Nxe7+ Qxe7 17. Nd5 Qb7 18. 0-0 b4 19. c4 Rfc8 20. Qd3 a4 21. Rfd1 Bxd5 22. exd5? g6

23. Re1 Qa7 24. Rad1 Rc7 25. Qe2 Rac8 26. Bf1 Rc5 27. Kg2 Qc7 28. f3 f5 29. Qc2 Qd7 30. Bd3 Rb8 31. Qf2 Bf6 32. Kh1 b3 33. a3 Qg7 34. Rb1 Rf8 35. Qd2 Bd8 36. Rf1 Ba5 37. Qg2 Rc7 38. g4 Bb6 39. gxf5 gxf5 40. Qd2 Kh8 41. Rbe1 Rg8 42. Qe2 Qg6 43. h3 Rcg7 44. Qh2 Qh5 45. Be2 Qh4 46. Bd3 e4 47. Bxe4 fxe4 48. Rxe4 Rg1+ 0 : 1.