A Saturday Afternoon with a Difference

Ante Brkić – Davor Rogić
21st Croatian Chess Championship; Vinkovci, June 27, 2020
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d3 0-0 6. c3 d6 7. Re1 a6 8. a4 Ba7 9. h3 h6 10. Nbd2 Be6. The titled alternative is 10. ... Re8 11. Nf1 Be6 12. Bxe6 Rxe6 13. Be3 Bxe3 14. Nxe3 d5 15. Qc2 Qd7 16. Rad1 Rd8= M. O. Muzychuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Lviv 2016, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 1. 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. b4 b5!?TN (12. ... Nh5 13. Ra2 Qf6 14. Nc4 b5 15. Ne3 Bb6 16. Ng4 Qe7 17. Be3 Bxe3 18. fxe3⩲ Anand – Carlsen, 5th Norway Chess, Stavanger 2017) 13. Nf1 d5 14. Ng3 Qd6 15. Qb3 Kh7?! His Majesty stands very badly here. 16. Bb2. 16. d4! Nd7 17. axb5 axb5 18. Be3 was probably White’s best line of play. 16. ... Nd7 17. d4

17. ... Rae8. 17. ... Rxf3! 18. gxf3 exd4 19. Kg2 d3! gives Black excellent play for the Exchange. 18. Rad1 exd4 19. cxd4 Qxb4?? This is a ruinous blunder that loses immediately — it was not too late for the Black King to backtrack with 19. ... Kg8(!). 20. Qc2!+− Qc4 21. Qb1 Ncb8 22. Rc1 Qb4 23. exd5+ Kg8 24. dxe6 Nf6 25. Rxc7 Bb6 26. Rb7 Nd5 27. Nf5 Bc7 28. Nxh6+! 1 : 0. If 28. ... gxh6 then 29. Qg6+ Kh8 30. Qxh6+ Kg8 31. Rxc7 Nxc7 32. Qg6+ Kh8 33. Re4 with unavoidable mate, while if 28. ... Kh8 there is 29. Ng5 winning much material and eventually mating.

After nine rounds, Ante Brkić is now in the lead by half a point over Robert Zelčić. Photo: Croatian Chess Federation.