Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Plus One

Zhansaya Daniyarovna Abdumalik – Antoaneta Stefanova
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2019–20; 4th stage; Catalan Bay, May 26, 2021
Scotch Game C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qf6 5. Nb3 Qg6 6. f3 Bd6 7. Nc3 Nge7 8. f4!? A fresh novelty with few pretenses, except maybe avoiding 8. Be3?! which gives Black a Pawn for no obvious return after 8. ... Bxh2! (余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) – Carlsen, 3rd World Rapid Chess Championship, Dubai 2014). 8. ... Bb4 9. f5 Qf6 10. Bd3


10. ... Bd6? An ugly move which cramps Black’s game irreparably. Black ought to play 10. ... Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Qxc3+ 12. Bd2 Qf6 though after 13. 0-0 White’s development advantage should compensate for the Pawn. 11. Qh5 a5?! (⌓ 11. ... h6 12. 0-0±) 12. 0-0 a4. Now 12. ... h6 is demolished by 13. e5! with the same breakthrough as in the game. 13. Bg5 Qe5 14. Bf4 Qf6. Perhaps Black could defend more stubbornly with 14. ... Qxf4 15. Rxf4 Bxf4, even though 16. Nc1 a3 17. b3 Be5 18. N1e2 leaves White with a huge advantage.


15. e5! Bxe5. 15. ... Nxe5 16. Ne4 does not make any difference. 16. Ne4. Game over; the rest is easy: 16. ... Qxf5 17. Nd6+ cxd6 18. Bxf5 axb3 19. Bxe5 Nxe5 20. Be4 bxa2 21. Qd1 Ra6 22. Bd5 Ra5 23. Bxa2 d5 24. Qe1 N5c6 25. b4 Rb5 26. c3 0-0 27. Qe2 Rb6 28. b5 1 : 0.

Short wins often look easy, and sometimes they are quite so. Photo © John Saunders.

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