Between Two Days

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2019–20; 4th stage; Catalan Bay, June 1, 2021
Slav Defence D17

1. c4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Nb6 8. Ne5 a5 9. f3 Nfd7 10. Nxd7 Bxd7 11. e4 e6 12. Be3 Bb4 13. Be2 0-0 14. 0-0 Qe7. Probably sounder is 14. ... Rc8 15. Rc1⩲ (Muzychuk). 15. Na2 c5? An unfortunate novelty which definitely does not improve theory: 15. ... Bd6 16. Qb3 Bc7 17. Rac1 Rab8 18. Rfd1 Nc8 19. Nc3 f5 20. Kh1 Kh8 21. Rf1 Rd8 22. Bd3 Qd6 23. g3 Qf8 24. Ne2 Bd6 25. Bf4 b5 26. axb5 cxb5 27. e5 a4 28. Qa2 Bb4 29. d5 Qe8 30. Bg5 Be7 31. Bxe7 Nxe7 32. dxe6 Bxe6 33. Qxe6 Rxd3 34. Nf4 Rd2 35. Rc7 Ng6 36. Qxf5 Nxf4 37. gxf4 Rbd8 38. Rxg7 Kxg7 39. Qf6+ Kg8 40. Rg1+ Qg6 41. Rxg6+ hxg6 42. Qxg6+ Kh8 43. Qh6+ Kg8 44. f5 R8d7 45. e6 Rd1+ 46. Kg2 Rg7+ 47. Kf2 Rgg1 48. Qh4 Rde1 49. Qd8+ Kh7 50. Qd7+ Kh6 51. Qxb5 1 : 0 Navara – Ledger, 13th Four Nations Chess League, Birmingham 2005. 16. Nxb4 cxb4

17. d5! Nc8. After 17. ... Nxa4 18. dxe6 White wins two pieces for the Rook. 18. d6 Qf6. Of course the capture of the Pawn would cost Black a piece (after 18. ... Nxd6?? 19. Bc5 or 18. ... Qxd6?? 19. Qxd6 Nxd6 20. Rfd1).

19. f4! e5 20. Qd5 Bc6. Not good, but 20. ... exf4 is not much better as White has only the embarrassment of choice between several good moves (22. Rxf4 is probably simplest). 21. fxe5 Qg6 (21. ... Qxf1+ 22. Rxf1 Bxd5 23. exd5+−) 22. Qd4 Bxe4 (22. ... Qxe4 23. Qxe4 Bxe4 24. Bc4+−) 23. Bf3 Bxf3 24. Rxf3 Na7. Material is even, but White’s strategic initiative is crushing.

25. Qh4! Nc6. Black gives up the Exchange in order to delay as long as possible the inevitable surrender. If 25. ... Qe6 then 26. Rh3 h6 27. Rg3! with irresistible attack. 26. Rg3 Qe6 27. Bh6 g6 28. Bxf8 Rxf8 29. Re1. Muzychuk forces liquidation on her way toward securing a technical win. 29. ... Nxe5 30. Qe7 Re8 31. Qxe6 Rxe6 32. Rge3 f6 33. Rd1 Re8 34. Re2 Rd8 35. Rc2 Nc6 (35. ... Rd7 36. Rc7+−) 36. d7 Kf7

37. Rc5. White offers the d-Pawn for the a-Pawn, after which winning is only a matter of technique. 37. ... Ke7 38. Rb5 Rb8 39. d8=Q+! Nxd8 40. Rxa5 Nc6 41. Rad5 h5 42. Re1+ Ne5 43. Rb5 Kf7 44. Rd1 g5 45. Rxb4 Kg6 46. a5 Ra8 47. Ra1 Ra7 48. Rb5 h4 49. h3 Nc4 50. b4 Nd6 51. Rd5 Ne4 52. b5 b6 53. a6 Nc3 54. Rd6 Nxb5 55. Rxb6 Nc7 56. Ra5 Nxa6 57. Raxa6 Rf7 58. Kf2 Rf8 59. Kf3 Kf5 60. Rb5+ Kg6 61. Ke4 1 : 0.

Damsels, dragons and knights will have to wait for Godot until tomorrow, at high noon. Photo © John Saunders.