Restless Thoughts in Restless Times

Ayah Moaataz – Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, July 12, 2021
3R4/1rp1rk2/q4p1p/5n2/1p6/1P2NPP1/2QP1K1P/8 b - - 3 36

Position after 36. Qb2-c2

Former Women’s World Champion Ushenina suffered a terrible setback in the first classical game of her mini-match against Woman International Master Moaataz. In spite of her spending huge amounts of time in the opening, four moves before the time control Ukrainian Grandmaster had a totally won game, but little more than a minute to reach the 40th move. 36. ... Ng7? And she overlooks the petite combinaison 36. ... Rxe3! 37. dxe3 Qf1+! winning elegantly. 37. Qh7 c5? Moaataz, too, is short of time. The text move (not wrong in itself) had to be preceded by 37. ... Rxe3! 38. dxe3 (38. Kxe3 c6!−+) 38. ... Qa2+ 39. Kf1 (or 39. Kg1) 39. ... c5 — preventing Rd8-d7+ — followed by the penetration of the Rook via the a-file (if 40. Rg8 then 40. ... Qa1+ 41. Kg2 f5−+). 38. f4? A lucky mistake! Objectively speaking, however, White ought to have played 38. Rg8! Ke6 39. Qe4+ Kf7 40. Qh7 Ke6 with a draw by repetition. 38. ... Rbd7? And Ushenina’s third mistake in a row is the decisive one! Once again 38. ... Rxe3! was the right move, for after 39. dxe3 (39. Kxe3 Re7+−+) 39. ... f5! Black must win. 39. Qg8+ Kg6 40. f5+ Kh5. 40. ... Kg5 41. Qh7 is very much the same as the game. 41. Qh7 1 : 0. Mate follows in a few moves.