Thursday, May 26, 2022

In a Matter of Seconds

Divya Deshmukh – Olga Olehivna Babiy
4th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship; Qualifier 2 Swiss; time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, May 26, 2022
r2r2k1/1n3ppn/p2p4/P2Pp1P1/1pN5/5P1B/1PP2K2/2RR4 w - - 1 32

Position after 31. ... Nf6-h7

32. g6! fxg6. 32. ... Ng5 33. gxf7+ Kxf7 34. Bg4 also leaves White with the better game. 33. Be6+ Kf8. Clearly not 33. ... Kh8?? because of 34. Rh1! with the threat of 35. Rxh7+ Kxh7 36. Rh1#. 34. Rg1 Nf6 35. Rxg6. Stronger seems 35. Nb6 (defending d5), as after 35. ... Rab8 36. Rxg6 Nc5 White can play 37. Bf5 retaining a strong attack.


35. ... Ne8? This loses outright. Black could still hold on to a four Rooks ending a Pawn down by 35. ... Nc5! 36. Nb6 Nxe6 37. dxe6 (37. Nxa8 Nf4!=) 37. ... Rab8 38. Rcg1 Ke7 39. Rxg7+ Kxe6 40. Ra7 Nd5 41. Nxd5 Kxd5 42. Rxa6 Rbc8 with a drawish outlook. 36. Rh1! Threatening Nc4-e3-f5 followed by Rh1-h8#. 36. ... Nc5 37. Nb6 Ra7 (37. ... Rab8 38. Rh8+ Ke7 39. b3+−) 38. Rh8+ Ke7 39. Nc8+ Rxc8 40. Bxc8 Rc7 41. Bf5 Na4? No doubt, this is a way as another to surrender a lost cause. 42. Re6+ Kf7 43. Bg6# 1 : 0.

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