Journey Round the World

Vantika Agrawal – Annamária Marjanovics

4th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship; Qualifier 1 Knockout; Final match game 17; time control: 1 minute plus 1 second per move; chess.com, May 25, 2022

r3rnk1/1p1bq1bn/p2p1pp1/2pPp3/P1P1P1PN/2N1B2Q/1P2BP2/R3K2R w KQ - 4 23

Position after 22. ... Bc8-d7

By virtue of her win against Hungarian Woman Grandmaster Annamária Marjanovics, Indian Woman Grandmaster Vantika Agrawal claimed first place in the Qualifier 1 as well as a spot in the forthcoming Main Event of the 4th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship. The conclusion of the last game of the Final well summarises the story in a few lines: 23. Nxg6! Qf7 (23. ... Nxg6 24. Qxh7+ Kf7 25. Bh6 Qf8 26. g5!+−) 24. Nxf8 Nxf8 25. Kd2! Qg6 26. Rag1 b5 27. cxb5 axb5 28. axb5 Reb8

29. Qh5! Qxh5 30. gxh5 Kh7 31. h6 Bh8 32. Rg3 Ng6 33. Rhg1 Rg8 34. Bg4 Bxg4 35. Rxg4 Ne7 36. Rxg8 Nxg8 37. Kc2 Nxh6 38. Bxh6 Kxh6 39. Rg3 Bg7 40. Rh3+ Kg6 41. Rg3+ Kf7 42. Rh3 Rb8 43. Kd3 Bf8 44. Kc4 Ra8 45. b3 Rb8 46. Na4 Be7 47. b6 Bd8 48. Kb5 Ke8 49. Rh8+ Kd7 50. Rh7+ Kc8

51. Kc6. Black is in zugzwang. 51. ... Ra8 52. b7+ 1 : 0.