A Lucky Thing

Polina Sergeevna Shuvalova – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 1st stage; Astana, September 21, 2022
Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 d6 8. d4 Bb6 9. Be3 Bg4 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Bxb6 Bxf3 12. gxf3 cxb6 13. f4 Nc4 14. Bxc4. Too committal is 14. e5 dxe5 15. Bxc4 bxc4 16. fxe5 Ne4 17. Qg4 Qd5 18. Re1 Nc5 19. Na3 b5 20. Nc2 h5 21. Qd4 0-0-0⩱ Wahls – M. Adams, 15th German Schach Bundesliga, Hamburg 1995.
14. ... bxc4 15. Nd2 0-0 16. Qf3 b5 17. Kh1 g6 18. Rg1 Kh8 19. Rad1 Qe7 20. Rde1 Rad8 21. Re3 Nh5 22. Nf1 Qf6 23. Rg4 d5 24. e5 Qf5 25. Ng3 Nxg3+ 26. hxg3 d4 27. cxd4 Rxd4 28. Kg2 Qh5 29. Re1 Rd3 30. Qe2 Qf5 31. Rh4 (⌓ 31. Rg5 Qe6 32. f5 Qd5+ 33. Kg1 Re8)
31. ... Qe6 (⌓ 31. ... Kg7 Δ 32. Reh1 Rh8)
32. Qe4 Kg7 33. g4 Qd5 34. f5

34. ... Re8? This could cost Black dear. She had to play 34. ... Qxe4+ 35. Rxe4 g5! with at least equality.
35. Qxd5. Or, by inversion, 35. f6+! Kg8 36. Qxd5 Rxd5 37. Rh6! Rexe5 38. Reh1 Kf8 39. Rxh7 Ke8 40. Rg7 with a winning advantage.
35. ... Rxd5 36. f4? White was still in time for 36. f6+! Kg8 37. Rh6! transposing into the line given above.
36. ... g5 37. f6+ Kg8 38. Rh5 gxf4 39. Kf3 b4 40. Ke4 Rd6 41. Rf5 c3 42. bxc3 bxc3 43. Rc1 Rc6 44. Kxf4 c2 45. Ke3 h6 46. g5 Kh7 47. gxh6 Kg6 48. Rf2 Rxe5+ 49. Kd4 Rec5 50. Rh2 Kh7 51. a3 Rc4+ 52. Kd5 Rc3 53. Kd4 Rxa3 54. Rcxc2 Rxf6 55. Rcf2 Raf3 56. Rxf3 Rxf3

Black has an extra Pawn, but with correct play the ending must be drawn.

57. Ke5□ Rb3 58. Kf6 Rb7 59. Ra2 Ra7 60. Ra3 a5 61. Ra4 Kg8

62. Rg4+?? This careless check throws away the draw, allowing Black to win the h-Pawn by a King’s triangulation. White could draw in more ways than one, 62. Kg5 Kh7 63. Kf6!= being an instructive one.
62. ... Kh8!□ 63. Ra4 Kh7!□ 64. Ra1 a4 65. Ra3 Kg8 66. Ke5 Ra6 67. Rg3+ Kh8! 68. Ra3 Kh7 69. Rf3 f6+ 70. Kd4 0 : 1.

Not an easy win for 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr), but one that counts for two. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.