Rock On

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – Zhansaya Daniyarovna Abdumalik
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 1st stage; Astana, September 22, 2022
Sicilian Defence B33

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Nb8 9. a4 a6 10. Na3 Be7 11. Be2 0-0 12. 0-0 f5 13. b4 f4 14. Nc4. Theoretically speaking, the most recent reference is 14. a5 Bf5 15. c4 Nd7 16. Nb1 Bf6 17. Bg4 Bxg4 18. Qxg4 e4 19. Ra3 Be5 20. Nd2 Nf6 21. Qe2 f3 22. gxf3 Nh5 23. Nxe4 Qh4 24. Ng3 Rae8 25. Rd1 Bf4 26. Be3 Rf6 27. Rd4 Rh6 28. Qd2 g5 29. Re4 Rxe4 30. fxe4 Nf6 31. Kf1 Bxg3 32. fxg3 Qxe4 33. Kg1 Ng4 34. Qd3 Qe5 35. Qd4?? (⌓ 35. Bd2 Rxh2 36. Bc3) 35. ... Qf5 36. Qd3 Qe5 37. Qd4 Qf5 38. Qd3 Nxe3−+ 39. Qxe3 Qb1+ 40. Kg2 Qc2+ 41. Kf1 Rf6+ 42. Ke1 Qb1+ 43. Kd2 Kf8 44. Kc3 Rf1 45. Qe2 g4 46. Kd4 Rd1+ 47. Kc3 Qc1+ 0 : 1 Abdusattorov – Gukesh, 55th Biel International Chess Festival, Grandmaster Triathlon — Classical, Biel/Bienne 2022.
14. ... Bf5 15. f3 Nd7 16. Bd3 Rc8 17. a5 Qe8. First 17. ... Bxd3! might improve.
18. Bxf5 Rxf5 19. Qd3 Rh5 20. Bd2 Rh6 21. Be1 Qh5 22. h3 Rg6 23. Nd2

23. ... Rf8? After this Black’s planned attack inevitably ends up in a deadlock. Of course she could not play 23. ... Qxh3?? on account of 24. Qxg6 winning a Rook, but 23. ... e4! was the move, for if 24. Qxe4 (neither 24. fxe4? Bf6−+ nor 24. Nxe4? Ne5 25. Qe2 Qxh3−+ are playable) then 24. ... Re8 25. Kh2 Nf6 26. Qxf4 Qxd5 with good compensation for her Pawn.
24. Kh2 Bh4 25. Ne4 Nf6 26. Nxd6 Qg5

27. Rg1? This is, perhaps, White’s only major slip in the whole game. Best was 27. Qd2! Bg3+ 28. Kg1 leaving Black without prospects.
27. ... Bg3+? But Black, too, misses her opportunity: 27. ... Bxe1 28. Raxe1 Qg3+ 29. Kh1 Ng4! (probably the move overlooked by both them) 30. fxg4 f3 31. Ref1 fxg2+ 32. Rxg2 Rxf1+ 33. Qxf1 Qxh3+ 34. Kg1 Qe3+ 35. Qf2 Qc1+ with a draw by perpetual check.
28. Kh1 Rd8 29. Ne4 Qh4

30. c4. Black is not given a second chance as White’s Pawn avalanche moves forward irresistibly.
30. ... Nh5 31. c5 Bxe1 32. Raxe1 Ng3+ 33. Nxg3 Rxg3 34. Re2 Re8 35. d6 e4 36. d7! 1 : 0.

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) continued to stun audiences with her victories. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.