Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Humpy Koneru
FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal match game 4; Monte Carlo, October 29, 2022
6k1/3R3p/p3pPpP/4q3/P5Q1/7K/2r2PP1/8 b - - 4 40
Position after 40. Kh2-h3
In a must-win situtation, and in the middle of a mutual time-scramble, Muzychuk was lucky enough to be the one who made the next-to-last mistake! White’s 40th move, in fact, was a mistake, but Black’s reply is, alas for Koneru, a much more grave error:
40. ... Qf6? 40. ... Rxf2! would have probably saved a draw (41. Qg3 Qh5+ 42. Qh4 Rxf6=) and given the match victory to Koneru. Now White, thanks to back rank mate threats, wins the a-Pawn and the game, thus taking the match to a tie-breaker tomorrow.
41. Rg7+ Kh8 42. Ra7 Rc8 43. Qe4 Qg5 44. Qd4+ e5 45. Qh4 Qf5+ 46. Qg4 Qf8 47. Qg5 Re8 48. Rxa6
40. ... Qf6? 40. ... Rxf2! would have probably saved a draw (41. Qg3 Qh5+ 42. Qh4 Rxf6=) and given the match victory to Koneru. Now White, thanks to back rank mate threats, wins the a-Pawn and the game, thus taking the match to a tie-breaker tomorrow.
41. Rg7+ Kh8 42. Ra7 Rc8 43. Qe4 Qg5 44. Qd4+ e5 45. Qh4 Qf5+ 46. Qg4 Qf8 47. Qg5 Re8 48. Rxa6
48. ... Kg8. If 48. ... Qxf2? then 49. Qxe5+! Rxe5 50. Ra8+ followed by mate in two.
49. Rf6 Qe7 50. a5 Qd7+ 51. Kh2 e4 52. a6 Qc7+ 53. g3 e3
49. Rf6 Qe7 50. a5 Qd7+ 51. Kh2 e4 52. a6 Qc7+ 53. g3 e3
54. Qd5+ Kh8 55. Qd4 Kg8 56. Qd5+ Kh8 57. Rf7 Qc3 58. Qd7 1 : 0.
In a must-win game, the elder of the Muzychuk sisters gave proof of her best qualities. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE. |
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