Monte Carlo Methods

Humpy Koneru – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal match game 1; Monte Carlo, October 25, 2022

Queen’s Gambit Accepted D27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. 0-0 a6 7. b3 Nbd7 8. Be2 b6 9. Ne5 Bb7 10. Bf3 Bxf3!? A good novelty. If, instead, 10. ... Qc7 then 11. Nxd7 Qxd7 12. Bb2⩲ 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Aronian, 2nd Online Speed Chess Championship Main Event, chess.com, December 6, 2021, Quarterfinal match game 5 (time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move).
11. Qxf3 Bd6 12. Nxd7 Nxd7 13. Ba3 Qb8 14. dxc5 Nxc5 15. Qc6+ Ke7 16. Nd2

16. ... Rc8!? Simpler and safer is 16. ... Qb7! 17. Qxb7+ Nxb7 18. Bb2 f6 with approximate equality.
17. Qf3 Bxh2+!? Even a Pawn may well prove a temptation hard to resist.
18. Kh1

18. ... Bd6? It was probably wiser to return the Pawn by 18. ... Be5 19. Rac1 Kf8 20. Ne4 Kg8 21. Nxc5 bxc5 22. Bxc5 a5 with near equality.
19. Nc4 Kf8? And here is the losing move. 19. ... Ke8! was called for, reserving the square f8 for the Bishop.
20. Rad1 Be7 21. Bxc5 bxc5 22. Rd7. Threatening to trap the queen with Rd7-b7.
22. ... Ra7

23. Nd6! Qxd6. If 23. ... Bxd6 then 24. Qxf7#.
24. Rxa7 1 : 0.

A Knight, a Knight! My kingdom for a Knight! Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.