Raw Data

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 4, 2026
Giuoco Piano C50

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Be3 Bxe3 6. fxe3 d6 7. Qd2 a6 8. Bb3 Be6 9. Nc3 Bxb3 10. axb3 d5 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. 0-0 0-0 13. Ne4 Qe7 14. Ng3 g6!? Finally, she turns the page and starts a new story. Vintage theory said 14. ... f5 15. e4 fxe4 16. Nxe4 Nd4 17. Nxd4 exd4 18. Qg5 Qxg5 19. Rxf8+ Rxf8 20. Nxg5 Ne3 21. Rc1 Rf6 22. Nf3 c5 23. c3 Rg6 24. g3 Rf6 25. Nd2 dxc3 26. Ne4 Rf5 27. bxc3 Rd5 28. c4 Re5 29. Ra1 Nc2 30. Ra5 Nb4 31. Rxc5 Nxd3 32. Rxe5 Nxe5 33. Nc5 b5 34. Nxa6 bxc4 ½–½ Lipiniks – Maderna, 25th Argentine Chess Championship, Buenos Aires 1946.
15. e4 Nf6 16. Kh1 Nd7 17. Ne2 Rad8 18. Rf2 Nc5 19. Nc3 Nb4 20. Raf1 f6 21. h4?! (21. Qh6 Ne6)
21. ... Ne6 22. Nh2?! (22. h5 f5)

22. ... Nd4! 23. Qd1 f5 24. g3. If 24. h5 then 24. ... f4! 25. Nb1 Ne6 26. Qg4 g5 with better prospects for Black.
24. ... f4 25. gxf4 Rxf4 26. h5 Ndxc2! 27. Rxc2 Rxf1+ 28. Nxf1 Nxc2 29. Qxc2 Qh4+ 30. Nh2 Rf8 31. Nd1 Qxh5

We have a most unbalanced situation, with two Knights against Rook and two Pawns, but, alas for White, her hippogriffs are too uncoordinated to be of great help for the defence from her opponent’s heavy battery.
32. Ne3 c6? A hesitation, which could cost her dearly. 32. ... Qh3! at once would preserve Black’s initiative similarly to the game.
33. Qc4+ Kg7 34. Ng4? White first ought to play 34. Qc5!, preventing Black’s next move, and only then Ne3-g4.
34. ... Qh3! Threatening ... Rf8-f1#.
35. Qc1 Qxd3 36. Qe1 Rf4 37. Nf2 Qg3 0–1.

Muzychuk proved to be better prepared for the Giuoco Piano than her opponent. Photo: Yoav Nis (Eugene Nisenbaum)/FIDE.