Her Mother’s Daughter

Apurva Virkud – Sabina-Francesca Foişor
57th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 9, 2017
Nimzo-Indian Defence E39

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 0-0 5. Nf3 c5 6. dxc5 Na6 7. c6 bxc6 8. g3 d5 9. Bd2? A disastrous novelty. Theory gives 9. Bg2 or 9. a3; for instance: 9. a3 Bxc3+ 10. Qxc3 Nc5 11. Bg2 Ba6 12. Qc2 dxc4 13. 0-0 Nb3 14. Rb1 Qa5 15. Bg5 Rad8 16. Rfe1 Rd5 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. Qe4 Nd2 19. Qg4+ Kh8 20. Rbc1 Rfd8 21. Qf4 Kg7 22. Qg4+ Kh8 23. Qf4 Kg7 24. Qg4+ ½ : ½ Ivanišević – Pelletier, 40th Chess Olympiad, Istanbul 2012. 9. ... d4 10. Ne4 Rb8 11. Nxf6+ Qxf6 12. Bg2 e5 13. 0-0 Bf5. Black stands much better already. 14. Qc1 Bxd2 15. Qxd2 h6 16. Qa5 c5 17. b3 e4 18. Nd2 Rfe8 19. Rad1 Rb6 20. Nb1 Qe7 21. e3 Bg4 22. Rd2? This allows Black a superb crescendo.

22. ... Nb4! Cutting Her Majesty off from the world. 23. exd4. If, instead, 23. h3 then 23. ... Ra6! 24. Qb5 Bd7 25. Qb7 Qd8! with the threat of ... Bd7-c6 trapping the White Queen. 23. ... e3! 24. fxe3 Qxe3+ 25. Kh1. Also 25. Rdf2 is met by 25. ... Rf6. 25. ... Rf6 26. Rg1 Qxg1+! 27. Kxg1 Re1+ 28. Bf1 Rfxf1+ 29. Kg2 Rg1+ 30. Kf2 Ref1+ 31. Ke3 Rf3+ 0 : 1. For after 31. Ke2 (or 32. Ke4 Re1+) 32. ... Rf5+ 33. Ke3 Re1+ mate follows.

Standing is Nazí Paikidze literally “struck to the board” of Sabina-Francesca Foişor’s game. Photo: Christopher Yapp‏ (@yappattack).

Blue Hair

Tatev Abrahamyan – Apurva Virkud
57th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, March 29, 2017
Sicilian Defence B80

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 e6 7. Be3 b5 8. Qd2 Nbd7 9. g4 Nb6 10. a4 Nc4 11. Bxc4 bxc4 12. a5 Bb7 13. Na4 Qc7. The critical alternative is 13. ... Rc8 14. Qc3 Nd7 15. 0-0-0 Be7 16. h4 Bxh4 17. Ne2 Bf6 18. Bd4 e5 19. Be3 Be7 20. Kb1 Qc7 21. Nb6 Nxb6 22. axb6 Qd7 23. Rh5 f6 24. Ng3 g6 25. Rh2 0-0 26. Rhd2 ½ : ½ Lékó – Kasparov, 22nd Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez, Linares 2005. 14. Nb6 Rb8. For 14. ... Rd8 15. 0-0-0 Be7 16. g5 Nd7 17. Ne2 0-0 18. Nc3 Qc6 19. h4 see Spoelman – van Assendelft, 12th HZ Open Chess Tournament, Vlissingen 2008. 15. Ra4!? d5!? Both players are probably playing by ear. 16. g5 Nd7 17. exd5 Nxb6? One cannot afford such carelessness when playing the Sicilian. Correct was 17. ... Bxd5 (18. Nxd5 exd5). 18. axb6 Qd7. If 18. ... Qxb6? then 19. Nxe6! Qxb2 20. Nc7+ Kd7 21. 0-0! Kxc7 22. Rxc4+ Kd7 23. d6! with a crushing attack. 19. Rxc4 Qxd5 20. Rc7 Bd6? This leads to a disaster, but also after the comparatively better 20. ... Qd6 (Stockfish) 21. Kf2! Qxb6 22. Nxe6 Qxe6 23. Re1 Black is doomed.

21. c4 Qe5 22. Rxb7! Rxb7 23. Nc6 Qf5. Desperation, as after 23. ... Bb4 25. Nxe5 Bxd2+ 26. Kxd2 White’s two united passers are irresistible. 24. Qxd6 f6 25. 0-0. Or 25. Qd8+ Kf7 26. Qxh8 Qb1+ 27. Kf2 Qxh1 28. Nd8+ Ke7 29. Bc5+ Kd7 30. Qxg7+ Ke8 31. Qf8+ Kd7 32. Qe7+ Kc8 33. Qxb7+ Kxd8 34. Qc7+ and mate next move. 25. ... Rf8 26. Nd4 Qd3 27. Qxe6+ Re7 28. Qc6+ Kf7 29. Qd5+ Kg6 30. Bf4 Rff7 31. gxf6 gxf6 32. Nc6 Rd7 33. Qxd3+ Rxd3 34. Na5 1 : 0.

Tatev Abrahamyan
Photo: Lennart Ootes‏ (@LennartOotes)