Cosmopolitan Europe

Here are the three medal winners of the 18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship ended today in Riga, Latvia: gold medal to Nana Dzagnidze from Georgia (first picture from above), silver to the young and very gifted Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina from Russia (second picture from above), and bronze to Alisa Mikhailovna Galliamova from Russia (third picture from above). Most curiously, the gold winner heard the national anthem of Georgia from the European Chess Union (ECU) President Zurab Azmaiparashvili’s smartphone (first picture from above). All photos: Chess-News.ru.

A Matter of Honour

Marina Brunello – Sarah Hoolt
18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Riga, April 22, 2017
Sicilian Defence B85

The last round may be not an easy game, especially when you have to play for any takes but the honour. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 d6 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Be3 Be7 9. f4 0-0 10. Kh1 Bd7 11. Qe1 b5 12. a3 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Bc6 14. Qg3 g6 15. Bf3 Qd7 16. Rae1. It’s too hard to resist the temptation to show an everlasting masterpiece by Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov: 16. Rad1 Qb7 17. f5 e5 18. Be3 b4 19. axb4 Qxb4 20. Bg5 Qxb2 21. Rd3 Qxc2 22. Bd1 Qb2 23. Bxf6 Bxf6 24. Rxd6 Bb5 25. Rf2 Qc1 26. Rxf6 Rac8 27. Rc2 Qa1 28. fxg6 hxg6 29. Rd6 Rc7 30. Qxe5 Rfc8 31. Qd5 Kg7 32. Qd4+ Kh7 33. Nxb5 1 : 0 Karpov – Hübner, Horten Tournament, Bad Kissingen 1980. 16. ... Rac8 17. Nd1. An older try is 17. f5 Ne8? (17. ... e5) 18. Bg4? (18. fxe6 fxe6 19. Nd5!) 18. ... Nf6 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. fxe6 fxe6 21. Nd5 Be5 22. Qh3 Rce8 23. Rxf8+ ½ : ½ Pritchett – D. Cramling, Troon 1984. 17. ... Ne8 18. Ne3 Bf6 19. Bxf6 Nxf6 20. e5!? I’m not so sure that this is better than 20. f5, but probably White is following her home preparation. 20. ... Bxf3 21. exf6 Be4 22. c3. And here again 22. f5 deserved serious consideration, as with her next Rook lift Black sets up a very aggressive... defence. 22. ... Rc5! 23. Rd1 Rd8 24. Rd4 Qc6 25. Rfd1 h5 26. Kg1 Kh7 27. Qf2 e5! 28. fxe5 Rxe5 29. Qf4 g5 30. Qf2 d5 31. h4? Most likely White was not feeling at her ease as after – for instance – 31. c4!? bxc4 32. Nxc4 Re6 the f6-Pawn appears to be doomed, but certainly the text doesn’t help the cause. 31. ... Rg8 32. Rf1 Qe6 33. Qg3 gxh4 34. Qxh4 Reg5 35. Rf2 Qe5. Threatening ... Rg5-g3. 36. Qh2? White is tired to suffer and decides to end the ordeal. 36. ... Rg3−+ 37. Rdd2. Unluckily for the Tricolour 37. Rxe4? dxe4 38. Rf5 is brutally met by 38. ... Rxg2+.

37. ... Bxg2! 38. Rxg2. Or 38. Nxg2 Qe1+ and wins. 38. ... Qxe3+ 39. Kf1 Rf3+ 40. Rgf2 Rh3 0 : 1.

The Customer Is Not Always Right

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova – Marina Brunello
18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Riga, April 21, 2017
Old Indian Defence A55

1. c4 c6 2. e4 e5 3. Nf3 d6 4. d4 Nd7 5. Nc3 Ngf6 6. Be2 Be7. Brunello adopted the Old Indian Defence, which was pioneered by Mikhail Ivanovich Chigorin. It’s not probably the best choice to upset a methodical opponent such as Zhukova, who usually spends a lot of time on solid building plans, regularly ending up, however, in serious time trouble. 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Qc2 a5 9. Be3 exd4. Surrendering the centre is maybe not wrong, but I cannot see it as right. 10. Nxd4 Nc5 11. Rad1 Qc7 12. h3 Re8 13. f4 Bf8 14. Bf3 Nfd7. Black starts tangling up her Knights, searching for the best possible harmony. The “must go” of the on-line databases was instead 16. ... a4 17. Bf2 g6 18. g4 with the initiative for White, Martinović – Kožul, 21st Croatian Chess Championship, Poreč 2014. 15. Bf2 Ne6 16. Nde2 g6 17. Qd2 Nec5 18. b3 Qb6 19. Rb1 Qc7 20. Rfd1 Nf6? This is the worst possible move as it allows White to advance the e-Pawn (after Bf2xc5) with gain of time (as she is attacking the Knight) – otherwise Black might answer e4-e5 by ... Bc8-f5. 21. Bxc5 dxc5 22. e5. Now White’s Knight will jump to e4 with awkward consequences for our cause. 22. ... Nd7 23. Ne4 Bg7. If Black wanted to avoid an invasion on d6, she should have played ... Bf8-e7. 24. N2c3 Re7 25. Qf2 f6 26. Qh4. Zhukova achieved an imposing position, which will turn out to be quite easy to play even under time pressure. 26. ... g5. Brunello cleverly goes for complications, but her fierce resistance runs out of tricks after time control. 27. fxg5 fxg5 28. Nxg5 Bxe5

29. Bd5+! Nevertheless, 29. Nd5! cxd5 30. Bxd5+ Kh8 31. Rf1 was also much strong. 29. ... cxd5 30. Nxd5 Qd6 31. Ne4 Bh2+ 32. Kh1 Rxe4 33. Qxe4 Be5 34. Rf1 Nf8 35. Nb6 Qxb6 36. Qxe5 Qh6 37. Rf3 Qg7 38. Rg3 Ng6 39. Qxc5 Bd7 40. Qd5+ Qf7 41. Qxb7 Rf8 42. Rd1 1 : 0.

An Arrow in the Wall

Marina Brunello – Salome Melia
18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Riga, April 20, 2017
Sicilian Defence B63

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 Qb6 7. Nb3 e6 8. Bxf6 gxf6 9. Qd2 Bd7 10. 0-0-0 0-0-0 11. f4 Rg8 12. Bd3!? A novelty. White aims for a quick f4-f5, not caring too much about her Bishop pair. On the other hand, Melia often played this variation – where Black usually suffers a little – with both colours; for 12. g3 Na5 13. Kb1 Nxb3 14. axb3 Qc5 15. Bh3 Kb8 16. f5 see Šarić – Melia, Mediterranean Open, Rijeka 2008, while for 12. Qe2 Na5 13. Kb1 Nxb3 14. axb3 Qc5 15. g3 Kb8 16. f5 see Paikidze – Melia, 66th Women’s Georgian Chess Championship, Tbilisi 2009. And finally, for 12. Kb1 Kb8 13. Qe2 Be8 14. Qh5 h6 15. g3 a6 16. Bh3 see Melia – Khukhashvili, 62nd Women’s Georgian Chess Championship, Tblisi 2005. 12. ... Kb8 13. Rhf1 Nb4 14. g3 Nxd3+ 15. Qxd3 h5 16. f5 Be7 17. Kb1 a6 18. Qe2 Rg5 19. Rf4 Rh8 20. Nd2 Rc8 21. Qd3 Qc5 22. Nf3 Rgg8 23. Rh4 Rh8? White manouvered well obtaining an edge, but the absence of the light-squared Bishop might prevent her to achieve something more tangible. Here it seems very convincing Stockfish’s pyrotechnic liquidation by 23. ... exf5! 24. Rxh5 fxe4! with a tenable game for Black. 24. Nd4! Qe5? And here, probably, Black had nothing better than to hold on and wait by ... Rc8-g8-g5. 25. Qe2! The punishment was immediate and now Black is in serious trouble. So, you might even see Melia’s next move as a sign of desperation: 25. ... b5?

26. Nd5!! An explosive sacrifice – aesthetically in the style of Yugoslav Grandmaster Dragoljub Velimirović – which literally disintegrates Black’s position. 26. ... exf5. Not 26. ... exd5 on account of 27. Nf3 trapping the Black Queen in the middle of the board. 27. Nb6! Be6. Black cannot save the Rook, as both 27. ... Rc7 and 27. ... Rcd8 after 28. Nxd7+ Rxd7 29. Nc6+ would cost her the Queen. 28. Nxe6 Qxe6 29. Nxc8. Black is by now doomed and helpless, both materially and positionally. Brunello confidently brings home the whole point. 29. ... Rxc8 30. Qd3 Rc5 31. exf5 Rxf5 32. a4 Qd7 33. Rd4 Re5 34. Rd5 Qb7 35. axb5 axb5 36. Qb3 b4 37. Rxe5 fxe5 38. Qxf7 e4 39. Qd5 Qb6 40. Qxe4 Bf6 41. Qe8+ Bd8 42. Qxh5 b3 43. cxb3 Qxb3 44. Qd5 1 : 0.

Things simply happen

Alexandra Zherebtsova – Marina Brunello
18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Riga, April 19, 2017
Semi-Slav Defence D45

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bd2 Qe7 8. h3!? h6? This seems very odd. 9. 0-0-0 dxc4!? No better is 9. ... a6 10. Kb1 dxc4 11. e4 Bc7 12. Bxc4 b5 13. Bd3 c5 14. dxc5 Nxc5 15. Nxb5! axb5 16. Bxb5+ Bd7 17. Bb4 Bb6 18. Rxd7! Nfxd7 19. Ne5 Rd8 20. Nxd7 Rxd7 21. Rd1 0-0 22. Rxd7 Qg5 23. f4 Qh5 24. Be2 Qh4 25. Bxc5 Rc8 26. b4 Bxc5 27. bxc5 Qe1+ 28. Rd1 Qb4+ 29. Ka1 Rxc5 30. Qb3 1 : 0 Dlugy – I. Schneider, 50th U.S. Chess Championship, San Diego 2006. 10. Bxc4 b5 11. Bd3 b4 12. Na4 Bb7 13. e4 e5? It took much courage to play Stockfish’s sacrificial line 13. ... c5!? 14. e5 cxd4, but subjectively and objectively it was the best Black could do. 14. dxe5. Not bad, but 14. Nh4! g6 15. f4! appears to be crushing Black. 14. ... Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Bxe5 16. Be3 Rd8 17. Bc5 Qc7 18. Bxb4 Bd4 19. Nc5 0-0 20. Nxb7 Qxb7 21. Bxf8 Kxf8. Black paid a high price – she is an Exchange and a Pawn down – for clinging to illusions of counterplay, but now, finally, she can play for “something” to happen. 22. Rhe1 Rb8 23. Re2 c5 24. Bc4 Nd7 25. Bd5 Qa6 26. Qd3 Qa5 27. Rc2 Ne5 28. Qd2 Qa6 29. f4 Nd7. Now, after 30. e5 Nb6 31. Bb3 would be very difficult for Black to find any compensation for her material deficit, but the left hand of fate suddenly comes to rescue her:

30. Bb3?? Really an incredible blunder! One cannot even think that Zherebtsova inadvertedly touched the Bishop, for, in such case, 30. Bxf7 would have been much better than the text. Was Zherebtsova under time pressure? No, not particularly. So, sometimes things simply happen. 30. ... Rxb3. The Rook is obviously taboo. 31. Kb1 Rb8 32. e5 Nb6 33. Qc1 Kg8. With trembling hand Black first puts her King in safety. 34. b3 Nd5. The Knight is coming. 35. Re1 Nb4. By 35. ... Rxb3+! Black would have forced mate, but it’s not time to quibble over whether or not. The Black Knight’s jump is enough to make White resign. 0 : 1.

Days Without Number

Alina Balaian – Marina Brunello
18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Riga, April 16, 2017
Sicilian Defence B92

And, finally, the happy day arrived even for Marina Brunello: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Kh1 Nc6 10. f3 Be6 11. Nd5 Bxd5 12. exd5 Nb4 13. c4 a5 14. Bd2 b6 15. Nc1!? White first moves out into the unknown, even if it is just a half step in the “million computer theory”: 15. Bxb4 axb4 16. Nc1 Nh5 17. g3 Qc8 18. Rg1 Bg5? 19. f4 Nxf4 20. gxf4 Bxf4 21. Rg2 Be3 22. Nd3 Qxc4 23. Nxe5 Qh4 24. Qd3 Bc5 25. Nf3 Qh6 26. Rf1 Qe3 27. Ng5 Qxd3 28. Bxd3 g6 29. h4 Rae8 30. Ne4 Kg7 31. Re2 Ra8 32. h5 Bd4 33. Nxd6 Rad8 34. Rf4 Bxb2 35. Nxf7 1 : 0 Tseshkovsky – Sakaev, 57th Russian Chess Championship Qualifier, Saint Petersburg 2004. 15. ... Na6 16. Be3 Nc5 17. Bxc5 bxc5 18. Bd3 Nh5 19. Qc2 g6 20. g3 Bf6 21. Ne2 Bg7 22. Nc3 Rb8 23. Rae1 f5 24. Nb5 Qd7 25. Qd2 Ra8 26. Rf2 Bf6 27. Bf1 Ng7 28. Bh3 h5 29. Rg2 Kf7 30. g4!? A wild wind is blowing... 30. ... hxg4 31. fxg4 Rh8 32. Qd3 e4 33. gxf5 gxf5 34. Qg3? Balaian appears to miss her best chance to save the day: 34. Rxg7! Bxg7 (even after 34. ... Kxg7 35. Qg3+ Kf8 36. Rf1 Rh5 37. Nxd6 Qg7 38. Nxf5 everything seems okay for White) 35. Rxe4 Be5 36. Rxe5! dxe5 37. Bxf5 Qe7 38. Be6+ and, although White is two Exchanges down, she has more than sufficient play against Black’s King; for instance: 38. ... Ke8 39. Qg6+ Kd8 40. Bf5 Rb8 41. Na7! Kc7 42. Nc6 Qf8 43. Nxb8 Kxb8 44. Qb6+ Ka8 45. Qxa5+ with perpetual check. 34. ... Be5 35. Qg6+ Kf8 36. Re3 Qf7 37. Nxd6 Qxg6 38. Rxg6

38. ... Bf4? I think Brunello didn’t see a clear win after 38. ... Ra6! 39. Rxg7 Kxg7 40. Nxf5+ Kf6 41. Ng3 Rxh3 (41. ... Bxg3 42. Rxg3 Ke5 might even be better, but, sorry I don’t like it on principle) 42. Nxe4+ Kf5 43. Rxh3 Kxe4 44. b3 a4! and maybe she was right, but in any event – even if she was right – she could have tormented her opponent an infinity longer, and – ignorantly speaking – it seems to me Black has serious practical winning chances. The text instead gives White an unexpected second possibility: 39. Rc3? But luck is gone again! After 39. Rxg7! Kxg7 (apparently other moves don’t promise anything either) 40. Nxf5+ Kf6 41. Rxe4 White should be able to not lose the game. 39. ... e3! A small but very significant step. Now, finally, it’s over. 40. Bf1 Ra6 41. Rxg7 Kxg7 42. Nxf5+ Kf6 43. Nxe3 Rxh2+ 44. Kg1 Rxb2 45. Ng2 Be5 46. Rf3+ Kg5 47. Bd3 Bd4+ 48. Ne3 Rf6 49. Rh3 Kf4 0 : 1.

Chocolate SOS

Marina Brunello – Inna Grigoryevna Gaponenko-Yanovska
18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Riga, April 15, 2017
Sicilian Defence B73

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. f3. This move is theoretically insignificant, immediately giving Black a very comfortable game. Needless to say, 9. Nb3 is better, and perhaps best of all. 9. ... d5! 10. Nxd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 Qxd5 12. Nxc6 Qxc6 13. c3 e5!? Gaponenko-Yanovska goes for something new. An older try was 13. ... Bf5 14. Qb3 Rfd8 15. Rad1 b6 16. a4 Qe6 17. Qxe6 Bxe6 18. Rxd8+ Rxd8 19. Rd1 Rxd1+ 20. Bxd1 Be5 21. a5 Bc7 22. axb6 axb6 23. Kf2 f5 ½ : ½ Schweber – Ju. Bolbochán, Zonal Tournament, São Paulo 1960. 14. Qe1. White’s artificial redeployment of her Queen will turn out to be quite ill grounded. It was worth considering the immediate a2-a4-a5. 14. ... Be6 15. Qf2 Rfd8 16. a4. Not 16. Bxa7? Rd2 17. Rfe1 Rxb2! and White’s position falls apart. 16. ... a6 17. a5 Bf8 18. Rfc1 Rac8 19. b4 Bc4. No doubt Black stands better, but not so much to explain Italy’s most gifted female player’s next huge blunder:

20. Bb6?? What did she overlook? Probably nothing. 20. ... Rd2 21. Re1 Rxe2. Or 21. ... Bxe2 22. Rxe2 (22. Qe3 Qxc3−+) 22. ... Qxc3−+ with an easy win. 22. Rxe2 Bxe2 23. Qxe2 Qxc3 24. Re1 Bxb4 0 : 1. Another flashy harakiri by Marina Brunello. What did the Arcovazzis do to her?

Mixed-Up Confusion

Ekaterina Polovnikova Atalık – Marina Brunello
18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Riga, April 14, 2017
Semi-Slav Defence D46

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bd3 0-0 8. 0-0 h6 9. Rd1 Qe7 10. c5 Bc7. The alternative is 10. ... Bb8 11. e4 e5 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Bf1 Nxc3 (Black offered a draw which was turned down) 14. bxc3 e4(!) with a (very) symbolic plus for Black, Spraggett – Bacrot, Enghien-les-Bains 1997. 11. e4 e5??! With the Bishop on c7 instead of b8 the text makes much less sense, even if perhaps Black can survive it. The accepted continuation is 11. ... dxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Bxe4 e5, e.g. 14. Re1 Nf6 15. Bd3 e4 16. Bxe4 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 Qxe4 18. Rxe4 Bf5 19. Re7 Rac8 20. d5 cxd5 21. Nd4 Bg6 22. Bd2 Rfe8 23. Rae1 Kf8 24. Rxe8+ Rxe8 25. c6 Rxe1+ 26. Bxe1 bxc6 27. Nxc6 Bb1 28. a3 Bb6 29. Ba5 Bxa5 30. Nxa5 Ke7 31. Kf1 Kd6 32. Ke2 d4 33. Nb3 Kd5 34. Kd2 Be4 35. f3 Bf5 36. Nc1 Kc4 37. b3+ Kd5 38. Nd3 Bd7 39. Nf4+ Ke5 40. Nd3+ Kd5 41. Nf4+ ½ : ½ Malakhatko – Michiels, 29th Metz Open A, Longeville-lès-Metz 2011.

12. exd5 cxd5?? An awful blunder that loses the game. 12. ... Nxd5 was not as good as in the above mentioned game Spraggett – Bacrot, because now, due to the latently hanging position of Black’s c7-Bishop, White could have played 13. Nxd5 cxd5 14. c6 with a definite edge. It was, however, by far the lesser evil. 13. Re1 Qd8. Maybe Brunello overlooked that in case of 13. ... e4? White had 14. Nxd5! Nxd5 15. Bxe4 winning easily. 14. dxe5 Ng4 15. Bf4. Black’s position is a disaster, far beyond her Pawn deficit, and pretty soon Brunello will have to surrender any resistance. 15. ... Re8. If 15. ... Nxc5 then 16. h3 Nf6 17. exf6 Bxf4 18. Bh7+ Kh8 19. fxg7+ Kxg7 20. Rad1 with an imposing preponderance. 16. Nxd5 Ndxe5 17. Nxc7 Qxc7 18. Qe2 f6 19. h3 Nxf3+ 20. Qxf3 Ne5 21. Qe4 Qxc5 22. Qh7+ Kf8 23. Qh8+ Kf7 24. Bg6+ 1 : 0.

The Strength of a King

Marina Brunello – Alisa Galliamova
18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Riga, April 13, 2017
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 a6 6. Bb3 Ba7 7. Nbd2 d5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Ne4 0-0 10. 0-0 Bg4 11. Re1. For 11. h3 Bh5 12. Ng3 Bg6 13. Re1 Qd6 14. Nh4 see Collutiis – Blagojević, 41st Chess Olympiad, Tromsø 2014. 11. ... f6 12. Ng3 Qd7 13. Qe2 Rfe8 14. Qe4 Be6 15. Bd2 Rad8 16. Rad1 Kh8 17. Qh4 Nde7 18. Bc2? Subjectively speaking, it’s hard to feel any enthusiasm for White’s opening (I just see a lot of Queen moves!), but the text move is really a big mistake! Comparatively best was 18. Be3 with a still tenable position. 18. ... Ng6 19. Qa4 Bg4 20. Bc1

20. ... f5? Luckily for Brunello, Galliamova misses the devilish interference 20. ... Bxf3 21. gxf3 Bd4!!−+ with the deadly threat of ... Qd7-h3 followed by ... Ng6-h4. 21. Bg5 Bxf3 22. gxf3 f4 23. Bxd8 Rxd8 24. Qe4 fxg3 25. hxg3 Qh3 26. d4. Probably the only move, as after 26. Qg4 Bxf2+! 27. Kxf2 Qxh2+ 28. Ke3 Nf4! (but not 28. ... Qxc2?? because of 29. Rd2 trapping the Black Queen) 29. gxf4 exf4+ 30. Ke4 Qxc2 31. Qxf4 Qf2! White cannot enjoy her Exchange advantage due to her own King dramatically exposed to attack on the open board. 26. ... Rf8 27. Qd5 exd4 28. Bxg6 dxc3! 28. ... hxg6? 29. Re4! g5! 30. Qxg5 Qf5∞ is maybe tenable but certainly much less clear. 29. Qf7! Marina persuades her opponent to be content with a perpetual check by means of a very brilliant offer. 29. ... Qxg3+ 30. Kh1 Qh3+ 31. Kg1 Qg3+ 32. Kh1 Qh3+ 33. Kg1 Qg3+ ½ : ½.

Valcalepio

Nino Batsiashvili – Marina Brunello
18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Riga, April 12, 2017
1q2r3/5kp1/Rb3nn1/1p2pNQ1/1Pp1P3/3r3P/3B1PB1/R6K b - - 5 36

Position after 36. Bc3-d2

I know I don’t speak very often about my countrypeople, but I am happy to make an exception for Marina Brunello, who scored two out of two. In the position of the diagram she wisely decided to offer a draw through the language of signs: 36. ... Nh7 37. Qh5 Nf6 38. Qg5 Nh7 39. Qh5 Nf6 40. Qe2? But Batsiashvili refuses to take it! Objectively speaking, the Georgian International Master fell into a deadly sin of pride. 40. ... Nf4! Brunello immediately takes advantage of her opponent’s slip, and as usual shows her volitional technique in converting the raw into the cooked. 41. Bxf4 exf4 42. e5!? Nino very nervously seeks a tactical justification for her bravado and also sets up a small trap. 42. ... Qxe5. But Brunello does not take the bait, as after 42. ... Rxe5? 43. Rxb6! White would have suddenly turned the tables. 43. Qxe5 Rxe5 44. Rxb6 Rxf5. White is behind in material and position. 45. Rb7+ Kg8 46. Bc6 Rxh3+ 47. Kg2 Rhh5 48. Kf3 Rh3+ 49. Kg2 Rb3 50. Rb8+ Kh7 51. Rxb5 Rxb5 52. Bxb5 Rxb4 53. Ba6 Nd5? It could be the only error in Marina’s game. Best was 53. ... Ne4! in order to answer 54. Kf3 by 54. ... Nc5 55. Ra5 Nb3 keeping winning chances. 54. Kf3 g5 55. Ke4? Apparently here White missed her way to a draw: 55. Ra5! Nc7 56. Kg4 Kg6 57. Rxg5+ Kf7 58. Rf5+ Ke7 59. Bxc4! Rxc4 60. Rxf4. Batsiashvili, however, was tremendously short of time (with one minute left). 55. ... Nc7 56. Bc8 Kg6 57. Ra7? And in the end, Nino makes her last mistake. White ought to play 57. Kd4 which would have made matters much, much (and much) harder for Black. 57. ... c3+ 58. Kd3 Nb5 59. Ra6+ Kh5 60. Kc2 Rb2+ 61. Kc1 Rxf2 62. Bd7 Nd4 63. Ba4 Rf1+ 64. Bd1+ f3 65. Ra4 c2 66. Rxd4 Rxd1+ 67. Rxd1 cxd1=Q+ 68. Kxd1 Kg4 0 : 1.

The European Dream

Mariya Muzychuk – Betül Cemre Yıldız
18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Riga, April 12, 2017
Slav Defence D10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. e3 a6 7. Bd3 Bg4 8. Qb3 Na5 9. Qa4+ Bd7 10. Qc2 e6 11. Nf3 Rc8 12. 0-0 Be7 13. Ne5 b5 14. Qe2 Qb6? The Queen looks very unfunctionally placed here. Whatever it is, no one knows better than Mariya Muzychuk that the position can be very unpleasant for Black: 14. ... 0-0 15. Rfc1 Be8 16. Rc2 Nd7 17. Nf3 Nb6 18. Rac1 Nac4 19. e4 dxe4 20. Qxe4 g6 21. Bh6 Bc6 22. Qe2 Bxf3 23. Qxf3 Re8 24. Be4 Qxd4 25. Bb7 Rcd8 26. Bxa6 b4 27. Ne4 Ne5 28. Qe2 Nd3 29. Rf1 f5 30. Ng3 f4 31. Qxe6+ Kh8 32. Ne2 Qf6 33. Qxf6+ Bxf6 34. Rc6 Bh4 35. Bxd3 Rxd3 36. Nxf4 1 : 0 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) – M. Muzychuk, 12th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2014. 15. Rac1 0-0 16. Bg5 Bc6? This move seems obscure to me. The modest 16. ... Qd8 (Stockfish) appeared to be called for. 17. f4! Nc4. If 17. ... b4 (intending ... Bc6-b5) there might follow 18. Ng4! bxc3?? 19. Nxf6+ gxf6 (19. ... Bxf6 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. Qg4+ Kh8 22. Qh4 f5 23. Qf6+ Kg8 24. Rf3 equally leads to mate) 20. Bxh7+! Kxh7 21. Qh5+ Kg8 22. Bh6 f5 23. Rf3 with a quick mate. 18. f5! After the opening of the f-file, Black will disintegrate very soonly. 18. ... Rc7 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. Ng4 Bg5. If 20. ... e5 then 21. Nxf6+ gxf6 22. Bxc4! bxc4 23. Qh5! with a vehement attack (23. ... Qxb2? 24. Qh6!+−). 21. fxe6 f6. Black must cede the Pawn, as 21. ... fxe6?? would be annihilated by 22. Bxh7+. 22. b3 Nd6 (22. ... Nxe3 23. Nxe3 Qxd4 24. Nxd5+−) 23. Qf2 b4 24. Ne2 Bb5 25. Rxc7 Qxc7. 25. ... Bxd3 26. Rd7 is no better. 26. Bxb5 Nxb5 27. h4 Bh6. Or 27. ... h5 28. hxg5 hxg4 29. Nf4 and Black can resign. 28. Nxh6+ gxh6 29. Qg3+. Now it becomes a mere cat and mouse play. 29. ... Qxg3 30. Nxg3 Nc3 31. Nh5 Ne4 32. Rf5! Re8

33. Rxf6! Nc3 34. Rxh6 Re7 35. Nf4 Kg7 36. Rh5 Nxa2 37. Rg5+ Kf8 38. Rxd5 Nc1 39. Rf5+ Ke8 40. d5 1 : 0.

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: ukrinform.ua

Black Magic Woman

Evgeny Surov (@surovlive)

Riga Black Balsam. The new European Women’s Champion’s gonna be who will drink it after every game.

18th European Film Awards

The 18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship starts today in Riga, Latvia. 146 participants will compete for the title of Miss Europe and even to share a total money prize of €75,000 €uros. The top seeds are Anna & Mariya Muzychuk, Kateryna Aleksandrovna Lagno, Nana Dzagnidze, Antoaneta Stefanova, and so on in Elo-rating order.

Герой нашего времени (A Hero of Our Time)

Evgeny Ellinovich Sveshnikov – Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov
Match game 4; Riga, July 8, 2015
Sicilian Defence B30

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. Bxc6. Sveshnikov deviated from the 2nd game, when he played 4. 0-0. 4. ... bxc6 5. d3 Ne7 6. h4 h5 7. Qe2 Ng6 8. e5 f6

9. Nc3?! For 9. Qe4 Kf7 (or 9. ... f5 10. Qe2 with an edge) 10. Nbd2 (10. Na3) 10. ... Ba6 11. b3 d5 12. exd6 Qxd6 13. Bb2 Qd5 14. 0-0-0 Be7 15. Rhe1 see Yudasin – Fedorowicz, New York 2003. 9. ... Qc7 10. exf6 gxf6 11. Rh3? White gives up the centre. After 11. Ne4 Be7 12. c4 d5 13. Nc3 Bd7 Black would stand only slightly better. 11. ... d5 12. Rg3? Sveshnikov’s move is consistent and bad. 12. ... Kf7 13. d4? Bd6. White could well have resigned, but he decides to try his luck in murky complications. 14. Ne5+ fxe5 15. Qf3+ Kg7 16. Ne4 dxe4 17. Qxe4 Qf7. White has no compensation at all for the two sacrificed Knights. 18. Rf3 Qe8 19. dxc5 Bxc5 20. Bg5 Rf8 21. 0-0-0 Be7 22. Rxf8 Qxf8 23. Qxc6 Rb8 24. g3 Rb6 25. Qc7 Rb7 26. Qc6 Bxg5+ 27. hxg5 Rf7 28. Qh1 Rxf2 29. Qxh5 Qh8 30. Qg4 Rf7 31. b3 Qh2 32. Qc4 Bb7 33. Qxe6 Qxg3 34. Kb2 Qxg5 35. Rd6 Qf6 36. Qxf6+ Rxf6 37. Rd7+ Rf7 0 : 1.

Evgeny Ellinovich Sveshnikov vs. Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov
Photo: Chess in Latvia

Youth Without Youth

Evgeny Ellinovich Sveshnikov – Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov
Match game 2; Riga, July 7, 2015
Sicilian Defence B30

Time control: 25 minutes, with a 10-second delay. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. 0-0 Nge7 5. d4!? cxd4 6. Nxd4 Nxd4 7. Qxd4 Nc6 8. Qc3. Sveshnikov’s move seems to be far more convincing than 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. e5 f6 10. Nc3 fxe5 11. Qxe5 Qf6 12. Qg3 Qg6 as in the game van Kampen – Dimitrov, 19th European Team Championship, Warsaw 2013. Whatever it is, Tolya spent a lot of time figuring out all his possible next moves, just to roll slowly down into a helpless position. 8. ... Qf6 9. Qxf6 gxf6 10. Be3 Bd6 11. Nd2 a6 12. Be2 b5 13. a4 Rb8 14. axb5 axb5 15. f4 Bc7 16. c3 Ke7 17. b4 d6 18. Nb3 Bb6 19. Kf2 Rd8 20. Rfd1 Bxe3+ 21. Kxe3 Rb6 22. Ra8 Bd7 23. Rxd8 Nxd8 24. Ra1 e5 25. f5 Bc6 26. Ra7+ Rb7 27. Ra6 Bd7 28. Na5 Rb8 29. Ra7 Ke8 30. Rc7 1 : 0. Karpov run out of time in a desperate situation.

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov vs. Evgeny Ellinovich Sveshnikov. Photo: Chess in Latvia.