The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Chess-News.ru‏ (@Chess__News)

The participants in the Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament will receive their money prizes in the next few days.

Photo © David Llada

Broadcast delay

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, President of Ukraine Petro Oleksiyovych Poroshenko awarded Vice Women’s World Chess Champion Anna Olehivna Muzychuk the Order of Princess Olga of 3rd degree by Presidential Decree No. 56/2017.

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk’s arrival at Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport on March 4, 2017. Photo: city-adm.lviv.ua.

Lonely But Not Alone

Chess-News.ru‏ (@Chess__News)

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk: “The Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament in Tehran has been the most problematic of all”. For further details, visit: http://chess-news.ru/node/22843.

Finally back home in Lviv, Ukraine, Vice Women’s World Chess Champion Anna Olehivna Muzychuk lamented her restless month in Tehran, Iran. “Being alone in Iran is not easy”, she told xsport.ua. “I had to solve any problem on my own”. Starting with logistics. She had neither time nor way of visiting the city, except for the last day when she finally got out of the hotel to meet the Ukrainian Ambassador in Iran in his residence. Then other trivial problems confronted her. The hotel was too noisy due to constant works in progress. The venue of play was abnormally hot. And finally, the last and most significant burden: “I was without a coach. I had nobody, and no help. No support and no assistance, neither for chess nor for daily life. By comparison, my Chinese opponent could enjoy a coach, an interpreter, and a support group. No wonder she was more balanced than me”.

Muzychuk family staged a triumphal welcome for Anna Olehivna at Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport on March 4, 2017. Her sister Mariya Olehivna — at present still the only Women’s World Chess Champion in the genealogical family tree — proudly stands beside her. Photo: Oksana Vatseba.

That’s Hard, That’s Easy

In her first days as Women’s World Chess Champion, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) will undoubtedly have to repeat the same things several times, so that everyone – even who didn’t know her – may read her story like an open book. Curiously enough, her first significant interview (immediately after won the crown) was given to a special guest reporter, China’s second Women’s World Chess Champion 诸宸 (Zhū Chén), who recorded it on her I-phone and then posted it on WeChat. Among other things, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) said: “Today I was actually quite well prepared, but the fact that my victory took only two games left me a bit surprised. The winning seemed to come a little too easy, because Muzychuk’s path had been much smoother and easier than mine, without never having to play a single tie-break. Since I have had to pass through two Armageddons, I succeeded in keeping my mind relatively open, and eventually I didn’t feel any pressure – that was not evidently my opponent’s case”. Photo: sports.sina.com.cn.

Shéhérazade

• Dylan Loeb McClain, Does Women’s Chess Have a Problem?, The Huffington Post, March 5, 2017

Dylan Loeb McClain, former chess columnist for The New York Times and now writer-on-demand of World Chess, the official partner of FIDE, reviews the Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament that had just ended, with special regards as to the controversies that have accompanied it. Among various amenities, such as the hijab issue (which indeed looks much more elegant than the Ku Klux Klan’s hood), he notes how the absence of the world’s women’s No. 1 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) may play an influential role in the future development agenda of the women’s chess movement. As it is well known, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) disdained the knockout format, regarding it as unreasonably unpredictable and subjective, and asked to FIDE’s lawmakers to equate men’s and women’s World Chess Championship systems. FIDE officials, however, preferred to “defend the unpredictable” as a more appealing format to sponsors and audience. Furthermore, most of the chess élite showed very little interest in the gender equality issue, and raised their voice only against the mandatory Iranian dress code. With all due respect to such an argument, no wonder that the unpredictable ended up to be the only certainty.

René Magritte, Shéhérazade, 1947. Photo courtesy of harpersbazaar.com

The Indifferent Ones

• Leonard Barden, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) produces surprise victory in women’s world championship, The Guardian, March 3, 2017

“It cannot be called a good result for women’s chess, for 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s next move will be a match against 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), who won the women’s Grand Prix to become the official challenger. Two Chinese players, neither of them the all-time No2, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who did not defend her title due to her dislike of the knock-out format, equals indifference from chess fans”, writes The Guardian’s veteran chess correspondent Leonard Barden.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) preparing for the CCTV interview
Photo © David Llada

How to Greet Queens and What to Avoid

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) and Anna Muzychuk standing on the front stage of the Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament awarding ceremony held today in Tehran, Iran, and attended by the World Chess Federation President Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov (standing in the background) as honored guest. Photo: Iran’s Chess Federation/Reza Mahdipour.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

The head coach of the Chinese women’s team Grandmaster 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) is understandably happy with the extraordinary win of 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) in the Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament. It is not the first time that he succeeded in such a long march, as he also trained 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) at the time when she won the crown. As for today, he highly praised the strength and the temperamental balance shown by his pupil, but, at the same time, he may well be satisfied with the overall result of the Chinese expedition: “China women’s team got three players into the top eight. A new teenager, 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún), entered into the top eight. But everyone in the team did her own best to play at her best”, he told 陈金铎 (Chén Jīnduó) of sports.sina.com.cn.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) and 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg)
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn

Back to the Start

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Anna Muzychuk

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; tie-break game 2 (25+10); Tehran, March 3, 2017

Queen’s Gambit Declined D11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 dxc4 7. Nxf5 exf5 8. e3 Nbd7 9. Bxc4 Nb6 10. Be2. So far, “theory” contemplated 10. Bb3 h5 11. Qd3 Qd7 12. Bd2 h4 13. 0-0-0 0-0-0 14. f3 Bd6 15. Rhg1 hxg3 16. hxg3 Bc7 17. Kb1 Kb8 18. Bc1 Rhe8 19. e4 fxe4 20. fxe4 Qg4 21. Bf4 Re7 22. Rgf1 Qg6 23. Bc2 Red7 24. Qe3 Qg4 25. a4 Bxf4 26. gxf4 Nc4 27. Qf2 Qe6 28. Qg1 Qe7 29. Bb3 Na5 30. Bc2 Nc4 31. Bb3 ½ : ½ Mamedyarov – Tomashevsky, Grand Prix 2014-2015, first stage, Baku 2014. 10. ... Bd6 11. Bf3 0-0 12. 0-0 Re8 13. Qc2 Qd7 14. b3 Re7 15. Na4!? 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) cleverly plays to slowly unbalance the game, testing her opponent’s nerves. 15. ... Rae8. 15. ... Nxa4 16. bxa4 Rc8 seems playable. 16. Nc5 Qc8 17. Bd2 Nbd5 18. Rac1 Ne4 19. Bg2 g6 20. b4! Qc7 21. Nxe4 fxe4 22. b5. White has achieved a slight but definite positional initiative by quite simple means. 22. ... Ba3 23. Rb1 cxb5 24. Qb3 Qd6 25. Qxb5 Rc8 26. Qb3 Kg7 27. Bc1 Bxc1 28. Rbxc1 Rc6 29. Rxc6 Qxc6 30. Qa3 Qb6 31. Rc1 Qb4. Feeling herself a bit worried to be caught in 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s spiderweb, Muzychuk decides to sacrifice a Pawn in order to get some counterplay. However, the most she might have possibly obtained is a (maybe) drawable 4 vs. 3 same side Pawn ending – not an easy job anyway. 32. Qxa7 Nc3 33. Rf1 Qc4 34. Qa3 Re6 35. Re1 Ra6 36. Qe7 Rxa2 37. Bxe4 b5 38. Bf3 b4 39. Qe5+ Kh6?? “Ujas! Anna self-mated”, Grandmaster Nigel David Short tweeted. Muzychuk’s nerves frayed to the point of disintegrating. She ought to play, of course, 39. ... Kg8, even though after 40. Kg2 White, who is a Pawn up, is the only who can win (not an easy job too). It was not a pleasant choice for Muzychuk, but it was the only drawing chance she had.

40. g4 f6 41. Qxf6 Ra5 42. h4 1 : 0. For mate in three follows. Thus 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) becomes (and became) the 16th Women’s World Chess Champion!

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) vs. Anna Muzychuk
Photo: Reza Mahdipour‏ (@Rez7a)

Final Dress Rehearsal

Photo: E. Hanazaki/Getty Images

The In-Between Hours

“We are quite optimistic for tomorrow’s tie-break as 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) has had good experiences with it in the previous rounds, and we hope that her lucky star will keep shining on. The team will be well prepared; let’s hope for a good day”, the head coach of the Chinese women’s team Grandmaster 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) told 陈金铎 (Chén Jīnduó) of sports.sina.com.cn.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn

On the other hand, Anna Muzychuk holds both the titles of Rapid and Blitz Women’s World Chess Champion, so, at least in theory, she should be favourite to win. However, such a raffle is bound to be unpredictable, and, as so often is the case with the favourite, Anna may have more to lose than her opponent. But, after all, it’s a very light burden compared with what awaits her if she will become Women’s World Champion.

Anna Muzychuk
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn

Half and half

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Anna Muzychuk

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 4; Tehran, March 2, 2017

Semi-Slav Defence D43

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qb3 e6 5. g3. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) trustly follows the guidelines outlined by Grandmaster 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) and adopts a very steady strategy. However, it is hard to think of worrying a gifted player such as Anna Muzychuk without taking some risks. 5. ... Nbd7 6. Bg2 b6 7. Nc3 Ba6 8. cxd5 cxd5 9. Nb5 Bxb5 10. Qxb5 a6!? A tiny novelty by Muzychuk. For 10. ... Bd6 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Bd2 Ne4 13. Rfc1 Nxd2 14. Nxd2 Rc8 15. Nb3 Nf6 16. Qa6 Qd7 17. e3 h5 18. h4 g6 19. Bf1 e5 see Krasenkow – V. Georgiev, 16th Monarch Assurance Isle of Man International Tournament, Port Erin 2007. 11. Qb3 Bd6 12. 0-0 0-0. The position offers very few ideas, and a draw is more than likely. 13. Bg5 Qb8 14. Rfc1 Ne4 15. Rc2. White will end up mastering – even if only temporarily – the open c-file, but without any propitious entry. Black’s position is rock-solid. 15. ... Nxg5 16. Nxg5 h6 17. Nf3 Rc8 18. Rac1 Rxc2 19. Rxc2 Ra7

20. Qd3 a5 21. Nd2. The last dream before afternoon tea. 22. ... Nf6 22. e4 dxe4 23. Nxe4 Nxe4 24. Qxe4 ½ : ½. Both players appeared more than satisfied with a draw here. After the Carlsen – Karjakin World Chess Championship match, also the Women’s Knockout World Crown will be assigned through the lottery superrapid tie-break system, but... it’s not players’s fault.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) vs. Anna Muzychuk
Photo © David Llada

Reasons and Persons

The head coach of the Chinese women's team Grandmaster 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) promptly admitted defeat after 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s today’s theoretical débâcle. Anna Muzychuk’s classic Bishop sacrifice proved to be too strong (and totally unexpected to her opponent), and, “in spite of 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s stubborn resistance, the situation was not remediable”, 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) told sports.sina.com.cn. “Tomorrow 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) will have White”, 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) said, “and it will be the last chance for avoiding the tie-break playoff. She will have to try for a win through a steady and balanced strategy. I just hope she will not be affected by today’s game”.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn

In today’s game Anna Muzychuk displayed her great talent, showing that even a veiled Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament may be a serious thing for the whole world. Leontxo García titled his today’s El País column “Muzychuk remonta con brillo”, while her mentor and countryman Pavel Eljanov mistically encouraged her to play what Reuben Fine called “as natural as a baby’s smile”. The fourth game will be crucial for both girls, in a way or another. We wish the best for both of them!

Pavel Eljanov (@Eljanov)

Anna Muzychuk
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn

The Ides of March

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; match game 3; Tehran, March 1, 2017

French Defence C11

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Qd2 0-0 9. dxc5 Bxc5. The alternative is 9. ... Nxc5 10. 0-0-0 a6 11. Qf2 b6 12. Nd4 Qc7 13. g3!? Bb7 14. Bg2 Na5 15. f5!? Qxe5 16. Bf4 Qf6 17. h4 e5! 18. Nxd5! Bxd5 19. Bg5 Qd6 20. Bxe7 Qxe7 21. Bxd5 exd4 22. Bxa8 Rxa8 23. Rhe1 Qc7 24. b4 Nc6 25. bxc5 bxc5 with dynamic balance, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), 15th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2017. 10. 0-0-0 Qa5 11. a3 Be7!? For 11. ... Rb8 12. Bxc5 Nxc5 13. Qe3 Qb6 14. Nd4 Nxd4 15. Qxd4 Bd7 16. h4 see Eljanov – Gagare, Isle of Man International Masters, Douglas 2016. 12. Bd3! If it were a novelty, one should wonder why – but, of course, it’s not. The fierce Ukrainian Grandmaster just aims straight for mate! 12. ... a6!? 13. h4! b5? 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s being oblivious to the danger, innocently plays what she planned to do...

14. Bxh7+! Just the start of a devastating attack. Muzychuk thought for almost half an hour before sacrificing, thus suggesting that she was just improvising. I think, instead, she was well inside her preparation. 14. ... Kxh7 15. Qd3+ Kg8 16. Ng5 f5!? No better is 16. ... g6 17. h5! and White’s attack develops itself. 17. Nxd5! That’s Muzychuk’s novelty, which appears to be almost as strong as 17. Qe2! Bxg5? 18. hxg5 g6 19. Qf3 Ne7 20. Nxd5! Nxd5 21. Rxd5 Kf7 22. Rdd1 1 : 0 Zaas – Greig, NAPZ Higher Class Tournament, by correspondence, 2014. 17. ... b4!? 18. Nxe7+ Nxe7 19. Bd2? Too cautious. Best was the immediate 19. Qd6! as after 19. ... bxa3 20. b4! Black is in a valley of tears (20. ... a2 21. Kb2 Rb8 22. c3+−). 19. ... Rb8?? 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) got too upset to keep nerves calm and steady. Nevertheless, after 19. ... Nd5! 20. Qf3 (Δ Qf3-h5), it was not easy to find the right defensive idea: 20. ... Ra7!! 21. Qh5 N7f6! 22. exf6 gxf6 and, miraculously, the Black Rook on the seventh rank keeps everything under control. 20. Qd6! Now White wins by brute force. Muzychuk, who was a bit short of time, must be only careful not to make blunders. 20. ... Qc5 21. Bxb4 Qxd6 22. Bxd6 Ng6 23. Nxe6 Re8 24. Bxb8 Rxe6 25. g3 Bb7 26. Rh2 Nc5. Now Muzychuk ends the game in very pretty style. 27. Rd8+ Kh7 28. Bd6! Black is in zugzwang. 28. ... Ne4 29. h5 Nh8 30. h6! Nf7 31. Rd7 Rxd6 32. Rxf7 1 : 0.

Muzychuk vs. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí). Photo © David Llada.

People Help The People

“Muzychuk played the opening in unusual style and adopted a most solid approach. We weren’t prepared, but somehow she, too – and 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) succeeded in taking her opponent by surprise obtaining a slight edge. Then Anna committed a clear error at the 12th move, and her position became passive. Afterwards 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) gradually and slowly increased the pressure until she achieved a clear advantage which she eventually converted into a win”, the head coach of the Chinese women's team Grandmaster 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) told sina.sports.com.cn. On the other hand, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) appeared well aware that... tomorrow is another day. “I think that Anna felt psychological pressure and she did not play at her usual standard. Tomorrow it will be a crucial test. I hope I will be able to withstand it”, she said

余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg)
Photo: sports.sohu.com

The Ukrainian delegation made no comment on today’s result, but Muzychuk immediately received the passionate support of her countrypeople, who, undoubtedly, will give her inspiration and strength.

Mikhail Vladimirovich Golubev (@golubev_mikhail)

“From Odessa, I support Anna Muzichuk in the Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament and women’s rights in Iran”, Grandmaster Mikhail Vladimirovich Golubev wrote.

The Queen’s Cake

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Anna Muzychuk

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 2; Tehran, February 28, 2017

Semi-Slav Defence D43

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Qd3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 b5 7. Qd3 a6 8. e4 c5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Qxd8+ Kxd8 11. Bd3 Bb7. For 11. ... Nbd7 12. 0-0 Bb7 13. e5 Nd5 14. Ne4 Ke7 15. Bg5+ f6 16. exf6+ gxf6 17. Bh6 Kf7 18. Rae1 Be7 19. Bb1 Rad8 20. Re2 Nf8 21. g3 e5 see Tregubov – Gelfand, 12th Russian Team Chess Championship, Sochi 2005. 12. e5 Ng4? The Knight looks misplaced here. Both 12. ... Nd5 and 12. ... Nfd7 13. Ne4 Be7 were worth considering. 13. Ne4 Bb4+ 14. Ke2 Nd7 15. Bf4. All is perfectly consolidated, so White can enjoy her much more harmonious position. 15. ... Nc5. Both 15. ... f5!? and 15. ... f6!? (Stockfish) might have been a little less committal. 16. Nxc5 Bxc5

17. Rhc1! White’s elegant deployment of the Rook marks a Black’s difficulty on both wings. 17. ... Bb6 18. Ng5! Ke7 19. Ne4 Bxe4 20. Nxe4 Rhc8 21. f3 Nh6 22. g4 Ng8 23. Nd6 Rxc1 24. Rxc1. The threat is Nd6-c8+. 24. ... Kd7. The decision to give up a Pawn for vitalizing her Knight makes sense. 25. Nxf7 Ne7. With the threat of ... Ra8-f8. 26. Be3! White feels confident in relying upon her own technique. 26. ... Bxe3 27. Kxe3 Ng6. 27. ... Nd5+ might have been better, even though after 28. Kd4 Rf8 29. Ng5 Rf4+ 30. Ne4 White’s extra Pawn and her more enterprising pieces make things a bit unpleasant for Black (for instance: 30. ... Rxf3? 31. Nc5+ Ke7 32. Nxe6!). 28. h4? A strange omission on 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s part, even though, from a psychological viewpoint, it turns out to be the decisive blow. White ought to play 28. f4! Nxf4 29. Kxf4 Rf8 30. Rd1+! Ke7 31. Rd6 Rxf7+ 32. Ke3! with a much better ending for her. 28. ... Rf8? In a critical moment, and under time pressure, Muzychuk doesn’t feel like playing 28. ... Nxh4! 29. Rh1 Ng2+ 30. Kf2 Ke7 31. Nd6 Nf4 32. Rxh7 Nd3+ 33. Kg3 Nxe5 which apparently would have made things very unclear. 29. h5! Ne7 30. Ng5 Nd5+ 31. Kf2 h6 32. Ne4 Ra8 33. a3 a5 34. Nc3 Rc8 35. Rd1 Ke7 36. Nxd5+ exd5 37. Rxd5 Rc2+ 38. Ke3 Rxb2 39. Ke4. Now it is a totally won endgame for White, and 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) is gonna win it with elegant technique. 39. ... a4 40. f4 Rb1 41. Kf5 Rb3 42. Rc5 Kd7 43. Kg6 b4 44. axb4 Rxb4 45. Kf5 Ke7 46. Rc7+ Kf8 47. Ra7 Kg8 48. g5 hxg5 49. fxg5 Rb6 50. Rxa4 g6+ 51. hxg6 Rb1 52. Ra8+ Kg7 53. Ra7+ Kg8 54. g7 Rf1+. Game over, so it’s time to look for stalemate tricks. 55. Kg6! Ra1! 56. Rf7! 1 : 0. Muzychuk finally resigns, for after 56. ... Ra6+ 57. Rf6 Re6!? 58. Kh6! there is no stalemate. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) gave her a party on her birthday day.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) vs. Anna Muzychuk
Photo © David Llada

Build a Poster Colouring Book

• Ганна Музичук зіграла в нічию першу партію за звання чемпіонки світу з шахів (відео) | Anna Muzychuk drew the first game of the Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament final (Video), ukranews.com, February 27, 2017

“Today Anna failed to pose any real problem to her opponent. Black confidently achieved a draw. Of course, it is not what we wished for, but there is no reason to panic. Come on”, the head of the Ukrainian women’s national team Grandmaster Mikhail Brodsky told journalist Eugene Kuzmenko.

• 女子国象世锦赛决赛首局 谭中怡后手战和对手 | 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) drew the first game of the Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament final, sports.sina.com.cn, February 27, 2016

“Today’s game proceeded in a smooth and peaceful way for 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), and we are satisfied. So far Anna always won with White, so we felt a bit worried. But we succeeded where everyone else failed: draw!”, the head coach of the Chinese women's team Grandmaster 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) told sina.sports.com.cn.

Anna Muzychuk vs. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Photo: sina.sports.com.cn

Stained glass

Anna Muzychuk – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 1; Tehran, February 27, 2017

French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bd7 5. Nf3 Bc6 6. Bd3 Nd7 7. 0-0 Ngf6 8. Ned2 Be7 9. b3 0-0 10. Bb2 b6. For 10. ... Re8 11. c4 Bxf3 12. Nxf3 c5 13. Bc2 cxd4 14. Nxd4 Qb6 15. Qe2 Nf8 16. Rad1 Ng6 17. a3 a5 18. Nb5 see A. Muzychuk – Piesik, 4th International Tournament of Polonia Wrocław Chess Club, Wrocław 2009. 11. c4 Bb7 12. Qe2 c5 13. Rfe1 Re8 14. Rad1 Qc7 15. Ne4. Apparently not too ambitious. Another try was 15. Bc2 Rad8 16. dxc5 Nxc5 17. Ne5 a5 18. Ndf3 Nce4 19. Rxd8 Rxd8? (Black’s last few moves were quite dubious, but this last one is decidedly wrong) 20. Nxf7! Kxf7 21. Bxf6 Nxf6 22. Ng5+ Ke8 23. Nxe6 Qd7 24. Rd1 Bd6 25. c5! bxc5 26. Nxc5+ Qe7 27. Qxe7+ Bxe7 28. Rxd8+ Bxd8 29. Nxb7 remaining two Pawns up in a clearly won endgame, Rozentalis – Couso, 35th Rilton Cup 2005/2006, Stockholm 2005. 15. ... Nxe4 16. Bxe4 Bxe4 17. Qxe4 Nf6 18. Qe5 Bd6 19. Qe2 Rad8 20. dxc5 Bxc5. The position looks already very drawish. 21. Bxf6. Attempting to shatter the balance. 21. Ne5 was very natural, but hardly supernatural. 21. ... gxf6 22. g3 Rxd1 23. Rxd1 Rd8

24. Kg2. Strangely self-pinning her own Knight. 24. ... Rxd1 25. Qxd1 Qc6 26. Qd3. With her Knight stuck on f3, White must hurry to get a draw by perpetual check on time. 26. ... f5 27. Qd8+ Kg7 28. Qg5+ Kf8 29. h4 Qe4 30. Qd8+ Kg7 31. Qd2 a5 32. h5. With the deadly threat of h5-h6+. 32. ... h6 33. Qc3+ Kg8 34. Qd2 Kh7 35. Qb2 Qg4 36. Ne5. The Knight is finally free, at the cheap cost of a Pawn, and just in time to assist Her Majesty in her drawing choreographies. 36. ... Qxh5. Also after 36. ... Qd1 37. Nf3 (not 37. Nxf7?? on account of 37. ... Bd4 followed by ... Qd1-e1−+) 37. ... Kg8 the game is roughly even. 37. Nd7 Qg5 38. Nf6+. The Queen endgame would not have promised anything more. 38. ... Kh8 39. Ne8+ Kg8 40. Nf6+ Kh8 41. Ne8+ Kg8 42. Nf6+ ½ : ½. Draw by mutual respect.

And very opportunely the photographer did not forget to snap a shot of Anna Muzychuk and 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) shaking hands before the start. Photo © David Llada.

The War After Armageddon

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Dronavalli Harika

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; tie-break game 2 (25+10); Tehran, February 25, 2017

Queen’s Gambit Declined D53

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) questions her fate in the 2nd (Rapid) tie-break game which she needs absolutely to win, having lost the first-one. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 0-0 8. Qc2 c5 9. Rd1 Qa5 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Bxe7 Nxe7 12. Be2 Nf6 13. 0-0 cxd4 14. Nxd4!? Here is where they started playing on their own. In So – Kramnik, Grand Chess Tour YourNextMove Rapid, Leuven 2016 was seen 14. Rxd4 Nc6 15. Rd2 Bd7 16. Rfd1 Rfd8 17. Qb3 Rab8 18. a3 a6 19. Bd3 Be8 20. Bb1 Rxd2 21. Nxd2 Ne5 22. Nc4 Nxc4 23. Qxc4 Bc6 24. Qd4 Rc8 25. h3 Qh5 26. Rd2 Qg5 27. f3 e5 28. Qd3 e4 29. fxe4 Re8 30. Qd4 Nd7 31. Rf2 Ne5 32. Ba2 Rd8 33. Nd5 Bxd5 34. exd5 Rd6 35. Bb1 g6 36. Be4 Qe7 37. Bf3 Rd8 38. Bg4 Qc7 39. Rf1 h5 40. Be2 Qd6 41. e4 Rc8 42. Bd3 Kg7 43. Qe3 b5 44. Kh1 Rc7 45. Qf4 f6 46. Qd2 Qc5 47. Bb1 g5 48. Qe2 h4 49. Bd3 ½ : ½. 14. ... e5 15. Ndb5 Bf5 16. Qb3 Be6 17. Bc4 Bxc4 18. Qxc4 a6 19. Nd6 b5 20. Qb3 Qc7 21. Rd2 Nc8 22. Rfd1 Nxd6 23. Rxd6 Rfd8 24. Qa3 Rxd6 25. Qxd6 Qxd6 26. Rxd6 b4 27. Na4. 27. Nxd5 Nxd5 28. Rxd5 Rc8 also looks quite drawish. 27. ... Ne4 28. Rd1 Rc8 29. f3 Nf6 30. Rd2 Kf8 31. Kf2 Ke7 32. e4 Rc6 33. b3 Nd7 34. Nb2 f6 35. h4 h5 36. Nd1 Rd6 37. Ke2 Rxd2+ 38. Kxd2 Kd6 39. Ne3 g6 40. Kd3 Kc5 41. Nd5 a5 42. g3 Kb5. Maybe it is not wrong, but 42. ... g5 appears to be better and safer. 43. f4! 43. Nc7+ Kb6 44. Ne8 was also worth considering, but 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s choice looks more natural and principled, even if not advantageous. 43. ... Kc5 44. Ne7 Nf8

45. f5! Of course Harika would have been quite happy to answer 45. Ng8 by 45. ... Nd7. 45. ... gxf5? I guess there must have been too much pressure on Harika’s shoulders, causing her finally to commit a serious mistake. After 45. ... g5 46. Nd5 Nd7 Black should hold. 46. Nxf5 Ne6 47. Ne7 Kd6 48. Nf5+ Kc5 49. Ke3 Kb5? The last, and decisive mistake in a not easy position. 49. ... Kc6 50. Ne7+ Kd6 51. Ng8 f5! 52. exf5 Nd4 might be the less worst way to retains hopes of saving the ending a Pawn down. 50. Nd6+ Kc6 51. Ne8 a4 52. bxa4 Nc5 53. Nxf6 Nxa4 54. g4. Now White wins easily and, once resuscitated, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) will be able to heroically stand up to her opponent till victory in the final Armageddon! 54. ... hxg4 55. h5 Nb2 56. h6 Nc4+ 57. Ke2 Nd6 58. h7 Nf7 59. Nxg4 Kd6 60. Kd3 Kc5 61. Ke3 Kd6 62. Kd2 Ke6 63. Kd3 Nh8 64. Kc4 Kf7 65. Kxb4 Kg7 66. Nxe5 Kf6 67. Nc6 Kg7 68. a4 Nf7 69. a5 Nd6 70. a6 Nc8 71. a7 Nxa7 72. Nxa7 Kxh7 73. Nc6 1 : 0.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Photo © David Llada

Dronavalli Harika
Photo © David Llada

The Will

Dronavalli Harika – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; match game 2; Tehran, February 24, 2017

Sicilian Defence B51

“C’mon [Dronavalli Harika]. All the best. Just play chess today & try keep the play going. You have played very well”, 15th World Chess Champion Viswanathan “Vishy” Anand solemnly wished his countrygirl, just before the game started. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. 0-0 Bd7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. c3 a6 7. Bc4 b5 8. Bf1 e5 9. d4. For 9. a4 b4 10. d4 cxd4 11. cxd4 Be7 12. Nbd2 exd4 13. Nb3 0-0 14. Nfxd4 d5 see Cornette – Pap, Schachbundesliga 2015-2016, Erfurt 2016. 9. ... Be7 10. d5 Na7 11. Nbd2 0-0 12. Bd3 Nc8 13. Nf1. As very usually happens, the Rossolimo Sicilian has transposed into a kind of Spanish Game. 13. ... Nb6 14. h3 Qc7 15. Ng3 a5 16. Bg5 Rfe8 17. Qc1 h6 18. Be3 c4 19. Bc2 b4. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) prepares to sacrifice her c-Pawn for some interesting positional compensation. 20. Qd1 Reb8 21. Nd2 Nh7 22. Qe2 Rc8 23. Bxb6 Qxb6 24. Nxc4 Qc5 25. Bd3 bxc3 26. bxc3 Bg5 27. Rab1 Rab8 28. Nf1 Nf8 29. Kh2

29. ... h5? The Bishop pair and the weakness of the c3-Pawn partially compensated Black for the minus Pawn, but now 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) quite crazily decides to sacrifice another Pawn for something that does not exist. 30. Qxh5 Bf4+ 31. Kg1 Bb5? The postgirl just wants to jump in, both feet into the abyss... 32. Qe2. Simpler seems to be 32. Rxb5! Rxb5 33. g3 Bh6 34. Nxd6 Qxd6 35. Bxb5 Rxc3 36. Rb1 leaving Black in trouble two Pawns down – the analysis is by Georges Bertola from his commentary for Europe Échecs. 32. ... Bxc4 33. Rxb8 Rxb8 34. Bxc4 Qa3 35. Bb5 Qxc3 36. a4 Rc8 37. g3 Bg5 38. Ne3 Qb4. “It was probably necessary to eliminate the White Knight by 38. ... Bxe3!, in spite of the pawn minus, as the Bishops of opposite colour ending is just a chimera”, says Bertola. 39. Nc4 Nd7 40. Nxa5 Rc2 41. Qxc2 Qxe1+ 42. Kg2 Nc5. The alternative – apparently more defensible than the text – was 42. ... Qxa5 43. Bxd7 liquidating to a Queen and opposite coloured Bishops endgame two Pawns down. 43. Nc6! Bd2 44. Bd3. After 44. Nxe5! dxe5 45. Qxc5 Qxe4+ 46. f3 Qd4 47. Qxd4 exd4 48. Kf2 (Bertola’s analysis) not even the Bishops of opposite colours might have saved Black from the too many White Pawns eager to promote. 44. ... g6 45. h4 Bc3 46. Be2 Nxa4 47. Ne7+. Stockfish’s “first thought” 47. Qd3! Nc5 48. Qf3 also appears to be the best thought, carrying serious threats to the Black King. 47. ... Kf8 48. Nc8 Bd4 49. Bf3 Qb4 50. h5 gxh5?? A tremendous blunder for which no explanation is possible. 50. ... Qc5 51. Qxa4 Qxc8 was called for, and good enough to hope for a draw. 51. Qc1? Most certainly it’s a flashy blind spot, and it will not be the last one. 51. Qc7! Qd2 52. Kh3! would have led to a mating attack. 51. ... Bc5? 52. Qh6+? And now Harika misses 52. Qg5!+- Qb7 53. Qd8+ Kg7 54. Ne7 with an easy and ready win. 52. ... Ke8 53. Bxh5 Qxe4+ 54. Bf3 Qg6? Everything is mounted as a tragicomedy of mistakes. 54. ... Qd4! 55. Nxd6+ Bxd6 56. Qxd6 Nc5 would have ensured Black robust drawing chances. 55. Qh4 Kd7 56. Be4? As the show must go on, no matter that 56. Bg4+ Kc7 57. Qe7+ Kb8 58. Qd8 Kb7 59. Qd7+ Kb8 60. Ne7 was devastatingly easy. 56. ... f5 57. Ne7? Just another bid for immortality! Now White misses 57. Qe7+! Kxc8 58. Bd3! and mate in three moves. 57. ... Qf7 58. Bxf5+ Kc7 59. f3 Nb6 60. Be6 Qg7 61. Nf5 Qf8 62. Qh7+ Kb8 63. Ne7 Nc4 64. Nc6+ Ka8 65. Qg8? Now Harika makes the grand offer of exchanging Queens, and this is also the best way to offer her opponent unexpected drawing prospects... 65. ... Qxg8 66. Bxg8 Kb7 67. g4 Be3 68. Nd8+ Kc7 69. Ne6+ Kd7 70. g5 Ke7 71. Bh7 Nb6 72. g6 Nxd5? “72. ... Bh6! must lead to a draw: 73. g7 Bxg7 74. Nxg7 Nxd5 75. Nf5+ Kd7”, writes Bertola. 73. g7 Nf6 74. g8=Q Nxg8 75. Bxg8 Kd7 76. Nf8+ Kc6 77. Ng6 Bg5 78. Kh3 Kc5 79. Kg4 Bd8 80. Nf8 Ba5 81. Ne6+ Kc4 82. Kf5 Kd3 83. Ng5 Kd4 84. Ba2 Bb4 85. Ne6+ Ke3 86. Bd5 Ba5 87. Ng5 Kd4 88. Ke6 Bc7 89. Ne4 Ke3 90. Nxd6 Kf4 91. Be4 Ba5 92. Nb7 Bc3 93. Nc5 Kg5 94. Nd3 Bd2 95. Kxe5 Bc3+ 96. Ke6 Bd2 97. Bc6 Kg6 98. Ke5 Kg5 99. Ke4 Kf6 100. Nf2 Ke6 101. Bd5+ Kd6 102. Ba2 Kd7 103. Ng4 Bg5 104. Ne5+ Kc7 105. Bb3 Bh6 106. Nc4 Bg5 107. Ba4 Kd8 108. Ne3 Kc7 109. Bb5 Kd6 110. Nf5+ Kc5 111. Be8 Kb4 112. Nd4 Bh6 113. Ne2 Kc5 114. Bf7 Bg5 115. Ba2 Bh6 116. f4. Finally, Harika feels ready to demontrate the Bishop and Knight checkmate – actually just a bit too erratically. 116. ... Bxf4 117. Nxf4 Kb4 118. Kd4 Kb5 119. Bd5 Kb4 120. Bc4 Ka3 121. Nd3 Ka4 122. Kc5 Ka3 123. Be6 Ka4 124. Nb4 Ka3 125. Kc4 Kb2 126. Bg4 Kc1 127. Kc3 Kb1 128. Nc2 Ka2 129. Be6+ Kb1 130. Ne3 Ka1 131. Nc4 Kb1 132. Nd2+ Ka1 133. Nb3+ Kb1 134. Bf5+ Ka2 135. Be4 Ka3 136. Bb1 Ka4 137. Nd4 Ka5 138. Kc4 Kb6 139. Bg6 Kc7 140. Kd5 Kd7 141. Nc6 Kc7 142. Kc5 Kd7 143. Bf7 Kc8 144. Be6+ Kc7 145. Ne5 Kb7 146. Bd5+ Kc8 147. Kd6 Kd8 148. Bf7 Kc8 149. Kc6 Kd8 150. Ng6 Kc8 151. Bd5 Kd8 152. Kd6 Ke8 153. Bb3 Kd8 154. Ba4 Kc8 155. Bc6 Kd8 156. Ne5 Kc8 157. Bd7+ Kb7 158. Nc4 Ka6 159. Kc7 Ka7 160. Bb5 Ka8 161. Nb6+ Ka7 162. Nc8+ 1 : 0. All’s well that ends well. The last “gift” the Knockout pageant needed was a worldwide remake of Ushenina – Girya, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2013–2014, 1st stage, Geneva 2013.

Dronavalli Harika vs. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Photo © David Llada