Thrice Upon a Time

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada
2nd FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss Tournament; Douglas, November 5, 2023
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3 h5 9. Nd5 Bxd5 10. exd5 Nbd7 11. Qd2 g6 12. 0-0-0 Bg7 13. Kb1 0-0 14. h3 Qc7 15. g4 Nb6 16. Bg5 h4 17. Bxh4 Rfc8 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. h4 a5 20. g5 Bg7

21. h5 a4 (21. ... gxh5 22. g6!→)
22. Na1 a3 23. b3 gxh5? (23. ... Qc3! 24. Qxc3 Rxc3 25. Bh3 Rf2 26. gxf7+ Kxf7 27. Rhf1⩲)

24. Bh3? A mistake which could cost 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) dearly. She had to play 24. c4! followed the capture of the h5-Pawn.
24. ... Rf8? Now 24. ... Qc3! 25. Qxc3 (25. Qc1?? e4 forces mate in two) 25. ... Rxc3 would have been very embarrassing for White.
25. c4! Mammadzada is not given a second chance.
25. ... e4 26. fxe4 Qe7 27. Nc2

27. ... Qe5 (27. ... Qxe4 28. Rde1)
28. Qd4 Qg3 29. Rd3 Bxd4 30. Rxg3 Be5 31. Rf3 f6 32. Rg1 Kf7 33. g6+ Kg7 34. Ne3 1 : 0.

And finally 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) did it, snatching a ticket to represent herself and China at the next Women’s Candidates. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.

Plusminus

Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
14th European Women’s Team Chess Championship; Terme Čatež, November 19, 2021
French Defence C07

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 cxd4 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Bc4 Qd6 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Nb3 Nc6 9. Nbxd4 Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Be7 11. c3 0-0 12. Qf3 Qc7 13. Bb3 a5 14. a4 Bd7 15. Re1 Qb6 16. Bf4TN (16. Bg5 Rfe8 17. Rab1 Rad8 18. Bc2 Nd5 19. h4 Bc6 20. Bxe7 Rxe7 21. Qg3 Red7 22. Re2 Nf6 23. Rbe1 h6 24. Qf4 Rd5 25. Qg3 Kh8 26. Bb3 R5d7 27. Re5 Rxd4 28. cxd4 Rxd4 29. R5e3 Qd8 30. Qh3 Nh5 31. g3 Nf6 32. Qf1 Ng4 33. Rc3 Qb6 34. Rd1 Rb4 35. Bc2 Rxb2 36. Qe2 f5 37. Rc4 Rb4 38. Rxb4 axb4 39. Bb3 Be4 40. a5 Qxa5 41. Bxe6 Ne5 42. Bb3 Kh7 43. h5 Qb6 44. Qa2 Nf3+ 45. Kf1 Nh2+ 46. Kg1 Nf3+ 47. Kf1 Nh2+ ½ : ½ Samusenko – Shimanov, 74th Russian Championship Higher League, Cheboksary 2021) 16. ... Rac8 17. Be5 Rfd8 18. Qh3 Ne8. Very interesting is the engines’ suggestion 18. ... Rc5 on which there can follow 19. Bc2!? (19. Qg3 Nh5=) 19. ... Qxb2 20. Bxf6 Bxf6 21. Qxh7+ Kf8 22. Nf5 Rxf5 23. Bxf5 Qxc3∞ with unclear play. 19. Re3 Bf6 20. f4 Bc6 21. Rf1 h6

22. f5!↑ Bd5 23. fxe6 Bxb3

24. Nxb3. An automatic move, which however may be a perceptible loss of time. Critical is 24. Bxf6 Nxf6 25. Rxf6! Bxe6 (the only move as 25. ... gxf6?? is demolished by 26. e7 Re8 27. Nf5+− and 25. ... fxe6?? by 26. Rg3!+−) 26. Nxe6 fxe6 27. Qxe6+ Qxe6 28. Rfxe6 simplifying to a Rooks ending a Pawn up — which indeed would be hardly winnable for White. 24. ... Qxb3 25. Bxf6 Nxf6 26. e7 Re8

27. Rxf6! Rc7! The best and only move, as Black could not play 27. ... gxf6?? because of 28. Rg3+ Kh7 29. Qf5+ followed by mate in two. On the other hand, if the Queen abandoned the diagonal a2-g8, White would just take the f7-Pawn with the Rook. 28. Rf1. If 28. Rxh6 Black replies 28. ... Qd1+ 29. Kf2 Qd2+ drawing by perpetual check. 28. ... Rcxe7 29. Rxe7 Rxe7 30. Qc8+ Kh7 31. Qf5+ g6 32. Qxa5 Qxb2. Now that the dust has settled, it seems that the time has come for a draw. 33. Qc5 Qe2 34. h3 Rd7 35. Qf8 Qe3+ 36. Kh1 Qe6 37. Qb4 Kg7 38. Qf4 h5 39. Qg3 Qe4 40. Qf4 Qe6 41. Qg3 Rd5 42. Qc7 Rd7 43. Qg3 Rd5 44. Qc7 Rd7 ½ : ½.

The ponytail challenge was a hard fought draw in forty-four moves. Photo: ECU Press.

Shuffleboard

Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada – Abhimanyu Mishra

1st Julius Bär Challengers Chess Tour; 4thd stage; 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) Challenge; time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess24.com, September 18, 2021

Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Rg1. Mammadzada’s speciality. 8. ... h5 9. h3. 9. Qd2 (Mammadzada – Hejazipour, 6th Women’s World Blitz Chess Championship, Moscow 2019) 9. ... Ng4 should not worry Black too much. 9. ... Be6 10. Qf3!? Just few weeks ago, Mammadzada won a game by immediately pushing on her g-Pawn, but the result had nothing to do with the opening: 10. g4 hxg4 11. hxg4 d5! 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Bxd5 14. Qe2 Bc6 15. Bd2 Nd7 16. 0-0-0 a5 17. Re1 Kf8 18. Bc3 Bg5+ 19. Kb1 Bf4 20. Bg2 Bxg2 21. Rxg2 a4 22. Nd2 Rc8 23. Nc4 Qc7 24. Bb4+ Kg8 25. Nd6 Rd8 26. a3 b6 27. Ne4 Nf6 28. g5 Nxe4 29. Qxe4 g6 30. Bc3 b5 31. Rg4 Qd7? (⌓ 31. ... Rh3!) 32. Rxf4! exf4 33. Bxh8 Kxh8 34. Qe5+ Kg8 35. Rh1 1 : 0 Mammadzada – Bulmaga, 21st European Individual Women’s Chess Championship, Iași 2021. 10. ... h4 11. 0-0-0 Nbd7 12. Nd5 Bxd5 13. exd5

13. ... e4?! “To get squares, ya gotta give squares”, as Bobby Fischer used to say. But the impression is that the text move gives more than what it takes away. 13. ... Nh5 was probably the most consistent with 10. ... h4, so as to reply to 14. g4 with 14. ... hxg3 15. fxg3 Bg5 temporarily keeping the g-file closed. 14. Qf4 Ne5 15. Bd4 Qc7 16. Qd2 Rd8. A mysterious move, deploying the Rook on a closed file, but actually threatens to take the d5-Pawn with the Knight. 17. Bc3 Rc8 18. Kb1 0-0 19. Be2 Nfd7 20. g3! Finally opening the g-file. It’s quite evident that White’s attack is already on its way. 20. ... hxg3 21. Rxg3 Bf6 22. Rdg1 g6 23. Qf4 Bg7 24. h4. 24. Qxe4 Nf6 25. Qg2 was also very strong. 24. ... Nf6 25. Rd1

25. ... Rce8? 25. ... Nf3! was probably Black’s best, sacrificing a Pawn in order to get rid of White’s light-squared Bishop, so as to render the push h4-h5 at least a little less terrifying than as in the game. 26. h5 Qe7 27. Qd2 Nfd7 28. Nd4! Black is now faced with countless threats. 28. ... Nb6 29. hxg6. By now it makes no real difference which way White goes: it is simply a matter of taste. 29. ... fxg6 30. Ne6 Nxd5. Black has nothing better than sacrificing the Exchange only to delay the catastrophe, because if 30. ... Rf6 there would follow 31. Bxe5 dxe5 32. Rdg1 with overwhelming effect. 31. Nxf8 Nxc3+ 32. Qxc3 Kxf8 33. Qe3 Qf6 34. c3 Kg8 35. Qxe4 Qxf2 36. Qd5+ Nf7 37. Bc4. It was too easy for White to content herself with 37. Rf3 winning the Queen and the game. 37. ... Re5

38. Qxf7+! And now again it is time for White to demonstrate a virtuoso display of endgame technique. 38. ... Qxf7 39. Bxf7+ Kxf7 40. Rxd6 Re1+ 41. Kc2 Be5 42. Rf3+ Kg7 43. Rd7+ Kh6 44. Rxb7 g5 45. Re7 Kg6 46. Re6+ Kh5 47. Rh3+ Kg4 48. Rh7 Kf5. Even after the better 48. ... Bxc3 49. Rxa6 Be5 50. b4 the endgame is theoretically won for White. 49. Rxa6 g4 50. Ra8 g3 51. Rf8+ Ke4 52. Re7 Re2+ 53. Kb3 g2 54. Rg8 Kf3 55. Rf7+ Bf4 56. Rfg7 Bc1 57. a4. In principle it is more accurate to interpolate 57. Rf7+! so as not to give up even the b-Pawn. 57. ... Rxb2+ 58. Kc4 Ra2 59. Kb5 Rb2+ 60. Kc6 Rc2 61. Rxg2! Rxg2. 61. ... Rxc3+ 62. Kb5 is a book win as well. 62. Rxg2 Kxg2 63. c4 Kf3 64. a5 Be3 65. c5 Ke4 66. a6 Bxc5 67. Kxc5 Ke5 68. a7 1 : 0.

Spacetime

Sarasadat Khademalsharieh – Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada
1st Women’s World Chess Cup; match game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, July 19, 2021
Slav Defence D11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 g6 6. 0-0 Bg7 7. a4 Ne4 8. Nc3 Nd6 9. e4 Bg4 10. Be3 Na6 (10. ... Qc8!? 11. Qe2 Na6 12. Rad1 0-0 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Bxf3 Nb4 ½ : ½ Štukan – Basso, Third Saturday Mix 158, Novi Sad 2021) 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Qb6? A novelty which is useless to say the least. But 12. ... Nb4 13. Qe2 Nd3 14. b3 also proved quite unpleasant for Black in Gelfand – Sarana, 6th Nutcracker Match of the Generations, Moscow 2020, match game 1 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). 13. a5 Qd8 14. Qe2 0-0 15. Rfd1 Nc7 16. f4 Qd7 17. Bf2 f5? (⌓ 17. ... e6 18. e5 Nf5 19. Qxc4 Nd5 20. Rd3 Rab8 21. Ne4±) 18. e5 Ndb5 19. Nxb5 cxb5 20. d5+− Na6 21. d6 e6 22. Qf3 Rfb8 23. b3 cxb3 24. Qxb3 Rc8 25. Rac1 Kf7 26. Qf3 Rcb8 27. g4 Kg8 28. gxf5 gxf5 29. Rd3 Kh8 30. Rdc3 Qf7 31. Kh1 Qe8

32. Rc7! Nb4 (32. ... Nxc7 33. dxc7 Rc8 34. Qxb7+−) 33. Qg3 1 : 0.

Khademalsharieh masterfully took advantage of Mammadzada’s opening inaccuracies. Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.

Sliding Doors

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada

1st Julius Bär Challengers Chess Tour; 2nd stage; Gelfand Challenge; time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess24.com, June 13, 2021

3r2k1/1p3pp1/p1p1rn1p/4N3/PP1Pp2q/4P2P/5PP1/2RQ1R1K w - - 1 28

Position after 27. ... Rb8-d8

28. Qb3 h5?! A tricky move, which allows White’s minority attack to gain momentum. ⌓ 28. ... Nd7 with only a slight disadvantage. 29. f3 (29. b5!± axb5 30. axb5 cxb5? 31. Rc7+−) 29. ... Qg5? (29. ... Nd5!? Δ 30. Nxf7 Rf8⇄) 30. f4 Qg3? (30. ... Qf5 31. b5±)

31. f5?? 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) misses here her finisher: 31. Nxf7! Kxf7 32. f5+− winning by force. Not surprisingly, now it is Black who wins: 31. ... Rxe5! Going for mate. White was probably hoping for 31. ... Re7 32. Ng6 followed by Ng6-f4. 32. dxe5 Rd2 33. Rg1 Ng4! 0 : 1.

Afterclass

Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada – Sarasadat Khademalsharieh

1st Julius Bär Challengers Chess Tour; 2nd stage; Gelfand Challenge; time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess24.com, June 11, 2021

Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 d6 8. d4 Bb6 9. a4 Rb8 10. a5 Ba7 11. h3 Bb7 12. Be3 Nxe4

13. d5 Bxe3 14. dxc6 Bxf2+? Khademalsharieh ends up being swallowed by a theoretical black hole. The correct move was to take with the Knight, after which White can claim a slight advantage: 14. ... Nxf2 15. Qd5 (15. Qe2 Nxh3++ 16. Kh1 Nf2+ 17. Rxf2 Bxf2 18. cxb7 Ba7 19. Bd5⩲) 15. ... Nxh3++? (⌓ 15. ... Qf6 16. Rxf2 Bc8) 16. Kh1 Qf6 17. cxb7 Nf4 18. Qc6+ Kd8 19. Nh2 Qg5 20. Na3 Ne2 21. Rf3 Ng3+ 22. Rxg3! Qxg3 23. Bxf7 Bf4 24. Nf3 Qg4 25. Nxb5 Qd7 26. Bd5 g5 27. Rf1 Rf8 28. Nxg5 Ke7 29. Ne6! Qxc6 30. Bxc6 Kxe6 31. Nxc7+ Ke7 32. Nxa6 Rbd8 33. b8=Q Rxb8 34. Nxb8 Rxb8 35. Rxf4! 1 : 0 Navara – Ganguly, 73rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament (B Group), Wijk aan Zee 2011. 15. Rxf2 Nxf2 16. Qd5. White has got an even better version of the game mentioned in the previous note as Black is now irreparably doomed.

16. ... 0-0 17. cxb7 c6 (17. ... e4 18. Ng5+−) 18. Qxc6 Nd3 19. Bd5 Nf4 20. Nbd2 Qf6 21. Qxa6 Nxd5 22. Qxb5 Nf4 23. a6 Qg6 24. Qf1 Qg3 25. Kh1 h5

26. a7 Rxb7 27. a8=Q Rxa8 28. Rxa8+ Kh7 29. Ne4 1 : 0. A pretty game of theoretical interest by the Azerbaijani talent, who on occasion is mentored by three-time Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn).

Fifteen Minutes

For the second day in a row, a fifteen-minute blackout fell on the script for the grand finale of FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2019–20. And that, apparently, was a long enough time to make everyone live happily and peacefully: Kazakhstani Grandmaster Zhansaya Daniyarovna Abdumalik brought home first prize awards for her two goals, while Ukrainian-Russian Grandmaster Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno managed to secure the very last ticket for the next Women’s Candidate Tournament. Last but not least, Ukrainian Grandmaster Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk and Azerbaijani International Master Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada took second and third prizes respectively. Photos © David Llada.

Day Tripper

Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2019–20; 4th stage; Catalan Bay, May 30, 2021
Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 d6 8. d4 Bb6 9. a4 Rb8 10. a5 Ba7 11. Be3 Bg4 12. Nbd2 exd4 13. cxd4 0-0 14. h3 Bh5 15. Qc2 Nb4 16. Qc3 c5 17. dxc5 dxc5!? Black is now to leave the beaten track. A recent game went 17. ... Bxc5 18. Bxc5 dxc5 19. Qxc5 Nd3 20. Qe3 Nxb2 21. e5 Nd5 22. Qd4 Nc4 23. g4 Bg6 24. Nxc4 bxc4 25. Bxc4 Nb4 26. Qxd8 Rfxd8 27. Rfd1 Rxd1+ 28. Rxd1 Nc6 29. Rd6 Nxa5 30. Bd5 Kf8 31. Nh4 Rb5 32. f4 Bc2 33. Nf5 Bxf5 34. gxf5 Ke7 35. Bf3 Nb3 36. Bc6 Rb6 37. Ba4 Rb7 38. Rxa6 Nc5 39. f6+ gxf6 40. exf6+ Kd8 41. Rd6+ Kc8 42. Bc2 Kc7 43. Rd4 h6 44. Rd5 Nd7 45. Rh5 Rb4 46. f5 Nc5 47. Kf1 Rb2 48. Bd1 Ne4 49. Rh4 Ng3+ 50. Ke1 Nxf5 51. Rh5 Ne3 52. Bf3 Kd6 53. Rxh6 Ke5 54. Bh5 Ng2+ 55. Kf1 Ne3+ 56. Kg1 Rb7 57. Bf3 Rb1+ 58. Kf2 Nf5 59. Rh8 ½ : ½ Narayanan – Khademalsharieh, 1st 一带一路 (Belt and Road) China 湖南 (Húnán) International Chess Open, 长沙 (Chángshā) 2019. 18. Bg5 h6 19. Bh4

19 ... Bxf3? (⌓ 19. ... Nc6 Δ 20. e5 Nd5 — was then suggested by Mammadzada as a clear improvement) 20. Nxf3 Qd3 21. Bxf6 gxf6 22. Qxf6. The Black King is gravely exposed. 22. ... c4. Not 22. ... Qxb3? on account of 23. Ng5! hxg5 24. Qxg5+ Kh7 25. Qh4+ Kg7 26. Ra3!+− (Mammadzada’s analysis).

23. Ne5! Qxe4 (23. ... Qxb3? 24. Ng4+−) 24. Rfe1? The wrong Rook! 24. ... Qh7? (24. ... Nd5! 25. Qxh6 Qf4=) 25. Qe7 f6

26. Nxc4! Bxf2+ 27. Kxf2 bxc4 28. Bxc4+ Kh8 29. Qxh7+ Kxh7 30. b3 Kg6 31. Re6 h5 32. Rd1 Rfe8 33. Rxe8 Rxe8 34. Rd6 Re5 35. Rb6 Na2 36. Rxa6 h4 37. Kf3 Nc3 38. b4 Kg5 39. Re6 Rf5+ 40. Ke3 Rf4 41. Rc6 Nd1+ 42. Kd3 Nb2+ 43. Kc3 1 : 0.

Today, apparently, the burden on Lagno’s nerves proved more than she could bear. Photo © John Saunders.

Day After Day

Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2019–20; 4th stage; Catalan Bay, May 25, 2021
Sicilian Defence B33

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 Rb8 12. Nc2 Bg5 13. a4 bxa4 14. Ncb4 Nxb4 15. cxb4 0-0 16. h4 Bh6 17. Rxa4 a5 18. b5. Of course, neither 18. Rxa5? Rxb4!−+ nor 18. bxa5?! Rxb2∓ are to be considered too seriously. 18. ... Bd7 19. Nc3 d5 20. exd5 f5. If 20. ... e4!? then 21. Be2 f5 22. d6 Kh8 23. g3 f4?! (⌓ 23. ... Rf6∞) 24. Rxe4 Bf5 25. Re5 Qf6 26. Qd5 fxg3 27. fxg3 Qg6 28. g4! Bc8 (28. ... Bxg4 29. Rg1+−) 29. Ne4 Bb7 30. h5 Qxe4 31. Qxe4 Bxe4 32. Rxe4 Rfd8 33. Rd4 Bc1 34. d7 Bxb2 35. Rd5 Rb7 36. 0-0! g6 37. h6 Ba3 38. Rf7 a4 39. Re5 Rbb8 40. Bc4 Bf8 41. Kg2 a3 42. Ba2 Bd6 43. Re6 Bf8 44. b6 1 : 0 Ganguly – Shirov, 11th International Chess Tournament, Edmonton 2016. 21. Be2 Kh8 22. g3 Qb6 23. 0-0 f4!? A very interesting novelty, which, at least in a psychological way, works very well, perhaps better than 23. ... Rbd8 24. Kg2 Bc8 25. f4 Rfe8 26. fxe5 Rxe5 27. Qd4 Qf6 28. Rc4 Bd7 29. Rf3 Bxb5 30. Nxb5 Rxe2+ 31. Kh3 Rxb2 32. Rc6 Qxd4 33. Nxd4 Rd2 34. Ne6 Re8 35. Rxf5 g6 36. Rf6 Kg8 37. d6 Bg7 38. Nxg7 Kxg7 39. Rf4 Kg8 40. Rc7 Rxd6 41. Rff7 ½ : ½ Anand – Grischuk, 3rd Norway Chess, Stavanger 2015. 24. Kg2. The tactical justification of 23. ... f4 lies in 24. g4 f3! 25. Bxf3 Bc1!∞ (26. Ra2 Bd2!). 24. ... Rf7

25. b4?? A disastrous blunder which loses almost at once. 25. d6 f3+! 26. Bxf3 Rbf8 makes sense to Black’s 24th move, but other moves, such as 25. Bc4, naturally come into consideration. 25. ... axb4 26. Ra6? Consistently bad, but 26. Rxb4 f3+! 27. Bxf3 Rbf8 28. Ra4 g6 also gives Black an overwhelming position. 26. ... Qd4! 27. Qxd4 exd4 28. Na2 f3+! 0 : 1. Enough is enough (29. Bxf3 Bxb5−+).

Thanks to her win today, Muzychuk can still hope for a later success. Photo © John Saunders.

19（十九）

Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada – 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié)

1st Julius Bär Challengers Chess Tour; 1st stage; Polgár Challenge; time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess24.com, April 11, 2021

Spanish Game C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 0-0 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Re8 11. c3 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Ne8 13. d5 d6 14. Nd2 c6 15. Ne4 Be7 16. Bf4 cxd5 17. Ng3 Be6 18. Bd3 Bg5 19. Qe3 Bxf4 20. Qxf4 Qf6 21. Qb4 Qe7 22. Re1 Qd7 23. Ne2 a5 24. Qb6 Qc7 25. Qe3 Nf6 26. Nd4 Re8 27. Qg3 Bd7 28. Rxe8+ Nxe8 29. Qe3 Qd8 30. f3 Nf6 31. Be2 Kf8 32. g4 h6 33. Kf2 Qe7 34. Qxe7+ Kxe7. A probably equal endgame has arisen as Black’s extra Pawn is almost nullified by the doubled Pawn on the d-file. 35. Ke3 g5 36. h3 h5 37. Bd3 hxg4 38. hxg4 Be6 39. b3 Nd7 40. Nc2. If 40. Nf5+ then 40. ... Bxf5 41. Bxf5 Ne5 42. Bc8 b6 43. Bb7 Ke6 44. Bc8+ Ke7 with a draw by repetition. 40. ... Ne5 41. Be2 Ng6 42. Bd3 Nf4 43. Bh7 Kf6 44. Nd4 Ke5 45. Bc2 Bd7 46. Bb1 Ng2+ 47. Kf2 Nh4 48. Kg3 f5 49. f4+ Kf6 50. fxg5+ Kxg5 51. gxf5 Bxf5 52. Nxf5 Nxf5+ 53. Kf3. Of course the King and Pawn ending would be lost for White. 53. ... d4 54. cxd4 Nxd4+ 55. Ke4 Nb5

56. Kd3? 56. Kd5! Nc3+ 57. Kxd6 Nxb1 58. Kc7 draws. 57. ... Kf4? 57. ... Na3!−+ is only too easy to miss it! 57. a4 Nc7 58. Kd4 b6 59. Bc2 Kf3 60. Bd3 Kf2

61. Kc4? White rashly allows the d-Pawn to advance, with disastrous consequences for her own doom. Almost any other move would have been good enough for a draw. 61. ... Ke3−+ 62. Bf1 (62. Kc3 d5−+) 62. ... d5+ 63. Kc3 Ne6 64. b4 Nd4 65. Ba6 Nf5 0 : 1.

Up Ahead

Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada – Marina Brunello
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 16, 2019
Russian Defence C42

Marina Brunello cooly kept her nerve and cashed in a precious half a point, surviving a game which had not begun too well. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Bd3!? This clumsy but venomous move used to be Alexander Sergeyevich Morozevich’s favourite, and could well have come as a surprise to Brunello. 5. ... Nf6 6. 0-0 Be7 7. c3 Bg4 8. Bc2 0-0 9. d4 c5 10. Qd3!? Here is a straightforward novelty instead of 10. h3 Bh5 11. Re1 Nc6 12. g4 Bg6 13. Bxg6 hxg6 14. d5 Ne5 15. Bf4⩲ Short – Đào Thiên Hải, 42nd Chess Olympiad, Baku 2016 — which, however, could still be regarded as a more fruitful approach on long terms. 10. ... Nc6 11. Bg5 g6 12. Na3 Kg7 13. h3. After 13. Qe3 Ng8! Black defends well enough. 13. ... Bxf3 14. Qxf3 h6 15. Be3 cxd4 16. cxd4 d5 17. Qf4 Ng8 18. Bb3 Nb4 19. Nb5 Qa5 20. Nc3 Rad8 21. Rad1 Rd7 22. Rfe1 Rfd8 23. h4 h5 24. Bc1 Bf6

25. Re3. Any appearance to the contrary notwithstanding, Black might even have never been in danger of losing the game, but White could probably still play for a win by 25. g4! — well, no one knows how it would have ended, thus all’s well that ends well. 25. ... Qb6 26. Rf3 Qe6 27. Rg3 Ne7 28. a3 Nbc6 29. Bc2 Kf8 30. Be3 Qd6 31. Qh6+ Bg7 32. Qg5 Bf6 33. Qh6+ Bg7 34. Qg5 Bf6 ½ : ½.

Seated in the forefront: Gunay Mammadzada (right) vs. Marina Brunello (left). Photo: Turkish Chess Federation.

Stargirl

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada
21st European Women’s Chess Club Cup; Novi Sad, November 12, 2016
Sicilian Defence B53

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 a6 5. Be3 Nc6 6. Qd2 Nf6 7. 0-0-0 e6 8. Nf3 Be7 9. Bf4 Ng4 10. h3 Nge5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Be3 b5 13. f4

13. ... Nc6? The Knight is badly placed here. Correct is 13. ... Nd7! intending ... Bc8-b7 and ... Ra8-c8, Benitez Lozano – Duda, 52nd World Junior Chess Championship, Kocaeli 2013. 14. h4 Qa5 15. Kb1 Bb7. A little better seems 15. ... b4 16. Ne2 Bb7, though even then after 17. Nc1 Qc7 18. g4 White retains the initiative. 16. Qf2 Qc7. Now 16. ... b4? is too late on account of 17. Bb6 Qh5 18. Be2 Qg6 19. Nd5! with devasting effect. 17. g4 0-0 18. g5 b4 19. Na4 Na5 20. Bb6 Qc6 21. b3 Bd8

22. Rh2. Indirectly defending the e4-Pawn, for if 22. ... Qxe4?? then 23. Bxa5 Bxa5 24. Bg2 winning material. 22. ... Rb8 23. Qd4. White dominates the board, which will soon get her to win the a6-Pawn, thereby winning. 23. ... Ba8 24. Bxd8 Rfxd8 25. Rhd2 Rdc8 26. Qxd6 Qxd6 27. Rxd6 Bxe4 28. R1d2 Nb7 29. R6d4 Bd5 30. Bxa6 Rc6 31. Bb5 Rc7 32. Nb6 Bc6 33. Bxc6 Rxc6 34. Nd7 Ra8 35. Rxb4 Rc7 36. a4 Nc5 37. Nb6 1 : 0.

The uncrowned Queen of Monte Carlo just made another hit. Photo © Lennart Ootes.