Back to Earth

Anna-Maria Botsari – Marina Brunello

1st Online Chess Olympiad Top Division Pool D; Italy – Greece; time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess.com, August 23, 2020

Slav Defence D11

Italy took the fifth place in the Pool D, which was not enough to advance to the quarterfinals. However, International Master Marina Brunello may well be satisfied with her performance (10/14), including the draw with Anna-Maria Botsari in the disastrous Round 8 match against Greece (Italy lost 5–1). 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nbd2 Bf5 5. Nh4 Bc8 6. Nhf3 e6 7. g3 Nbd7 8. Bg2 Bd6 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Qc2 Qe7 11. e4 Nxe4 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Qxe4 e5 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Ng5 Ng6 (15. ... g6!?) 16. Be3!? A novelty which does not change the assessment of the position. After 16. Qc2 h6 17. Ne4 Bf5 18. Re1 Rfe8 19. Bd2 Rad8 20. Qb3 Be5 21. Bb4 Qc7 Black stands well, even though after 22. c5 a5 23. Bc3 Bxe4 24. Rxe4 Bxc3 25. Qxc3 Rxe4 26. Bxe4 Nf8 27. Re1 Ne6 28. Bf5 he gifted his illustrious opponent with a huge blunder: 28. ... Nd4?? (28. ... Nf8) 29. Qxd4! 1 : 0 Smyslov – Sehner, 8th Politiken Cup, Copenhagen 1986. 16. ... Re8 17. Qxe7 Bxe7 18. Ne4 Bf5 19. Rfd1 Ne5 20. Rd4 Rad8 21. b3 b6 22. h3 h5 23. Rad1 Be6 24. f4 Rxd4 25. Rxd4 Nd7 26. Nd6 Rd8

27. Nb7. If 27. f5 Black can reply 27. ... Bxd6 28. fxe6 Ne5 with reasonable drawing chances. 27. ... Rb8 28. Bxc6 Nc5 29. Nxc5 (29. Nd6 Bxh3=) 29. ... Bxc5 30. Rd3 Bf5 31. Rc3 Bb4 32. Rc1 Bxh3 33. Kf2 Rd8 34. Bd5 Bf5 35. Bf3 g6 36. Rd1 Rxd1 37. Bxd1 Bb1 38. a4 Kf8 39. Bd4 Ke7 40. Ke3 Bf5 ½ : ½.

Swimming Pools

Marina Brunello – Iweta Rajlich

1st Online Chess Olympiad Top Division Pool D; Poland – Italy; time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess.com, August 22, 2020

French Defence C02

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. Bxh6 (8. Bd3 Bd7 9. Bc2 g5 10. h3 Nf5 11. Bxf5 exf5 12. 0-0 h6 13. Nc3 Be6 14. Na4 Qb5 15. h4 g4 16. Ne1 Be7 17. g3 Rc8 18. Be3 b6 19. Ng2 Na5 20. Nf4 Nc4 21. Nc3 Qa5 22. Qb3 Kd7 23. Rfc1 Rc6 24. Rc2 Nxe3 25. fxe3 Rhc8 26. Rac1 Rc4 27. a3 R8c6 28. Kf2 a6 29. Nb1 Rxc2+ 30. Rxc2 Rxc2+ 31. Qxc2 Qb5 32. Nc3 Qc4 33. Qa4+ Qxa4 34. Nxa4 Kc6 35. Nc3 a5 36. Ke2 Bf8 37. Kd2 Be7 38. Kc2 Bf8 39. Kb3 b5 40. Na2 Be7 41. Kc2 Bf8 42. Nc1 Be7 43. Nb3 Bd8 44. Nc5 Bc8 45. Kd2 Be7 46. Kc3 Bf8 47. Nh5 Be7 48. Nf6 Be6 49. Nh5 Bc8 50. Nf4 Bd8 51. Kd3 Be7 52. Kc2 Bd8 53. Kd1 Be7 54. Nfd3 Bd8 55. Ke2 Be7 56. Kd2 ½ : ½ M. Brunello – E. Pähtz, 20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship, Antalya 2019) 8. ... Qxb2. The alternative is 8. .... gxh6 9. Qd2 Bg7 10. Nc3 0-0 11. 0-0 f6 12. exf6 Rxf6 13. Rad1 Bd7 14. Ne1 Raf8 15. f4 R6f7 16. Nc2 Qxb2 17. Nb5 a6 18. Rb1 Qxa2 19. Ra1 Qb2 20. Rfb1 Qxa1 21. Rxa1 axb5 22. Rf1 b4 23. Nxb4 Nxb4? (23. ... Nxd4!) 24. Qxb4 Rxf4 25. Rd1 Bc6 26. Qb6 Kh8 27. Bf3 Ra8 28. h3 Ra4 29. Kh1 Rf8 30. Qc5 Rc4? (30. ... Raa8!) 31. Qd6 Ra8 32. Qxe6 Rxd4 33. Rxd4 Bxd4 34. Bxd5 Re8 35. Qf7 Re1+ 36. Kh2 Be5+ 37. g3 Re2+ 38. Kh1 Bxd5+ 39. Qxd5 Re1+ 1 : 0 Brunello – Osmak, 20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship, Antalya 2019. 9. Nbd2 gxh6 10. Nb3 Bb4+ 11. Kf1 Qa3!? A novelty instead of 11. ... Bd7 12. a3 Bc3 13. Rb1 Qxa3 14. Nc5 Na5 15. Nxb7 Nxb7 16. Rxb7 Rc8 17. g3 Bb4 18. Kg2 Bc6 19. Bb5 Bxb5 20. Rxb5 0-0 21. Nh4 Be7 22. Qg4+ Kh8 23. Rhb1 Qd3 24. Nf3 Qe4 25. Qh5 Kg7 26. Rb7 Rfe8 27. Ra1 Ra8 28. Rc1 Qg6 29. Qxg6+ hxg6 30. Rcc7 Kf8 31. Rxa7 Rxa7 ½ : ½ M. Brunello – E. Di Benedetto, 79th Italian Chess Championship, Padua 2019. 12. h4 Bd7 13. Rh3 0-0-0 14. Rb1 Rhg8. Now 14. ... Qxa2?? would be at least inadvisable, as after 15. Ne1! Black’s Queen is doomed. 15. Nfd2 Rg7 16. Nc5 Qxa2

17. Ndb3 Rdg8? A grave oversight. Correct was 17. ... Bxc5 18. Nxc5 Rdg8 19. g4 transposing to the game. If White does not want to transpose, she can continue 19. Nxb7 (instead of 19. g4) with great complications; for instance: 19. ... Rxg2 20. Rh1 Qa3! (threatening both ... Qa3-h3 and ... Rg2-g1+) 21. Nd6+ Kd8 22. Nxf7+ Kc7! 23. Ng5 Rxf2+! 24. Kxf2 hxg5 25. Rb3 Qf8+ 26. Rf3 Qb4∞ — yet it is only a sample line. 18. g4? Brunello overlooks 18. Ra1 trapping the Queen (18. ... Qb2 19. Nd3 Rxg2 19. Rhh1). 18. ... Bxc5 19. Nxc5 b6? And this is the losing move. Best was 19. ... Rxg4! 20. Bxg4 Rxg4 with excellent compensation for the Exchange.

20. Rhb3! (Δ Rb1-a1) 20. ... bxc5 21. Ra1 Qxe2+ 22. Qxe2 Rxg4 23. Qa6+ Kd8 24. Rb7 Rg1+ 25. Ke2 Nxd4+ 26. Kd2 Rxa1 27. Rb8+ Kc7 28. Qd6# 1 : 0.

On the Way Home

Marina Brunello – Jovana Vojinović-Rapport
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 22, 2019
Caro-Kann Defence B13

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. c3 Bf5 6. Nd2 e6 7. Ngf3 Bd6 8. Bxd6 Qxd6 9. Nh4 Bg6 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. Nf3 Nf6. A recent game continued with: 11. ... Nge7 12. Bd3 Nf5 13. g3 0-0-0 14. Qe2 Qc7 15. Kf1 Rhe8 16. Kg2 e5 17. Bxf5+ gxf5 18. dxe5 Nxe5 19. Rhe1 f6 20. Nd4⩲ Tristan – Valerga, 22nd Copa Mercosur, Buenos Aires 2018. 12. h3 Ne4 13. Bd3 Qf4 14. Qe2 Nd6 15. g3 Qf6 16. h4 Rh5 17. 0-0-0 0-0-0 18. Rhe1 Qe7 19. Kb1 Kb8 20. Qd2 Qc7 21. Qf4 Rc8 22. Ne5. Threatening Ne5xf7 followed by Bd3xg6. 22. ... Rhh8 23. Rc1 Na5 24. Re3 Rhe8 25. Rce1 Ka8

26. Nxf7! Brunello bravely goes for a promising Knight sacrifice for three Pawns and — even more importantly — a powerful Kingside Pawn majority. 26. ... Nxf7 27. Qxc7 Rxc7 28. Rxe6 Rxe6 29. Rxe6 Nc6 30. Rxg6 Nfd8 31. Rd6 Rf7 32. f4 Re7 33. Kc2 Re3 34. Rg6 Re7 35. Kd2 Ne6 36. Bf5 Nc7 37. Rd6 Re8 38. Bg4 Rd8 39. Rg6 Ne8 40. h5 Kb8. Time control reached, White finally mobilises her majority: 41. Be6! Rd6 42. f5! Kc7 43. g4 Kd8 44. g5 Ne7 45. h6! Nxg6 46. fxg6 gxh6 (46. ... Rxe6?? 47. h7+−) 47. gxh6 Rxe6 48. h7 Rxg6 49. h8=Q Rd6. Brunello has squeezed the most from her Pawns, but of course the game is far from over, as her opponent can — not unrealistically — cultivate the hope for a fortress on the Queenside. 50. Qe5 b5 51. Qg5+ Nf6 52. Qg7 a6 53. Qb7 Ne8 54. a4 Nc7 55. b3 Kd7 56. Qb8 bxa4 57. bxa4 Rc6 58. Kc2 Rc4 59. Kb3 Rc6 60. Qf8 Rb6+ 61. Kc2 Rc6 62. Qf5+ Kd6 63. Qh3 Rc4 Rc4 64. Kb3 Kc6 65. Qg3 Kd7 66. Qg6 Kc8 67. Qf7 Kb8 68. Qd7 Kb7 69. Kc2 Kb6 70. Kd2 Rc6 71. Qh7 Rc4 72. Qb1+ Kc6 73. Qb3 Kd7 74. Ke3 Rc6 75. Kf4 Rf6+ 76. Ke5 Re6+ 77. Kf5 Rc6 78. Qa3 Kc8 79. Qb2 Kd7 80. Qd2 Kc8 81. Qd3 Kb7 82. Qh3 Kb6 1 : 0. There’s no win in the final position, indeed — but somehow, after quite a long broadcasting blackout, the magic result appeared on the screen, which meant for Marina Brunello to finish at 16th place with 7/11.

A group picture taken backstage after or before the awarding ceremony. The first from right is Marina Brunello, the third from left is Olga Anatolyevna Zimina (40th with 6½), and, finally, next to her is Maria Palma (116th with 3½). Photo: Turkish Chess Federation.

Thru the Chairs

Natallia Kusenkova – Marina Brunello
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 21, 2019
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D23

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qc2 dxc4 5. Qxc4 Bf5 6. g3 e6 7. Bg2 Nbd7 8. 0-0 Be7 9. Nc3 h6 10. Re1 Ne4 11. Qb3 Qb6 12. Nh4 Bxh4. 12. ... Qxb3 just did not make good sense after 13. axb3 Bb4 14. Nxf5 exf5 15. Bxe4 fxe4 16. Bd2 Bxc3 17. bxc3 f5 18. Ra5 0-0 19. h4 a6 20. Kg2 Rad8 21. Bf4 Rc8 22. c4 Nb6 23. Rd1 Rf7 24. Be3 Rd8 25. Rd2 Nc8 26. d5 Ne7 27. dxc6 Rxd2 28. Bxd2 Nxc6 29. Rd5 Kf8 30. h5 Ke7 31. e3 Kf6 32. Kh3 Ke6 33. Bc3 b6 34. Kg2 Rc7 35. Kf1 b5 36. Rc5 bxc4 37. bxc4 Kd6 38. Rxf5 Ne7 39. Ra5 Ra7 40. Bxg7 Nc6 41. Bf8+ Ke6 42. Ra4 a5 43. g4 Ne5 44. Bxh6 Rb7 45. c5 1 : 0 Botsari – M. Brunello, 44th Greek Team Chess Championship, Achaea 2016. 13. gxh4 Ndf6 14. f3 Nxc3 15. bxc3 Qc7 16. e4 Bh7!? A new idea, trying to improve on 16. ... Bg6 17. e5 Nd5 18. Ba3 Bf5 19. c4 Ne7 20. Bd6 Qb6 21. Qe3 Rd8 22. a4 Qa5 23. f4 Rd7 24. Red1 Bg4 25. Bxe7 Rxe7 26. Rd2 Rd7 27. d5 cxd5 28. cxd5 exd5 29. Rb1 0-0 30. Rb5 Qxa4 31. Rbxd5 Qa1+ 32. Kf2 Rc7 33. Be4 Rc3 34. R5d3 Rxd3 35. Qxd3 b6 36. Bh7+ Kh8 37. Be4 Qc1 38. Qd6 Re8 39. Bc2 Qh1 40. Kg3 Qf3 mate, Harðarson – M. Brunello, 31st Reykjavik Open, Reykjavík 2016 — Black being content with the result, but maybe not happy with the opening. 17. Ba3 g5 18. Rab1 b6 19. hxg5? This gives sense and meaning to Black’s purposes. White ought to have played 19. d5! to focus herself against the Black King stuck in the centre. 19. ... hxg5 20. Bc1? After this Black is able to decidedly take the offensive. 20. Rb2 0-0-0∞ was probably best. 20. ... Bg6 21. Bxg5 Qxh2+ 22. Kf1 Rg8! 23. Qc4. Not 23. Bxf6? on account of 23. ... Bxe4!−+ nor 23. f4 because of 23. ... Nh5→ with powerful attack. 23. ... Bxe4 24. Rxe4 Rxg5 25. Qxc6+ Ke7 26. Qb7+ Nd7 27. Rg4 Rag8 28. Rxg5 Rxg5 29. Rb2 Qf4 30. Rc2

30. ... Rd5? Quite strangely, Brunello loses a tempo and a Pawn — which will prove to be too much of a gift. Instead, with 30. ... Rb5! at once Black could do harm by infiltrating both Queen and Rook: 31. Qe4 Rb1+ 32. Kf2 Qh2! 33. Qg4 Qg1+ 34. Kg3 Nf6 35. Qg5 Qd1 with good winning prospects. 31. Qxa7 Rb5? 31. ... Ra5 32. Qb7 Rb5 may transpose into the line given above, even though with the difference that Black would be a Pawn down, thus allowing White, at the end of the variation, to exchange Queens and head for a drawish endgame by returning the Pawn. 32. Qa3+ Nc5? Black melts into a mirage. By now she had nothing better than 32. ... Kf6 33. Qc1 Qxc1+ 34. Rxc1 Rb2 35. a4 Kf5 with a drawish endgame, though a little easier for Black. 33. Qc1? With 33. dxc5 White would have awakened her opponent to the sad reality. 33. ... Qxc1+ 34. Rxc1 Nd3 35. Rd1 Nf4 36. Rd2 Rb1+ 37. Kf2 Rc1 38. Bf1 Rxc3 39. Rb2 Nd5 40. Ba6 Rc7 41. Bd3 f5 42. Rc2 Ra7 43. Bc4 Kd6 44. Rb2 Rh7 45. Kg1 Rg7+ 46. Kf2 Rh7 47. Kg1 Kc7 48. Bxd5 exd5 49. Rh2 Rf7. Of course, the King and Pawn ending would be drawn, although accurate play is required: 49. ... Rxh2 50. Kxh2 Kc6! 51. Kg3 Kb5 52. Kf4 Kc4 53. Ke5 b5 54. f4 b4= with a draw soon coming. 50. Rh6 f4 51. Kf2 Kb7 52. Rd6 Rf5 53. Ke2 Kc7 54. Re6 Rf8 55. Re7+ Kd6 56. Rb7 Kc6 57. Ra7 Kb5 58. Kd2 Kb4 59. a3+ Kb5 60. Rb7 Ra8 61. Rf7 Rxa3 62. Rxf4 Kc4 63. Rf6 b5 64. f4 b4 65. f5 Kxd4. Maybe White gave a little too much rope to her opponent so far, but a draw was still easily achievable, for instance by 66. Kc2 — instead, Brunello’s stubborness paid off: 66. Rf8?? Ra2+−+ 67. Kc1 Rf2 68. f6 Kc3 69. Rc8+ Kb3 70. Rf8 d4 71. f7 d3 72. Rd8 Rf1+ 73. Kd2 Rxf7 74. Kxd3 Kb2 75. Kc4 Rf4+ 76. Kd3 b3 77. Kd2 Kb1 78. Kd1 Rf5 79. Kd2 b2 80. Rd7 Ra5 81. Rb7 Ka1 0 : 1.

Value of time

Marina Brunello – Olga Alexandrovna Girya
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 20, 2019
Sicilian Defence B33

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be6 8. Nc4 Rb8 9. a4 Nf6 10. Bg5 Nb4 11. a5!?

11. ... d5! This is a clear improvement on 11. ... Qc7 12. Ne3 Be7 13. Ra4 Qc5 14. Qd2 Rd8 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Ncd5⩲ Fataliyeva – Daulytė-Cornette, 18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship, Riga 2017. 12. exd5 Nbxd5 13. Nxd5 Qxd5. Black has comfortably equalised, but apparently Brunello had already decided to take a day off: 14. Qe2?? Ne4! 15. Rd1?? Qxc4 0 : 1. Everyone can agree that freedom and time are worth losing a chess game for.

Ready Player Two

Bela Khotenashvili – Marina Brunello
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 19, 2019
Réti Opening A07

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. 0-0 Bf5 5. d3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. Qe1 Be7 9. f4 Bg6. 9. ... Nfd7 10. Nf3 f5 11. e4 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 0-0 13. Nc3 fxe4 14. dxe4 d4 15. Nd1 e5 16. Nf2 c5 17. Qe2 Nc6 18. Bg4!↑ is just one of the countless exemplary games by Vladimir Borishovich Kramnik in which he built a splendid victory by elegant and simple means, Kramnik – Adhiban, 42nd Chess Olympiad, Baku 2016. So perhaps Black should prefer something like 9. ... h6 10. Kh1 Nbd7 11. e4 dxe4 12. dxe4 g5!? 13. fxg5 hxg5 14. Bxg5 Qc7 15. Nd2 0-0-0 16. Nc4 (Stefanova – Kosteniuk, Women’s Grand Prix 2015–2016, 1st stage, Monte Carlo 2015) and now Grandmaster Kevin Spraggett recommends 16. ... Ne5 17. Nxe5 (17. Bf4 Nfd7∞) 17. ... Qxe5 18. Bf4 Qxb2∞ with unclear play. 10. Nd2 Nfd7!? This doesn’t seem to add anything to 10. ... Qb6+ 11. Kh1 Nfd7 12. Ndf3 f6 13. Nxg6 hxg6 14. e4!± which likewise resulted in a clear advantage for White (even though in the end Black won!), Stefanova – Kosteniuk, ACP European Women’s Rapid Chess Championship, Kutaisi 2015. But superstition is not an exact science. 11. Ndf3 Nc5 12. b4 Na4. 12. ... Ne4!? seems a little more consistent, so as to reply to 13. Bb2 with 13. ... Bf6 — now, instead, there’s no easy way back for the Black Knight on a4. 13. Bd2

13. ... Qb6+? 13. ... 0-0! was probably a must (or a lesser evil, according to the viewpoints). 14. Kh1 d4? After this macabre corollary Black’s position rapidly falls apart. 15. Qf2! Bf6 16. g4! Bxh4 17. Nxh4 Na6 18. f5 exf5 19. Nxf5 0-0-0. 19. ... Bxf5 20. gxf5 (but 20. Qxf5 0-0 21. Rae1 seems also good for White) 20. ... 0-0-0 21. e4+− is hardly better. 20. Nxg7 Kb8 21. Nf5 Nc7. By now demoralised, Brunello tries to invent some moves more just to make her defeat less bitter. 22. Bg5 Ne6 23. Bxd8 Qxd8 24. Qg3+ Ka8 25. Qd6 Qg5 26. Nxd4 h5 27. Nxe6 1 : 0. For mate or loss of the Queen follows.

Marina Brunello tried very hard to take Bela Khotenashvili off guard, but luck was not on her side. But after all, tomorrow is another day, and tomorrow she will play against Olga Alexandrovna Girya. Photo: Turkish Chess Federation.

Hitchhiking through Eurasia

Marina Brunello – Iulija Vladislavivna Osmak
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 18, 2019
French Defence C02

Marina Brunello scored another heavy win, and probably now she can start believing that everything must still happen. 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. Bxh6!? This seems to have come as a destabilising surprise to Osmak. In her round-two game with Elisabeth Pähtz, just a few days ago, Brunello continued 8. Bd3 Bd7 9. Bc2 g5 10. h3 Nf5 11. Bxf5 exf5 12. 0-0 h6 13. Nc3 Be6 14. Na4 Qb5 15. h4 g4 16. Ne1 Be7 17. g3 Rc8 18. Be3 b6 19. Ng2 Na5 20. Nf4 Nc4 21. Nc3 Qa5 22. Qb3 Kd7 23. Rfc1 Rc6 24. Rc2 Nxe3 25. fxe3 Rhc8 26. Rac1 Rc4 27. a3 R8c6 28. Kf2 a6 29. Nb1 Rxc2+ 30. Rxc2 Rxc2+ 31. Qxc2 Qb5 32. Nc3 Qc4 33. Qa4+ Qxa4 34. Nxa4 Kc6 35. Nc3 a5 36. Ke2 Bf8 37. Kd2 Be7 38. Kc2 Bf8 39. Kb3 b5 40. Na2 Be7 41. Kc2 Bf8 42. Nc1 Be7 43. Nb3 Bd8 44. Nc5 Bc8 45. Kd2 Be7 46. Kc3 Bf8 47. Nh5 Be7 48. Nf6 Be6 49. Nh5 Bc8 50. Nf4 Bd8 51. Kd3 Be7 52. Kc2 Bd8 53. Kd1 Be7 54. Nfd3 Bd8 55. Ke2 Be7 56. Kd2 ½ : ½ M. Brunello – E. Pähtz, 20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship, Antalya 2019. 8. ... gxh6. The critical line is 8. ... Qxb2 9. Nc3! Qxc3+ (9. ... gxh6 10. Nb5!↑ may well be uncomfortable for Black) 10. Bd2 Qa3 11. 0-0 with some compensation for White for the Pawn, Mantovani – Yemelin, 24th European Chess Club Cup, Kallithea 2008. 9. Qd2 Bg7 10. Nc3 0-0 11. 0-0 f6 12. exf6 Rxf6 13. Rad1!? Here Brunello prefers a solid approach, thus nullifying the surprise effect of her opening choices. More straightforward seems 13. Rac1 Rg6 14. Na4 Qd8 15. Rfd1 Rg4 16. h3 Rxd4 17. Nxd4 Nxd4 18. Nc3 Bd7 19. Bd3 Qf6 20. Ne2 Nxe2+ 21. Qxe2 e5 22. Bc4 dxc4 23. Rxd7 b5 24. Rcd1 a5 25. Rb7 1 : 0 Teclaf – Sieciechowicz, 8th Ferdynanda Dziedzica Memorial, Trzcianka 2018. 13. ... Bd7 14. Ne1 Raf8 15. f4 R6f7 16. Nc2 Qxb2 17. Nb5 a6 18. Rb1 Qxa2 19. Ra1 Qb2 20. Rfb1. White sees no sense in repeating moves with 20. Rab1, so it’s worthwhile trying. 20. ... Qxa1. Only engines can afford an objective assessment of 20. ... Qxc2 21. Qxc2 axb5 22. g3 Nxd4 which indeed seems fine for Black. 21. Rxa1 axb5 22. Rf1 b4 23. Nxb4 Nxb4? It was much tougher to break through after 23. ... Nxd4! (24. Bh5 Re7). Instead, now White’s Queen step by step manages to infiltrate Black’s defence and ultimately succeeds in forcing material gain. 24. Qxb4 Rxf4

25. Rd1. Changing a pair of Rooks should make White’s task a little easier, for after 25. Rxf4 Rxf4 26. g3! Black cannot take on d4: 26. ... Bxd4+?? (26. ... Rxd4?? 27. Qe7+−) 27. Kh1 Re4 28. Bh5! winning by force. 25. ... Bc6 26. Qb6 Kh8 27. Bf3 Ra8 28. h3 Ra4 29. Kh1 Rf8 30. Qc5 Rc4? Black’s Rook loses itself on an adventure of no return. With 30. ... Raa8! Black could still hope for a stubborn defence. 31. Qd6 Ra8 32. Qxe6 Rxd4 33. Rxd4 Bxd4 34. Bxd5 Re8 35. Qf7 Re1+ 36. Kh2 Be5+ 37. g3 Re2+ 38. Kh1 Bxd5+ 39. Qxd5 Re1+ 1 : 0.

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.

Rush for the Gold

Marina Brunello – Nana Dzagnidze
20th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Antalya, April 15, 2019
Siciian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bc4 0-0 9. Bb3 Nc6 10. Bg5 Nd7!?TN 11. Be3! Psychologically strong. A draw is not the end of the world for Brunello. 11. ... Nf6 12. Bg5 Na5!? Dzagnidze obviously is not happy nor willing to draw by repetition, but... 13. Bxf6! Bxf6 14. Nd5 Nxb3 15. axb3. The consequence is a very standardised position in which White, thanks to her possession of the key d5-square, may claim a slight but lasting edge. Furthermore, the fact that Dzagnidze dislikes this kind of “strategic” games will certainly influence the outcome.

15. ... Be7 16. Nd2 f5? Dzagnidze already gets impatient to take over the initiative, but her nervous counter-attack — which implies a Pawn sacrifice on d6 — just won’t work. Black ought to play 16. ... b5 17. Nf1 g6 18. Nfe3⩲ f5!? which, if nothing else, results in a much better version of her own idea. 17. Nc4± fxe4? Consistently velleitary. 18. Nxe7+ Qxe7 19. Qxd6 Qg5 20. Qd5+ Kh8 21. 0-0 Bh3 22. Ne3 Rf4 23. Kh1 Bg4 24. Qxb7 Raf8 25. Qxa6. All Black’s Queenside Pawns disappeared, so now the win must be only a matter of time, provided, of course, not to fall into last-ditch mating tricks on the other flank. 25. ... h5 26. Nxg4 hxg4 27. Qe2 R8f6 28. g3 Rh6. Black sets a last trap (even knowing it won’t succeed): 29. gxf4?? Qxf4 30. f3 exf3 31. Qf2 g3! 32. Qxf3 Rxh2+ 33. Kg1 Qd4+ 34. Rf2 Qxf2+ 35. Qxf2 Rxf2 with a likely draw. 29. Ra6 Rxa6 30. Qxa6 Rf8 31. Qe2 e3 32. Kg2 Rf3 33. fxe3 Rxe3 34. Qc4 Qd8 35. Qxg4 e4. And now after 36. Rf7 it’s all over, but, as heartbeats ticked by, Brunello repeated moves to gain time on the clock: 36. Qh3+ Kg8 37. Qe6+ Kh7 38. Qh3+ Kg8 39. Qe6+ Kh7. And now, finally, the end: 40. Rf4 Re2+ 41. Kh3 1 : 0.

Not yet home

Marina Brunello – Tania Sachdev
43rd Women’s Chess Olympiad; Batumi, October 3, 2018
Giuoco Piano C50

Good news came yesterday from Marina Brunello, who scored the equaliser for Italy in the drawn match against India. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d3 0-0 6. a4 a5 7. Bg5 Be7!? Or else 7. ... h6 8. Bh4 Be7 9. c3 d6 with similar play to the actual game, Petrov – Sachdev, 43rd Sunway Open, Sitges 2017. 8. h3 h6 9. Bh4 d6 10. Bg3 Be6. From a theoretical standpoint, that’s quite a critical position. For instance, in a recent game it made good sense for Black to sacrifice a Pawn by 10. ... Kh8!? 11. c3 Nh7 12. Qb3 f5 13. exf5 Bf6 14. Be6 Ne7 15. Nh4 Qe8 16. Bxc8 Rxc8 17. Ng6+ Nxg6 18. fxg6 Qxg6 19. Qxb7 Ng5 20. h4 Ne6 21. Qe4 Qh5 22. Nd2 Nf4 with fantastic compensation, Karjakin – Aronian, 5th Norway Chess, Stavanger 2017. And perhaps, even 9. ... g5!? may well be worth considering. The text simply leaves White with a smooth and lasting edge. 11. Na3 Nd7 12. c3 Nb6 13. Bxe6 fxe6 14. Qb3 Qd7 15. Nb5 Rae8 16. Rac1 Bd8 17. Rfd1 Kh7 18. c4 Nc8. White stands much better already, so perhaps Black had to try her luck with the Exchange sacrifice 18. ... Rxf3!? 19. gxf3 Rf8 with some chance for complications.

19. c5! Now White opens up the position to great effect, and Brunello does not meet particular difficulties in turning her huge advantage into a win. 19. ... Bf6 20. cxd6 cxd6 21. d4! exd4 22. Nfxd4 Nxd4 23. Nxd4 Qf7 24. Nb5 Be5 25. Rc7 Re7 26. Rdc1 Rxc7 27. Rxc7 Qg6 28. Bxe5 dxe5 29. Qe3 Rd8 30. Rxb7 Qh5 31. Qg3 Rg8 32. Kh2 Qe2 33. Qxe5 Qxf2 34. Nd4 Qf8 35. Nxe6 Qd6 36. Qxd6 Nxd6 37. Ra7 Nxe4 38. Rxa5 Re8 39. Re5 Nd6 40. b4 Kg8 41. Re2 Kf7 42. Nf4 Rxe2 43. Nxe2 Ke6 44. Nc3 Ke5 45. a5 Kd4 46. a6 Nc8 47. Nb5+ Kd5 48. a7 Nb6 49. Nc7+ 1 : 0.

From Goethe to Gide

Marina Brunello – Sarah Hoolt
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 12, 2018
French Defence C03

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. Bd3 c5 5. dxc5 Nf6 6. Qe2 0-0 7. Ngf3 a5 8. e5!? In another game two years earlier (against Wesley So) Brunello preferred 8. c3 Na6 9. e5 Nd7 10. Bxa6 Rxa6 11. b4 Ra8 12. 0-0 axb4 13. cxb4 b6 14. c6 Bxb4 15. cxd7 Ba6 16. Qe3 Bc5 17. Nd4 Bxf1 18. Kxf1 Qxd7 with unclear play, M. Brunello – So, 3rd Isle of Man International Chess Tournament; Douglas 2016. 8. ... Nfd7 9. h4 (Δ Bd3xh7+) 9. ... h6 10. Nf1!? In a well known game there occurred 10. c3 Nxc5 11. Bc2 f5 12. exf6 Bxf6 13. Ne5? (but 13. g4!? was certainly worth considering) 13. ... Bxe5 14. Qxe5 Nc6 15. Qg3 e5 16. Nb3 Nxb3 17. Bxb3 Rf6 18. a4 Be6 19. 0-0 Qb6 20. Bc2 Raf8 21. Bd3 Kh8 22. Bb5 Bf5 23. Bxc6 Rg6! 24. Qxe5 Be4! 25. g3 bxc6−+ Rozentalis – Vallejo Pons, 36th Chess Olympiad, Calvià 2004. If, instead, 10. Nb3 then 10. ... a4 11. Nbd4 Nxc5 and Black is fine, 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Women’s Zonal 3.3, 北京 (Běijīng) 2005. 10. ... Nc6 11. Ng3 Nxc5 12. Nh5 Nxd3+ 13. cxd3 f5. 13. ... f6!? 14. Rh3 Qe8 seems even more to the point. 14. Rg1. White hopes that her opponent will take the Pawn by 14. ... Bxh4, so as to enjoy the opened h-file (15. Rh1 Be7 16. Nxg7!). Also possible, and perhaps even better, was 14. Nf4 at once. 14. ... Qe8 15. Nf4 Bb4+ 16. Bd2 b6 17. a3 Bc5 18. g4 fxg4 19. Rxg4 Rf5

20. Ng6? No matter whether good or bad, White should have gone for 20. 0-0-0 Ra7(!) 21. Rdg1 as it was her best possibility of both victory and survival. 20. ... Kh7 21. Be3? White was still in time for castling long. 21. ... Qf7! 22. d4? There are no good moves for White, but after this one her position immediately disintegrates. 22. ... Rxf3 23. dxc5 Qf5 24. Rg2 Ba6 25. Qd2 d4 26. 0-0-0. Too late! 26. ... dxe3 27. Qd7 Rd8 0 : 1. For if 28. Qxc6 then 28. ... Rxd1+ 29. Kxd1 Qb1 mate.

Round Again

Daiva Batytė – Marina Brunello
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 11, 2018
English Opening A28

Today Marina Brunello bounced back with remarkable temper after her yesterday’s drama. 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. Nd5 Bc5 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nc3!? d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. d3 Be6 9. Be2 0-0 10. 0-0 Be7 11. e4 Nb6 12. Be3 Bf6. This seems even stronger than 10. ... f6 11. d4 exd4 12. Nxd4 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 c6 which yet led Black to an approximate equality, Kovalevskaya – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng), 4th Torch Real Estate Chinese Chess League, 无锡 (Wúxī) 2008. 13. Na4 Nxa4 14. Qxa4 Qd6 15. Rac1 Rfd8 16. Ng5. 16. Rfd1 would seem a wiser course. 16. ... Bxg5 17. Bxg5 Nd4 18. Bd1 f6 19. Be3 Qe7 20. Qa5 b6 21. Qc3 c5 22. a3 a5 23. f4 h6 24. Qe1 Kh8 25. Qh4 Ra7 26. Kh1 Kh7 27. Bh5. White loses her last opportunity to play 27. fxe5 fxe5 28. Qg3, thus abandoning the backward d-Pawn to its doom. 27. ... exf4 28. Qxf4 Nc6 29. Rcd1 Rad7 30. Qg3 Ne5. Black’s bombing produced its effect: the d-Pawn falls. 31. d4 cxd4 32. Bf4 Bc4. Now Black’s win should be quite easy. 33. Rf2 a4 34. h3 b5 35. Rfd2 Bf7 36. Bxf7 Nxf7 37. Qd3 Rb7. Brunello’s trembling time management was about to make another bad joke. She should have obviously moved the King at g8 or h8, as White could not play Qd3xb5 due to ... Qe7xe4. 38. e5+ Kg8 39. exf6 Qxf6 40. Qf3. 40. Bg3(!) would have made things hugely harder for Black. 40. ... Rbd7 41. Qg3 Rd5. Everything’s again alright. 42. Bc7 R8d7 43. Re2 Qg5 44. Qxg5 Nxg5 45. Bb6 R7d6 46. Ba7 Kf7 47. Rd3 Kg6 48. Kh2 Ne6 49. Re4 Kf5 50. Rg4 g5

51. Bb8. Brunello plays and wins the ending in grand style: 51. ... h5 52. Rf3+ Nf4 53. Rgg3 h4 54. Rg4 d3 55. Bxd6 Rxd6 56. Rf1 Re6 57. Rc1 Re5 58. Rd1 Re2 59. Rxf4+ gxf4 60. Rxd3 Ke4 61. Rd7 f3 62. Kg1 Rxg2+ 63. Kf1 Rxb2 64. Rh7 Ke3 65. Re7+ Kf4 66. Rg7 b4 67. axb4 a3 68. b5 a2 69. Ra7 Rb1+ 0 : 1.

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Marina Brunello – Elina Danielian
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 10, 2018
Caro-Kann B12

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Nd7 6. 0-0 Ne7 7. Nbd2 h6 8. Nb3 Qc7 9. Be3 g5 10. Ne1 Bg7 11. Nd3 b6 12. f4 Ng6. 12. ... c5 13. dxc5 gxf4 14. cxb6 axb6 15. Bxf4 Ng6 is most consistent and more dynamic; for instance: 16. Bg3 0-0 17. Nd4 Be4 18. c3 Ndxe5 19. Nf2 Qd8 20. Bh5 Qg5 21. Nxe4 dxe4 22. Qe2 e3 23. Bxg6 Nxg6 24. Nf3 Qc5 25. Rfe1 f5 26. Qxe3 Qxe3+ 27. Rxe3 f4 28. Rxe6 Kf7 29. Rxb6 fxg3 30. hxg3 Rfb8 31. Rxb8 Rxb8 32. Rf1 Ke6 ½ : ½ Domínguez Pérez – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), 10th World Team Chess Championship, Tsaghkadzor 2015. 13. Bh5!? This novelty looks quite artificial. Best seems 13. Bg4 Ne7 14. fxg5 hxg5 15. Bxg5 f6 16. Bh5+ Kd8 17. exf6 Nxf6 18. Bf4 with Black on the verge of ruin, Kosteniuk – Gunina, 2nd IMSA Élite Mind Games, Women’s Rapid Event, 淮安 (Huái’ān) 2017. 13. ... 0-0-0 14. g4 Bxd3 15. Qxd3 Nxf4 16. Bxf4 gxf4 17. Bxf7 Nxe5 18. Bxe6+ Nd7 19. c4 dxc4 20. Qxc4 Kb8 21. Rac1 Rc8 22. Bf5 Rhg8? The wrong place for the right Rook. Danielian ought to have played 22. ... Rhf8! (Δ ... h7-h5) in order to answer 23. Rfe1 (as in the game) by 23. ... f3! 24. Re7 Rxf5! 25. gxf5 Bf6 and Black’s powerful initiative more than compensates for the Exchange. 23. Rfe1! f3? Danielian is reluctant to cede a Pawn (by ... Rg8-e8) in order to avoid the worst – it was definitely the lesser evil – and instead bets on tactics, which, not surprisingly, turns against her. 24. Re7+−

24. ... f2+!? Somewhat like desperation. Danielian probably intended to play 24. ... Qf4 25. Rxd7 Be5, for suddenly realising that 26. Rb7+! Kxb7 27. Bxc8+ Rxc8 28. dxe5 would have left White a clear Knight ahead. 25. Kg2 Qf4 26. Rxd7. 26. Qe6 may be even more merciless, but, of course, the text also makes the goal easy to achieve. 26. ... Be5. After 26. ... Bxd4 27. Qxd4 Qxf5 28. h3 Black can resign. 27. Kf1! Rxg4. 27. ... Bc7 28. Rxc7! is no better. 28. Bxg4 Qxg4 29. Qf7 Bc7 30. Re7 Qg1+ 31. Ke2 Qxh2 32. Rf1 Qg1 33. Qxf2 Qg4+ 34. Qf3 Qg6 35. Qe4 Qh5+. Danielian has one minute left on her clock, Brunello has about twelve. And guess who will blunder first. 36. Kd3?? Oh, no! Any other move would have compelled Black to resign, but, quite incredibly, Brunello found the only one which turns the tables. 36. ... Qb5+ 37. Kc2 Qc4+ 38. Kd2 Qxf1. Now White is a Pawn down, while Black’s passed h-Pawn can easily make the difference. 39. Re6 Qf4+. Fortunately for Brunello, Danielian does not dare to play 39. ... Rf8! which would seem to give Black a scaring attack. 40. Kd3 Qf1+ 41. Kc3 Qh3+ 42. Kc2 Qh2+ 43. Kb1 Qf4 44. Qd3 Rf8 45. Nc1. After 45. Rxc6 h5 White restores material equality, but at the cost of “freeing” the h-Pawn. Brunello, who has now seven minutes left on her clock (Danielan has only one), prefers to play for a draw through more dynamic means. 45. ... Rf6 46. d5 cxd5 47. Re8+ Kb7 48. Qxd5+ Rc6 49. Nd3 Qc4 50. Qf3 a5 51. a3 Ka7 52. Ne5 Bxe5 53. Rxe5 Qc2+ 54. Ka2 Qc4+ 55. Kb1 Rc7 56. Re8 Qc1+ 57. Ka2 Qc4+ 58. Ka1 Qc6 59. Qh5 Qc1+ 60. Ka2 Qc4+ 61. Ka1 Qc1+ 62. Ka2 Qc4+ 63. Ka1 Qf4 64. Ka2 a4 65. Re1 Qf7+ 66. Qxf7 Rxf7. A draw at last. Perhaps. 67. Rh1 Rf6 68. b3 axb3+ 69. Kxb3 Kb7 70. a4 Kc7 71. Rh5 Rc6 72. Rd5 Rc5 73. Rd1 h5 74. Rd4 Kc6 75. Rd8 Rg5 76. Rh8 Rg3+. And now the second drama begins. Brunello commits a heartbreaking harakiri, throwing away everything: 77. Kb2? After 77. Kc4 Rg4+ 78. Kb3 h4 79. Rh6+ White draws, as her Rook prevents any entry of Black’s King. 77. ... Rh3! 78. Rc8+ Kd5 79. a5 bxa5 80. Ra8 Ke4 81. Rxa5 h4 82. Kc2 Rh1 83. Kb2 Kf3 84. Rf5+ Kg4 85. Rf8 Rd1 86. Rg8+ Kf3 87. Kc2 Rd7 88. Rh8 Kg3 89. Rg8+ Kh2 90. Rh8 h3 91. Rg8 Rd4 92. Rg7 Kh1 93. Rg8 h2 94. Rg7 Rf4 95. Kd2 Rf2+ 96. Ke3 Rf1 97. Rh7 Rg1 98. Kf3 Rf1+ 99. Ke2 Ra1 100. Rg7 Rg1 101. Rh7 Kg2 0 : 1.

Five-Minute Blackout

Daniela Movileanu – Olga Zimina
44th Italian Women’s Chess Championship; Cosenza, December 10, 2017
6r1/kp3R2/p7/3R4/1b4P1/4Np1r/5P1P/6K1 w - - 4 43

Olga Zimina won the 44th Italian Women’s Chess Championship held in Cosenza, Italy ahead of Marina Brunello on tie-break – blitz games decided the title. In her last-round game against Daniela Movileanu, however, Zimina went very near to miss her coveted tie-break. 43. Rdd7! Rb8! 43. ... Bc5 44. Rxb7+ Ka8 45. Rb3 Bxe3 46. Rxe3 Rxg4+ 47. Kh1 Rg8 48. Rexf3 Rxf3 49. Rxf3 Kb7 only results in a drawn ending, so it’s understandable that Zimina – who needs to win at all costs – aims for a double-edged equality. 44. Nc4 a5 45. Ne5 Ka6 46. Nxf3 Rf8 47. Rxf8 Bxf8 48. Kg2 Rh8 49. g5 a4 50. Nd4 Bc5 51. Ne6 Bb4. Black is a Pawn down, but her duo of passers seems to run more quickly than White’s triad (for instance: 52. f4? a3!). 52. g6!? Maybe even White is playing to win, who knows. Simpler appears to be 52. Rd4(!) Ka5 (idem to say 52. ... Kb5 53. Rd7 Ka6 54. Rd4) 53. Rd5+ Kb6 54. Rd4 implying a draw by repetition. 52. ... Rg8 53. g7 Bc3. That’s the most Black has – probably not enough. 54. Rd8?? But Movileanu blunders away the game. 54. Nc5+? was not good as well, since after 54. ... Kb5! 55. Ne6 Kb6! White is in trouble (if 56. Rd3 then 56. ... Bb2). The right way seems, however, 54. Rf7(!) b5 55. Kf3 (55. Rf8?? loses to 55. ... Rxg7+!) with very good drawing chances; for instance: 55. ... a3 (55. ... Bxg7!? 56. Nxg7 a3 57. Ne6 Rc8 58. Nd4! a2 59. Nxb5 Kxb5 60. Ra7 Rc2 61. h4 Kb4! also draws) 56. Rf8! Rxg7 57. Nxg7 Ka7! 58. Ne6 a2 59. Nc7! and White should draw. 54. ... Rxd8 0 : 1. For after 55. Nxd8 Bxg7 56. Ne6 a3 the a-Pawn queens.

Half Step Up

Marina Brunello – Maria Palma
44th Italian Women’s Chess Championship; Cosenza, December 9, 2017
Sicilian Defence B40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Qd3. Theory runs 6. e5 Nd5 7. Bd2 (or 7. Qg4) with plenty of complications as in most lines Black sacrifices the Exchange on f8 for a counter-attack on the dark squares. Brunello’s move shows that she was not ready to undertake the challenge. 6. ... 0-0. 6. ... Nc6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. e5 Nd5 9. f4 f5 is also satisfactory for Black, Walbrodt – Schiffers, Internationales Kaiser-Jubiläums-Schachturnier, Vienna 1898. 7. e5 Nd5 8. Bd2 d6 9. exd6 Qxd6 10. g3 Nc6 11. Bg2 Rd8 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Ne4 Qc7 14. Bxb4 Nxb4 15. Qb3 Rb8 16. 0-0 c5. Black seems to have equalised – more or less. 17. Rfd1 Bb7 18. Rxd8+ Rxd8 19. a3 Bd5 20. c4 Bxe4 21. axb4 Bxg2 22. Kxg2 Qb7+ 23. Qf3 Qc7? Really bad judgment as this loses the game. Instead 23. ... Qxb4 24. Rxa7 Rf8 25. b3 Qb8 appears to lead to an approximately equal endgame.

24. b5! Now White’s heavy calibers should not meet too many difficulties in dooming Black’s weak Pawns on a7 and c5. 24. ... g6 25. Ra6 Kg7 26. b3. 26. Qa3 eventually followed by Ra6-c6 seemed stronger. 26. ... Rd4 27. Qc6? 27. Rc6 Qe7 28. Rc8 would have kept the bind. 27. ... Qe5. Not 27. ... Qxc6+? because of 28. dxc6 Rd8 29. Ra5 and White must win. 28. Rxa7 Qf5? 28. ... Rd3! followed by ... Rd3xb3 would have probably saved Black. 29. Qf3! Qxf3+ 30. Kxf3 Rd3+ 31. Ke4 Rxb3 32. Rc7 Rb2 33. Rxc5 Rxf2 34. b6 1 : 0.

G+

Marina Brunello – Désirée Di Benedetto
44th Italian Women’s Chess Championship; Cosenza, December 7, 2017
Sicilian Defence B49

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Be2 b5 8. Nxc6 dxc6. The alternative is 8. ... Qxc6; for instance: 9. a3 Bb7 10. Qd2 Rc8 11. 0-0 Nf6 12. Bf3 Qc7 13. Bf4 e5 14. Bg5 Be7 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Rfd1 Rd8 17. Qe2 0-0 18. Nd5 Qc4 19. c3 Bc6 20. Qc2 Bg5 21. g3 g6 22. h4 Bh6 23. Be2 Qc5 24. b4 Qa7 25. a4 Qb7 26. axb5 axb5 27. Qb3 Kg7 28. Bf3 f5 29. exf5 gxf5 30. Bg2 f4 31. Be4 fxg3 32. fxg3 Be3+ 33. Kh1 Bf2 34. Rd3 Kh8 35. Qc2 Rf7 36. Qe2 Rg8 37. Rf1 Rgf8 38. Qh5 Rg7 39. Qe2 Rgf7 40. Kg2 Ba7 41. Rxf7 Rxf7 42. Qh5 d6 43. Kh2 Qd7 44. Rf3 Qe6 45. Qxf7 1 : 0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Potkin, Eurasian Blitz Chess Cup, Almaty 2016. 9. f4 Bb7 10. Bf3 Be7. If 10. ... e5 then 11. fxe5 Qxe5 12. Bd4 Qg5 13. Qe2 and White stands better, Bologan – Morozevich, World Rapid Chess Championship, Berlin 2015. Maybe 10. ... Nf6 is the best option Black has; for instance: 11. e5 Nd5 12. Nxd5 cxd5 13. Bd4 Be7 14. 0-0 0-0 ½ : ½ Kosanović – Hulak, Pula 1990. 11. e5. For 11. Qe2 Rd8 12. 0-0 e5 see Riazantsev – Grachev, 67th Russian Chess Championship Higher League, Vladivostok 2014. 11. ... Nh6 12. Ne4 Nf5 13. Bc5 Rd8. 13. ... Bxc5 14. Nxc5 Rd8 15. Qe2 transposes into the game. 14. Qe2 Bxc5 15. Nxc5 Nd4 16. Qf2 Nxf3+ 17. gxf3! That’s the killer move! White opens the g-file and prepares for giving mate!

17. ... Rd5. Comparatively better is 17. ... 0-0, although after 18. Rg1 Kh8 19. Qh4 (Δ Rg1xg7) 19. ... h6 20. Ke2! White still retains a powerful attack. 18. Rg1 Kf8. Now it’s late for 18. ... 0-0 as after 19. Ne4 the curtain falls. 19. Rd1 Bc8 20. b4 Qd8 21. Ke2! f6 22. Ne4! Black’s position is totally hopeless and the end comes quick and easy. 22. ... fxe5. 22. ... Qe7 23. Qh4 makes no difference. 23. Qc5+ Qe7 24. Qxe7+ Kxe7 25. Rxg7+ Kd8 26. fxe5 Rxd1 27. Kxd1 h5 28. h4 Bd7 29. Nf6 1 : 0.

Late Afternoon

Tea Gueci – Marina Brunello
44th Italian Women’s Chess Championship; Cosenza, December 4, 2017
Sicilian Defence B90

As it was expected the game between Tea Gueci and Marina Brunello was a hard fight, back and forth, with some crazy side effects on both sides. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. Be3 Be7 9. Qd2 0-0 10. 0-0-0 a5 11. a4 Nc6 12. g4 Nb4 13. Kb1 Nd7. Varying from 13. ... Rc8 14. g5 Nh5 15. Rg1 f5 16. gxf6 Rxf6 17. Bg5 Rf7? (17. ... Rxf3) 18. Bxe7 Qxe7 19. Qxd6 which left Black a Pawn down for no compensation, Abrahamyan – M. Brunello, 32nd Reykjavík Open, Reykjavík 2016. 14. Rg1!? A new, but not very useful move. More to the point is 14. h4 Nb6 15. Qf2 Nc4 16. Bxc4 Bxc4 17. f4; for instance: 17. ... exf4 18. Bxf4 Bxb3 19. cxb3 Qd7 20. Qf3 Rfe8 21. Nb5 Ra6 22. g5 Bf8 23. Rhf1 Rc6 24. Bxd6! Bxd6 25. Nxd6 Rf8 26. Qf5 Qe7 27. Nxf7! Rc5 28. e5 Rd5 29. Rc1 Rdd8 30. e6 Rd5 31. Qe4 Re8 32. Nh6+! Kh8 33. Rf7 1 : 0 Lastin – Iskusnyh, 60th Russian Chess Championship Higher League, Krasnoyarsk 2007. 14. ... Nb6 15. Qf2 Nc4 16. Bxc4 Bxc4 17. Bb6 Qb8. Black sacrifices temporarily a Pawn in order to seize the initiative. 18. Nxa5 Be6 19. Nd5 Nxd5 20. exd5 Bd7 21. b3 Rc8 22. Rge1?! Gueci is not interested in Stockfish’s line 22. f4 Bd8 23. Nc4 Rxc4 24. bxc4 Rxa4 25. Bxd8 Qxd8 26. fxe5 Qa5 with a very likely draw by perpetual check. 22. ... Ra6! 23. Re4 Qa8 24. Nc4 f5?! A little too prudent. It came natural to dare 24. ... Bxa4! 25. bxa4 Rxa4 26. Na5 Rxa5 27. Bxa5 Qxa5 28. Qd2 Rc3! with plenty of compensation for the Exchange. 25. gxf5 Bxf5 26. a5! Bxe4 27. fxe4. Curiously enough, White ended up sacrificing the Exchange for only a Pawn, but quite good chances of counterplay on both wings. 27. ... Rf8 28. Qg2 Rf6 29. Qh3 Qe8 30. Ne3. Aiming for tricky tactics. 30. ... Ra8 31. Nf5 Bd8? This ambitious move is really antithetic. The place for the Bishop was at f8 (31. ... Bf8). 32. Rg1. And now, probably due to time pressure, Brunello commits harakiri: 32. ... Rg6? 32. ... g6∞ was imperatively called for. 33. Rxg6 Qxg6 34. Qc3? Gueci, too, must have been short of time, for otherwise she would have realized that 34. Bxd8 Qg1+ 35. Kb2 Rxd8 36. Nxd6! was completely winning. 34. ... Qf6 35. Qb4 g6 36. Nh6+ Kg7 34. Qc3 Qf6 35. Qb4 g6 36. Nh6+ Kg7 37. Be3? Both opponents are under time pressure. Here 37. Ng4 Qe7 38. Ne3 was still tenable. 37. ... Qe7 38. Bg5!? A last-ditch trick. 38. ... Qxg5? It worked! 38. ... Qd7 would have left White with no future. 39. Qxb7+ Kxh6 40. Qxa8. The ending is now extremely unclear, since White’s united passed Pawns excellently compensate for her material deficit. 40. ... Kh5 41. b4 Qg1+ 42. Ka2 Bg5 43. Qc8 Qd4 44. Qh3+ Bh4 45. Qf3+ Kg5 46. Kb3 h5 47. a6 Qb6 48. Qd3 Bf2 49. Qc4 Kf4 50. Qc6 Kxe4

51. a7? Gueci’s nerves eventually broke and she made her final mistake by throwing away the a-Pawn. Instead 51. Ka4 would seem naturally to grant at least a draw. Now Brunello does no longer miss her chance: 51. ... Qxa7 52. Qxd6 Qd4 53. Qxg6+ Kxd5 54. Qf7+ Ke4 55. Qxh5 Ke3 56. Qh6+ Ke2 57. Qa6+ Kd2 58. Qh6+ Be3 59. Qc6 e4 60. c3 Qd3 61. b5 Bd4 62. b6 Qxc3+ 63. Qxc3+ Bxc3 0 : 1.

Across the Hall

Marina Brunello – Alessia Santeramo
44th Italian Women’s Chess Championship; Cosenza, December 3, 2017
Spanish Game C64

Since nothing particular happened on this day in the 77th Italian “unisex” Chess Championship, let’s take a look at what’s going on in the 44th Italian Women’s Chess Championship which started today in Cosenza. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. 0-0 0-0 7. h3 a6 8. Ba4. The most “authorial” other way is 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. Re1 Re8 10. Nbd2 d5 11. exd5 Qxd5 12. Nb3 Bf8 13. c4 Qd6 14. Be3 Nd7 15. d4 e4 16. Nfd2 a5 17. a4 f5 (17. ... Qg6) 18. c5 Dg6 (18. ... Qe6 would have prevented, at least for a while, White’s next move) 19 Nc4 with a powerful edge, Carlsen – Grischuk, Candidates Tournament, London 2013. 8. ... h6 9. Re1 Ba7 10. Nbd2 Ne7 11. d4 Ng6 12. Nf1 c6? A passive move that only loses time. For 12. ... b5 13. Bc2 c5 14. Ng3 Re8 15. Be3 Bb7 16. d5 c4 see Ortega Valle – Korneev, 2nd International Open, Sevilla 2006. Nevertheless, it’s also interesting 12. ... d5!? 13. exd5 exd4 14. Nxd4 Nxd5 15. Ng3 Ndf4 15. Ng3 Ndf4 16. Bxf4 Nxf4 17. Qf3 Ne6 18. Ndf5 Ng5 19. Qf4 Bxf5 20. Nxf5 Ne6 21. Qe4 Qd2 22. Re2 Qf4 (Jaracz – D. Isonzo, 3rd International Festival, Lido degli Estensi 2002) as 23. Ne7+ Kh8 24. Qxe6 is answered by 24. ... Qxa4 with roughly equal chances. 13. Ng3 Qc7 14. Bc2 Be6. Now and on the next few moves, Black would have done better to make self-criticism and play ... c6-c5. 15. Be3 b5. It was still time to play ... c6-c5 followed eventually by ... c5xd4 and ... Rf8-c8. 16. Qd2 Rfd8?! This suggests that Black is thinking about pushing the wrong Pawn. 17. a4! d5? And this opens up the game for the joy of White’s light-squared Bishop. 18. axb5 axb5 19. exd5 Bxd5 20. Bxg6. 20. Nxe5! Nxe5 21. Bxh6! might have been even stronger. 20. ... Bxf3? Stockfish’s 20. ... exd4 21. Bf4 dxc3 22. Qxd5 Nxd5 23. Bxc7 Nxc7 24. Be4 cxb2 25. Rb1 Nd5 26. Rxb2 leaves Black with insufficient compensation for the Knight, but the text allows Brunello to mount a devastating attack. 21. Bc2! exd4 22. cxd4 Bd5

23. Bxh6! gxh6 24. Qxh6 Bxd4 25. Rxa8 Rxa8 26. Nf5 Ne4 27. Nxd4 Qe5 28. Bxe4 Qxd4. Or 28. ... Bxe4 29. Nxc6 and the curtain falls. 29. Bh7+ Kh8 30. Bf5+ Kg8 31. Re3 Bf3 32. Rxf3 1 : 0.

Toblerone

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Marina Brunello
12th European Women’s Team Chess Championship; Hersonissos, November 4, 2017
Sicilian Defence B94

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. Bc4 Qb6. Brunello’s hard fashion, playing à la the Poisoned Pawn. 8. Bb3 e6 9. a4 Qa5 10. Qd2 Be7 11. f3 Nc5. The alternative subject-matter-of-study is 11. ... h6 12. Be3 Nc5 13. Ba2 Qb4 14. 0-0 Bd7 15. a5 Bd8 16. Nde2 Bc7 17. Rfd1 Rd8 18. Qe1 e5 19. Qg3 Kf8 20. Nd5 Nxd5 21. Bxd5 Be6 22. b3 Rb8 23. Qf2 b6 24. Bd2 Qb5 25. Nc3 Qe8 26. b4 Nd7 27. Be3 Qc8 28. Rd3 bxa5 29. bxa5 Kg8 30. Bxe6 fxe6 31. Na4 Bxa5 32. Rxd6 Bb4 33. Rd3 Kh7 34. Rad1 Rb7 35. c3 Be7 36. Qd2 Nf6 37. Qf2 Nd7 38. Qd2 Nf6 39. Qf2 ½ : ½ Potkin – Sorokin, 70th Russian Chess Championship, Sochi 2017. 12. Ba2 0-0 13. 0-0 Qc7 14. a5 b5 15. axb6 Qxb6 16. Be3 Qc7 17. Rfd1 Rb8 18. Rab1 Bb7 19. Qf2 Rfc8 20. Qg3 Nh5 21. Qh3 Nf6 22. Nce2 a5 23. Nb5 Qb6 24. Nbc3 Qc7 25. Nf4. Kosteniuk avoids repetition of moves, although objectively she does not have any substantial advantage. 25. ... Ba8 26. Kh1 Re8 27. Rd2 Bf8 28. Qh4 Ncd7 29. Qf2 Ne5 30. Qf1 Qc6 31. Bb3 Rb4! 32. Rd4 Nfd7 33. Ba4 Qb7 34. Nb5 Rc8 35. c3 Rxd4 36. cxd4 Nc4 37. Bc1 Ncb6. Brunello played very well so far (and maybe she’s even got the upper hand), but she also ran short of time. 38. Bb3 a4 39. Ba2 Qa6 40. Bd2

40. ... e5? After thinking for about 3 of her 3 minutes and 30 seconds, Brunello pushes the wrong Pawn, frittering away a game well played. Instead, the thematic 40. ... d5! would have earned Black a perfectly satisfactory game, to say the least. 41. Bxf7+! Kosteniuk’s first move after time control is a lucky one, and it must have been completely overlooked by her opponent. 41. ... Kxf7. Black is forced to give up the Queen as 41. ... Kh8?? 42. Ng6+! hxg6 43. g4 would lead to mate in a very few moves. 42. Nxd6+ Bxd6 43. Qxa6 exf4 44. Ba5. Black’s scattered and uncoordinated survivors cannot do anything against the mighty powers of Her Majesty. 44. ... Rb8 45. Rc1 g6 46. h4 h5 47. Qb5 Ke6 48. Qg5 Nf8 49. Bxb6 Rxb6 50. Qd8 Rb8 51. d5+ 1 : 0.

Seated on the frontstage are Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk (left) and Marina Brunello (right). Photo: European Chess Union (@ECUonline).

Sliding Doors

Marina Brunello – Tea Bosboom-Lanchava
12th European Women’s Team Chess Championship; Hersonissos, October 31, 2017
Philidor Defence C41

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Re1 c6 8. a4 b6 9. b3 a6 10. Bb2 Bb7 11. Bd3 g6 12. Nb1 exd4 13. Nxd4 c5!? This move, connected with the next one, seems quite well founded. In any event, 13. ... Re8 14. Nd2 Bf8 15. f4 Bg7 16. c3 b5 also seems satisfactory for Black, N. Kosintseva – Bocharov, 8th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2009. 14. Nf3 d5 15. e5 Nh5 16. Nc3 Re8 17. Bf1 Nf8 18. Qd2 Ne6 19. Rad1 Nc7 20. g3 d4 21. Ne4 f5? So far, Black has been playing enterprisingly, but this seems a bit too much! 22. Neg5. The interpolation of 22. exf6 Nxf6 23. Ng5 (Stockfish) might have been more promising. 22. ... h6 23. Bc4+ Bd5 24. Nh3 g5 25. Qe2 Ng7? 25. ... g4? was also met by 26. Nxd4! with disruptive effect, so Black had to try 25. ... Bxc4 26. bxc4 g4 27. c3!? d3!∞ (Stockfish) – very unclear. 26. Nxd4! cxd4 27. Rxd4 Nge6 28. Rxd5 Nxd5 29. Rd1 Nec7 30. Qh5!? Oh, White feels that 30. Bxd5+ Nxd5 31. c4+− is too trivial for her powers. 30. ... Bf8 31. Qg6+ Bg7 32. e6 Qe7? 32. ... Re7 was most imperatively called for, after which might have followed 33. Bxg7 Rxg7 34. Qxf5 Qf6 with a (big) mess. 33. Bxd5 Nxd5 34. Rxd5. Threatening Rd5-d7. 34. ... Rad8. 34. ... Rf8 is elegantly met by the zwischenzug 35. g4! (Stockfish) with the tactical pointe of 35. ... fxg4 36. Nxg5! hxg5 37. Rd7 and finis. 35. Rxf5 Rf8

36. Nxg5! Obviously, Brunello does not miss her last sacrifice! 36. ... hxg5 37. Rxg5 Rd1+ 38. Kg2 Qb7+ 39. Kh3 Rxf2 40. Qxg7+ Qxg7 41. Rxg7+ Kf8 42. e7+ Ke8 43. Ba3 1 : 0.