上海话 (Shànghǎinese)

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova – 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament; tie-break game 3 (10+10); Khanty-Mansiysk, November 5, 2018

Emglish Opening A11

It was a day of tie-breaks in Khanty-Mansiysk and there were no particular surprises in results. The only exception — especially to some commentators — appears to have been the hard-fought win of 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún) over Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova, with the Chinese giving a display of strategic understanding and refined endgame technique. 1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 d5 4. Qc2 g6 5. Be2 Bg7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. d4 b6 8. b3 Bb7 9. Bb2 Nbd7 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Nc3 Rc8 12. Rfc1 Ne4. The interpolation of 12. ... a6 13. a4 Ne4 might even make sense, Glavina – Cifuentes Parada, 9th Memorial Santiago Tejero Lamana, Zaragoza 2017. 13. Qd1 Nxc3 14. Bxc3 e6 15. a4 Qe7 16. a5 Rc7 17. a6 Ba8 18. Qd2 Rfc8 19. Ne1 Bf8 20. Rc2 Qd8 21. b4 Nf6 22. f3 Bc6 23. b5 Be8. The immediate 23. ... Bd7 could well lead to the same ending of the game after 24. Rac1 Qe7 25. Bb4 Qxb4 26. Qxb4 Rxc2 27. Qxf8+ Kxf8 28. Rxc2 Rxc2 29. Nxc2 Ne8 30. Na3 Nd6 which is easier for Black to play — but probably nothing more than that. 24. Bb2? Zhukova usually favoures semi-static strategies, which, however, may be particularly bad-suited for fast games. White had to play 24. Rac1 with an approximate equilibrium.

24. ... Bd7! 25. Rac1 Ne8! 26. Bd3 Nd6 27. Qe2 Rxc2 28. Rxc2 Rxc2? 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún) contents herself with a slightly more pleasant ending, but there were solid arguments for preferring 28. ... Qe8(!) in order to cash in the b5-Pawn. 29. Nxc2 Qc8 30. Na3 Bh6 31. Kf2 Qd8 32. g3 Qc8 33. Kg2 Bf8 34. e4 dxe4 35. fxe4 Bg7 36. e5 Ne8 37. Qe4 Bf8 38. Qb7 Qc7 39. Nb1 Bc8 40. Qxc7. 40. Qa8(!) Bb4(!)∞ is quite uncertain. 40. ... Nxc7 41. Ba3 Bxa3 42. Nxa3 Bd7. Black’s ending is certainly easier to play — due to White being tied to the defence of the a6- and b5-Pawns — but, if correctly followed, not necessarily mathematically winnable. 43. Kf2 Kg7 44. Ke2. The King’s journey to the Queenside seems serious bad judgment. 44. ... f5 45. Kd2 g5! 46. Kc3 h5! 47. Kb4? Maybe only now White makes the step of no return. 47. Bc4(!) was called for, in order to quickly bring back the King to the Kingside; for instance: 47. ... h4 48. Kd3 followed by Kd3-e3. 47. ... Nd5+ 48. Kb3 Nc7. It was time already for 48. ... g4! immediately forcing matters on the Kingside. 49. Bc4? Good or bad, White had to play 49. Kc2 (idem to say 49. Kc3), desperately running back towards the East, though after 49. ... g4 50. Kd2 h4! 51. Ke2 h3 52. Kf2 Nd5 it’s hard to imagine that she could have saved the game. 49. ... h4! 50. Kb4. On 50. gxh4 g4 wins outright. 50. ... hxg3. Another way to win was 50. ... g4! followed by ... f5-f4, but in substance it is almost the same: Black’s win is easy. 51. hxg3 f4 52. gxf4 gxf4 53. Kc3 Kg6 54. Kd3 Kg5 55. Ke4 Kg4 56. Be2+ Kg3 57. Bf1 f3 58. Ke3 f2 59. Be2 Kg2 60. Kf4 f1=Q+ 61. Bxf1+ Kxf1 62. Kg5 Nxb5 63. Nc2 Ke2 64. Kf6 Kd2 65. Nb4 Kc3 0 : 1.

倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún). Photo © Press service of the Women’s World Championship 2018.

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova. Photo © Press service of the Women’s World Championship 2018.

Who Owns the Sky?

Chess-News.ru‏ (@Chess__News)

Sochi, Russia: A team called “Crimea is ours” plays the 24th Russian Team Chess Championship. See http://chess-news.ru/node/23108. “Crimea is ours”, but it’s not clear who “owns” it, since the Republic of Crimea is represented by two Ukrainians, one Russian and one Uzbek... The real news, however, is most likely the presence of two women in the “unisex” (idem to say men’s) contest, with Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina playing on first board for Yamal (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug) and Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova sitting on second board for “Kogel mogel” (Moscow).

Notes from Underground

Chess-News.ru‏ (@Chess__News)

The “Case of Mihaela Sandu”: crime and punishment? Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova — the head signatory of the j’accuse letter against Mihaela Sandu (pictured above) — was banned by FIDE Ethics Commission for three months with a proviso (in fact, the penalty is suspended for one year, provided that Zhukova will not repeat again irresponsible and unjustified accusations), while all others signatories have been severely warned for their reckless and unjustified attitude to accuse Sandu of cheating. For further details, see chess-news.ru/node/23084.

The Customer Is Not Always Right

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

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

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

From Ice-Breaker to Missile Boat

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova – Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Women’s Grand Prix Series 2015-2016; Tehran, February 22, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bf4 dxc4 6. e3 Nb6 7. Bxc4 Nxc4 8. Qa4+ c6 9. Qxc4 Nd5 10. 0-0 Nxf4 11. exf4 Be7 12. Rfe1 0-0 13. Ne5 Qb6 14. Re2 Rd8 15. Rd1 Qb4 16. Qd3 Bd7 17. a3 Qb3 18. Re3 Be8 19. Rh3 g6? (19. ... h6 20. Qe2 Qb6) 20. Qe2 Qb6

21. Nxg6! fxg6 (21. ... hxg6 22. Qe5+-) 22. Qxe6+ Bf7 23. Qxe7 Rxd4 24. Qh4 h5 25. Rxd4 Qxd4 26. Re3 Kg7 27. h3 Rd8 28. Re5 Rf8 29. Re7 b5 30. Ne4 Kh8 31. Qg5 Qxb2 32. f5 Qg7 33. f6 Qh7 34. Qe5 g5 35. Nxg5 Qb1+ 36. Kh2 Qg6 37. Rxf7 1 : 0.

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova (R.) vs. Natalia Andreevna Pogonina (L.)
Photo: Alina l’Ami

As a Lady Would Say

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova – Pia Cramling
Women’s Grand Prix Series 2015-2016; Tehran, February 19, 2016
English Opening A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. g3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 h6 7. Nd5 Bd6. For 8. ... Re8 9. Nd2 Bf8 see Vachier-Lagrave – Miroshnichenko, 1st Al Ain Chess Classic, Al-Ain 2012. 8. d3 Nxd5 9. cxd5 Nd4 10. Nd2 c6 11. Nc4 Bb8 12. b3 cxd5 13. Bxd5 d6 14. Bb2 Nc6 15. d4 Bh3 16. Re1 Qd7 17. Qd2 Bc7 18. Rac1 Rac8 19. Bxc6 Qxc6 20. e4 Qb5 21. Qe2 d5 22. exd5 Qxd5 23. Ne3 Qd7 24. dxe5 Bb6 25. Rcd1 Qc6 26. Nd5 Rfe8 27. Nf4 Bf5 28. Rd6 Qc2 29. Rd2 Qc6

30. Rd6. Zhukova repeats moves in order to gain time on the clock. 30. ... Qc2 31. Rd2 Qc6 32. b4 Qa4 33. a3 Qb3 34. Nd5 Rc2 35. Rxc2 Bxc2 36. Nxb6 axb6 37. Bd4 Bf5 38. Qb5 Re6 39. Kg2 Rc6 40. Re3 Qd1 41. Bc3 Qc2 42. Be1 Qb1 43. Qd5 Rc1 44. Qd2 Be4+ 45. Kg1 Bc6 46. Qe2 Bd5 47. Qd2 Rd1 48. Qc3 b5 49. Re2 Qf5 50. e6 fxe6 51. Qe3?? A terrible blunder. 51. Re3 was called for. 51. ... Bc4. 51. ... Rd3! 52. Qf4 Qh3 53. Re4 Rd4!! was a much faster and more elegant solution. 52. Rb2 Qh3. And here 52. ... Qf3! was a pretty finish. 53. Re2 Bxe2 54. Qxe2 Rb1 55. f3 Qf5 56. Kg2 Rb3 57. Bf2 Rxa3 58. f4 Qd5+ 59. Kh3 Ra2 60. Qe3 Rb2 61. Qe1 Kf7 62. g4 Qf3+ 63. Bg3 h5 0 : 1.

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova vs. Pia Cramling
Photo: Alina l’Ami

Meditation

赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) – Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova
Women’s Grand Prix 2015–2016; 2nd stage; Tehran, February 14, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D12

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. b3 Bg4 4. d4 Nf6 5. e3 e6 6. Nbd2 Ne4. For 6. ... Nbd7 7. Bb2 a5 8. Bd3 a4 9. 0-0 see Karpov – Prie, European Blitz Championship, Ajaccio 2007. 7. h3 Bxf3 8. gxf3 Nxd2 9. Bxd2 Bd6 10. Rg1 0-0 11. f4 f5. Zhukova transposes her Queen’s Gambit Declined into a Dutch Stonewall. 12. Qc2 a5 13. a3 Nd7 14. Bc3 Qe7 15. Bb2 Nf6 16. Bd3 Rfc8 17. Qe2 Rf8 18. Qf3 Rf7 19. Ke2 Qd8 20. Bc3 Bf8 21. Rgc1 Qb6. Black undoubtedly got a satisfactory game. 22. Rcb1 Ne4 23. Be1 c5 24. cxd5 exd5 25. dxc5 Bxc5. Taking with the Knight was interesting as well and possibly stronger. 26. b4 axb4 27. axb4 Rxa1 28. Rxa1 Bf8 29. Ra5 Qe6 30. Kf1 Rc7. With the deadly threat of ... Rc7-c1. 31. Qd1 h6 32. Bc2 b6? A serious mistake, which exposes the Black Queen and King to be skewered by White’s Bishop. The immediate 32. ... Kh7 was called for, in order to answer 33. Bb3 by 33. ... Nf6.

33. Bb3! Kh7. Not 33. ... Nf6 34. Rxd5! and wins. 34. Rxd5 Qf6 35. Re5 Qh4 36. Qf3? To parry the threat of ... Bf8xb4, but much stronger was 36. Kg2! and if 36. ... Bxb4 then 37. Rxf5 Bxe1 38. Qxe1 retaining excellent winning chances. 36. ... Rc1?? A grave blunder which allows White a mating “White Square Symphony”. Zhukova should have played 36. ... g6 37. Kg2 Qd8 keeping cool. 37. Rxe4! fxe4 38. Qxe4+ Kh8 39. Qe6 Rxe1+ 40. Kg2 Kh7 41. Qf5+ Kh8 42. Qxf8+ Kh7 43. Bg8+ 1 : 0.

赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) vs. Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova. Photo: Alina l’Ami.

Reason, Will and Emotion

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova
Women's Grand Prix 2015–2016; 1st stage; Monte Carlo, October 13, 2015
Spanish Game C92

Notes by Grandmaster Raymond Dennis Keene, The Spectator Australia, October 29, 2015. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Re8 10. d4 Bb7 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. d5 Nb8 13. Nf1 Nbd7 14. N3h2 Nc5 15. Bc2 c6 16. b4 Ncd7 17. dxc6 Bxc6 18. Bg5 Qc7 19. Bxf6 Nxf6 20. Ng4 Nxg4 21. hxg4 Be7 22. Bb3 Bg5 23. Qf3 Qb7 24. Rad1 Red8 25. Rd3 a5 26. Ng3 g6 27. Red1 a4 28. Bd5 Rac8 29. Ne2 Kg7 30. g3 Qd7 31. Kg2 h6 32. Bxc6 Qxc6 33. a3 Qc4 34. Rd5 Qb3 35. Qd3 Rb8 36. Ra1 Qb2 37. Qd1 Rdc8 38. Kf1 Rc4 39. f3 Rb6 40. Qb1 Qxb1+ 41. Rxb1 Kf8 42. Kf2 Ke7 43. f4 Bf6 44. Ke3

White stands better here as she can manoeuvre against the Black b- and h-Pawns. Black’s next is an attempt to free her Bishop and grab a Pawn but it backfires. 44. ... exf4+ 45. gxf4 Bxc3 46. Kd3 Bf6 47. Rxb5. With this small tactic White creates an immensely powerful passed Pawn on the b-file. 47. ... Rbc6? The best chance was 47 ... Rxb5 48 Kxc4 Rb8. The White pair of Rooks is now much stronger than the Black pair. 48. Ra5 Rc2 49. b5 Rc8 50. Ra7+ Ke6 51. b6 Ra2 52. f5+ Ke5 53. Ra5+ 1 : 0.

Pictured (seated, left to right): 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova; standing: Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov. Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich.

The Hedge Knight

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova
73rd Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Kiev, June 24, 2013
French Defence C16

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 b6 7. Nf3 Ba6 8. Bxa6 Nxa6 9. Qd3 Nb8 10. c4 dxc4 11. Qxc4 Nbc6! 12. Bd2 Qd7 13. 0-0 Rd8 14. c3 Na5 15. Qa6 0-0. More consistent was 15. ... Qc6 when after 16. Rab1 Qc4 17. Qxc4 Nxc4 18. a4 Nd5 White must already fight for equality. 16. Ng5 Nb3 17. Rad1 b5 18. a4 bxa4 19. Qd3 Ng6 20. h4 h6 21. h5 hxg5 22. hxg6 a3?! Black unnecessarily gives back her Pawn. Ukrainian International Master Anton Sitnikov suggests 22. ... g4 23. Bg5 Rb8 24. gxf7+ Rxf7 25. Qe2 Qc6 26. Qxg4 Qc4 27. Qh3 a3 28. d5 Re8 29. d6 a2 30. d7 Rxd7 31. Rxd7 Qxf1+ 32. Kxf1 a1=Q+ 33. Ke2 Qb2+ 34. Kf3 Rf8+ 35. Bf6 Qxc3+ 36. Kf4 Rxf6+ 37. exf6 Qxf6+ 38. Ke3 Qc3+ when Black gives perpetual check – a very long variation! 23. Bxg5 Rb8 24. Qa6?! First, 24. gxf7+ Rxf7 and then 25. Qa6 was possibly better. 24. ... fxg6 25. Qxa3 a5 26. Rd3 c5 27. Rfd1 c4?! Sitnikov gives another very, very long variation: 27. ... cxd4 28. Be7 Rfc8 29. Bd6 Rb6 30. cxd4 Qb5 31. d5 Rc1 32. Rxc1 Qxd3 33. Rc8+ Kh7 34. Kh2 Qe4! 35. dxe6 Qh4+ 37. Rb8 Rc6 39. Kf1 Nf4 40. Kg1 Qg5 41. g3 Qxe5 42. gxf4 Qxb8 43. e7 Qc8 44. Qxa5 Qg4+ 45. Kf1 Qh3+ 46. Kg1 Re6 with manifest advantage to Black, but this line is not forced. 28. Rg3 Rb7 29. Be3 Qf7. If 29. ... Rf5 might follow 30. Rxg6 Rxe5 31. Re1 Kh7 32. Rg4 Rg5 33. Re4± (Sitnikiov’s analysis). 30. Qd6 Rc8? The crisis. Black should have played 30. ... Re8 at once, since after 31. d5 exd5 32. Rxd5 Re6 33. Qd8+ Re8 34. Rd6! Rxd8 35. Rxd8+ Qf8 36. Rxf8+ Kxf8 37. Rxg6 Rb5 38. f4 a4 39. Ra6 Ra5 40. Rxa5 Nxa5 41. Bc5+ Kf7 the passed a-Pawn and the agile Knight would have given Black some compensation for the minus Pawn – idem to say good drawing chances.

Now comes the decisive breakthrough: 31. d5! Re8 32. dxe6 Rxe6 33. Qd8+ Re8 34. Qh4 Rd7 35. Rd6! Mariya finishes off the game very neatly. 35. ... Rxe5. Not 35. ... Rxd6 36. exd6 Qe6 37. Rh3 Kf7 38. Qh7 with an irresistible attack. 36. Rdxg6 Qf5 37. Qxc4+ Red5 38. Qxb3 Qh5 39. R6g5 Qd1+ 40. Qxd1 Rxd1+ 41. Kh2 1 : 0.

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk won his second title in a row! Photo: ukrchess.com.

Common law

Steve Giddins (@GiddinsSteve)

The Shame of the Cities

• The Letter Was Not an Open One, The Organizers Requested It, Chess-News.ru, June 5, 2015

Before writing the notorious letter, Zhukova claims she many times approached the chief arbiter Tomasz Delega and the organizers, with a request to delay the broadcast of the games. But in response, the latter required that a letter be written, requesting such action, else they would do nothing. “Maybe they were hoping that I would not want to spend time on preparation of the text. In fact, I would have loved to concentrate only on preparing for the game, but, alas, I had no choice”. [Read more].

Chess-News.ru (@Chess_News)

A clamour of clamours

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; match game 2; Yekaterinburg, March 14, 2006

Nimzo-Indian Defence E32

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 0-0 5. Bg5 d6 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 h6 8. Bh4 Bxc3+ 9. Qxc3 b6 10. Ne2 c5 11. 0-0 Ba6

12. Qa3! More energetic than 12. Rac1, which was seen in Ig. Jelen – Kurajica, Zonal Tournament, Dresden 1998. 12. ... Bb7 13. f3 Qe7 14. e4 cxd4 15. Nxd4 Ne5 16. Rad1 Rfd8 17. Rfe1 Ng6 18. Bf2 Nd7 19. Bf1 Nc5 20. Nb5 a6 21. Nc3 a5 22. Bg3 Ba6 23. b3 h5 24. h3 Qg5 25. Bh2. 25. Bxd6? Rxd6! 26. Rxd6 Qe5 would give Black the upper hand. 25. ... Ra7 26. Qb2 Rad7 27. Kh1 Bb7 28. b4 axb4 29. Qxb4 Qf6 30. Na4 Nxa4 31. Qxa4 d5 32. cxd5 exd5 33. e5 Qe6 34. Qd4 Rc7 35. Bg1 Rc6 36. Rb1 Ne7 37. Bd3 Ra8 38. Rb2 Ba6 39. Bb1 Bc4 40. Qh4 g6

41. g4? Zhukova has methodically increased her advantage so far, but now she gives her opponent an unexpected target for counterplay. After 41. Bd4 there would be hard times for Black. 41. ... Ra3! 42. Kg2 Bd3 43. Bxd3 Rxd3 44. Qf6 d4 45. Qxe6?! (45. Re4 Nd5 46. Qg5 Rc4=) 45. ... fxe6 46. Re4 Rc4 47. Rxb6? ⌓ 47. Kg3! Nd5 48. Kh4 Kg7 49. Kg5 Rxf3 50. Rxd4 Rc1 51. Rxd5! exd5 52. Bxb6 was White’s best chance, leaving Black with a material advantage hard to realise. 47. ... Rc2+ 48. Kg3 (48. Kh1 Rxf3)

48. ... g5! Threatening ... h5-h4#. 49. h4. If 49. gxh5 then 49. ... Nf5+ 50. Kg4 Rg2#. 49. ... Ng6? A moment of uncertainty by the young prodigy. 49. ... Rd1! 50. Bxd4 Rdd2!−+ was elegant and winning. 50. gxh5? White ought to play 50. Rb8+ Kf7 51. Rb7+ and a draw is most likely. 50. ... gxh4+ 51. Rxh4 Nxh4 52. Kxh4 Rd1 53. Bxd4 Rxd4+ 54. Kg5 Rd7 55. Rxe6 Rg2+ 56. Kf5 Rf7+ 57. Ke4 Re2+ 58. Kd3 Rxa2 59. Re8+ Rf8 60. Kd4 0 : 1.

The Return of the Pink Panther

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova
2nd FiNet Chess960 Women’s Rapid World Championship; Mainz, July 29, 2008

rqnbnkbr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RQNBNKBR w w HAha - 0 1

Position #413

1. Nf3 c5 2. h4 Nf6 3. c4 h6 4. Nb3 Bh7 5. Bc2 Bxc2 6. Qxc2 b6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nbxd4 Qb7 9. Bh2 Bc7 10. Bxc7 Qxc7 11. e4 Ng4 12. h5 Ne5 13. Rc1 Nxf3 14. Nxf3 Nd6 15. e5 Nb7

16. Rh4! Nc5 17. Rd1. White didn’t need to castle to find the best synthesis between King safety and development. 17. ... 0-0 18. Rg4 f5?! 19. Rgd4 Rad8 20. Nh4 Rf7 21. Ng6 Ne6 22. Rd5 Nf8 23. Nf4 Rc8 24. b3 e6

25. R5d4? It does seem quite a doubtful offer. White could simply continue 25. Rd6 b5 26. R1d4 maintaining her powerful bind. 25. ... Qxe5 26. Ng6 Qh2 27. Rh4 Qc7 28. Qc3 Nxg6. 28. ... d5 doesn’t make all that difference, as after 29. Qe1 Black would take on g6 anyway. 29. hxg6 Rf6 30. Rxh6 b5?? A self-mating blunder due to time shortage. 30. ... Qf4! seems fine for Black.

31. Rh8+! Kxh8 32. Qh3+ Kg8 33. Qh7+ Kf8 34. Qh8+ Ke7 35. Qxg7+ Ke8 36. Qxf6 Qh2 37. Qf7+ 1–0.

To castle or not to castle, that is the question... Photo: Pufichek.