A Star Called Nona

• Evgeny Surov, Звезда по имени Нона (A Star Called Nona), Chess-News.ru, May 4, 2016

Tbilisi, Georgia, opened its doors to host a liturgical mass celebration of the 75th birthday of five-time Women’s World Chess Champion Nona Terentevna Gaprindashvili.

Nona Terentevna Gaprindashvili is handed flowers amid the crowd; in front of her (on the right) is FIDE President Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov, who, on the occasion, was accompanied by his family. Major political leaders such as, for instance, former Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili and current Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili joined the party. Photo: Chess-News.ru (@Chess__News).

It was year 1963. Nona Terentevna just became Women’s World Chess Champion. She will wear the crown as Chess Queen four times more. Photo: Chess-News.ru.

The solemn celebration in honour of Nona Terentevna Gaprindashvili was staged at the Rustaveli National Theatre in Tblisi, Georgia. FIDE President Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov (the three pictures above to his credit) acted as master of ceremonies.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Mariya Muzychuk – Nona Terentevna Gaprindashvili
Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship; Batumi, May 31, 2012
Sicilian Defence B21

1. d4 c5 2. e4 cxd4 3. c3!? The so-called Smith–Morra Gambit. 3. ... dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bc4 e6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Qe2 a6 9. Rd1 Qc7 10. Bf4 Ne5. From a theoretical point of view, it’s probably best 10. ... Nf6 in order to met 11. e5? with 11. ... Nh5! turning the tables! 11. Bb3. Also tempting is 11. Bxe5! dxe5 12. Rac1 Qb8 (also after 12. ... Qa5 13. Bb5+ Kf8 14. Nxe5 axb5 15. Nxb5 g6 16. Rc7 White’s attack is very powerful) 13. Bb5+!! axb5 (or 13. ... Kf8 14. Na4 with a vehement attack) 14. Nxb5 Kf8 15. Nc7 Ra7 16. Qb5 Nf6 17. Qxe5 Kg8 18. Nxe6 Ra8 19. Nc7 Be6 20. Nxa8 Qxa8 21. Nd4 Ng4 22. Qc7 Bg5 23. Nxe6 fxe6 24. Rd7 Qf8 25. Qb6 h5 26. Rcc7 Rh6 27. h3 Ne5 28. Rxg7+ Qxg7 29. Rxg7+ Kxg7 30. Qxb7+ Nf7 31. a4 e5 32. a5 Bd8 33. a6 Rb6 34. Qc8 Rxb2 35. a7 Bb6 36. a8=Q Rb1+ 37. Kh2 Bxf2 38. Qg8+ 1 : 0 Maclès – Paoli, Le Havre 1966. 11. ... Bd7? Correct was 11. ... Nf6! 12. Bxe5 dxe5 13. Rac1 Qb8 14. Na4 (14. Qe3 Nd7) 14. ... b5 (or 14. ... Nd7 15. Rxd7 Bxd7 16. Nb6 Ra7 17. Nxd7 Kxd7 18. Qd3+ Ke8 19. Nxe5! b5 20. Qc3) 15. Nc5 0-0 16. Qe3 when White has obvious compensation, but probably nothing more. 12. Rac1 Qb8 13. Bxe5! “It’s hard to believe that nobody has played in the same way before [...]”, Grandmaster Mikhail Golubev said. 13. ... dxe5. Now White demolishes the last defences of the enemy with a series of shining sacrifices.

14. Rxd7! Kxd7 15. Ba4+ b5 16. Nxb5! axb5 17. Bxb5+ Kd8. Not 17. ... Kd6 18. Qd1 mate. 18. Rd1+ Kc8 19. Bd7+!? “A direct win, although it was harder to calculate, could be achieved by 19. Ba6+ Rxa6 20. Qxa6+ Qb7 21. Qc4+! Qc7 22. Qa4! Kb8 23. Nxe5! Qxe5 24. Qe8+ Kb7 25. Rd7+ Kb6 26. Qa8! Qc7 27. Rxc7 Kxc7 28. a4”, Golubev said. 19. ... Kb7. “More persistent was 19. ... Kd8, after which white surely can check from b5 and go to the variation mentioned above, however 20. Ba4+ also can be played (depriving Black of an opportunity to play ... Qb8xb5 in the further variation) 20. ... Kc8 21. Rc1+ Kd8 22. Qd2+ Bd6 23. Nxe5! Ra6 (exactly this way) 24. Qg5+ (24. Rc6 Ke7 25. Nd7! would also be good) 24. ... Nf6 25. Nxf7+ Ke7 26. Nxd6 with an overwhelming advantage. Gaprindashvili’s choice fasterned the finish”, Golubev said. 20. Qb5+ Ka7 21. Qa5+ Kb7 22. Bc6+ Kc8. After 22. ... Kxc6 23. Nxe5+ Black must give up her Queen to avoid mate. 23. Bxa8 Qc7 24. Qa6+ Kb8 25. Nxe5! 1 : 0.

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Chess-News.ru

Immortal Beloved

Nona Terent’evna Gaprindashvili – Rudolf Servaty
Dortmund, 1974
Sicilian Defence B39

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Ng4 8. Qxg4 Nxd4 9. Qd1 e5 10. Nb5 0-0 11. Be2 Qh4? This committal move causes Black serious problems. Best was 11. ... Nxb5 12. cxb5 d6 with a playable position. 12. Nxd4 exd4 13. Bxd4 Qxe4 14. Bxg7 Qxg2? After 14. ... Kxg7 15. 0-0 White simply stands better, Csiba – Jozefek, Banská Štiavnica 2012. The text move, however, is brilliantly refuted by Nona Terent’evna.

15. Qd4!! A magnificent double Rook sacrifice! 15. ... Qxh1+ 16. Kd2 Qxa1. Or 16. ... Qxh2 17. Bxf8 Kxf8 18. Bf3 d5 19. Bxd5 Rb8 20. Re1 Be6 21. Rxe6 1 : 0 Tal – T. Pähtz Sr, Halle 1974. “Not many people can boast of having taught Tal a tactics”, Grandmaster Murray Graham Chandler said. If, instead, 16. ... Qc6 then 17. Bxf8 Kxf8 18. Qh8+ Ke7 19. Re1 with a crushing attack. 17. Qf6!! The pointe. 1 : 0.

Nona Terent’evna Gaprindashvili