Meeting Resistance

Andrei Volokitin – Yuriy Kuzubov
84th Ukrainian Chess Championship; Lviv, December 14, 2015
Sicilian B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e6 7. g4 Nfd7 8. g5 b5 9. a3 Bb7 10. h4 Nb6 11. h5 N8d7 12. Rh3 Nc5

13. g6! Volokitin’s novelty appears more enterprising than 13. Qg4 e5 14. Nf5 g6 as occurred in the game Geetha Narayanan Gopal – Areshchenko, 3rd Chess Classic, Al-’Ayn 2014. 13. ... hxg6 14. hxg6 Rxh3 15. gxf7+ Kxf7 16. Bxh3 e5 17. Qh5+ g6 18. Qh7+ Bg7 19. Ne6. White developed a certain initiative, so Black must defend carefully. 19. ... Qh8 20. Ng5+ Kf6 21. b3 Qxh7 22. Nxh7+ Kf7 23. Be3 Rh8 24. Ng5+ Ke7 25. 0-0-0 Bf6 26. Bg4 Ncd7 27. Kb2 Rh4 28. f3 Rh2 29. Ne6 Bc6 30. Nc7 Bb7 31. Rg1 Nc5 32. Rd1 Bh4 33. Bg1 Rg2 34. Be3 Rh2 35. N7d5+ Nxd5 36. Nxd5+ Bxd5 37. Rxd5 Ne6 38. Rd2 Rh1 39. Rg2 Nf4 40. Rg1 Rxg1 41. Bxg1 Ne2 42. Bb6 Be1 43. b4 Bc3+ 44. Ka2 Bd4 45. Bc7 d5 46. exd5 Nc3+ 47. Kb3 Nxd5 48. Bb8 Kd8 49. c4 bxc4+ 50. Kxc4 Ne3+ 51. Kd3 Nxg4 52. fxg4 Kc8 53. Bd6 Kd7 54. Bf8 Kc6 55. Kc4 Bg1 56. a4 e4 57. Bh6 Bf2 58. Bg7 Be1 59. Bc3 Bh4? So far Black has somehow managed to survive, but on the last move he committed a fatal slip. 59. ... Bxc3! 60. Kxc3 Kd5 was a dead draw. 60. Bd4 Bg5 61. Bc5 Bh4 62. b5+ axb5+ 63. axb5+ Kd7 64. Kd5 Bg3 65. Be3 Bc7 66. Kxe4 Ba5 67. Kd5 Bc3 68. b6 Ba5 69. Bd4 Bb4 70. Bc5 1 : 0.

Andrei Volokitin
Photo: ukrchess.com

Dreams Worth More Than Money

The new Ukrainian Chess Champion Andrei Volokitin as he receives the “kiss of the Kiss” from his wife Natalia. Photo: Ukrainian Chess (Facebook).

The new Ukrainian Women’s Chess Champion Anastasiya Rakhmangulova and Mikhail Gerasimenyuk. Photo: Ukrainian Chess (Facebook).

Standing in the Rainbow

Nataliya Buksa vs. Anastasiya Rakhmangulova
Photo: Ukrainian Chess (Facebook)

Olga Kalinina
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Iulija Osmak vs. Evgeniya Doluhanova
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Kateryna Dolzhykova
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Liza Soloviova
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Myroslava Hrabinska
Ukrainian Chess (Facebook)

Starfish

Nataliya Buksa – Liza Soloviova
75th Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Lviv, December 7, 2015
King’s Indian Attack A08

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. Ngf3 Nc6 7. 0-0 Nge7 8. Qe2 0-0 9. c3 b6 10. e5 Ba6 11. Re1 Nf5. For 11. ... Rb8 12. Nf1 d4 13. c4 b5 see Zichichi – Giffard, 1st EEC Team Chess Championship, Ostend 1975. 12. Nf1 h6 13. h4 b5. For 13. ... Rb8 14. Bf4 Qe7 15. Ne3 Nxe3 16. Qxe3 Kh7 17. Nh2 see Vescovi – Maia, 4th Copa Itaú, São Paulo 2000. 14. Ne3 Re8 15. Nc2 b4 16. c4 Rc8 17. b3 Bb7 18. Bf4 Rc7 19. Rad1 Rd7 20. Kh2 a5 21. Kh3 dxc4 22. dxc4 Ree7 23. Kh2 Rxd1 24. Rxd1 Rd7 25. Rxd7 Qxd7 26. Qd2 Qc7 27. Kg1 Nce7 28. Qe2 Bxf3 29. Bxf3 Nc6 30. Bxc6 Qxc6 31. Qd3 Kh7 32. Kh2 a4 33. Kg1 axb3 34. axb3 Qc7 35. Qe4 Qd7 36. Kg2 Qd1

37. Be3? Nataliya plays with fire. The immediate 37. h5 was called for, since after 37. ... Qb1 38. hxg6+ fxg6 39. Qd3 Nd4 40. Nxb4 Qa1 (40. ... Qxb3 looks also playable) chances are roughly equal. 37. ... Nxe3+ 38. Nxe3 Qxb3. Now White is likely to get into serious trouble. 39. h5 Qc3 40. hxg6+ fxg6 41. Ng4 h5 42. Nf6+ Bxf6 43. exf6 Qxf6 44. Qb7+ Kh6 45. Qc8 b3 46. Qxc5 b2 47. Qb4 Qd4. 47. ... g5 eventually followed by ... h5-h4 looks like a much better way towards victory. 48. Qf8+ Kg5 49. Qe7+ Qf6 50. Qb4. Quite incredibly, 50. ... Qc5+ appears to draw in all variations; for instance: 50. ... Qf5 51. Qd4! b1=Q 52. Qd8+ Qf6 (52. ... Kg4?? 53. Qh4 mate) 53. Qd2+ Kg4 (53. ... Kf5?? 54. Qf4 mate) 54. Qe2+ with a pyrotechnic perpetual check. 50. ... Qd4 51. Qe7+ Kf5 52. Qf7+ Qf6 53. Qb7 Qd4. After 53. ... Qc3 would seem Black should win, e.g. 54. Qf7+ Ke4 55. Qxg6+ Kd4 and Black’s King easily penetrates enemy territory. 54. Qf7+ ½ : ½.

Nataliya Buksa vs. Liza Soloviova
Photo: Ukrainian Chess (Facebook)

Baptism of Fire

Inna Grigoryevna Gaponenko-Yanovska – Nataliya Igorivna Buksa
75th Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Lviv, December 6, 2015
Spanish Game C63

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. d3 fxe4 5. dxe4 Nf6 6. 0-0 Bc5 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. Nxe5 0-0 9. Bg5 Qe8 10. Bxf6 Rxf6 11. Nd3 Bd4 12. Nd2 d6 13. c3. If 13. Qe2 then 13. ... Qg6 14. Kh1 Ba6 15. Rab1 Raf8 16. f3 Qg5 17. Rfd1 ½ : ½ Spassky – Antunes, 28th Chess Olympiad, Thessaloníki 1988. 13. ... Bb6 14. e5!? A very interesting novelty by Gaponenko-Yanovska who gives back her extra Pawn in order to grab the initiative. For 14. c4 Qg6 15. Kh1 Bg4 16. f3 Be6 17. f4 Bg4 18. Qe1 Re8 see Macieja – Radjabov, Chess World Cup, Baku 2015, match game 1. Instead, for 14. Qe2 Ba6 15. c4 Qf7 16. b3 Re8 17. Kh1 see Bruzón Batista – Gomez Fontal, 62nd Cuban Chess Championship, Santa Clara 2000. 14. ... dxe5 15. Ne4 Rf8 16. Ndc5 Bf5 17. Qe2 Qe7 18. b4 a5 19. a3 Qh4 20. Kh1 Kh8 21. Rae1 axb4 22. axb4 Ra3 23. Qb2 Ra7? It seems to me that by 23. ... Rfa8! Black would have avoided some of the upcoming problems. 24. Qe2 Ra3 25. Ng3 Bxc5 26. bxc5 Bg6 27. Qxe5 Bd3. Black is down a Pawn and she must necessarily strive for some counter-play. 28. Rg1 Ra4 29. Qe7 Qxe7 30. Rxe7 Rc4 31. Rxc7 Rxc5 32. Rc1 h6 33. f3 Rb8 34. h3 Kh7 35. Kh2 Rb3? A serious mistake. After 35. ... Rb1 36. Rxb1 Bxb1 37. Ne2 Black should, indeed, defend a difficult ending a Pawn down, but that would have been by far the lesser evil.

36. Re1 Rbxc3 37. Ree7. Black has regained her Pawn, but the penetration of both White’s Rooks to the seventh rank is overwhelming. 37. ... Rg5 38. h4 Rg6 39. Nh5 Rc2 40. Nf4 Bf1 41. Kg1! It makes no sense to play 41. Nxg6 Rxg2+ 42. Kh1 Rxg6 that would uselessly complicate matters. 41. ... Bb5 42. Nxg6 Kxg6 43. Rxg7+ Kh5 1 : 0.

Inna Yanovska Gaponenko vs. Nataliya Buksa
Photo: Ukrainian Chess (Facebook)

Tovarich

Nataliya Buksa – Evgeniya Doluhanova
75th Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Lviv, December 5, 2015
Sicilian Defence B86

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. a3 Be7 8. 0-0 Bd7 9. Ba2 Nc6 10. Be3 Nxd4. For 10. ... 0-0 11. f4 Qa5 12. f5 see Tantsiura – Doluhanova, 74th Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship, Lviv 2015. 11. Bxd4 Bc6 12. Qd3 0-0 13. f4 e5 14. fxe5 dxe5 15. Bxe5 Ng4 16. Bg3 Bf6 17. Kh1 Qxd3 18. cxd3 Rad8 19. Rf3 Rd7 20. Raf1 Rfd8? A fatal weakening of Black’s castled position. 21. h3 Nh6. Sad, but 21. ... Bxc3 22. Rxf7 Rxf7 23. Rxf7 Bd5 24. Bxd5 Rxd5 25. exd5 Kxf7 26. bxc3 just leaves Black two Pawns down.

22. Bb1? Hora fugit, carpe diem. After 22. Rxf6! gxf6 23. Rxf6 Kg7 24. Be5 Black could resign. 22. ... Bd4 23. Bf4 f6 24. Bxh6 gxh6 25. Ba2+ Kh8 26. Bc4 Rg7 27. Nd5 Bxd5 28. Bxd5 Bxb2 29. a4 Rc7 30. R3f2 Bd4 31. Rf3 b5 32. axb5 axb5 33. Rb1 Rb8 34. Rg3 b4 35. h4 Rg7 36. Rxg7 Kxg7 37. h5 Kf8 38. Kh2 Ke7 39. Kg3 Kd6 40. Kf4 Bc3 41. Ke3 Ke5 42. g4 Bd4+ 43. Kf3 Rb5 44. Bg8 Rb7 45. Bd5 Rb8 46. Bc4 Rb6 47. Bg8 ½ : ½.

Nataliya Buksa vs. Evgeniya Doluhanova
Photo: Ukrainian Chess (Facebook)

The Long, Hot Summer

Oksana Gritsayeva – Mariya Muzychuk
73rd Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Kiev, June 20, 2013
Sicilian Defence B22

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bc4 Nc6 8. 0-0 Be7 9. Qe2 0-0. Less convincing is 9. ... Qc7 10. Bxd5 exd5 11. Nc3 Be6 12. Nb5 Qd7 13. Bg5 dxe5 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. dxe5 with a decided advantage for White, Godena – Kozul, 36th Torneo Internazionale di Capodanno, Reggio Emilia 1993/1994. 10. Nc3 Nxc3 11. bxc3 dxe5 12. dxe5 b6 13. Bd3 Bb7 14. Qe4 g6 15. Bh6 Na5. For the model game 15. ... Re8 16. Rad1 Qc7 17. Qf4 Rad8 18. h4 see E. Sveshnikov – Rodríguez Céspedes, 25th Capablanca Memorial, Cienfuegos 1979. 16. Qe3 Re8 17. Rfe1 Rc8 18. Bb5 Bc6 19. Ba6 Rc7 20. Nd4 Qd5 21. Nxc6!? The alternative 21. Bf1 Rd8 22. Qf4 Rcd7 would lead to a more or less equal game. 21. ... Qxc6 22. Qe2 Nc4 23. a4 Rd8 24. Rad1 Rd5? Decidedly too optimistic. After 24. ... Rxd1 25. Rxd1 Na5! Black seems very close to equality, e,g. 26. Qd2 Qa8. 25. Bb5 Qc5 26. Rxd5 exd5 27. Qf3 Na3

28. e6? Tempting, but the correct move was 28. Be8! when 28. ... Bf8 29. Bg5 Nc4 30. h4! gives White a very powerful attack. 28. ... f6 29. Be8? It was worth trying to play 29. Bd3! since after 29. ... Nc4 (29. ... Qxc3?? loses to 30. Rc1) 30. Bf4 Nd6 31. Bf1! White still remains somewhat better. Now Mariya manages to save the day. 29. ... Qxc3 30. Bf7+ Kh8 31. Rd1 Qxf3 32. gxf3 Rc5 33. Be3 Ra5 34. Be8 Nc4 35. Bd4 Nd6 36. Bd7 Nf5 37. Bb5 Nxd4 38. Rxd4 a6 39. Bc6 Rc5 40. Bxd5 Kg7 41. Bb7 Re5 42. Rd7 Rxe6 43. Bxa6 f5 44. Bc4 Re1+ 45. Kg2 Kf6 46. Rb7 Bc5 47. f4 Re7 48. Rxe7 ½ : ½.

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: ukrchess.com

Mirrors: Stories of Almost Everyone

Tatiana Kononenko – Mariya Muzychuk
72nd Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Kharkiv, October 2, 2012
Dutch Defence A84

Notes by International Master Anton Sitnikov, ChessZone Magazine, #10, 2012, pp. 16-17.

1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. 0–0 d6 7. Nc3 0–0 8. Re1 Ne4. Mariya is learning from mistakes. A few years earlier, she got into a difficult situation after 8. ... Nc6 9. d5 Ne5 10. Nd4 Qe7 11. Qb3 Kh8 12. Bd2 a6 13. Nxe6 Bxe6 14. dxe6 c6 15. f4 Neg4 16. h3 Nh6 17. e4 fxe4 18. Nxe4 Nf5 19. Bc3± 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – M. Muzychuk, 2nd Dvorkovich Cup, Moscow 2007. 9. Qc2 Nxc3 10. Qxc3 Nc6 11. e4?!N. Better was to prefer quiet strengthen actions, such as 11. Rd1. 11. ... fxe4 12. Rxe4 e5. Black has the development advantage and takes the initiative in their hands. 13. dxe5 Bf5 14. Re1

14. ... dxe5! A particular solution. Isolated Pawn in this game is not weak, but, on the contrary, with great force rushes forward. 15. Qb3 e4 16. c5+ Kh8 17. Ng5 Qf6 18. Bf4 Nd4 19. Qc4 e3 20. Rac1. After 20. Bxe3 Nc2 21. g4 Nxe3 22. Rxe3 Bxg4 23. Nf3 Qxb2 White remained at the bottom. 20. ... exf2+ 21. Kxf2 h6 22. h4. Bleak for White 22. Nf3 Nxf3 23. Bxf3 Rae8 24. Qc3 Qf7 25. Rxe8 Rxe8 26. Qb3 Be6 27. Qd1 Bxb2 28. Rc2 Bg7∓. 22. ... c6 23. Ne4 Bxe4 24. Rxe4 Rae8 25. Kg1? Extend the resistance was possible only through 25. Rxe8 Rxe8 26. Re1 Rxe1 27. Kxe1 Nf5∓. 25. ... g5 26. hxg5 hxg5 27. Rce1 Rxe4 28. Rxe4 gxf4 29. Rxf4 Nf5 30. Bh3 Qe5. Cold-blooded and a strong response crowns a fine game. 31. Bxf5 Rxf5 32. Rh4+ Rh5 33. Qg4 Qxc5+ 0 : 1.

Mariya Muzychuk, the 2012 Ukrainian Women’s Chess Champion
Photo: ukrinform.ua

Короткометражне кіно (Short film)

Olga Kalinina – Mariya Muzychuk
73rd Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Kiev, June 17, 2013
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. c4 b4 12. Nc2 a5 13. g3 0-0 14. h4 Be6 15. b3. For 15. Bh3 Ra7 16. Kf1 Bxd5 17. Qxd5 Qb6 see Abdulla – M. Muzychuk, 10th Women’s European Team Chess Championship, Warsaw 2013. 15. ... g6 16. Bg2 Bg7 17. 0-0 Ra7. Black’s Queen-Rook thematically goes to the Kingside. 18. Qd2 f5 19. exf5 gxf5 20. Rad1 f4! Mariya sacrifices a Pawn for the sake of the initiative. 21. Nxf4. Olga accepts the gift. 21. ... exf4 22. Bxc6 Bg4! 23. Rde1? No doubt the cause of all White’s subsequent troubles. White had to play 23. f3 Bh3 24. Rfe1 since after 24. ... Qb6+ 25. Qf2 Qxc6 26. Qxa7 Qxf3 27. Qf2 fxg3 28. Qxf3 Rxf3 29. Nd4 Rf2 Black’s initiative fully compensates for the sacrificed Exchange, but probably not more. 23. ... Bc3 24. Qd5+ Kh8 25. Rb1 Rg7. Black evidently has a terrific attack. 26. Nd4 Qf6 27. Nf3 Bh3 28. Kh2. Sad, but necessary. 28. ... Bxf1 29. Rxf1 fxg3+ 30. fxg3 Be5 31. Rg1

31. ... Rfg8? A slip by Mariya. Both the “loud” 31. ... Bxg3+! 32. Rxg3 Qf4 33. Ng5 Qxh4+ 34. Kg2 Qf4 and the “silent” 31. ... Rg4! followed by ... Rf8-g8 (as 32. Nxe5?? is refuted by 32. ... Rxh4+! 33. gxh4 Qxh4+ 34. Kg2 Rf2 mate) would have won easily. 32. Nxe5 dxe5 33. Qe4? Olga misses her chance! White could have put up stronger resistance by 33. Qf3. 33. ... Rg4! 34. Qf3 Rxh4+! 35. Kg2. Alternatively 35. gxh4 Qxh4+ 36. Qh3 Qxh3+ 37. Kxh3 Rxg1 simplifies to an easily winning ending. 35. ... Rf4! 0 : 1. For if 36. Qd5 then 36. ... Rf2+ and mate next move.

Olga Kalinina vs. Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: ukrchess.com

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.

Rewind

Marja Tantsiura – Mariya Muzychuk
74th Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Lviv, November 20, 2014
Sicilian Defence B22

1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Na3 a6 6. Nc4 Nbd7 7. Nf3 e6 8. Be2 cxd4 9. Qxd4 Bc5 10. Qxd5 Nxd5 11. 0-0 b6 12. Nfe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Bb7 14. Bf3 Rb8 15. Re1 Ke7 16. Bd2 Rhc8 17. Rad1 Bd6 18. Bc1 f6 19. Bxd5 Bxd5

20. Rxd5 Bxe5 21. Rd3 Rd8 22. Rde3 Kf7 23. Re4 Re8 24. Be3 b5 25. f4 Bc7 26. Rd1 Red8 27. Red4 Rxd4 28. Rxd4 Bb6 29. Rd3 Bxe3+ 30. Rxe3 Rd8 31. Kf2 Rd1 32. Re2 Ke7 33. Ke3 h5 34. g3 g6 35. b3 Rc1 36. Kd2 Ra1 37. Kd3 Kd6 38. c4 e5 39. fxe5+ fxe5 40. Kc3 bxc4 41. bxc4 a5 42. Kb3 Rb1+ 43. Ka4 Rb4+ 44. Kxa5 Rxc4 45. Kb5 Rc1 46. a4 Rb1+ 47. Ka6 Kd5 48. Rd2+ Kc5 49. Rc2+ Kd4 50. Rc6 e4 51. Rd6+ Ke5 52. Rxg6 e3 53. Rg8 Rb4 54. Re8+ Kd4 55. Ka5 Rb3 56. h3 Kd3 57. g4 hxg4 58. hxg4 e2 59. g5 Kd2 60. Rxe2+ Kxe2 61. Ka6 Kd3 62. a5 Kc4 63. g6 Kc5 64. Ka7 Rg3 0 : 1.

Mariya Muzychuk reviews her game vs. Marja Tantsiura

Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves

Mariya Muzychuk – Anna Muzychuk
74th Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Lviv, November 13, 2014
Queen’s Gambit Declined D12

1. c4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Qb3 Qc7 8. Nxg6 hxg6 9. g3 Nbd7 10. Bg2 Be7 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Bd2. The text is Mariya’s “artistic licence” to White’s “standard” 12. cxd5 exd5 13. f3 as in the game Giri – Motylev, 47th International Chess Festival, Biel/Bienne 2014. 12. ... Nb6 13. cxd5 cxd5 14. Rfc1 Nc4 15. Be1 Qd7. Safer probably to have played 15. ... Na5 as 16. Qd1 Nc6 17. a3 would give White only a very slight edge.

16. e4! Na5 17. Qb5 Qxb5 18. Nxb5 Nc6 19. exd5 Nxd5 20. Nc3 Rfd8 21. Nxd5 exd5 22. Bc3 Bf6 23. Rd1 g5 24. Bf3 Rac8 25. Kg2 g6 ½ : ½. “White does hold a small advantage thanks to his double Bishop advantage but the pressure on d4 is irritating to say the least and whatever be the result, the point stays in the family!”, International Master Sagar Shah said.

Mariya Muzychuk vs. Anna Muzychuk
Photo: ukrchess.com

Grease

Mariya Muzychuk – Olga Kalinina
74th Ukrainian Women’s Chess Championship; Lviv, November 19, 2014
Bogo-Indian Defence E11

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 c5 5. Bxb4 cxb4 6. Bg2 0-0 7. Nd2 d6 8. Ngf3 Re8. For 8. ... Nc6 9. 0-0 a5 10. e4 e5 11. d5 Nb8 12. c5 see Rassokhina – Kovanova, Women’s Russian Team Championship, Olginka 2011. 9. 0-0 e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Ng5 Nc6 12. e3 h6 13. Nge4 Bf5 14. Nxf6+ Qxf6 15. Ne4 Qg6 16. Nd6 Bg4 17. Qd2 Rad8 18. c5 Re7. “Position after 18 moves. White has an obvious positional advantage with his strongly posted Knight on d6. However, looking deeply into the position, we find that a sharp tactic is hidden that takes advantage of Black’s poorly placed pieces...”, Grandmaster Kevin Spraggett said.

19. Bxc6! “Preparing the next move”, Spraggett said. 19. ... bxc6 20. Nf5!! A petite combinaison in the style of Capablanca. 20. ... Rxd2. “Also insufficient is 20. ... Qxf5 21. Qxd8+ Kh7 22. f3!”, Spraggett pointed out. 21. Nxe7+ Kh7 22. Nxg6 Kxg6 23. f3 Be6 24. Rf2. White is an Exchange ahead with a virtually won endgame, but, strangely enough, Mariya will slowly throw away all her advantage until she ends up resigning the game after Black’s 71st move. 24. ... Rd3 25. e4 f5 26. exf5+ Kxf5 27. a3 b3 28. Re1 Bd5 29. f4 e4 30. Rfe2 h5 31. Kf2 Rf3+ 32. Kg1 Rd3 33. Re3 Rd2 34. R1e2 Rd1+ 35. Kf2 Rh1 36. h3 Rc1 37. Rd2 Rxc5 38. Re1 h4 39. Ke3 hxg3 40. Rg1 g6 41. Rxg3 Rc1 42. Rg5+ Kf6 43. Rdg2 Re1+ 44. Kf2 Rb1 45. Rxg6+ Kf7 46. Ke3 Re1+ 47. Kd2 Rh1 48. R6g3 Kf6 49. Ke3 Re1+ 50. Re2 Rh1 51. Rd2 Re1+ 52. Kf2 Rh1 53. Re2 Rh2+ 54. Ke3 Rh1 55. h4 Rxh4 56. Reg2 Rh6 57. Kd4 a5 58. Rg5 Rh3 59. Kc5 Rf3 60. R2g4 e3 61. Re5 Rxf4 62. Rxf4+ Kxe5 63. Rf1 Ke4 64. Kb6 Kd3 65. Kxa5 e2 66. Ra1 Kd2 67. Kb4 e1=Q 68. Rxe1 Kxe1 69. a4 Kd2 70. a5 c5+ 71. Kxc5 Bg2 0 : 1.

Mariya Muzychuk (2013)
Photo: ukrchess.com