Closing credits

Polina Shuvalova – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 19, 2018
Sicilian Defence B22

In the day when Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina from Russia won for the third time the European crown, one of her fellow female warriors, Polina Shuvalova, took over the scene as if she were her body double. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bc4 dxe5 8. dxe5 Ndb4 9. a3!? A sideline which might have surprised Muzychuk. Previously she experienced 9. Qxd8+ Nxd8 10. Na3 Bg4 11. Nd4 Ndc6 12. Nxc6 Nxc6 13. f4 e6 14. Be3 Bb4+ 15. Kf2 0-0-0 16. h3 Bf5 17. Rhd1 a6 and Black eventually drew a long ending, Sebag – M. Muzychuk, 4th Trophée Anatoly Karpov, Cap d’Agde 2015. 9. ... Be6? This novelty will probably appear only in a footnote, since it is anything but better than 9. ... Qxd1+ 10. Kxd1 Na6 with good prospects of equalising; for instance: 11. b4 Bg4 12. Bb2 Nc7 13. Nd2 e6 14. Ke2 0-0-0 15. Rac1 Bh5 ½ : ½ Stević – Palac, 15th Croatian Chess Championship, Split 2007/2008. 10. Bxe6 Nd3+ 11. Ke2 Nxc1+ 12. Qxc1 fxe6. White can no longer castle, but Muzychuk risks to pay a high price while making her way through a difficult development due to her doubled Pawns and her Bishop bottled up. 13. Nc3? Muzychuk’s hopes of going for complications are eventually to come true. Stockfish’s 13. Rd1 Qb6 14. Qc4 g6 15. Nc3 Bg7 16. Na4 would have ensured White a lasting and powerful advantage. 13. ... g6 14. Qf4 Bg7 15. Rhe1 Qb6 16. Kf1 Qxb2 17. Qc4 Qc2. Maybe, under other circumstances, Muzychuk would have been content with 17. ... Nxe5 18. Nxe5 Bxe5 19. Rxe5 0-0! 20. Ra2 Rxf2+! drawing by perpetual check. 18. Rab1 0-0-0?? This is a harakiri in grand style. After 18. ... 0-0 19. Qxe6+ (or 19. Rxb7 Rac8) 19. ... Kh8 everything was quite alright for Black. 19. Qxe6+ Rd7 20. Ne4+− Nd8 21. Qh3 Qc4+ 22. Kg1 Qe6 23. Rec1+ Rc7 24. Rxc7+ Kxc7

The finish is brilliant: 25. Rxb7+! Kc8 26. Qxe6+ Nxe6 27. Rxe7 Bxe5 28. Nxe5 Rd8 29. g3 Nc7 30. Rxh7 1 : 0.

Lost & Found

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Meri Arabidze
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 18, 2018
Sicilian Defence B40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 Nc6 4. Nc3 a6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Qc7 7. Be3 Nf6 8. a3 b6 9. Rc1 Bb7 10. Be2 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Bc5 12. Qd3 0-0 13. 0-0 Rfd8 14. b4 Bxe3 15. Qxe3 d6 16. Rfd1 Rab8. Another modus vivendi is 16. ... Qc6 17. Bf3 Qc7 18. Na4 Nd7 19. Qd4 Bc6 20. b5 Nc5! 21. Nxb6 Qxb6 22. bxc6 e5 23. Qd5 Rac8= Solovjova – Sirotkina, 1st Rudenko Memorial, Saint Petersburg 2005. 17. f3 Nd7? A new move and an unfortunate one. After 17. ... h6 18. Bf1 Ba8 19. Ne2 Nd7 20. Nd4 Nf8 Black somehow succeeded in consolidating his position, Jeitz – Srebrnič, 20th Czech Open, Pardubice 2009.

18. Nb5! In her last games Muzychuk found back her self-confidence and was able to play creatively. And maybe, in any event, she should be content to come back home with something that sometimes may even be more important than a medal. 18. ... axb5 19. cxb5 Nc5 20. e5! dxe5. 20. ... Rbc8 21. exd6 Rxd6 22. Rxd6 Qxd6 23. bxc5 bxc5 24. a4 also produces an endgame similar to that of the game, where, in spite of material equality, White’s duo of passers on the Queenside should make the difference. 21. bxc5 Rxd1+ 23. Bxd1 Qa5 24. Be2. The situation is sufficiently clear that White can put the autopilot in a “win” mode. 24. ... Rd8 25. Kf2 e4 26. b6! Qa8. 26. ... Qxc5+ 27. Rxc5 Rd6 28. Rb5 followed by the advance the a-Pawn is also completely hopeless for Black. 27. Qe7 Re8 28. Qb4 e5 29. fxe4 Bxe4 30. Rc7 Rb8 31. Bf3 Bxf3 32. gxf3 Qa6 33. b7 h6 34. Qb3 Kh7 35. Qxf7 Qb6+ 36. Kg2 Qb2+. Or 36. ... Qg6+ 37. Qxg6+ Kxg6 38. a4 and finis. 37. Kh3 Rg8 38. Rc8 1 : 0.

Afterday

Daria Stanislavovna Voit – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 17, 2018
English Opening A37

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 e6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nb5 d5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Nfxd4 Nge7. The B-plan is 9. ... Nf6 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Be3 Ng4 12. Bf4 Nxd4 13. Nxd4 Qb6 14. Nb3 Bxb2 15. Rb1 Bg7 16. Qxd5 Nf6 17. Qd6 Bf5 18. Rbc1 Be4 19. Rfd1 Bxg2 20. Kxg2 Qxd6 21. Rxd6 Rfc8 22. Na5 Ne4 23. Rd7 Nc5 24. Rd5 b6 25. Be3 Bf8 26. Nb3 Ne6 which, after a series of exchanges, finally led to a draw, Gelfand – Lékó, Grand Prix 2012-2013, second stage, Tashkent 2012. 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Be3 a6 12. Nc3 Be6 13. Qd2 Rc8 14. Nxc6 bxc6 15. Bc5 Re8 16. Na4 Nf5 17. Rad1 Nd6 18. b3 Nb5 19. Rc1 Bf5 20. e3. The game seems quite balanced, so now Muzychuk decides to break the routine: 20. ... h5! Let’s forget the past and just have a nice afternoon. 21. h4 g5! 22. Qd1. Perhaps White ought to have taken (more) seriously Muzychuk’s “war declaration” and aimed for simplifying matters, for instance by 22. e4 followed by Qd2xg5. 22. ... Bg4 23. Bf3. 31. f3, however unpleasant it might appear to Voit, was probably less sharp than the text (even if not better); there would have followed 31. ... Bf5 with far more pleasant prospects for Black.

23. ... Re4! A very brilliant positional pseudo-sac. 24. hxg5? Muzychuk’s pressing has its effect in producing the wished outcome. Best was 24. Rc4! dxc4 25. Qxd8+ Rxd8 26. Bxe4, although after 26. ... c3! 27. hxg5 Bd1! Black has enough compensation for the Pawn to make her own position easier to play. 24. ... Qxg5 (Δ ... h5-h4) 25. Kg2 h4 26. Rh1. Of course, not 26. gxh4?? on account of 26. ... Bxf3++ and mate next move. And also after 26. Bxg4 Rxg4 Black’s attack appears very telling; for instance: 27. Be7!? Rxg3+! 28. fxg3 Qxg3+ 29. Kh1 Qh3+ 30. Kg1 Qxe3+ 31. Rf2 Qxe7 with Black clearly superior. 26. ... hxg3 27. fxg3 Be5 28. Qg1? This allows Muzychuk to finish brilliantly. However, after 28. Bxg4 Rxg4 29. Rh3 Rxg3+ 30. Rxg3 Qxg3+ 31. Kf1 Qh3+ 32. Kf2 Bg3+ 33. Ke2 Qg2+ 34. Kd3 Qe4+ 35. Kd2 d4! the result is also the same. 28. ... Bxf3+ 29. Kxf3 Nd4+! 30. Bxd4. Not 30. exd4 because of 30. ... Qf5+ 31. Kg2 Re2+ and mate in two moves. 30. ... Bxd4 31. Re1 Rce8 32. Kg2 Rxe3 33. Rxe3 Rxe3 34. Qf2 Be5 0 : 1.

Daria Stanislavovna Voit (right) vs. Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk (left). Photo: Oleksandr Martynkov.

The Way Things Happen

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina – Klaudia Kulon
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 17, 2018
King’s Indian Defence E94

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 0-0 6. Be2 e5 7. 0-0 exd4 8. Nxd4 Re8 9. f3 c6 10. Kh1 Nbd7 11. Bf4 Nh5 12. Bxd6 Qf6 13. Nc2 Nf4 14. Rf2 Ne5. The alternative is 14. ... Nxe2 15. Rxe2 Ne5 16. Ne3 Be6 17. c5 b6 18. Ned5 cxd5 19. Bxe5 Qxe5 20. exd5 Qf5 21. dxe6 Rxe6 22. cxb6 axb6 23. Rxe6 Qxe6 24. Qd2 Qc4 25. a3 Bxc3 ½ : ½ Lerner – Kuzmin, 1st International Tourmament, Simferopol 1992. 15. c5! A providential novelty by Gunina. 15. Bf1? Nfd3! is obviously good for Black, Kishnev – Brendel, 21st “Dortmunder Schachtage” International Tournament, Dortmund 1993. 15. ... Nxe2 16. Qxe2 Qe6? Perhaps for superstition, Kulon – who is a Pawn down – reverts back to her yesterday’s gambling strategy, which brought her very good luck. Now, however, the advance ... f7-f5 really doesn’t have any justification, so maybe she should have played more objectively (for instance: 16. ... b6!?). 17. Rd1 f5? Consistently moving towards catastrophe. If, however, 17. ... Qc4 (just to give a meaning to 16. ... Qf6-e6) then 18. Qd2 Qa6 19. Ne3 with great advantage to White. 18. exf5 gxf5? This is tantamount to surrender, but any other move wouldn’t have been better either.

19. Qf1? Gunina misses the coup de grâce 19. Qe1!+− – that no engines obviously fail to spot! – with the double threat of Rf2-e2 and f3-f4 (19. ... Qf6 20. f4+−). The text, of course, may not be wrong, but gives Black good reasons to keep fighting. 19. ... Qf7 20. b3 b6 21. Na4 b5 22. Nb2 a5 23. Nd3? Kulon’s good luck seems to repeat itself. Better appears to be 23. Nd4 followed by Rf2-d2 with a powerful advantage to White. 23. ... Nxd3 24. Qxd3 a4 25. h3 axb3 26. axb3 Be6 27. Rb1 Qf6 28. Nb4 Qh4! Black seizes the initiative, even if just for a moment. 29. Qd2 Bxb3! 30. Rff1. Clearly not 30. Rxb3?? because of 30. ... Ra1+ 31. Kh2 Ree1 winning heavy material. If, instead, 30. Nxc6 then 30. ... Ra2 and certainly Black is not worse. 30. ... Bc4 31. Rfe1 Rxe1+ 32. Rxe1 Rc8?? In the end, Gunina has been more lucky than Kulon. It didn’t seem too hard to find 32. ... Qxe1+! 33. Qxe1 Ra1 34. Qxa1 Bxa1 35. Nxc6 Kf7 with a likely draw in sight. 33. Kh2! Now White won’t give her opponent any other chance to take a break. 33. ... h6 34. f4 Bf7 35. Be7 Qh5 36. Qd7 Re8 37. Nxc6 Bc3 38. Re3 b4 39. Nd8 Bg7 40. c6 b3 41. c7 b2 42. Re1 Bc3 43. Rg1 Bd4 44. Qxd4 1 : 0.

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina (right) vs. Klaudia Kulon (left). Photo: Oleksandr Martynkov.

Golubzý

Nana Dzagnidze – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 16, 2018
6k1/2r2pp1/6n1/pq2P3/2N1QPPp/1Pp2K1P/8/1R6 w - - 0 39

Position after 38. ... Qb4xb5

After an intense battle (which has been long dominated by White), Dzagnidze and Gunina arrived – with the minutes counted down – to the position of the diagram, where there is no longer trace of any White’s advantage – and whereas instead Black’s passed c-Pawn looks rather dangerous. Dzagnidze has probably only one way to go, but nerves and time ticking lead her into Gunina’s macabre dance: 39. Qa8+? The right way was 39. e6! c2 (but 39. ... Qb8! could be quite more unpleasant to face, especially on the move before time control) 40. Qxc2 Qd5+ 41. Qe4 fxe6 with approximately equal chances. 39. ... Kh7 40. Qe4 a4! White’s lost tempo proves to be fatal. 41. Nd6 Qa6. Threatening both ... a4xb3 and c3-c2. 42. bxa4 c2 43. Rc1 Rc3+ 44. Kf2 Qb6+ 45. Ke2 Rxh3 46. Nc4 Rh2+ 47. Kd3 Qb3+ 48. Kd4 Qxa4 49. e6 Qa7+ 50. Kd5 fxe6+ 51. Kxe6 Re2! 0 : 1.

The Distant Scene

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Klaudia Kulon
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 16, 2018
Sicilian Defence B50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. Be2 g6 5. 0-0 Bg7 6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8. Re1 0-0 9. d4 Rc8 10. d5 c4 11. Na3 a6!? White’s unpretentious opening pushes Kulon to seek something more than 11. ... Nc5 12. Nxc4 Ncxe4= Biliškov – Cvitan, 6th Open, Split 2016. 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 Ne5!? 13. ... b5!= seemed very natural with a satisfactory game for Black. 14. Nxe5 dxe5 15. b3 b5!? 15. ... cxb3 16. Qxb3 b5!? seems simpler and better. 16. bxc4 Qa5 17. Qb3 bxc4? Black’s best chance seemed to lie in 17. ... g5 18. Bg3 Nd7, although after 19. cxb5(!) Rxc3 20. Nc4 Rxb3 21. Nxa5 Rxb5 22. Nc6 e6 23. dxe6 fxe6 24. f3 White stands better. 18. Nxc4 Qc7 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. Nb6 Rb8 21. Rab1. Black is not only a Pawn down, but her Queenside appears to be doomed. 21. ... Bg5 22. Red1 Rfd8 23. Qc4! Qd6. Rightly judging that the ending would be lost for her after the Queens exchange, Kulon sacrifices another Pawn desperately hoping for counterplay.

24. Qxa6? This cannot be wrong, but gives Black something that she wouldn’t have had after 24. Qb4! (virtually forcing the exchange of Queens) followed by c3-c4. 24. ... f5! 25. exf5 e4 26. a4 e3 27. a5 exf2+ 28. Kh1 Rf8 29. fxg6 Bf4 30. Qd3!? 30. Qe2 Bxh2 31. Rd3 was probably better, but after 31. ... Bg3! 32. Rf1 Rf6! 33. Nd7!? Qxd7 34. Rxg3 Qxd5 35. Rxf2 Rxf2 36. Qxf2 Qd1+ 37. Kh2 Qh5+ 38. Rh3 Qe5+ 39. Qg3 Qxg3+ 40. Kxg3 Rb5 41. Rxh6 Rxa5 a Rook ending arises in which Black’s chances to draw suddenly go up. 30. ... Bxh2 31. Qh3 Bf4 32. Rb2? This is a terrible error, also due to time shortage. Best was 32. Rf1 Qxg6 33. Rb4 (Δ g2-g3) 33. ... Kh8∞ with unclear but probably even play. 32. ... Bg3! 33. Rf1? It’s hard to blame Muzychuk for missing Stockfish’s pyrotechnic rescue line: 33. Rxf2! Rxf2 34. Qxh6 Be5 35. Nc4 Qf6 36. Nxe5 Qxe5 37. Qh7+ Kf8 38. a6 Qg7 39. a7 Ra8 40. d6! exd6 41. Qh3! with a draw in all variations. 33. ... Qxg6. Tables are clamorously turned. 34. Rb4. Or 34. a6 Kh7! followed by the deadly infiltration of Black’s Queen. 34. ... Qd3! 35. Qe6+ Kh7 36. Qe4+ Qxe4 37. Rxe4 Rf5 38. Rh4 Bxh4 39. g4 Re5 40. Kg2 Re1 41. c4 Rg8 0 : 1.

Last But Not Least

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 14, 2018
Giuoco Piano C50

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Be7 7. c3 d6 8. Nbd2 Nh5!? 9. Bg3 Nxg3 10. hxg3 Bf6. 10. ... 0-0 may transpose into 11. Qe2 Bf6 12. a3 Ne7 13. Nf1 c6 14. Ne3 d5 15. Ba2 Be6 16. Nh2 Bg5 17. Nf3 Bxe3 18. Qxe3 Ng6 19. 0-0 Re8 20. Rfe1 dxe4 21. dxe4 Bxa2 22. Rxa2 Qb6 23. Qxb6 axb6 24. Raa1 ½ : ½ Gabrielian – Martirosyan, 2nd Open, Yerevan 2017. 11. Nf1 Ne7 12. Ne3 c6 13. Bb3 d5 14. Qe2 (14. g4!? g6∞) 14. ... a5 15. 0-0 a4 16. Bc2 Be6 17. Rad1 dxe4 18. dxe4 Qb6. 18. ... Qc7 19. b4 0-0 may be a quieter version of the same sound. 19. Nc4 Bxc4? Her Majesty embarks herself into adventures. Safer seems 19. ... Qc7 in order to reply 20. Nd6+ with 20. ... Kf8 eventually followed by ... Ne7-c8. 20. Qxc4 Qxb2 21. Bxa4 b5 22. Qd3! 0-0. Clearly not 22. ... bxa4?? because of 23. Qd7+ Kf8 24. Qd8+ and mate next move. 23. Bb3! Ng6 24. Nh2! After 24. Qd6 Qxc3 25. Rc1 White regains her Pawn with interest, but it’s not clear at all whether it’ll be enough to win the game. 24. ... Rad8 25. Qf3? 25. Qe3! (Δ Qe3-c5) 25. ... Qa3 26. Ng4 was probably the most promising way to claim an advantage. 25. ... Rxd1 26. Rxd1 c5! 27. Bd5 c4 28. Ng4 Bg5 29. Qf5 Qe2! A providential “scratch”. If 29. ... Ne7? then 30. Bxf7+! Kh8 31. Qe6 with White clearly in charge. 30. Rb1 Ne7 31. Qf3 Qxf3? This seems dramatically inconsistent with her 29th move. Best was 31. ... Qc2! 32. Rxb5 Nxd5 33. Rxd5 f6 and Black should regain the Pawn with a pretty balanced play. 32. gxf3 Bd2. Of course, after 32. ... Rb8 33. Bxc4 Black loses at least another Pawn. 33. Rxb5 Nxd5 34. exd5 Bxc3 35. Ne3. The ending is hopeless for Black as she is unable to keep at bay both White’s passers. 35. ... Rc8 36. d6 e4? This is desperation, but also after 36. ... Kf8 37. Rb7 f6 (37. ... Bd4? 38. Nxc4!+−) 38. Rc7 Rd8 39. Nxc4 Bb4 40. Rc6 Black cannot save the endgame. 37. fxe4 Bd2 38. Nxc4 Bg5. The Knight is taboo (38. ... Rxc4 39. d7+−). 39. d7 Rd8 40. Rd5 Ra8 41. Nb6 Rb8

42. Rxg5! An easy but pretty finish. 42. ... hxg5 43. Nc8 Rb1+ 44. Kg2 Rd1 45. Ne7+ 1 : 0. For if 45. ... Kf8 then 46. Nd5.

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina. Photo: Oleksandr Martynkov.

Why Yesterday Tells of Tomorrow

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Evgenija Viktorovna Ovod
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 13, 2018
French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Bd3 0-0 9. Qe2 b6 10. 0-0-0 Bb7 11. h4 Qd5 12. c4 Qh5 13. Rh3 c5! A significant improvement over 13. ... Bd6 14. Rg1 Rfe8? (14. ... Qg4 seemed called for) 15. g4! Qa5 16. Nd2 e5 17. g5 Nd7 18. d5 with an imposing position for White, Onischuk – Ivaschenko, 17th Ukrainian Team Chess Championship, Alushta 2010. 14. dxc5 Bxc5 15. Bg5 Kh8 16. Rg3. Muzychuk appears a bit shocked by the opening outcome, and trying to hide it make her situation worse, pushing hard for an uncoordinated attack on the Kingside. 16. ... Bd6 17. Rh3 Bc5 18. Bd2 Ng8 19. Bc3 f6 20. Bc2 e5 21. Qd2? Nh6? They both are quite short of time, and that explains and justifies the continuous blackouts. Now, after 21. ... Bc8 22. Rhh1 Bf5 Black seems to stand well. The text gives White an opportunity that Muzychuk does not miss. 22. Ng5! Bc8. If 22. ... Bxg2 then 23. Rg3 Bc6 24. Nxh7 with wild complications. 23. Rhh1 Nf5? Ovod had to play 23. ... Bf5 24. Ne4 Qf7 25. b3 with a very slight edge to White.

24. Ne4? On her turn Muzychuk misses 24. Qd5 Rb8 25. g4 Qh6 26. Kb1 and Black should have to deal with too many threats. 24. ... Nd4 25. Nxc5 bxc5 26. f3 Be6 27. b3 a5 28. g4 Qf7 29. Bxd4 cxd4 30. Qd3 g6 31. a4 Qe7 32. Rde1 Bg8?? And here begins Black’s disaster. After 32. ... Qa3+ 33. Kd2 Ra7! (and if 34. h5 then 34. ... g5) White should have strived for survival. 33. Qxd4 Rfd8? 33. ... Rab8! 34. Qc3! Qa3+ 35. Qb2 Qxb2+ 36. Kxb2 Bxc4 was obviously Black’s best drawing possibility. 34. Qc3 Qa3+ 35. Qb2 Qb4 36. Rxe5! Muzychuk perfectly calculated her winning streak. 36. ... Bxc4 37. Re4 Qd2+ 38. Kb1 Bd3 39. Qxf6+ Kg8 40. Qe6+ Kh8 41. Qf6+ Kg8 42. Bxd3 Rxd3 43. Qe6+ Kh8 44. Rc1 Rxf3 45. Rc8+ Rxc8 46. Qxc8+ Kg7 47. Qc7+ Rf7 48. Qc2 Qd8 49. g5 Rd7 50. Qc3+ Kg8 51. Re2 Rc7 52. Qd2 Qa8 53. Qe3 Qb7 54. Qe6+ Kg7 55. Qf6+ 1 : 0.

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk playing her fifth round game the day before. Photo: Oleksandr Martynkov.

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.

In Short

Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina – Nana Dzagnidze
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 12, 2018
Nimzo-Indian Defence E32

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 0-0 5. e4 d6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 e5 8. Bd3 Nc6. Once upon a time: 8. ... c5 9. Ne2 Nc6 10. d5 Ne7 (Black had to play thematicaly with 10. ... Na5 followed by ... b7-b6 and ... Bc8-a6, as after the text Capablanca will inexorably zugzwang him) 11. f3 Nd7 12. h4 Nb6 13. g4 f6 14. Ng3 Kf7 15. g5 Ng8 16. f4 Ke8 17. f5 Qe7 18. Qg2 Kd8 19. Nh5 Kc7 20. gxf6 gxf6 21. Ng7 Bd7 22. h5 Rac8 23. h6 Kb8 24. Rg1 Rf7 25. Rb1 Qf8 26. Be2 Ka8 27. Bh5 Re7 28. Qa2 Qd8 29. Bd2 Na4 30. Qb3 Nb6 31. a4 Rb8 32. a5 Nc8 33. Qa2 Qf8 34. Be3 b6 35. a6 Qd8 36. Kd2 Qf8 37. Rb2 Qd8 38. Qb1 b5 39. cxb5 Nb6 40. Qa2 c4 41. Qa3 Qc7 42. Kc1 Rf8 43. Rbg2 Qb8 44. Qb4 Rd8 45. Rg3 Rf8 46. Ne6 Bxe6 47. dxe6 Rc7 48. Qxd6 Ne7 49. Rd1 1 : 0 Capablanca – Ragozin, 2nd International Chess Tournament, Moscow 1935. 9. Ne2 b6 10. 0-0 Nd7 11. f4 Ba6 12. Rf3 Na5 13. Ng3!? As in the Sämisch Variation White gives up the c4-Pawn to fuel her initiative on the Kingside. On the other hand, Dzagnidze should have known, as everything is already in the book! 13. ... Bxc4 14. Bxc4 Nxc4 15. Nf5 g6?? Dzagnidze introduces a novelty, which is also her losing move! Black ought to have played 15. ... Kh8 16. Rh3 g6 17. Qe2 b5 with an approximate dynamic balance, J. Horváth – Medvegy, Budapest 2014.

16. Nh6+ Kg7 17. f5. White’s attack comes easy and natural. Black is helpless. 17. ... f6 18. fxg6 hxg6 19. Rg3 Rh8 20. Qe2 Rxh6 21. Bxh6+ Kxh6 22. Qxc4 Kg7 23. Rf1 Rc8 24. dxe5 Nxe5 25. Qe6 Rb8 26. h4! Qf8 27. h5 Re8 28. Qf5 Qf7 29. Rf4 g5 30. Rxg5+ Kh6 31. Rg3 Rf8 32. Rh4 Qd7 33. Qg6+! 1 : 0.

Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina (right) vs. Nana Dzagnidze (left). Photo: Oleksandr Martynkov.

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.

The Returned

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Olga Zimina
19th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Vysoké Tatry, April 11, 2018
Slav Defence D10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 dxc4 4. e4 b5 5. a4 b4 6. Na2 Nf6 7. e5 Nd5 8. Bxc4 e6 9. Nf3 a5 10. Bd2 Ba6 11. Bxa6. If 11. Qe2 then 11. ... Bxc4 12. Qxc4 Nb6 13. Qc2 Qd5 14. Nc1 N8d7 15. Nd3 c5 16. Nf4 Qb7= Korobov – Grigoryan, 10th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2011. 11. ... Nxa6 12. Nc1 c5 13. Qe2 cxd4 14. Nb3 Qd7 15. Nfxd4 Bc5 16. Qg4 0-0 17. 0-0 Rfc8 18. Nb5 Bf8 19. N3d4. Not 19. Nxa5? because of 19. ... h5! 20. Qxh5(?) Nc5 21. Nc4 Nb3 and White is in trouble. 19. ... Nac7 20. Rfd1 Nxb5 21. Nxb5 Rc2 22. Nd4 Rc4 23. b3 Rc5 24. Nb5 Rac8 25. h4 Kh8 26. h5 h6 27. Bf4 Rc2 28. Rd3 Bc5 29. Rf1 Qe7? This is the losing move. The situation was uncertain but still tenable, had Black played 29. ... Qe8 (intending ... f7-f5) in order to reply 30. Nd6 with 30. ... Bxd6 31. exd6 Nf6 eventually followed by ... Nf6-d7.

30. Rxd5! A devastating blow! 30. ... Bxf2+ 31. Rxf2 exd5 32. Nd4+− R2c3 33. Nf5 Qf8 34. Nd6 R8c6 35. Bxh6! Muzychuk finishes in style. 35. ... Rxd6 36. exd6 gxh6 37. Qd4+ Kg8 38. Qxd5 Rc1+ 39. Kh2 Rc8 40. d7 Rd8 41. Re2 Kh7 42. Qc6 f6 43. Re8 Qf7 44. Qc2+ 1 : 0.

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk playing her first round game two days ago. Photo: ldufk.edu.ua.

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.