Scenes from the Medieval Salento

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Alina Anatolyevna Kashlinskaya
44th Women’s Chess Olympiad; Mamallapuram, August 9, 2022
French Defence C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. Qg4 Qc7 8. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 cxd4 10. Ne2 Nbc6 11. f4 dxc3 12. Qd3 d4 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Qxd4 Bd7 15. Rg1 Nf5 16. Qf2 Qc6 17. Bd3 Qd5

18. Be3!? “An extremely dangerous sideline that leads to very forcing play. Black must now find an incredible series of only moves to survive”, International Master Arthur Pijpers wrote in his annotations to a game he played against FIDE Master Vladislav Valerievich Chizhikov in 2016 and which will be reproduced below. 18. ... Nxe3 19. Qxe3 Rxg2 20. Rxg2 Qxg2 21. Be4 Qxh2 22. 0-0-0 Bc6 23. Bxc6+ bxc6 24. Qd4. “This is the critical position for the 18. Be3 line. Black has only one move to stay in the game, and all other moves land him into big trouble”, says Pijpers. 24. ... a5! In his fervour Pijpers gives the text move two exclamation marks! It is just the case to note that 24. ... Kf8? would be met by 25. Kb1! Rb8+ 26. Ka1 Kg8 27. Rg1+ Kh8 28. Qd1 Rb3 29. Qd8+ Kh7 30. Qg8+ Kh6 31. Qh8# 1 : 0 Ivić – Livaić, 1st Online Chess Olympiad Division 2 Pool D, chess.com, August 14, 2020 (time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move).

25. f5! And miraculously, again, all has already happened! Pijpers calls it “The critical try”, and also claiming that “the computer does not spot it” — incidentally it is Stockfish’s first line! If, instead, 25. Rg1 then 25. ... Qd2+ 26. Qxd2 cxd2+ 27. Kxd2 Kd7= with equality: 28. Rg7 Ke7 29. Rg3 Kd7 30. Rd3+ Kc7 31. Rh3 Kd7 32. Kd3 Rg8 33. Kc4 Rg4 34. Rf3 Rg2 35. Kb3 Kc7 36. Rd3 Rf2 37. Rd4 Kb6 38. Rc4 Rf3+ 39. c3 Rf1 40. Rd4 Rb1+ 41. Kc2 Rf1 42. Kb3 Rb1+ 43. Kc2 Rf1 44. Kb3 ½ : ½ van Dael – Gedajlovič, 2nd Online Chess Olympiad Top Division Pool D, chess.com, September 9, 2021 (time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move). 25. ... exf5 26. Kb1 Kf8

27. Qd6+ Kg8? “And this is already the decisive mistake. The correct way to play was 27. ... Kg7! with the amazing idea 28. Qe7 (another try is 28. Qf6+!? Kf8 29. Rf1 Re8 30. Qxf5 Re7 but now that the Black Rook is helping in the defence it is hard to believe that White has any real advantage) 28. ... c5!! 29. Ka1 Ra6 and Black defends”, writes Pijpers. 28. Qe7+− Qf2 (28. ... Qh5 29. Re1 f4 30. Ka1 Qg6 31. e6 Rf8 32. Qc5+−) 29. Ka1 Qg2? And finally, here is the first new move! The aforementioned game continued 29. ... Qg3 30. e6 (“The human way to win the position”, as Pijpers says it — but again, for the avoidance of doubt, it is Stockfish’s first line!) 30. ... Rf8 31. Qc5 fxe6 32. Rg1 Qxg1+ 33. Qxg1+ Kf7 34. Qa7+ Kg6 35. Qxa5 f4 36. Qe5 Rf6 37. Qe4+ Kg5 38. Qf3 e5 39. Qe4 f3 40. Qxe5+ Rf5 41. Qg3+ Kh5 42. Qf2 Kg4 43. Ka2 Rd5 44. Qg1+ Kf4 45. Kb3 Rd2 46. Kxc3 Rg2 47. Qf1 Ke3 48. a4 Rf2 49. Qg1 Ke2 50. Kd4 Rf1 51. Qe3+ Kd1 52. Kd3 1 : 0 Pijpers – Chizhikov, 5th International Open of Salento, Gallipoli 2016.

30. e6! This too is “human” enough, after all. 30. ... fxe6 (30. ... Rf8 31. exf7+ Rxf7 32. Rd8+ Kg7 33. Qe5+ Rf6 34. Rd7+ Kg6 35. Qe8+ Kh6 36. Qh8+ Kg5 37. Rg7+ Rg6 38. Rxg6+ Kxg6 39. Qg8++−) 31. Qxe6+ Kh8 32. Qxf5 Ra7 33. Rd8+ Kg7 34. Qf8+ Kg6 35. Rd6+ 1 : 0. Black resigns because if 35. ... Kh5 then 36. Rh6+ Kg5 37. Qf6+ Kg4 38. Rh4+ Kg3 39. Qf4#.

Today Muzychuk raised herself in all her pride. Photo © Lennart Ootes.

Done Gone Wrong

Oliwia Kiołbasa – Rameshbabu Vaishali
44th Women’s Chess Olympiad; Mamallapuram, August 7, 2022
Spanish Game C70

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Bc5 5. c3 Nge7 6. d4 exd4 7. cxd4 Bb4+ 8. Nc3 d5 9. 0-0 dxe4 10. Nxe4 0-0 11. a3 Bd6 12. h3 Bf5 13. Re1 Bg6 14. Bg5 f6 15. Nxd6 (15. Bd2 Bf7 16. Bc2 Qd7 17. Bc3 Bd5 18. Nh4 Bf7 19. Qd3 Ng6 20. Nxd6 cxd6 21. Nf5 Rfe8 22. Qg3 d5 23. h4 Rxe1+ 24. Rxe1 Be6 25. Rxe6 Qxe6 26. h5 Nce7 27. Qg4 Kf7 28. Bb4 Rd8 29. Bd3 b6 30. g3 Rd7 31. Kg2 a5 32. Bxe7 Rxe7 33. hxg6+ hxg6 34. Nd6+ Kf8 35. Qxe6 Rxe6 36. Nb5 Re1 37. Nc3 Kf7 38. Kf3 Ke6 39. Bxg6 Rc1 40. g4 Kd6 41. a4 Ke6 42. Bh7 Kd6 43. Ke3 Rg1 44. Bf5 Re1+ 45. Kd2 Rf1 46. Ke2 Rc1 47. Bd3 Rg1 48. Kf3 Rc1 49. Ke3 Re1+ 50. Kd2 Rg1 51. Be2 g6 52. Bf3 Rf1 53. Ke2 Rc1 54. Kd3 Rf1 55. Bxd5 f5 56. gxf5 gxf5 57. Ke2 Rc1 58. Bb3 1 : 0 Nijboer – Heberla, 7th European Chess Championship, Kusadasi 2006) 15. ... Qxd6 16. Bh4 Bf7 17. Bg3 Qd7 18. Rc1 Rad8 19. b4 Nf5 20. Bf4 Kh8 21. Qd3 b5 22. Bc2 Bg6 23. Qc3 Ncxd4 24. Nxd4 Nxd4 25. Bxg6 hxg6 26. Qxc7 Rf7 27. Qxd7 Rfxd7 28. Be3 Nf5 29. Bb6 Rb8 30. Rc6 Rd3 31. Ra1 Ne7 32. Re6 Nd5 33. Bc5 Nc3 34. Rxa6 Na4 35. Rd6 Nxc5 36. bxc5 Rc3 37. c6 Rc8 38. Rb1 R3xc6 39. Rxc6 Rxc6 40. Rxb5

At time control, White is a Pawn up in a theoretically drawn Rook ending, but, as they say, one thing is theory, another thing is practice. 40. ... Rc1+ 41. Kh2 Ra1 42. Ra5 g5 43. Kg3 Ra2 44. Kf3 Kh7 45. Ke3 Kg6 46. Ra7 Kf5 47. g3 Ke5 48. Kf3 Kf5 49. a4 Ra3+ 50. Kg2 Kg6 51. a5 Kh6 52. a6 Kg6 53. Ra8 Kf5 54. Kf1 Ra2 55. a7 Kg6 56. Ke1 Kf7 57. h4

57. ... Kg6?? And here Vaishali makes an almost incredible blunder which loses by force. Black obviously ought first to play 57. ... gxh4 58. gxh4 and then 58. ... Kg6 as after 59. h5+ Kf5 White cannot make progress. 58. h5+! Kf7 (58. ... Kf5 59. f3!⊙+−)

59. f4! (59. f3!+−) 59. ... gxf4 60. gxf4 f5 61. Kd1 Ra1+ 62. Ke2 Ra2+ 63. Kf3 Ra3+ 64. Kg2 Ra2+ 65. Kg3 Ra4 66. Kh3 Ra3+ 67. Kh4 Ra4 68. Kg5 Ra5 69. h6! gxh6+ 70. Kxh6 Ra6+ 71. Kg5 Kg7 72. Kxf5 Ra1 73. Ke5 Re1+ 74. Kd4 Rd1+ 75. Ke3 Re1+ 76. Kd2 Ra1 77. f5 Ra2+ 78. Kc3 Ra3+ 79. Kb2 Ra6

80. f6+! 1 : 0. 80. ... Kf7 81. Rh8+− is a sad classic.

Polish Woman International Master Kiołbasa kept a perfect 9/9 score by giving Vaishali her first defeat in the Olympiad. for Photo © Lennart Ootes.

Otherwise Engaged

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Zeinab Mamedyarova
42nd Women’s Chess Olympiad; Baku, September 10, 2016
English Opening A13

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 b6 3. Bg2 Bb7 4. 0-0 e6 5. d3 d5 6. Nbd2 Be7 7. c4 0-0 8. Qc2 c5 9. b3 Nc6 10. Bb2 Qc7. 10. ... d4! seems fine for Black, Zagorjansky – Veresov, 16th USSR Chess Championship semifinal, Moscow 1947. 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. a3 Rac8 13. Rac1 Rfd8 14. Rfd1 Qb8 15. Qb1 Nd4?! Mamedyarova comes up with a new idea, but not a good one. 15. ... Qa8! was at least equal for Black, Brodowski – Rawicz, 14th International Chess Festival Konik Morski Rewala, Rewal 2009. 16. Nxd4 cxd4 17. Rxc8 Bxc8?! Yet a better version of Black’s idea was 17. ... Rxc8 18. Bxd4 Bxa3 in order to answer 19. Bxg7 by 19. ... Kxg7 20. Bxd5 exd5 21. Qa1+ d4! 22. Qxa3 Qe5 with good chances for compensation. 18. Bxd4 Bxa3? A final error. Black should content herself with being down a Pawn after 18. ... Nf4 19. gxf4 Rxd4 20. e3 that, if nothing else, still gives hope for further resistance.

19. Bxg7! Kxg7 20. Qa1+ Kg8 21. Qxa3 Nc3. The situation is now totally different with respect to the line given after 17. Rxc8, since White is not only a Pawn up, but also has a crushing attack on the dark squares. If, for instance, 21. ... Qc7 22. Rc1 Qe7 then 23. Qa1! with devastating effect. 22. Re1 Bb7 23. Nf3 Qc7 24. Qb4 a5 25. Qg4+ Kh8

26. Ng5! Bxg2 (26. ... h6 27. Qh5 Kg7 28. Nxf7! Qxf7 29. Qe5+−) 27. Qh4! Kg7 28. Qxh7+ Kf6 29. Qh4 Kg7 30. Kxg2 Rd5 31. e4 Rc5 32. d4 Rc6 33. Re3 Nb5 34. Rf3 f5 35. Qh7+ Kf8 36. Nxe6+ Rxe6 37. Rxf5+ Ke8 38. Qg8+ Kd7 39. Rxb5 1 : 0.

Looks as if four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is absorbed in deep thoughts. Photo © Maria Alekseevna Emelianova.

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Interview with 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) Baku, September 3, 2016

Walking around the Chess Expo area, Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich spotted Women’s World Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) from China. Time for a chat! — We’re again in the Expo Centre of the World Chess Olympiad and here I’ve found 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who’s actually not playing at all in this Olympiad — today she was resting again! What are you doing here, how do you like Baku? — Well, it is a very beautiful city, and especially this Olympiad makes the city even more attractive, because we all know that the Olympiad is not only the biggest team tournament but also it’s like a big party. For example, we are in this hall where we have many different exhibitions. They are quite nice and show many different aspects of chess. — Which place do you like the most in here? — That’s a good question! Objectively speaking, of course I like that side (points to the kindergarten area, laughing)! But these chess pieces here (points to the piece exhibition) are very artistic and refer to chess history. I also saw that there’s a promotion for the sponsors of the next Olympiad in Batumi, and many other kiosks. — Were you impressed to be in the huge banner, along with World Champion Magnus Carlsen, decorating the Expo Center? Were you impressed with the size of the photo on the banner? I think it’s not the only one, there are some others in the city; have you spotted all of them yet? — Oh really? I haven’t found all of them yet, I will try to locate them. I like the design and decoration of the Expo Center in general; yesterday our teams, captains and other players were taking lots of photos with volunteers in here. — Coming back to chess, what is Olympiad for you? — I have played for China since 2006, already for ten years, so this is already my sixth Olympiad. I grew up chesswise with the Olympiads and these important tournaments allowed me to gain great experience. The Olympiad is generally different from individual tournaments, because we try to do our best not only in our individual games, but also for the whole team. Responsibility for the whole team takes a more important role than individual games here; because if you are simply playing for yourself, you often play more aggressively and do not care much about the outcome, but here you should be more stable, more responsible for what you are doing. — Now for a serious question: are you going to play tomorrow or not? — Let’s wait and see (laughs). Of course I didn’t come here just to have a holiday or to have a fun. This is also very good, of course, but the main role of players is to play games! — I also want to ask you about your goals — are you going to win the Olympiad? — Of course, when we are playing an Olympiad we want to win, we want to fight for the best possible result — first place - especially for our team, who failed to win in the last several Olympiads. I don’t think we have been not qualified enough to win, but due to our performances, and also because of other reasons, we did not manage to win; I hope this time we could try to simply play better! We wish good luck to your team. Thank you so much!

Closing credits

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
41st Women’s Chess Olympiad; Tromsø, August 14, 2014
French Defence C14

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. f4 a6 8. Qg4. As noted by Joseph Henry Blackburne, nicknamed “The Black Death”: “This has recently taken the place of the good old-fashioned move of 8. Qd2”. See Horace F. Chesire, “The Hastings Chess Tournament 1895”, Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, London, 1896, pp. 80-81. 8. ... g6 9. Nf3 c5 10. dxc5 Nc6 11. h4. For the less enterprising 11. Bd3 Nxc5 see Matanovic – Fuderer, Zagreb 1955. 11. ... h5 12. Qg5. Maybe a novelty. The old try was 12. Qg3 Nxc5 13. 0-0-0 b5 14. Bd3 b4 15. Ne2 Bd7 16. Ned4 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 Rb8? (Walbrodt – Mason, Hastings 1895) and now 28. f5! seems very strong. 12. ... Nxc5 13. 0-0-0 b5 14. Bd3 b4 15. Ne2 a5 16. Ned4 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 Ba6 18. Kb1 Qa7. Black is playing with fire...

19. Qf6 Rg8 20. Bb5+ Bxb5 21. Nxb5 Qe7 22. Rxd5! White tries hard to win! 22. ... Qxf6. On 22. ... exd5 23. Qc6+ is catastrophic. 23. Nc7+ Kf8 24. exf6 exd5 25. Nxa8 Ne4 26. Nc7 Nxf6 27. Re1. White got the most, but it is not enough to claim any advantage. 27. ... Kg7 28. Re5 Rd8 29. Kc1 Rd7 30. Ne8+ Nxe8 31. Rxe8 Kf6 32. Re5 Re7 33. Rxd5 Re2 34. Rg5 a4 35. a3 Re1+ 36. Kd2 bxa3 37. bxa3 Rf1 38. g3 Ra1 39. Kc3 Rxa3+ 40. Kb4 Rf3 41. Kxa4 Rc3 42. Kb4 Rxc2 43. Kb3 Rf2 44. Kc3 Kg7 45. Kd3 f5 46. Ke3 Ra2 47. Kf3 Kf6 48. Ke3 Ra4 49. Kf3 Rb4 50. Kf2 Re4 51. Kf3 Re6 52. Kg2 ½ : ½. Says Refused: “The final position in Muzychuk – 侯 (Hóu) is kinda amusing. I like Muzychuk’s entombed Rook. :)”.