Moscow Open 2014 Women's Premier Russian Cup
O. Girya – A. Kashlinskaya
Reti Opening
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Bg4 4. O-O c6 5. d3 So again the King's Indian Attack. Dressing herself in black's clothes, white puts off the bulk of the fight until the middlegame. 5... e6 6. Nbd2 Nbd7 7. Qe1 Be7 8. h3 Bxf3 Played too willingly. After 8...Bh5 white still needs to earn the exchange of the opposing bishop - 9.g4 Bg6 10.Nh4, giving more chances to black as he has yet to castle short 9. Nxf3 O-O 10. e4 dxe4 11. dxe4 e5 This pawn structure black chooses doesn't really suit her now that her light-squared bishop has been exchanged. 12. Nh4 Re8 Possibly worth it would have been the drastic measure of preventing the invasion of the white knight playing 12...g6. 13. Nf5 Bf8
Black strengthens the kingside, making due without any pawn moves. Yet still, the knight on f5 has a comfortable, flexible position, maintaining the possibility of maneuvering with the e3 square.
14. Qe2 Qc7 15. a4 a5 16. b3 Played with technical accuracy. White has ideally set up his queenside pawns. 16... Nc5 17. Bg5 Nfd7 18. Rad1 Ne6 19. Qg4 Threatening 20.Nh6+. 19... Кh8
[Of course 19... Nxg5? is not possible in light of 20. Rxd7]
20. h4 An alternative was 20.Bс1, but the text move appears completely dynamic 20... Nxg5 21. hxg5 Opening the h-file for attack. It's noteworthy that 21.Nxg7 doesn't work due to the hit and run 21...Nе6. 21... Nc5 22. Bf3 Ne6 23. Кg2 Be7 By attacking the g5 pawn black is only inviting the crisis early.
24. g6!?
A bold and effective push, presenting black some not so simple problems. The main objective of g5-g6 is opening the a2-g8 diagonal for the light-squared bishop, who has no opposing counterpart.
[The attack could have developed mechanically with 24. Rh1, but after 24... Bg5 (in case of 24...Ng5 25.Rxh7+! or 24... Nf8 25. Rxh7+! Nxh7 26. Rh1 and the black king is defenseless) 25. Be2 Rad8 26. Bc4 Rxd1 27. Rxd1 Rd8 28. Rh1 Кg8 29. Nxg7 Nxg7 30. Bxe6 h6 31. Bc4 Qd6 white has achieved only a small advantage.]
24... fxg6 25. Rh1!
25... gxf5
[Analysis shows that the best defense was 25... Nf8! For example 26. Rxh7+! Кxh7 (bad is 26... Nxh7 in light of 27. Rh1 gxf5 28. Qg6) 27. Be2! b5! 28. axb5 cxb5 29. Bxb5 gxf5 30. Qxf5 +Кg8 31. Bc4+ Qxc4 32. bxc4 Bc5 with equal chances for black..]
26. Qg6
26... Bh4! A clever defense.
[Leading to grievous consequences was 26... Nf8 27. Rxh7+ Nxh7 28. Rh1 Кg8 29. Qxh7+ Кf8 30. Qh8+ Кf7 31. Bh5+ Ke6 32. Bxe8, and the black king won't survive in the center.]
27. Rxh4 Nf8
[The correct move order was 27... h6 28. Be2 Nf8 29. Qf5, leading to the game continuation.]
28. Qf5
[Taking advantage of black's mistake, white could play 28. Rxh7+! Nxh7 29. Rh1 Кg8 30. Qh7+ Кf8 31. Bh5 with the win.]
28... Rad8 29. Rhh1 Qe7
30. Be2! Repositioning the bishop on c4 highlights the advantage of the bishop over knight in the open position. 30... g6 31. Qg4 Rd1 32. Rxd1 Rd8 33. Rxd8 Qxd8 34. Bc4 Кg7
35. Qf3 Qf6 36. Qe3! Like a cat the white queen prepares to pounce on the queenside pawns.36... Ne6
[More stubborn was 36... Qd8, and now it is unwise for white to grab the pawns 37. Qa7 Qc7 38. Ba6 since after 38... Ne6 39. Qxb7 Qxb7 40. Bxb7 Nd4 41. c3 Nxb3 42. Bxc6 Nc5 blacks position becomes bulletproof.]
37. Bxe6 Фxe6 38. Qb6
38... Qd7 39. Qxa5 Qd4 40. Qe1 In the queen endgame the extra pawn gives excellent chances for the win. As follows, white was able to surely win his advantage. 40... h5 41. Qe2 Qc3 42. Qd1 Qb4 43. Qd3 Кh6 44. Кh3 Qe1 45. Qf3 Кg7 46. Кg2 Qd2 47. c3 Qc2 48. c4 Qd2 49. g4! hxg4 50. Qg4 Qd4 51. Qh4 Кf7 52. a5 Qd3 53. Qh7 Кf6 54. Qh8 Кe6 55. Qh3 Forcing the transition to a won pawn ending. In a few more moves black resigned.