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.