Solic - M. Muzychuk, 39th Olympiad (Women's Group), Khanty-Mansiysk, Round 9

[Jack Rabbit]

Mariya Muzychuk, the kid sister of reigning world girls' champion Anna Muzychuk, won the gold medal for performance by a reserve player in the women's group.



Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Kristina Solic (Croatia) - Mariya Muzychuk (Ukraine)
39th Chess Olympiad (Women's Group), Round 9
Khanty-Mansiysk, 30 September 2010

Closed Sicilian Game: Saragossa Opening (Alapin Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3

• The Sargossa Opening isn't considered very theoretical, yet, paradoxically, it has acquired a wealth of theory since Alapin introduced it over a cenury ago, especially in recent years. That is probably an indication that while it has attracted public attention, the chess elites still don't take it very seriously.

3...Nf6 4.e5

• If 4.d3 then:
• If 4...Nc6 5.g3 d6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 Bd7 then:
• If 9.Nbd2 Rc8 10.a3 b5 then:
• If 11.b4 cxb4 12.axb4 a5 13.bxa5 Nxa5 14.Ba3 then:
• If 14...Nc6 15.d4 Rb8 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Nd5 18.c4 Nc3 19.Qc2 is equal (Voitsekhovsky-Kuporosov, Privolzhsky Ch, Ishevsk, 2005).
• 14...Re8 15.d4 Qc7 16.Qb1 h6 17.h3 Bf8 18.Rc1 Rb8 19.Rc2 Rec8 20.Rca2 Nc6 21.Rc2 is equal (Minasian-L. Filip, Euro Ch, Plodiv, 2008).
• 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 e5 13.Nb3 a5 14.d5 Nb8 15.Bd2 a4 16.Nc1 Na6 17.Nd3 Qb6 is equal (Yurtaev-Timoshchenko, Soviet Ch, 1st Liga, Frunze, 1979).
• 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 d5 11.e5 Ne4 12.Nbd2 Nxd2 13.Bxd2 Rc8 14.a3 Qb6 15.Bc3 Na5 16.Nd2 Rfd8 gives Black a small edge in space (Amin-Margvelashvili, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• If 4...d5 5.Nbd2 Nc6 then:
• If 6.g3 Be7 7.Bg2 0-0 8.0-0 Qc7 9.Re1 then:
• If 9...b6 10.e5 Nd7 11.Qe2 Ba6 12.Nf1 b5 13.Bf4 b4 14.c4 dxc4 15.dxc4 Nb6 16.b3 Nd5 (Gurgenidze-Korchnoi, Soviet Ch, Riga, 1958).
• 9...b5 10.Nf1 dxe4 11.dxe4 Bb7 12.Bf4 e5 13.Bg5 Rad8 14.Qc2 Na5 15.a4 b4 16.cxb4 Nc6 17.bxc5 gives White two extra pawns (Lisitsin-Antoshin, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1955).
• 6.Be2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 Qc7 9.Bf1 e5 10.h3 b6 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Nc4 Bf6 (Trevelyan-Meijers, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2006).

4...Nd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4

• If 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Qe4 then:
• If 7...f5 8.Qe2 Qc7 9.g3 then:
• If 9...b5 10.Bg2 a5 11.0-0 Ba6 12.Rd1 Bc5 13.Nd4 b4 14.Nb5 Qb6 15.c4 then:
• 15...0-0 16.a3 bxa3 17.N1c3 axb2 18.Bxb2 Nxc3 19.Bxc3 Rad8 gives Black an extra pawn but more pawn weaknesses (Deviatkin-Rychagov, Russia Cup, Tula, 2001).
• 15...Bxb5 16.cxb5 Nd4 17.Qd3 0-0 18.Bxd5 exd5 19.Be3 gives White the advantage in space, but he will have trouble developing his queenside (Deviatkin-Dolmatov, Chigorin Mem Open, St. Petersburg, 2000).
• 9...d6 10.exd6 Bxd6 11.Bg2 0-0 12.0-0 Nf6 13.Nbd2 e5 14.Nc4 e4 15.Ng5 h6 16.Nxd6 Qxd6 17.Nh3 Be6 18.Rd1 is equal (Soltau-Elwert, Corres, 2003).
• 7...d6 8.Nbd2 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Nxe5 10.Qxe5 Qd6 11.Qxd6 Bxd6 is equal.

6...d6

• If 6...b6 7.Nc3 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Qc7 9.Bd2 d6 10.Bd3 Bb7 11.0-0 Nd7 then:
• If 12.Ng5 dxe5 13.Qh5 g6 14.Qh3 Be7 then:
• 15.Rfe1 Bxg5 16.Bxg5 f5 17.Qh6 Kf7 18.Bb5 Nf6 19.dxe5 Ng4 20.Qh4 gives White more space and freedom (Pavasovic-Orsag, Mitropa Cup, Montecatini Terme, 1997).
• 15.Rae1 Bd5 16.f4 exd4 17.cxd4 Qd6 18.f5 gxf5 19.Bxf5 Bxg5 20.Bxg5 (Can-Ludwig, World Youth, Vung Tau, 2008).
• If 12.Re1 dxe5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Rxe5 Bd6 then:
• If 15.Rh5 then:
• If 15...g6 16.Rh3 Qc6 17.Qf1 0-0 18.Bh6 Rfc8 19.Re1 Qa4!? then:
• If 20.Bb1!? then:
• 20...Qc4 gives Black the advantage in space (Afek-van der Weide, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• 20.Qe2! Bd5 21.Be4 Bxe4 22.Qxe4 Qxa2 23.Qh4 Qa5! gives Black time to rebuff the attack against her King.
• 19...Qxc3! 20.Bxg6 Qxh3 21.gxh3 hxg6 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 15.Bb5+ Bc6 16.Qf3 Rc8 17.Bxc6+ Qxc6 18.d5 Qb7 19.Rh5 e5 20.Re1 f6 21.Qh3 Qd7 22.Qh4 Qf7 23.Qa4+ Qd7 24.Qh4 Qf7 25.Qa4+ Qd7 26.Qh4 darw (Oral-Janssen, ITU20, Hengelo, 1996).

7.Bc4

• If 7.a3 then:
• If 7...Bd7 8.Bd3 Bc6 9.0-0 Nd7 then:
• 10.Re1 Be7 11.Nbd2 dxe5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Nf4 14.Be4 Bxe4 15.Nxe4 Qxd1 16.Rxd1 Nd5 gives White a very small advantage in space (Janev- Nevednichy, Bulgarian ChT, Borovets, 2008).
• 10.b4 a6 11.Re1 Be7 12.Nbd2 dxe5 13.dxe5 Nf4 14.Be4 Rc8 15.Bxc6 Rxc6 16.Nd4 Rc8 gives White an edge in space (M. Petrov-Mastrovasilis, Balkan Ch, Istanbul, 2001).
• If 7...Nc6 8.Bd3 then:
• If 8...Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Qe2 Bd7 then:
• 11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 dxe5 13.dxe5 Qc7 14.Qe4 g6 gives White the advantage in space (Tomerlin-Rogic, Op, Bosnjaci, 2001).
• 11.Qe4 f5 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Qh4 h6 14.Nc3 d5 15.Qg3 Kh8 16.Ne5 gives White the advantage in space (J. Shahade-Zawadzka, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• If 8...dxe5 9.dxe5 then:
• If 9...Be7 10.0-0 then:
• 10...Bd7 11.Qe2 Na5 12.Qd1 Rc8 13.Bd2 Nc4 14.Bc1 0-0 15.Nbd2 Nxd2 16.Bxd2 Nb6 gives White the advantage in space (Grigorian- Rui Wang, Asian Ch, Hyderbad, 2005).
• 10...g5 11.Re1 g4 draw (Alavkin-Kurenkov, Russian Cup, Samara, 2001).
• 9...Qc7 10.0-0 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 Qxe5 12.Bb5+ Bd7 13.Bxd7+ Kxd7 14.Re1 Qd6 15.Qf3 Ke8 is equal (Dvoretsky-W. Schmidt, Hoogeveen's B, Wijk aan Zee, 1975).

7...Nc6

• If 7...Nb6 8.Bd3 then:
• If 8...Nc6 9.0-0 Nb4 then:
• If 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Nc3 Nxd3 13.Qxd3 0-0 14.Ne4 dxe5 15.dxe5 Bd7 then:
• If 16.Nd4 Rfd8 17.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space (Howell-Poluljahov, Masters Op, Gibraltar, 2004).
• 16.Nfg5 f5 17.Qd6 Rae8 18.Qxe7 Rxe7 19.Nc5 gives White the advantage in space (Liiva-Quezada, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 10.Be2 dxe5 11.Nxe5 then:
• 11...Bd7 12.Nc3 Be7 13.Bf3 Bc6 14.a3 N4d5 15.Qd3 0-0 16.Be4 gives White the advantage in space (Pavasovic-Horvath, Austrian ChT, Austria, 2001).
• 11...Be7 12.Nc3 0-0 13.a3 N4d5 14.Bd3 Bd7 15.Ne4 Rc8 16.Re1 Ba4 17.b3 gives White the advantage in space (Smerdon-Mastrovasilis, Op, Queensland, 2009).
• If 8...dxe5 9.dxe5 Na6 then:
• If 10.Qe2 Nc5 11.Bc2 Nd5 12.0-0 Bd7 then:
• If 13.Nc3 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Be7 then:
• 15.Rd1 Qc7 16.Bg5 Bc6 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.Nd4 Rc8 19.Rab1 g6 20.Qe3 0-0 21.Rb4 gives White the advantage in space (Can-Smeets, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 15.Nd4 Qc7 16.Re1 Ba4 17.Bxa4+ Nxa4 18.Qg4 gives White the advantage in space (Skripchenko-Guichard, French ChW, Belfort, 2010).
• 13.Rd1 Be7 14.Nbd2 0-0 15.Ne4 Rc8 16.Bg5 Nxe4 17.Qxe4 g6 18.Qh4 Rxc2 19.Rxd5 exd5 20.Bxe7 Qb6 is equal (Zubarev-van Wely, IT, Baku, 2007).
• 10.0-0 Nc5 11.Bc2 Qxd1 12.Rxd1 Bd7 13.Nc3 Rc8 14.Nd4 Be7 15.b3 0-0 16.Bb2 Rfd8 17.g3 is equal (Hracek-So, Ol, Dresden, 2008).

8.0-0 Be7 9.Qe2 0-0 10.Nc3

• If 10.Qe4 then:
• If 10...Qc7 then:
• If 11.Re1 Bd7 12.Bg5 Ncb4 then:
• 13.Nbd2 Bc6 14.a3 Nb6 15.Qh4 N4d5 16.Bd3 gives White the advantage in space (Pavasovic-Cvitan, Croatia Cup, Rabac, 2004).
• 13.Na3 Bc6 14.Bb5 a6 15.Bxc6 Nxc6 16.Nc4 dxe5 17.dxe5 gives White the advantage in space (Potkin-Franco Alonso, World Jr Ch, Athens, 2001).
• 11.Bd3 g6 12.Bh6 Rd8 13.Nbd2 dxe5 14.dxe5 Nb6 15.Rac1 Nd7 16.Bb5 Ndxe5 17.Nxe5 Qxe5 18.Bxc6 Qh5 19.Bxb7 Bxb7 20.Qxb7 Qxh6 21.Ne4 gives White the advantage in space (Sermak-Kozul, Pirc Mem, Mirabor, 1993).
• If 10...Bd7 then:
• 11.Re1 Rc8 12.a3 Na5 13.Ba2 Ba4 14.Qg4 Bc2 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Nc3 dxe5 17.Rxe5 f5 18.Qh5 gives White the advantage in space (Kristjansson-Jankovic, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 11.Bd3 f5 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Qe2 Qa5 14.Bc4 d5 15.Bd3 Bd6 16.Nc3 Rae8 17.Qd1 e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 gives Black the advantaqge in space (Struch-Chandler, Politiken Cup Op, Copenhagen, 2005).

10...dxe5

• 10...Nxc3 11.bxc3 dxe5 12.dxe5 Qa5 transposes into the no9te after Black's twelfth move.

11.dxe5 Nxc3 12.bxc3 b6

• 12...Qa5 13.Qe4 Qa4 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.Rab1 Rb8 17.Rb4 Qc6 18.Qe2 b6 19.Nd4 gives White the advantage in space (Causo-Jia, Op, Kuala Lumpur, 2008).

13.Rd1 (N)

• If 13.Qe4 Qc7 14.Bg5 Bb7 15.Bd3 g6 16.Qh4 Rfe8 17.Bxe7 Nxe7 18.Ng5 h5 19.Be4 Bd5 is equal (Solojova-Gaponenko, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2009).

13...Qc7

• The game is equal with White holding more space and Black better pawn structure.

14.Bd3

• If 14.Qe4 Bb7 15.Bd3 g6 16.Bh6 Rfd8 remains equal.

14...Bb7 15.Qe4 g6 16.Bh6 Rfd8

• 16...Rfc8 17.Qf4 Na5 18.Ng5 f5 19.Qg3 Qc6 20.a4 remains equal with White still having more pawn weaknesses.

17.Qf4 Rd5 18.Be4 Rc5 19.Bxc6?!

• White errs by allowing Black to clear his Knight from the square that is the nexus of the long diagonal and the c-file.
• 19.Rac1 Rd8 20.Rxd8+ Nxd8 21.Bxb7 Qxb7 22.Ng5 b5 remains equal; White has a potential attack brewing on the kingside, but pawn weaknesses on the queenside.

19...Qxc6!

• The Queen, whicgh travels on both the file and the diagonal, is the obvious piece to use for the recapture.
• 19...Bxc6 20.Ng5 Bf8 21.Bxf8 Rxf8 22.Rd6 Rxc3 gives Black an extra pawn and the advantage in space.
• If 19...Bxc6 20.Ng5 Bf8 21.Bxf8 Rxf8 22.Rd6 Rxc3 gives Black an extra pawn and the advantage in space.

20.Bg5

• If 20.Rd4 Rxc3 21.Rad1 Qe8 then:
• 22.Bg5 Bf8 23.Rd8 Rxd8 24.Rxd8 Qb5 leaves Black with an extra pawn and threatening mate on the back rank.
• 22.Ng5 Ra3 23.Rd7 Rb8 24.Ne4 Bxe4 25.Qxe4 Rxa2 gives Black two extra pawns.

20...Bf8!?

• 20...Bxg5 21.Qxg5 Qc7 22.Qf4 Bxf3 23.Qxf3 Rc8 leaves Black targeting two weak pawns which cannot both be saved.

21.Rd4

• If 21.Rac1 Rxc3 22.h3 Rxc1 23.Rxc1 then:
• 23...Qe4 24.Rc7 Qxf4 25.Bxf4 Bxf3 26.gxf3 gives Black an extra pawn and stronger pawns.
• 23...Qd7 24.Nd2 Qd5 25.Nf3 Bc6 26.Bf6 Rc8 leaves Black targeting the weak a-pawn and building an embryonic attack on the back rank.

21...Rd5 22.Rad1 Qxc3 23.Rc1

BLACK: Mariya Muzychuk
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WHITE: Kristina Solic
Position after 23.Rdf1c1

23...Rxd4!

• Black puts the Queen en guarde and threatens a back rank mate.

24.Nxd4

• White obviously cannot take the Queen.
• 24.Qxd4 Qxd4 25.Nxd4 Bd5 would do more to relieve the pressure on White.

24...Qb4 25.h4

• 25.Nb3 Rc8 26.Qxb4 Bxb4 27.Rxc8+ Bxc8 still leaves Black with an extra pawn.

25...Rc8 26.Rxc8 Bxc8 27.Bf6?

• If 27.Nc6 Qxf4 28.Bxf4 a6 29.Bg5 Bb7 30.Ne7+ then:
• 30...Kh8! 31.Bf6+ Bg7 32.f3 Bxf6 33.exf6 comes close to assuring Black of a win without actually doing so.
• 30...Bxe7? 31.Bxe7 gives White a good chance of salvaging the game with opposite-colored Bishops.

BLACK: Mariya Muzychuk
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WHITE: Kristina Solic
Position after 27.Bg5f6

27...Bb7!

• After the text move, White is toast.

28.Kh2

• 28.Qe3 Qb1+ 29.Kh2 Qxa2 30.Qf4 Qb1 31.f3 Bd5 allows Black to continue to target the g2 square in a mating attack and to bring connected passed pawns forward on the queenside; White cannot defend both threats.

28...Qb1 29.Qd2 Bd5 30.a4 Qb4 31.Qd1

• 31.Qxb4 Bxb4 32.Bg5 Bc5 33.Be3 f5 34.Kg3 Kf7 .

31...Bc5 32.Nf3

• If 32.Ne2 then after 32...Bxf2 33.Qc1 Bc5 34.Nc3 Bc6 Blackl targets WHite's inadequately defended a-pawn, the inadequately defended h-pawn and threatens ...Qg4-xg2#.

32...Bxf2 33.h5 Qg4 0-1


• 34.Qc2 Qxh5+ 35.Nh4 Bc5 leaves Black three pawns to the good.
• Ms. Solic resigns.