[Event "Women Candidates Pool A"] [Site "Monaco MNC"] [Date "2022.10.30"] [Round "1.4"] [White "Muzychuk, Anna"] [Black "Koneru, Humpy"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C43"] [WhiteElo "2534"] [BlackElo "2574"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "115"] [EventDate "2022.10.25"] [EventType "k.o."] {Koneru had won the first game of this four-game match and the next two games were drawn, so it was win-or-go home for Anna Muzychuk. (Actually for both Muzychuks; Anna's sister Mariya had lost the first game of her match to Tingjie Lei. She did not manage to win on demand in game 4 - the game was drawn - and so she's out.)} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. dxe5 d5 5. Nbd2 Qd7 6. Bd3 Nc5 7. Be2 Ne6 8. O-O Be7 9. Re1 O-O 10. Nf1 c5 11. Ng3 Rd8 12. Nf5 Nc6 13. b3 a6 14. a4 b6 15. h4 Bf8 16. Bd2 Bb7 17. h5 {The position is equal, but the knight on f5 and pawn on h5 suggest that the pressure is more on Black than on White, and that a mistake would prove more costly for her.} Ne7 (17... h6 $142 $11) 18. N3h4 $14 Nxf5 19. Nxf5 Kh8 (19... h6 {still makes sense.}) 20. Bg4 d4 21. h6 g6 22. Ng3 c4 $2 {It turns out that this clearance sac also opens lines for White, too - Muzychuk will benefit from the half-open b-file.} (22... Kg8) (22... d3) 23. bxc4 $1 Rac8 24. Rb1 $16 Rxc4 (24... Qc7 $2 25. Bxe6 fxe6 26. Qg4 $18 {is no improvement, and neither is}) (24... Qc6 25. Bf3 Qc7 26. a5 $18) 25. Rxb6 Bc5 26. Rb3 Be7 27. Ne4 (27. a5 $142) 27... Bxe4 28. Rxe4 Qc6 29. Qf3 $6 (29. Bxe6 $142) 29... Kg8 $14 30. Bxe6 fxe6 $6 $16 (30... Qxe6 $142) 31. Qg4 Rxc2 32. Rd3 Bc5 $6 (32... Rc5) 33. Bg5 $2 $14 (33. Rf4 $1 $18) 33... Rf8 34. Bf6 Qd5 (34... Rc3 $142) 35. Rexd4 $1 Bxd4 36. Rxd4 Qa2 37. Rd7 $16 {/+-} Rxf6 38. exf6 Qa1+ 39. Kh2 Qe5+ 40. Kh3 $2 (40. f4 Qxf6 41. Rg7+ Kh8 42. Ra7 $18) 40... Qxf6 $2 (40... Rxf2 $1 $11) 41. Rg7+ Kh8 42. Ra7 $18 Rc8 43. Qe4 Qg5 44. Qd4+ $1 e5 45. Qh4 $6 (45. Qe3 $1 $18) 45... Qf5+ 46. Qg4 Qf8 (46... Qd3+ {puts up more resistance.}) 47. Qg5 {From here, Muzychuk plays strong, effective chess to finish the game and force a playoff.} Re8 48. Rxa6 Kg8 49. Rf6 Qe7 50. a5 Qd7+ 51. Kh2 e4 52. a6 Qc7+ 53. g3 e3 54. Qd5+ Kh8 55. Qd4 Kg8 56. Qd5+ Kh8 57. Rf7 Qc3 58. Qd7 {It's mate in two more moves.} 1-0 [Event "Women Candidates Pool A"] [Site "Monaco MNC"] [Date "2022.10.30"] [Round "1.7"] [White "Muzychuk, Anna"] [Black "Koneru, Humpy"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C43"] [WhiteElo "2534"] [BlackElo "2574"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2022.10.25"] [EventType "k.o."] {[%evp 0,37,28,18,21,28,28,33,31,12,14,9,33,22,13,11,13,15,46,41,35,17,17,6,6,-2,12,-2,97,78,81,86,124,124,124,124,146,103,135,150] The first two playoff games were well-played by both sides and remained even from start to finish. This game was another matter entirely: Muzychuk had excellent winning chances at several points, and Koneru briefly had a significant upper hand as well.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 (3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nc4 (4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Bf5 6. Qe2) 4... Nxe4 5. Nc3 Bf5) 3... Nxe4 4. dxe5 d5 5. Nbd2 Nxd2 6. Bxd2 Be7 7. Bd3 c5 8. c3 Bg4 9. h3 Bh5 10. Bf5 Nc6 11. g4 Bg6 12. Qe2 $14 Qb6 $6 13. O-O-O $16 {Black is already in trouble, as White's initiative will be faster than Black's queenside counterattack.} Bxf5 14. gxf5 O-O-O {Now the king is safe, but Black's kingside pawns are not.} 15. Rhg1 Rhe8 $5 (15... Rhg8 16. Bf4 $16 {/+-}) 16. Rxg7 Bf6 17. Rxf7 $18 Bxe5 18. Qf1 $2 (18. Nxe5 Nxe5 19. Rxh7 c4 20. Be3 $18 {is great for White. She's two pawns up, Black's king is weak, and ...Nd3+ is harmless.} Qc6 21. Kb1 Nd3 22. Qg4 Qb5 23. Rxd3 cxd3 24. f6+ Kb8 25. Qd4 Qa6 26. Re7 $18 {Black's material situation is fine, but her position is hopeless.}) 18... Qa5 $2 (18... Na5 $1 $14) 19. Kb1 $18 Qa4 20. Bg5 $2 (20. Ng5 $18) 20... Rd6 $2 (20... Bxc3 $3 21. bxc3 $8 (21. Bxd8 $4 Nb4 $19 {leads to a speedy mate.}) 21... d4 $1 $11 {A remarkably quiet move for such a position, but even though Black is down a full piece and has no immediately crushing threat, her counterplay is enough for a draw.}) 21. Rxh7 $2 (21. Re1 $1 $18 {was correct, pinning the bishop.}) 21... Bxc3 $1 {This time she spots it; fortunately for her, it's still good enough for a draw.} 22. b3 $2 {or more!} (22. bxc3 $8 Nb4 $1 23. Rd2 $8 Rb6 $8 24. Rh6 $1 Nxa2+ $8 25. Rxb6 $8 Nxc3+ $8 26. Kb2 $8 axb6 $8 27. Kxc3 (27. Qa1 Qb4+ $8 $11 {also leads to a draw.}) 27... Qa3+ 28. Kc2 Qa2+ 29. Kc3 $8 Qa3+ $11) 22... Qa5 $19 23. Bf4 {Best.} Nb4 $2 {Sometimes the obvious move is not the best option.} (23... Qa3 $1 {more or less forces White's dangerous bishop to retreat, and then Black can resume her attack.} 24. Bc1 Qb4 $19) 24. a4 $14 Rc6 $2 (24... Rd7 $1 25. Rxd7 Kxd7 $14) 25. Qb5 $1 $18 Qxb5 26. axb5 Re2 $1 27. Bd2 $1 (27. bxc6 $4 Rb2+ 28. Ka1 (28. Kc1 Na2#) 28... Nc2#) 27... Bxd2 28. bxc6 Bc3 29. cxb7+ Kb8 {One last hurdle for Muzychuk to clear...} 30. Rg1 $2 {...and she stumbles.} (30. Nd2 $1 {This breaks up the perpetual check mechanism, and wins.} Bxd2 31. Rg1 {Now this is correct.} Bg5 $1 32. h4 $1 (32. Rxg5 $4 Re1+ 33. Kb2 Re2+ 34. Kc1 Na2+ 35. Kd1 Nc3+ $11) 32... Na2 $1 33. Rg3 $1 Bd8 34. f6 c4 (34... d4 35. Rd7 $18) 35. bxc4 dxc4 36. Rd7 $1 c3 37. Rxd8+ Kxb7 38. Rg7+ Kb6 39. Rb8+ Ka6 40. Rc7 $18) 30... Rb2+ $11 31. Kc1 Nd3+ 32. Kd1 Nxf2+ 33. Kc1 Nd3+ 34. Kd1 Nf2+ 35. Kc1 Nd3+ 36. Kd1 Nf2+ 37. Kc1 Nd3+ 38. Kd1 1/2-1/2 [Event "Women Candidates Pool A"] [Site "Monaco MNC"] [Date "2022.10.30"] [Round "1.8"] [White "Koneru, Humpy"] [Black "Muzychuk, Anna"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D32"] [WhiteElo "2574"] [BlackElo "2534"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "34"] [EventDate "2022.10.25"] [EventType "k.o."] {[%evp 0,34,31,31,13,-11,-9,4,16,19,15,16,18,25,18,21,93,4,5,13,2,6,12,6,18,18,18,16,19,25,32,25,51,-322,-322,-322,-324]} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4 {An amazing choice in such a high-stakes game, especially when a draw is an acceptable result. Fortune favors the brave, but one can sing the praises of the courageous while acknowledging that there's a distinction between courage and foolhardiness.} 5. Qa4+ (5. Qxd4 {is the alternative. In the old days the 5.Qxd4 and 5.Qa4+ lines would typically transpose, but no longer.} Nc6 6. Qd1 exd5 7. Qxd5 {and now} Bd6 {is the hot move.} (7... Bd7 8. Nf3 Nf6 9. Qd1 Bc5 10. e3 Qe7 11. Be2 O-O-O 12. O-O g5 {is the starting position of the old main line.}) (7... Qc7 {is rarer than 7...Bd6, but worth investigating.})) 5... Bd7 6. Qxd4 exd5 7. Qxd5 Nf6 (7... Nc6 {used to be automatic, with a transposition to the old main line given in the note with 5.Qxd4 after} 8. Qd1 Nf6 9. Nf3 {. The transposition has been reached, and for convenience I'll give the rest of the line to the old tabiya:} Bc5 10. e3 Qe7 11. Be2 O-O-O 12. O-O g5) 8. Qd1 (8. Qxb7 {is playable, but Black is fine after} Nc6 9. Bf4 Bb4 $44 {Black has at least enough for the two pawns.}) (8. Qb3 {is an important alternative to 8.Qd1. Here Black plays} Na6 9. Nf3 Nc5 {, and now White chooses between 10.Qc2 and 10.Qd1.}) 8... Bc5 9. e3 O-O {The contemporary interpretation. Black trusts his activity rather than going for an all-out attack (by both sides) in the ...0-0-0 lines.} (9... Nc6 10. Nf3 Qe7 11. Be2 O-O-O 12. O-O g5 {is yet another transposition to the old line.}) 10. Nf3 Qe7 11. Be2 Rd8 12. O-O Nc6 13. Qc2 Rac8 14. a3 Ne5 (14... Bd6 {seems the current preference, and I'm inclined to say it's the better choice.}) 15. Nd4 {Now Black shouldn't play 15...Bd6 on account of 16.Nf5.} Ng6 {White has many decent moves here; the one chosen isn't one of them.} 16. Bd2 $4 $146 {Oh dear.} (16. Rd1 {is good, as played in a Tristan-Tate game this past August.}) 16... Bxd4 17. exd4 Qxe2 {What a horrible way for Koneru to be bounced from the Candidates. Congrats to Anna Muzychuk, though - winning on demand in game 4 was impressive, and having the guts to play the gambit in this game is remarkable.} 0-1 [Event "Women Candidates Pool A"] [Site "Monaco MNC"] [Date "2022.11.06"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Muzychuk, Anna"] [Black "Lei, Tingjie"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B24"] [WhiteElo "2534"] [BlackElo "2535"] [PlyCount "91"] [EventDate "2022.10.25"] [EventType "k.o."] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. Nc3 d5 6. exd5 exd5 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bg4 9. Qd3 Bc5 10. Nb3 Qe7+ 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. Qxe3 Qxe3+ 13. fxe3 O-O-O 14. h3 Bf5 15. O-O-O Rhe8 16. g4 Bg6 17. g5 Ne4 18. Bxe4 Bxe4 19. Rhf1 Bg6 20. Nxd5 Re5 21. Nf4 Rxd1+ 22. Kxd1 Rxg5 23. Nxg6 fxg6 24. Rf7 Rg1+ 25. Kd2 Rg2+ 26. Kd1 Ne5 27. Rxg7 Nc4 28. Rxh7 Nxe3+ 29. Kc1 Rxc2+ 30. Kb1 Rg2 31. Rh4 Rh2 32. Kc1 g5 33. Rh5 Rc2+ 34. Kb1 Rg2 35. Kc1 Nc4 36. h4 Nxb2 37. hxg5 Nd3+ 38. Kb1 Nf4 39. Rh4 Ne6 40. Rc4+ Kd7 41. Nc5+ Nxc5 42. Rxc5 Kd6 43. Rf5 a6 44. Rf7 Rxg5 45. Rxb7 Rb5+ 46. Rxb5 1/2-1/2 [Event "Women Candidates Pool A"] [Site "Monaco MNC"] [Date "2022.11.06"] [Round "2.2"] [White "Lei, Tingjie"] [Black "Muzychuk, Anna"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D85"] [WhiteElo "2535"] [BlackElo "2534"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2022.10.25"] [EventType "k.o."] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Be3 c5 8. Nf3 Qa5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. Rb1 a6 11. Rc1 cxd4 12. cxd4 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 e6 14. Bd3 O-O 15. h4 Rd8 16. Rc4 h6 17. Rb1 Bd7 18. Rb6 Be8 19. e5 Rd5 20. Rc2 Rad8 21. Be4 Rb5 22. Rxb5 axb5 23. Ke2 Bf8 24. Rd2 Na5 25. Rc2 Nc6 26. Rd2 Na5 27. Rc2 Nc6 28. Rd2 1/2-1/2