Grandmaster Analysis

(BUL) Stefanova A. (2548) – (ENG) Houska Jovanka (2399) [D10]
WMSG Rapid (11), 07.10.2008
[Analysis by GM Azmaiparashvili]

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 c6 4.c4 a6 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.Nc3 Bg4 8.Nge2 e6 9.Rc1 Be7 10.0–0 0–0 11.Na4 The former Women World Champion is trying simply to put her knight on the c5 sguare which looks logical [White gets nothing with the otherplan 11.f3 Bh5 12.Qb3 Na5 13.Qa4 b5 14.Qd1 Nc4=] 11…Bxe2 12.Bxe2 [If 12.Qxe2 Qa5 And White is forced to retreat from an active position] 12…Nd7 [Black can try to change Black coloured bishops, but White will avoid it 12…Bd6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 Qe7 15.f4²] 13.a3 Rc8 14.b4 Nf6?! [Probably it is better to exchange bishops because in such a closed position less material favours the defending side 14…Bg5 15.Bg3 Bh4 16.Nc5 Nxc5 17.Bxh4 Qxh4 18.bxc5 f5] 15.Nc5 Qb6 16.Qd3 [More logical for me would be 16.Bd3 Rfd8 17.Qf3 transfering queen to h3] 16…Rfd8 [Better was 16…Na7 with the idea of transfering the Knight to b5 and then to d6] 17.Rc2 Stefanova missed nice tactical opportunity [17.Nxb7!! 17…Qxb7 18.Qxa6 Qxa6 19.Bxa6 Na7 20.Bxc8 Rxc8 21.Rxc8+ Nxc8 22.Rc1 Nb6 23.Rc6] 17…Bd6 18.Bg5 Ne7 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Bh5 f5 21.Rfc1 Rc6 22.g4 Qc7 [It’s not possible to take the pawn on g4 with 22…fxg4?! because of the nice variation 23.Bxf7+! Kxf7 24.Qxh7+ Kf6 25.e4! (Worst is 25.Qh4+ Kf7 26.Nxb7 Qxb7÷ (26…Rxc2 27.Nxd8+ Qxd8 28.Qh7+ Ke8 29.Qxc2 Nf5÷) 27.Rxc6 Qb8) 25…Ng6 26.e5+ Bxe5 27.dxe5+ Nxe5 28.Qh6+ Ng6 29.h4±] 23.f4 [It was bad to go for tactics 23.gxf5 Nxf5 24.Nxa6?? Rxc2 25.Rxc2 Qe7 and Black is winning] 23…Rc8 24.Rg2 fxg4?? A blunder in time trouble [The only move to continue the game was 24…Kf8 25.gxf5 Nxf5 26.Bg4 Nxe3 (26…b6 27.Bxf5 exf5 28.Qxf5 bxc5 29.bxc5 Qe7 30.Re1 Qe4 31.Qxe4 dxe4 32.cxd6 Rxd6) 27.Qxe3 Bxf4 28.Qc3 b6 29.Rf1 bxc5 30.dxc5 Qe5 with counter chances] 25.Bxf7+! Kxf7 26.Qxh7+ Ke8 27.Qh5+ Ng6 28.Rxg4 b6 29.Rxg6 bxc5 30.Rg7+ 1–0

Special thanks to Peter Long (Executive Director – ASEAN Chess Confederation . FIDE Trainer . FIDE Arbiter . FIDE Master) for sending me the analysis.