Reply #8: Sikorova - Mkrtchian, Round 3, Ekaterinburg [View All]

[Jack Rabbit]

The romantic style of play favored by the late former wolrd champion Mikhail Tal and his protoge, the newly crowned US champion Alex Shabalov, is sometimes called "macho chess".

Armenian master Lilit Mkrtchian delights in making that phrase a real misnomer. This is one of the most wonerfully complicated tacitcal games we've seen in a while.



Lilit Mkrtchian
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Olga Sikorova (Czech Republic) vs. Lilit Mkrtchian (Armenia)
Women's World Team Championship, Round 3
Ekaterinburg, May 2007

Closed French Game: Raw Advance Opening

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3

• Before any pieces have been developed, it is apparent that White's plan is to cramp Black's kingside and center and launch a kingside attack, while Black will undermine White's hold on the center by attacking d4.

4. -- Qb6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. a3 a5!?

• More usual and more straightforward is 6. -- Nc6 7. b4 cxd4 8. cxd4 Rc8.

7. Be2 Nc6 8. 0-0 Nh6

• 8. -- a4 9. Bd3 Na5 10. Bc2 Nc4 11. Ra2 Ne7 12. Re1 Nc6 13. Bxa4 N6xe5 14. Bxd7+ Nxd7 15. b3 Nd6 is unclear (Grischuk-M. Gurevich, Rapid World Cup, Cannes 2001).

9. Bxh6 gxh6 10. Qd2 a4 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. c4 Na5!?

• Black breaks out of the book by attacking a pawn.
• 12. -- dxc4 13. Nc3 Na5 14. Ne4 0-0-0 15. Qf4 Bc6 16. Rac1 Kb8 17. Bxc4 Bxe4 18. Qxe4 Rc8 gives Black more piece activity (Jonkman-Neponiachtchi, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee 2007).

13. Qxh6

• White takes off the loose pawn in exchange for her pawn at c4.
• The text is better than 13. b4 axb3 14. cxd5 exd5 15. Nc3 Nc4 16. Qd1 b2 17. Rb1 giving White less freedom than in the actual game and tying her down to stopping Black's b-pawn.

Black: Lilit Mkrtchian
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White: Olga Sikorova
Position after 13. Qd2h6:p

13. -- dxc4!?

• Ms. Mkrtchian is a fine tactician well able to recognize the dangers in the position.
• If 13. -- Bxf2+!? 14. Rxf2 Qxb2 15. Qf6 Rf8 16. Nfd2 then:
• 16. -- Nc6! 17. Bh5 Nxe5 18. Nb3 Qxb3 19. Qxe5 then:
• 19. -- Qxc4! 20. Nd2 Qd3 21. Qf6 Qe3 22. Bxf7 Rxf7 23. Qh8+ Ke7 24. Qxa8 Rxf2 wins for Black.
• 19. -- 0-0-0? 20. Nd2 Qd3 then:
• 21. Bf3 f6 22. Qb2 Bc6 23. Re1 e5 24. cxd5 Bxd5 25. Qb4 wins for White.
• After 21. cxd5 Qxd5 22. Qe2 Bb5 23. Rc1+ Kb8 24. Rd1 White comes out of the complications with a pieces for two pawns.
• 16. -- Qxa1? 17. cxd5 Qd4 18. d6 giving White an overwhelming position with a threat of mate on the next move.

14. Nbd2?!

• White misses an opportunity to blow the game open.
• 14. Qg7! Rf8 15. Ra2 Qb3 16. Nc3 Qc2 17. Ng5 Qg6 18. Qxg6 hxg6 19. Nh7 White has a vastly superior position.

14. -- 0-0-0 15. Nxc4

• White takes the poffered pawn.
• If 15. Bxc4 Qxb2 16. Rfb1 Qc2 17. Rc1 then:
• 17. -- Qb2 18. Rab1 Qxa3 19. Ne4 Kb8 20. Nxc5 Qxc5 21. Bxe6 Qe7 22. Bxd7 Qxd7 gives White a huge advantage in space and mobility.
• After 17. -- Qg6 18. Qxg6 hxg6 19. Ng5 Bd4 20. Nxf7 Bxa1 21. Ba2+ Nc6 22. Rxa1 Rh5 23. Nxd8 Kxd8 24. f4 White keeps the extra pawn.

15. -- Nxc4 16. Bxc4 Bc6 17. Qf4

• White attacks a pawn weakness.
• 17. Qf6 Qxb2 18. Qxf7 Kb8 19. Ra2 Qc3 20. Be2 Rhg8 21. Kh1 levels the game.

17. -- Rhg8 18. g3!?

• This is a fine defensive move, but the spirit of the game is aggressive tactics.
• 18. b4 then:
• After 18. -- axb3 19. Rab1 Bxf3 20. Qxf3 Qc6 21. Qxc6+ bxc6 22. Rxb3 Rg5 23. Rfb1 Kd7 24. Rf3 Ke8 White retains his extra pawn, but it is not dangerous at this time.
• White continues to dominate after 18. -- Bd4?! 19. Rac1 Kb8 20. Be2 Rg7 21. Rc2 Bd5 22. g3 Bb3 23. Rd2 Bc3 24. Rxb8+ Qxd8 25. Bc4.

18. -- h5 19. Rac1

Black: Lilit Mkrtchian
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White: Olga Sikorova
Position after 19.Ra1c1

19. -- Kb8!

• Black puts her King is safer place before starting a counteratttack.
• If 19. -- Qxb2 20. Ng5 h4 then:
• 21. Bxe6+! fxe6 22. Rxc5 hxg3 23. hxg3 Qxa3 24. Rxc6+ bxc6 25. Qc4 Qb2 26. Qxc6+ Kb8 27. Nxe6 leaves White with two pawns for the exchange and active pieces; Black's hopes rest on her a-pawn.
• If 21. Nxf7? Rd4 then:
• 22. Qf6 hxg3 23. hxg3 Rxg3+ 24. Kh2 Rf3 25. Bxe6+ Kc7 26. Qxf3 Bxf3 27. Rxc5+ Bc6 gives Black a solid advatage ins space and mobility.
• 22. Nd6+ Kb8 23. Qf7 Rdg4 then:
• If 24. Nb5 Black forces mate as follows: 24. -- R4g7 25. Qxe6 Bxf2+ 26. Rxf2 Rxg3+ 27. hxg3 Rxg3+ 28. Kf1 Qxc1+ 29. Ke2 Re3#.
• After 24. Bb5 Black mates with 24. -- hxg3 25. Bxc6 gxf2+ 26. Kh1 Rg1+ 27. Rxg1 fxg1Q+ 28. Rxg1 Rxg1#

20. Rc2 Rg4 21. Qf6 Rdg8 22. Be2

• Black retreats to guard the Knight in prefefence to moving it.
• 22. Nh4 Qc7 23. Be2 Be7 24. Qxf7 R8g7 25. Qxe6 Rxh4 26. Bf3 Bxf3 27. Rxc7 Kxc7 28. Rc1+ 000

22. -- Be4 23. Rd2 Ka7 24. Nh4 Qb3 25. Nf3?

• White misses the opportunity to take the wind out the sails of Black's counterplay by taking the exchange.
• After 25. Bxg4 hxg4 26. Qxf7 Rf8 27. Qc7 Qb5 28. Rc1 White's piece activity carries the day.

25. -- h4?!

• Black attacks on the King's wing, but this only draws.
• Black wins after 25. -- Qb6 26. h4 Rxg3+ 27. Kh2 Rg2+ 28. Kh1 Rxf2 29. Rxf2 Bxf2 30. Rd6 Qe3.

26. Kg2 hxg3 27. fxg3?

• White retakes with the wrong pawn and loses.
• 27. hxg3 Bd4 28. Bd1 Qb5 29. Re1 Bxb2 is equal.

27. -- Qe3!

• Also strong is 27. -- Be3 29. Bd1 Qb5 29. Re2 Bd3 30. Rxe3 Bxf1 31. Kf2 Qb6 32. Nd2 Rd8/

28. Rfd1 Qf2+ 29. Kh1

Black: Lilit Mkrtchian
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White: Olga Sikorova
Position after 29. Kg2h1

29. -- Rxg3!!

• The sacrifice at g3 is the quickest way.

30. hxg3 Rxg3 31. Bf1 Rg1# 0-1