Chessville - Annotated Games - Kosteniuk v Stefanova - North Urals Cup, Krasnoturinsk, July 2005

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North Urals Cup, Krasnoturinsk, July 2005

North Urals Cup in Krasnoturinsk: Strongest Chess Women's Tournament of the Year 2005

Kosteniuk - Stefanova 1-0

36. Nxg7!!

Awarded Prize for
Best Move of the
Tournament

GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2516) - GM Antoaneta Stefanova (2501)
Comments by GM Alexandra Kosteniuk

This game was played in what will most likely be the strongest women's tournament in the world this year (2005), a category 18 event, with 10 of the strongest women chess players of the world, including the current world champion (Stefanova), the current and past vice-champions of the world (Kovalevskaya, Kosteniuk, and Galliamova), and 5-times world champion Chiburdanidze, as well as several very strong Russian players (the Kosintseva sisters, Nadezhda and Tatiana), with very strong world players such as Koneru (#4 ranked in the world) and Xu (twice winner of World Cup) from China. The 10 players are all within the top 20 ranked in the world as per the last FIDE rating dated July 2005, which is a great achievement of the tournament organizers. The strength of the tournament is visible when you see that the current world champion Stefanova and a past European Champion Zhukova share a tie for the last place. Congratulations to Humpy Koneru for winning the tournament and for being the only unbeaten player in this very difficult field.

The tournament results were as follows:

1. Koneru (India) 6/9
2-3. Xu (China) and Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia) 5.5/9
4. N. Kosintseva (Russia) 5/9
5-6. T. Kosintseva and Galliamova (both Russia) 4.5/9
7-8. Kovalevskaya (Russia) and Chiburdanidze (Georgia) 4/9
9-10. Stefanova (Bulgaria) and Zhukova (Ukraine) 3/9

This game was played in the 5th round of the tournament. Although Antoaneta Stefanova is the current reigning world champion, Alexandra had a score of 2.5 out of 3 games played up to then (Alexandra won their games in Dresden 2004 and Calvia 2004, and a draw occurred in Wijk aan Zee 2005.) In all three games Alexandra played with the Black pieces. This game is the first time Alexandra played against Stefanova with the white pieces.

A. Kosteniuk - A. Stefanova

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5

The Ruy Lopez Opening

3... a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. a4 Bb7 8. d3 b4

Antoaneta played this move last year in Krasnoturinsk against Galliamova and won. For this year's game I was well prepared.

9. Bg5

9. a5 has also been played, as well as 9. Nbd2.

9... h6 10. Be3 d6 ?!

This is a doubtful move and it surprised me very much. Black is harming her pawn structure and creating many weaknesses.

11. Bxc5 dxc5 12. a5 O-O 13. Nbd2 Re8 14. Nc4 Nd7 15. c3 Nf8 16. g3 Qf6

Possibly would have been better the move Ng6, not allowing white to realize their plan Nh4 and f4.

17. Nh4 Ne6 18. Ne3

18...Rad8

During the game I considered mostly 18...Ne7, not allowing white to play Nd5: 19. Ng4 Qg5 20. Bxe6 fxe6 21. f4 exf4 22. Rxf4 with the idea Nf6+ and Rg4 winning the Queen.

19. Nd5 Qg5 20. Ng2 Rd6

After the move Rd7 f7 would have been defended twice.

21. f4 Qd8

I thought it was better to take immediately on f4 - 21...exf4 as here taking back with the knight is not as strong as in the game.

22. Qh5 exf4?

The decisive mistake.

23. Ndxf4!

23...Qd7 24. Nxe6

Here at each move there are many ways to win. I chose the simplest and obvious moves, which in these kinds of positions are usually the strongest.

24... fxe6 25. Nf4 bxc3 26. bxc3 Nd8 27. Qxc5

27. e5 is also possible.

27... Kh7 28. Ba4 Bc6 29. e5!

Wins the exchange.

29...Bxa4 30. exd6 cxd6 31. Qh5 Bc6

If Black was able to put the Bishop and the Queen on the long diagonal, White would not have any advantage. But the weak position of the black King and their other pieces forbid them to do such a regroupment of forces.

32. Qg6+ Kh8 33. Nh5 e5 34. Rf2 Rg8 35. Rb1!

With the idea Rb4 and Nf6

35... Ne6

What can white play now to win?

36. Nxg7 !!

This move was awarded the prize of the best move of the tournament, which was from the magazine "Ural Problemist". I was very pleased to make such a move during the game. 36. Rf7 obviously would have also won, but not so beautifully: 36...Nf8 ( 36...Qe8 37. Nf6! wins) 37. Qxg7+! Rxg7 38. Rxf8+ with an easy win, but then the beauty prize might have gone to someone else...

36... Ng5

The knight can be taken by 3 different pieces but in each case white wins: ( 36...Rxg7 37. Rb8+ Nd8 38. Rf8+ with mate ) ( 36...Qxg7 37. Qxe6 wins) (36...Nxg7 37.Qxh6 mate)

37. Qxh6+ Nh7 38. Nf5

Black resigns, 1-0