Churchkhela

Nino Batsiashvili – Olga Alexandrovna Girya
22nd European Women’s Chess Club Cup; Göynük, October 10, 2017
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

The star of Nino Batsiashvili, who very recently earned her final Grandmaster norm in the 4th Isle of Man International Chess Tournament, keeps shining even in Turkey. Today she defeated the higher ranked Olga Alexandrovna Girya, despite some inconsistency and one big blind spot (she missed a trivial mate) along the path. 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d5 3. e3 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nd2 e6 6. Ngf3 Bd6 7. Ne5 Qc7 8. Ndf3 Nd7 9. Nxd7 Bxd7 10. Bg3 Bxg3!? “Book” gives 10. ... b6 11. Bd3 h6 12. 0-0 0-0 with another (dull) story, Barlocco – Vaisser, 10th International Open, Mendrisio 1989. 11. hxg3 Qd6 12. Bb5 0-0-0 13. Qa4 a6 14. Bxc6 Bxc6 15. Qc2 h6 16. dxc5 Qxc5 17. b4 Qd6 18. a4 Kb8 19. Qb3 Bd7 20. b5 Rc8 21. bxa6 Qxa6 22. Rh4 Rc4 23. Ne5 Rxh4 24. Nxd7+ Kc7 25. Nc5 Rh1+ 26. Kd2 Rxa1 27. Nxa6+ bxa6 28. Qb4 Rb8 29. Qc5+ Kb7 30. e4 dxe4 31. Qe7+ Kc6 32. Qxf7 Rd8+ 33. Kc2 Rd6 34. Kb3 Kc5?? Self-mate! This happened for a reason, of course: Girya, in fact, had little more than 30 seconds left, otherwise she would have certainly realized that after 34. ... Rb1+ 35. Kc4 Rb7 Black should not have had too many problems holding her own. 35. Qc7+ Rc6. If 35. ... Kd5 then 36. c4+ Ke5 37. Qxg7+ Kf5 38. Qf8+ winning the Rook.

White to move and mate in four moves: 36. Qe5+ Kb6 37. Qd4+? But Batsiashvili has totally overlooked it: 37. Qb8+ Kc5 38. Qb4+ Kd5 39. Qd4 mate. 37. ... Kb7 38. Qxg7+ Rc7? This is another mistake under terrific time pressure: Black cuts her own Rook off from activity, making her opponent’s win much easier. 39. Qxh6 Rb1+ 40. Kc2 Rb6 41. a5 Rbc6 42. Qe3 Kc8 43. g4 Kd7 44. g5 Ke7 45. Qd4 Rc4 46. Qe5 R4c5 47. Qf6+ Kd6 48. g6 Rf5 49. Qd4+ Ke7 50. g4 Rfc5 51. Qg7+ Kd6 52. Qf6 Rxa5 53. g7 1 : 0.