Openings / French Advance 9. ... Bc5 FRENCH DEFENSE,
ADVANCE VARIATION (C02) FM Alisa Melekhina (2257) WGM Anna Zatonskih (2529) 2014 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship (7), St. Louis, Missouri, 05.16.2014
I had played the 9. Nbd2 gambit line in round
two of the 2014 U.S. Women’s Championship against WGM Sabina Foisor. The surprise weapon was successful in stunning Foisor into playing the inferior 9. ... Nf5, allowing me to get a better position. By round seven, I had to decide whether to play the gambit line again. It was a tough decision: Not only was I playing one of the tournament leaders, but she would have seen my game from round two, and had the entire free day to prepare. On top of all of that, I had literally five grandmaster friends advise against playing the line. At first I followed heed and began learning a new line from scratch. However, I later realized that the effort would be futile against a diverse player like Zatonskih. I would have wasted my entire free day when the most important thing was to rest. Hence, I decided to go with what I was most com fortable with. I figured that if she were to go straight into the line, she would prepare 9. ... Bc5, which is considered the best “refutation.” I had no games against that move, which I thought would work to my advantage. My goal was to out- prepare her preparation. Turns out, I was spot on with how the opening unfolded.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. 0–0 Nxd4 9. Nbd2 Bc5
Expected given the tournament situa tion. After
the game, Zatonskih revealed that she perceived me as having a pen chant for gambits, and prepared for several gambits, even ones I hadn't played before! It was shrewd preparation on her part. However, she also admitted that she spent only 30 minutes on this particular line.
10. Nxd4
10. b4!? What’s another pawn? This is a feisty alternative to the game. It will certainly catch the unwary off guard. Your opponents must be well- versed in the consequences of mixing up the move order here. 10. ... Qxb4 (10. ... Nxf3+! The correct way to counter the second pawn sacrifice. If Black takes b4 immediately, he will find himself in trouble. 11. Nxf3 Qxb4 12. Rb1 Qa4 13. Qxa4 Bxa4 14. Rxb7 Ne7 Black has escaped from the danger, although White still has good chances due to the active rook. I opted not to go for this line in the game; I suspected my opponent would not fall for the move order tricks.) 11. Nxd4 Bxd4 12. Rb1 Qa5 ...
a) 12. ... Qa4 13. Qxa4 Bxa4 14. Rb4 Bxe5 15. Rxa4 Bd6 16. Ba3 Bxa3 17. Rxa3 Nf6 18. Rb1, Black resigned (18) Pap, M (2495)-Velten, P (2112), Creon, 2008;
b) 12. ... Qc3!? 13. Nf3 Bb6 14. Rb3! Qa5 (14. ... Qc7 15. Qd2! Ne7 16. Qg5 Ng6 17. Ba3 and Black's king is stuck.) 15. Ng5 with the intiative and a rook on the third rank that could jump into the fray at any moment.
then discovers with Bxb6. Now, Black’s queen is in trouble. After this move, I would consider the opening a success. I certainly didn’t lose because of the line I chose. In fact, I was significantly up on time at this point. 14. ... Nc6 Black needs to target the anchor in
White's position: the e5-pawn. Then, 15. Be3 Qxe5 16. Bxb6 is interesting.
15. Be3 Qh4 This move showed great foresight in provoking
g2-g3, which would become a decisive weakness in my position. After 15. ... Qxe5 16. Bxb6 Qb8 17. Bd4 the
bishop on d4 becomes powerful and White is back in business.
16. g3 Stronger is 16. f4!? 0-0 (16. ... f5 17. g3 Qh6 18.
Ba6 Rc7 19. Rc1!:
... 13. Nb3 Qb6 14. Nxd4 Qxd4 15. Rxb7 By gaining control of the dark squares and coaxing Black’s queen out into the open, White is in great shape.
10. ... Bxd4 11. Nf3 Ne7 11. ... Bc5 12. b4 We find ourselves in a transpo-
sition to the line where White goes b4 immediately and Black has cor rectly exchanged knights on f3. Zatonskih opts to continue development. White is not challenged to show what she has for the pawn.
12. Nxd4 Always happy to get that bishop!
12. ... Qxd4 13. Re1 b6 Indirectly attacking b2 by nullifying Rb1 after
14. Be3 Qxb2. 14. Rb1
A typical method of gaining control of the c-file 19. ... Rxc1 20. Qxc1 0-0 21. Qc7 White is dominating on the seventh; 16. ... Ng6 is possible, but then I have succeeded in misplacing the knight.) 17. g3 Qh3 18. Bf1 Qf5 (18. ... Qh6 19. f5 g5 is rather good for White; Black should instead choose to repeat moves) 19. Bd3 Qh3 20. Bf1.
16. ... Qa4 17. b3 Qa3 18. Qe2 18. Qg4 Ng6 threatening to take on e5, but
misplacing the knight, which belongs on f5. In this line, White has to just “go for it.” 19. Bd2!? (19. Bd4 Qb4) 19. ... h5 otherwise, h4-h5 is looming (19. ... Qxa2 20. Bb4 Unsurprisingly, Black’s queen will be captured soon after Re2.) 20. Qe2 Qxa2 poisoned pawn; the queen is trapped. 21. Ra1 Qxb3 22. Reb1.
18. ... Nf5 I underestimated this move since I was satisfied
with being able to regain the pawn easily and leaving Black with doubled pawns. Unfortunately, Black’s bishop springs to life, and the weakness created by g2-g3 proves fatal.
19. Bxf5 exf5 20. Rbd1 0-0 20. ... Be6 If Black gets greedy and tries to hold
on to the pawn 21. Qb5+ Ke7 (21. ... Kf8 22. Rc1) 22. Bd2 swinging to b4.
14. ... Rc8
This move looks active, but it leaves a7 unprotected in case White goes Be3, Qxe5, and
21. Rxd5 (see diagram next page)
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